This past weekend, my mom and I visited my aunt in Wilmington, Delaware, and we had a chance to visit Longwood Gardens. We specifically went to see a traditional Irish music group, Poor Man’s Gambit. They were absolutely wonderful, especially after well over a year of not seeing any live music, which lifts my soul like few other experiences. There’s something about Irish traditional music in particular that seems to draw children close to the stage. It was hot and humid, but a throng of kids quickly clambered off their seats at picnic tables to twirl and hop and swing each other around in front of the musicians. Their connection to each melody and their total lack of self-consciousness in letting themselves be moved by it was such a joy to witness.
I’ve only been to Longwood Gardens once before, on a high school trip to look at colleges, and where Longwood was something of an afterthought. It hadn’t occurred to me that some of the areas I was most excited to see, like the rose garden and then wildflower meadow, would be past their prime at the end of June, since they’re still abundant where I live in upstate New York and most are just coming into their full glory in early summer. While I was initially a little disappointed, I soon realized that it gave me the opportunity to get a better look at the exhibits I might usually not spend as much time on, like the conservatory and the waterlily display.
The water lilies were like nothing I’ve ever seen— three feet in diameter, at least, and they’re only half of their final size! I felt a bit like Thumbelina next to them! Apparently it takes several people to haul them out of the pond at the end of the season. As a gardener who primarily grows vegetables and cottage-y flowers, a dinnerplate dahlia is about the biggest single plant I’m used to seeing, and these huge Victoria platter lilies left me in awe. I think it was particularly because the plant’s structure is so visible, you can clearly see all the veins and it made me aware of the amount of living architecture that goes into supporting such a huge leaf.
I was also very taken by this combination of a vibrantly flowered mimosa tree, stretching into the sunlight, and the stunning lavender and green spiderwort gently climbing up in the shade beneath.
Of course, I did manage to find some of the soft, airy, pollinator-friendly flowers that really hold my heart. Drifts of lemon-yellow coreopsis and their deeper golden buds were breathtaking, swaying gently with each welcome breeze. I can’t wait to grow these in my own garden next year. (What’s that? Where will I fit them? Never you mind.)
I’m not sure what these gorgeous leaves are, but I found their deep, rounded veining captivating. This photo is heavily edited, the leaves are in reality green and not rose gold, but I wanted to edit in the photo in a way that gave them a metallic look to really emphasize that incredible structure. It was interesting to find myself drawn to such boldly architectural leaves since I’m usually much more attracted to delicate, feathery foliage like that of cosmos.
Thank you for coming on a little excursion through Longwood Gardens with me! What’s your favorite botanical garden? Do you prefer breezy, cottage-garden foliage, or structured and succulent tropical plants? Let me know in the comments!
