Philly – day 3 Part II

After our yummy lunch we headed to Longwood Gardens.  I had no idea what to expect, but it was amazing!  I have never seen the likes of these gardens, and the conservatory was endless!  Every time we went through a passage way it was a different type of garden with different plants.  We could have wondered around there for hours, but there was so much more to see.  Again, as at Valley Forge, there was a video about Dupont who began the gardens as a labor of love as it continues today.  He left a legacy that is unequaled and almost indescribable.  You have to go there to really appreciate the splendor and majesty of it all. 

There were fountains and ponds and bridges and even a tree house to climb up (Perry in treehouse!). Even the trees put on a show, as if they knew they were part of a wonderful display. I was surprised and impressed when Perry told us that the flower displays are replanted for different seasons and holidays.  They had been there a few weeks ago and the front gardens had been filled with thousands of tulips. 

Now they were a variety of plants and colors of late spring and early summer flowers, shrubs, and bushes.  One of my favorite photo sites was the old bell tower by the pond – the reflection was beautiful.  It was hard to fathom the work and dedication it took to plan, plant and maintain these gardens.   

As we planned to stay for the fountain show that started after dark, we took a walk through the meadows to the historic house at the top of the property.  We sat on a bench under a shaded archway – and ended up finding the unwelcome company of ticks!  A quick trip to the restroom had us shaking out our clothes and checking each other for the little buggers. 

We beat a hasty retreat out of there and spent over an hour browsing in the conservatory.  Anita pointed out Perry’s favorite – the lily pads – and her favorite – the ivy-walled hall of restrooms! The old pump houses were open to walk through, showing the huge pipes and valves and signals that made the fountains dance and splash and play throughout the gardens. There was bloom after bloom after bloom, color after color after color. 

Orchards and Bonsais and fruit growing on wall.  Then the fountain show (set to show tunes) – the water splashing and danced to music in the moonlight and multi colored splays of fire and light. It was too much to take in, too much to describe – but we loved it.  Totally awe-inspiring!

We left Longwood well after 10pm, munching M&M’s (red white and blue, of course!) in the back seat and passing around peanut butter pretzels and Fireworks Oreos to the front seat.  It was too late for supper, but not snacking.  We had bean dip and Fritos to go with our blisters and dead cell phone batteries.  But we had memories and tons of pictures, filled with history and gardens and more history set to music and lights.  A successful day!