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How to Make Your Clivia a Blooming Winner
close up of orange Clivia Miniata with green and yellow center

How to Make Your Clivia a Blooming Winner

One of the most frequently asked questions on growing clivia is “how do I get my clivia to bloom?” Recently I visited with the Director of the North American Clivia Society and Executive Director of the Delaware Nature Society, Mike Riska, to get his expert advice on clivias. Mike has grown clivia for many years, and has won numerous awards for his plants—both from the Philadelphia Flower Show and from Longwood Gardens. In this video, he shares some pointers on how to get a clivia to bloom, and gave advice on growing and grooming your plants for competitions.

By Alan Petravich, on December 14, 2010
Introducing The New East Conservatory Plaza

Introducing The New East Conservatory Plaza

Starting Saturday, October 9, 2010, you will be able to experience an exciting, new area of the Gardens: The East Conservatory Plaza! The East Conservatory Plaza has been in the making for over 3 years. From the beginning, we worked with the renowned, British landscape architect Kim Wilkie.

By Rodney, on October 7, 2010
It’s Not Always Easy Being Green: Preparing Longwood’s New Green Wall
a wall filled with green ferns with white door ways

It’s Not Always Easy Being Green: Preparing Longwood’s New Green Wall

Longwood often hunts the globe for new or extraordinary plants to conserve and showcase in the Gardens. Recently, I went on a different sort of expedition—to inspect the plants for Longwood’s new East Conservatory Plaza green wall. My mission was to identify any potential pests or diseases that could threaten the new display.

By Casey Sklar, on September 30, 2010
Grow in Green: Biodegradable Pots

Grow in Green: Biodegradable Pots

Biocontainers offer an exciting opportunity for plant producers and home gardeners to become more earth friendly. Currently the majority of ornamental crops are produced in petroleum-based plastic containers. The extensive use of plastic results in a significant waste disposal problem and the plastic ends up in a landfill or hopefully gets recycled.

By Matt Taylor, on September 27, 2010
How Did Our Garden Grow?

How Did Our Garden Grow?

If you haven't visited the Student Exhibition Garden, time is running out! The gardens will be dismantled in October to make way for the PG class of 2011's gardens next spring. To find out more about the Student Exhibition Gardens, visit Longwood's website at www.longwoodgardens.org.

By dawiles, on September 21, 2010
The Art of Cascade Chrysanthemums at Longwood Gardens

The Art of Cascade Chrysanthemums at Longwood Gardens

Cascade chrysanthemums have long been at the heart of Longwood Gardens' annual Chrysanthemum Festival. Longwood grows specialty mums (Chrysanthemum x moriflorum) that originated in China and Japan and are selected for their ability to create beautiful and lasting forms. Over the years, Longwood's amazing show of form and color has been continually modified and refined. Guests marvel at the captivating shapes and often ask us how we create these wonderful pieces of horticulture. The following is meant to highlight a little behind-the-scenes action and hint at some of the spectacular forms you will see this November in our Conservatory.

By Koa Kanamee, on September 7, 2010
"Canna" We Save the Canna???
waterlilies with tall grass and yellow cannas in background

"Canna" We Save the Canna???

Our cannas are being threatened! Plants all around the world are being infected by viruses that can affect the beauty of the plants and can eventually lead to death. Unchecked, this could lead to the end of cannas. Do I have your attention? Well, don’t panic because here at Longwood we have some projects underway that will hopefully give new life to the beautiful canna!

By Alan Petravich, on August 24, 2010
Have Vegetables, Will Travel
green beans in a basket

Have Vegetables, Will Travel

This year, the students came up with a new idea—sell fresh, locally grown produce to Longwood’s Terrace Restaurant. After meeting with the Terrace Restaurant Head Chef, the Restaurant Manager, and the Senior Gardener for the Idea Garden (Longwood’s Idea Garden has been providing produce to the Restaurant for several years), everyone decided that the goal was to produce high-quality and fresh, locally grown vegetables, using low-input/organic methods.

By Gavins Landscaping, on August 13, 2010
Finding a "Greener" Grass

Finding a "Greener" Grass

Stop by the "Frog Hollow" area, to the West of the Chimes Tower to view the turf grass trial. Although simple in scope, this 5-year study could have a dramatic eco-friendly outcome for Longwood Gardens. Currently, staff mow the turf areas about once a week during the growing season—and there are a lot of turf areas throughout Longwood Gardens! If this study proves fruitful, then Longwood could replace some of its turf with a grass from this study and drastically reduce mowing in portions of the garden. This will greatly reduce fuel consumption and mower vehicle emissions.

By Shawn Kister, on July 14, 2010
Coming Soon to Longwood - The Student Exhibition Garden

Coming Soon to Longwood - The Student Exhibition Garden

This year, Professional Gardener (PG) students broke new ground—literally and figuratively—as designers and creators of the newest garden display at Longwood: The Student Exhibition Garden.

By dawiles, on May 18, 2010
Owl Snags Home at Longwood

Owl Snags Home at Longwood

In March of 2009 we posted a video of a Pileated woodpecker building a nest in a large dead tree (snag) in the woods at Longwood. This year, an Eastern Screech Owl (Otus asio)--a small (8 1/2 inches) nocturnal, woodland owl--has taken up residence in the same location, using the hole that the Pileated built...

By Tom B., on May 14, 2010
A Tale of Tall Trees

A Tale of Tall Trees

What is a champion tree? For over seventy years the Pennsylvania Forestry Association has located and inventoried the largest specimen of each species that grows in Pennsylvania. To be a champion, a tree must be larger than all of the other reported trees of the same species.

By Scott Wade, on April 23, 2010
A Sea of Blue to See
a blue flower with green stems

A Sea of Blue to See

Late March and early April is a time when people are ready to get out of the house and explore the outdoors after all the snow has melted and tiny springtime treasures begin to emerge. At Longwood Gardens we're just bursting at the seams with beautiful flowers 365 days of the year!

By Karl Gercens, on April 12, 2010
Making Scents: The Art and Passion of Fragrance Debuts this Weekend!
yellow, red, pink, and white tulips in front of a building

Making Scents: The Art and Passion of Fragrance Debuts this Weekend!

Longwood's first major exhibition, Making Scents: The Art and Passion of Fragrance, opens tomorrow, Saturday, April 10! At the intersection of flora, fashion and science, this exhibition transforms Longwood's gemlike Conservatory into a museum for the senses.

By Jennifer Fazekas, on April 9, 2010
Desperately Seeking Scents
red flower with a purple center

Desperately Seeking Scents

The past year has been an olfactory adventure in Longwood's research greenhouses. In preparation for Making Scents: the Art and Passion of Fragrance, we brought in a variety of fragrant plants for trial. Some plants, such as roses, are common and easy to obtain. Fragrant varieties such as Rosa ‘Secret’s out’, R. ‘Gros Choux d’Hollande, R. ‘De Resht’, R x centifolia, R. ‘Compte Chambord’, and ‘Jaques Cartier’ will be making an appearance in the Conservatory during the exhibition.

By Alan Petravich, on March 10, 2010
Longwood Water-Platter Ready for Flower Show Debut
large green water lily being lifted from water

Longwood Water-Platter Ready for Flower Show Debut

This year the Philadelphia International Flower Show produced by The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS), America's first horticultural institution, will showcase plants from around the world in the 2010 show “Passport to the World.” A special exhibit called the "Explorers Garden" will greet guests to the show, and will capture the spirit and adventure of early plant exploration. For the "Explorer’s Garden," Longwood is forcing its signature Victoria ‘Longwood Hybrid’ water-platters into bloom.

By Tim Jennings, on February 3, 2010
The King of Our Conservatory
large plant with green palm like leaves and yellow cones in the center

The King of Our Conservatory

When guests first walk into our Conservatory, they are overwhelmed by the huge variety of plants that are growing under glass. You can see plants that grow in all different regions of the world, from the tropics to the Mediterranean and even the desert.

By Karl Gercens, on January 25, 2010
All in the Family ... Poinsettias and Their “Cousins”
group of light pink colored poinsettias

All in the Family ... Poinsettias and Their “Cousins”

Christmas is a time for bringing families together under one roof, and that's just what we've done here at Longwood Gardens... with plant families, that is! I invite you to get to know the familiar poinsettia a little better while appreciating their cousins as well.

By Karl Gercens, on December 17, 2009
Making a Better Camellia: Breeding at Longwood Gardens

Making a Better Camellia: Breeding at Longwood Gardens

Longwood Gardens established hardiness trials and a breeding program in the early 1960’s to evaluate and develop camellias that can tolerate colder winters. These efforts have lead to the release of two of the hardiest Camellias ‘Longwood Centennial’ and ‘Longwood Valentine’. As Camellia breeding and hardiness evaluation continue at Longwood Gardens, the selection of commercially available hardy camellias will increase.

By Matt Taylor, on December 4, 2009
Mum's the Word: Longwood Grows Mammoth Mum
two people working on the 1000 bloom mum

Mum's the Word: Longwood Grows Mammoth Mum

The Thousand Bloom Chrysanthemum (known in Japan as Ozukuri) refers to a technique, originating in China and expanding to Japan several hundred years ago, for growing an extremely large Chrysanthemum, with a goal of producing the maximum number of flowers possible on a single plant.

By Patricia Evans, on November 6, 2009