PHOTOGRAPHER'S JOURNAL: Before leaving Chadds Ford, let's make a brief stop at Longwood Gardens as Gary and I did on both visits. It has greatly enlarged my concept of water lilies. These are not the innocent lilies of Connecticut woodland ponds that are from birth beset by lilivores of all shapes and sizes. They are invadors from another universe, armored and armed. What horny beetle or sucking slug challenges their ramparts? What evanescent visitor sips their honeyed nectar? What are his stingers like?I wish I'd had a moment to reset my aperture to sharpen the foreground thorns, but by the time I made the adjustment, the rings had disappeared from the back. I must investigate if similar displays are at the Bronx Botanical Gardens or anywhere in my orbit.
4 comments:
AMAZING plants, wonderful contrast to the CT lily plants.
From the Longwood site:
The giant hybrid waterplatter in the center pool was first successfully hybridized at Longwood Gardens. The two South American parent species of this plant grow in the smaller side pools. Gardeners raise the enormous hybrid water-platter from seed started in late February each year. By summer, plants can produce spiny, 6-foot-diameter leaves in a matter of weeks. Each fully grown leaf can reliably support 80 to 100 pounds if the weight is evenly distributed.
Interesting! So these lilyzillas don't come from swamps but from mad scientists. I'll have to rewrite the script.
Hi Ted! Amazing water lilies; never seen something similar...
Blogtrotter finished Turkey 2008 and is back to a gem in Iberia. Enjoy and have a great weekend!
I think the only place to see these is at Longwood Gardens in Chadds Ford, PA. It's worth the trip even for a seasoned traveler lie you. Thanks for stopping by.
Post a Comment