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Waterlily Display

About this Outdoor Garden

A highlight of our summer display, massive water-platters and more than 100 types of colorful day- and night-blooming hardy and tropical waterlilies put on a spectacular show. 

Tucked into a protected courtyard (accessed via the Conservatory), this stunning outdoor Garden features aquatic plants from all over the world. The Garden is normally open from late May through mid-October. Peak bloom occurs mid-July through September (depending on weather).

History of the Garden

Tropical aquatics came to Longwood in 1957 with the opening of a 13-pool Waterlily Display. In 1989 the display was redesigned by Sir Peter Shepheard into five larger, dramatic pools.

Bloom Highlights

Rose Mallow

‘Summer Storm’ is a hardy, rose mallow hybrid with large flowers to 10 inches across that blooms from July to September.  These flowers, which attract hummingbirds, are a stand out against the plant’s dark purple foliage.  Rose mallows can grow to 7 feet tall and perform best in moist soils and full sun. You may associate hibiscus with tropical plants, but within the parentage of ‘Summer Storm’ are species of hibiscus native the eastern United States.

Southern Magnolia

The dense, pyramidal 'Bracken's Brown Beauty' has lustrous evergreen leaves of a dark-green shade. At maturity, it reaches a height of about 35 feet and a width of 20 feet. Its large white flowers are lemon-scented and bloom in the late spring.  These blooms form fascinating fruits with large red seeds after flowering.  This southern magnolia cultivar prefers full or part sun and moist soil. It has no serious pest problems and tolerates winter conditions far better than the species.  Considered a beautiful specimen tree, southern magnolia, with its many ornamental characteristics, earns a standalone place in the garden where it can be admired.

Sweet-bay Magnolia

Magnolia virginiana, commonly known as sweet-bay or swamp-bay magnolia, is an evergreen to partly evergreen tree native to the eastern United States. It grows 10-35 feet tall and blooms May through June, with white, fragrant flowers.  Magnolia virginiana will grow in full sun or partial shade and in moist, organically rich soils, but will also tolerate wet boggy soils and pond margins. The cone-like fruits of this tree are bright red showy seed pods. The cultivar ‘Jim Wilson’ was selected for its fast growth, upright habit, cold hardiness, and lush dark-green foliage.

American Wisteria

Wisteria frutescens is native vine that can be found as far west as Texas and as far north as New England. The origin of the plant at Longwood is not known, but after many years of cultivation it proved to be a stellar performer reliably producing outstanding flowers of darker and richer hue than typical forms, which led to its designation as a cultivar with a name ‘Longwood Purple’. More restrained and easier to maintain than other varieties of wisteria, ‘Longwood Purple’ is also extremely cold hardy and can adjust to a wide climatic range. It can handle sandy to loamy soils and part to full sun. As a modestly fast growing vine, ‘Longwood Purple’ can be easily trained onto a trellis, against a wall or porch.  

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