What’s in Bloom

This tried-and-true variety of miniature daffodil was developed by pioneer plant breeder Alec Gray sometime in the 1940’s.  With it's modest 6 inch stature, featuring 2-to-3 slightly reflexed and vibrant yellow flowers per stem, and a reliable propensity to naturalize, 'Tete-a-tete' is a perfect choice for a variety of garden settings.

Camellias are a large group of plants native to Asia, prized for their large diversity of flower types, forms, and sizes. They have glossy evergreen leaves and rose-like flowers in various shades of pink, red, and white that bloom at Longwood throughout the winter.  Longwood’s Camellia House contains 25 varieties of cultivated camellias, including Japanese (Camellia japonica) and sasanqua camellias (Camellia sasanqua). These camellias reflect a legacy of a much larger collection that existed in the Conservatory during the du Pont’s time, reaching to over 200 varieties by the 1960s. These beautiful flowering shrubs were one of Pierre S. du Pont’s favorite flowers and one of the first species planted in the Conservatory upon its completion in 1921.

Anigozanthos or kangaroo-paws are native to southwestern Australia where they grow in well-drained soil in full sun. The color of the paw-shaped flower buds are influenced by the fine hairs which cover the flowers and part of the flowering stalk, making the plant look fuzzy.  Once the flower buds open, a 6-petaled flower is revealed.  In Australia, kangaroo-paws are pollinated by birds, who feed on the nectar.  They are popular cut flowers and potted plants in the United States.