What’s in Bloom

An easy-to-grow bulb which blooms about 6 weeks after planting, amaryllis are a sign of the season.  Native to tropical America, their long stems and large, long-lasting flowers are a stand out in our Christmas display.

A row of mature purple-leaved European beeches welcome our visitors enroute to the conservatory.
Pierre S. du Pont directed the creation of  the beech allee in 1951, when copper beeches were chosen to replace sugar maples along the original driveway to the farmhouse. The grandeur of the beeches reflected the shift from a farm to a more formal public garden. The archival picture shows these trees were already huge specimens, transplanted by manpower in action with minimal damage to root structures. Some of the trees were already on the property and moved from Oak Knoll and the former nursery that was located in the current picnic area. Others were moved from an estate on the Main Line outside Philadelphia. Originally a single row of copper beeches was planted on the south side of the drive, but eventually Mr. du Pont wanted a double row for a true allee.
 

Orchids, one of the most popular flowering potted plants sold in the United States, are easy to find commercially in retail stores.  However, during A Longwood Christmas, staff members use them to create innovative and creative displays, such as this orchid chandelier. By far, the most popular orchid genus is Phalaenopsis, or the moth orchid, because of the ease and speed at which they grow and because of their reliable flowering and long bloom duration.