Subscribe to RSSOrchids! Orchids! Orchids! It’s Longwood’s Orchid Exravagaza!
Well this was amazing!!! Steve and I headed up to Pennsylvania early in the morning from our DC area and arrived bright and early! The sun was beaming and the orchids were on display!
Orchids in planters © Britt Conley
There were orchids in planters, on walls, coming up for the ground, hanging from over head and of course intermixed with other Spring bloomers.
Orchids are everywhere here! © Britt Conley
Being that Longwood has an amaing system of green houses, they are able to keep all the display flowers picture perfect for this extravaganza. They simply replace those that may be slightly past their prime before anyone even notices!
Orchids that trail away © Britt Conley
There were orchids of every type and color. Many of them looked bouquet ready!
Chin orchid from Tibet and Taiwan © Britt Conley
Others were quite in the soft morning light. But all were out and ready for the throngs of people. Below is just one of the wall of orchids on display in the permanent orchid room at Longwood. The aroma was amazing.
Walls of Orchids in the permanent collection © Britt Conley
There were so many to photograph it was just great! Rooms an rooms of perfect blooms.
Pink Orchids © Britt Conley
People did come! There were tons of photographer’s with amazing lenses out and about in addition to the garden lovers who were simply there to see the extravaganza.
Permanent orchid display at Longwood © Britt Conley
It took hours to see them all, although the time was slowed down by an overwhelming desire to shoot just one more! Well, it is only once a year and it’s an “Extravaganza!”
Orchids off the wall © Britt Conley
I especially like the exotic looking ones like this tri green orchid, which I have been calling a giraffe orchid!
Tri green orchids © Britt Conley
These William Murray orchids are so delicate.
William Murray Orchids © Britt Conley
Another great exoitc bird of bloom is below! I don’t know what it’s called but they are really neat!
Orchids © Britt Conley
But the most amazing item on display was probably the massive orchid Wall garden. That’s right it’s a vertical orchid garden. From in front of the orchids they come out at the viewer as though we were looking at them from overhead.
Imagine an entire wall of these! © Britt Conley
The wall garden hung high on the wall over one of the conservatory doors. Just amazing!
A wall garden of Orchids © Britt Conley
From the side they were equally impressive. We all just wanted to stand in the door way and take them in from all angles. The lighting was great and the aroma… Just unbelievable!
Side view of the orchid wall garden © Britt Conley
From a distance the door garden was, well… what do you think?
The orchid wall at Longwood! © Britt Conley
Nothing prepared me for how lovely it would be up close!
The over the door orchid garden © Britt Conley
The main conservatory is also completely decked out with orchids. Just a few feet into the door visitors are welcomed with the sweet smell of the tropics. Not the overwhelming orchid smell that sometimes permeates these types of exhibits. Just a sweet and perfect aroma.
Overall orchids in the main conservatory © Britt Conley
Oh, it was just fantastic! The Orchid Extravaganza is on display though March 31st! For all the information you need visit Longwood’s website!
Well, tomorrow I’ll be sharing my photos from Friday’s trip out to see if Spring had indeed sprung… and the answer is… YES! I can’t wait to show the photos!
‘Til Tomorrow…
Britt : )
Related posts:
- This weekend ONLY! Longwood Gardens’ International Orchid Show and Sale!
- Orchids: A Cultural Odyssey on view now at The U.S. Botanic Gardens
- A Longwood Garden’s Christmas!
- The Siberian Irises at Longwood Gardens!
- Lilytopia hit’s Longwood Gardens – LAST WEEKEND!
5 Comments
2010-03-09
13:40:40
Oh my goodness! They are so beautiful and it is so obvious that you are a professional photographer. I would have been like a kid in a candy store :^)
2010-03-09
13:45:39
Thanks Noelle! You rock. I just loved it! I kept turning the camera off to save the battery for only a few seconds at a time, because a foot later there was another fantabulous bloom! It really is great. If you make it out to the East coast this is the one gardens I would not miss. I've been waiting to photograph gardens ALL winter oh... I have never looked so foward to Spring before. I am going to upgrade on some new photo equiptment as well in the coming month. No idea what to get yet but I thinking of going wide angle. Just a great weekend. I'm going to have to get rocking on my garden schedule for Spring and make sure I get to all the right places at all the right times. At least being out of work has a great upside. Availability to garden hop!
2010-03-09
15:57:41
Wow, lovely photos. That over the door garden is fantastic.
2010-03-09
16:11:44
Thanks Sunny! Wall gardens are really a phenomenal idea. Although I presume they would generally need a covered ourdoor wall? Not sure but it smelled great and was stunning up close!
2010-03-13
16:06:48
Great job, as usual, Britt! My personal favorite - maybe because it's so different, is the "giraffe" orchid. I think that whole area of Longwood is tough to shoot, especially if you aren't using a tripod, because of the fans stirring the air in the room.