Spring’s in bloom at Longwood Gardens

KENNETT SQUARE, PA—“Convince me that you have a seed there, and I am prepared to expect wonders.”

Thoreau said it, and the words certainly apply to Longwood Gardens, where wonders abound, especially in the spring.

Go now, and you’ll see tens of thousands of tulips, in colors from wedding white to neon orange to purple-black, and every shade in-between. The nation’s premiere horticultural showcase is less than two hours from South Jersey, and it’s a perfect day trip.

While you’re there, visit the area’s other great attractions. Brandywine Battlefield is just moments from Longwood on Route 1. Winterthur, the gracious estate of the duPont family, is just over the state line in Delaware. And for art lovers, there’s the Brandywine River Museum, with paintings by three generations of the Wyeth family.


As with all gardens, this springtime spectacular began last fall. “(We) plant a huge number of bulbs in October, then baby them all winter long for this result,” says senior gardener Lee Alyankian. “Spring is really perking up.” A walk through the grounds takes at least an hour, two if you want to linger in the topiary garden, the Idea Garden (filled with tips for your home harvest), the Italian Water Garden, or the duPont house (the original structure dates back to the 1700s).

Then it’s inside, to the magnificent 20-room conservatory. Wander at will through corridors filled with bougainvillea, fuschia, geraniums, snapdragons, seedling fruit trees, and rows and rows of fragrant roses. You can pick up a hand-held audio guide (it’s free) that tells you what’s around every corner. A leisurely walk through the whole building takes about 90 minutes.

There’s another reason to visit Longwood Gardens this month: the first-ever Orchid Extravaganza. Orchids are a main attraction year-round, but through Mother’s Day, May 13, Longwood showcases the exotic flowers in innovative displays, like a cascading “orchid curtain” in the Exhibition Hall.

Though Longwood’s gardeners cultivate thousands of kinds of orchids, that’s a fraction of the number of species that grow around the world, says Alyankian. “Even the experts argue how many (types of orchids) there are,” says Alyankian. “A low number is 25,000, and I’ve heard as many as 35,000 to 40,000. We have about 3,200 different types—some are species, some hybrids—and we try to have as many in bloom at once as possible. It took a hundred years to build this collection.”

No matter when you go, there are plant walks, films, lectures, performances, and music to make your visit complete. Saturday, May 5, is the Longwood Gardens Wine & Jazz Fest from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. There is also a community flower show with the Chester County 4-H Club from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and a class on spring flowering trees from 9 a.m. to noon.

On Mother’s Day, the schedule is jammed, with a ballroom buffet from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., a classical music concert from noon to 3 p.m., springtime tours at 1 and 2:30 p.m., and a carillon concert with carillonneur Doug Gefvert at 3 p.m. Kids can also make “Love Pops” for mom between 1 and 3 p.m.

If you dine at Longwood Gardens’ Terrace Restaurant, don’t miss the excellent Chester County mushroom soup (Kennett Square is the self-proclaimed “mushroom capital of the world”). Or make it yourself with the recipe below, straight from the chef!

Visit www.longwoodgardens.com or call 610-388-1000 for more information about upcoming events, which change—like the landscape—with the seasons.


Home-grown orchids? It’s not as hard as you think

Longwood Gardens senior gardener Lee Alyankian disputes the myth that orchids—which proliferate “everywhere except Antarctica”—are hard to grow at home.

“Really, you want to try to mimic their natural habitat as much as possible,” she says. “Some like cool weather, some warm, or wet, or dry. Though 90 percent are native to the warmer areas, orchids could grow almost anywhere.”

Perhaps the most popular orchid for home cultivation is the Phalaenopsis, or the moth orchid, which is not only beautiful but sturdy, and comes in a dazzling array of patterns, colors and shapes. Flowers grow along an arching spike, and individual blooms can last as long as three months.

Light: Phalaenopsis will thrive near or in a bright window. Avoid direct midday sun, but early morning or late afternoon sun is great. An east or west facing window is ideal. In darker or cloudy climates, a shaded southern window might be best. Not enough natural light? Use fluorescent lights placed about a foot above the plant, and time them to simulate normal daylight.

Temperature: An ideal temperatures for the Phalaenopsis range between 55 and 85 degrees Farenheit. Try to maintain 60 at night and between 75 and 80 during the day. Temperatures in excess of 90 degrees can slow growth. Phalaenopsis also need 50 and 75 percent relative humidity. In a heated home, set plants in a shallow tray filled with gravel and water. This should keep the humidity near your orchid at acceptable levels. Make sure that the plants roots are not sitting in water.

Water: Moth orchids should be watered thoroughly and then not again until the media is nearly, but not completely, dry (once a week to 10 days is a good starting rule of thumb). In winter, lower humidity will mean you'll water more frequently. Don't let your plants dry to the point of wilting—it will really set them back. Remember to not get any water on the flowers as this will shorten their longevity.

Fertilizer: For convenience, a slow-release fertilizer with equal proportions of N-P-K (14-14-14), used as directed, can work very well. If you prefer to use a liquid plant food, again with equal parts of N-P-K, apply it at recommended rate every second time you water. During blooming season, consider a blooming plant formula with elevated phosphorus levels (10-30-20). During winter months you can reduce liquid fertilizer applications to once a month. But stay away from fertilizing altogether while the plant is flowering.

Flowering: Flowers of the Phalaenopsis orchid are long-lasting. You can often urge a second flowering from each spike with timely pruning. When the last flower of the spike fades, examine the spike, looking for small fleshy bumps or nodes. From the base of the spike count out three nodes (count only the green fleshy nodes; ignore any that are dried out). Cut the spike one inch above the third node. If your plant is healthy and the season is not too late, this process will wake up one or two of the nodes and in a few short weeks it may produce a new spray of fresh blooms. By trying this you could enjoy flowers for nearly 6 months of the year on the same plant. (Some information for this article came from Plant-Care.com.)

Soup's on ...
In PA or NJ, this soup really cooks!

Chester County Mushroom Soup
Courtesy of the Terrace Restaurant at Longwood Gardens


Ingredients:
2 lbs. washed button mushrooms
2 lbs. washed shiitake mushrooms
2 lbs. washed oyster mushrooms
1 medium onion, diced small
1 stick butter plus 2 tbsp.
¼ cup flour, sifted
1 tbsp. fresh tarragon, chopped
3 pints chicken or vegetable stock
1 tsp. white pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 pint heavy cream
¼ cup Sambuca

Method:

Sauté mushrooms and onion in 2 tbsp. butter over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add tarragon, salt and pepper.

Cook over medium heat for an additional 15 minutes, or until mushrooms have given up most of their liquid. Add stock and cream and bring to a boil.

Melt the stick of butter and slowly mix in flour until smooth, then add to soup while whisking until well incorporated. Simmer for 30 minutes.

Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Just before serving, mix in Sambuca. Garnish with fresh mushroom slices and enjoy.