Waterlilies

Today I finally got over to Longwood Gardens to see the water gardens and to walk through "Secrets of Victoria, Waterlily Queen," the special exhibition in the Conservatory's Music Room (it runs through Sept. 29). The exhibition was fascinating, with lots of information and photos about the history of the waterlily garden, beautiful antique prints -- and I mean, really, how often do you get to see the words "beetle-mating orgy" as a caption in a staid horticulture display?
I always love seeing the beautiful waterlily blooms and the huge, lipped, spiky platters. Since I was a kid the waterlily garden has been one of my favorite displays at Longwood. (By the way, there's a very nice and oversized $70 book about the Victoria display for sale in the Garden Shop.)
The people-watching at Longwood is always fun, too. One docent was showing a cute little girl the mimosa-like sensitive plant that was growing in the corner of some of the pools and let her stroke the fronds to see them close up protectively. Another docent sprayed a lotus leaf with water to show visitors how the water pooled into the middle, and another explained about the mosquito fish swimming around the lily pads.
Not everyone was there to admire the plants, though: one woman was seated on a bench in the sun wrapped up in a book, and a middle-aged courting couple in a shady corner of the patio were wrapped up in themselves, hugging and beaming at each other.
We are so lucky to live so close to Longwood, aren't we? The yearly pass has got to be one of the best deals around. I overheard a boy, maybe 8 but clearly already a Longwood veteran, instructing the other people in his group the best way to get to the Conservatory and telling them what was up that path (the restaurant).
While I was at Longwood the Greater Philadelphia Dahlia Society was setting up for its flower show. And next weekend there will be a flower show sponsored by several of our local garden clubs: the Four Seasons Garden Club and Spade & Trowel, both of Kennett Square; the Garden Club of Springfield; Country Gardeners; and the Garden Class of the Women's Community Club of Uwchlan. Show co-chairs are Kay Leto and Peggy Hartwick. Hours for that flower show are 1 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28, and 10 a.m. to 6 pm. Sunday, Sept. 29.