Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Christmas at Longwood! Daytime Effects!

Entrance to the East Conservatory

One of 130 Decorated Trees

I Screamed Because This Tree Was On a Rotating Stand!

An All White Christmas in the Conservatory

Well, not quite all white.  For me it doesn't have to be just red and green

Silver and Blue Decorations on this tree

The Green Wall

Potted Hydrangeas Decorate These Trees

Pointsettias, Lilies and Kalanchoes

This was the Show Stopper.  Description Below.

Unbelievably Breathtakingly Beautiful!

The Tree at the End of the Table!

Closeup of Garland on Tree!  Thought Roses Were Real, They Aren't.
Well, Bonnie and I had a 12:30 PM admission to Longwood.  It is timed entry only during the holidays, but once you are in, you can stay until closing.  We hardly had anyone around during the day.  So we walked and walked and walked.  Really the decorations are spectacular.  It did not disappoint.  I want to describe the table in the Exhibition Hall.  Of course, I'm going to show you evening photos, because the decorations look totally different from day to night.

About the banquet table, Pierre S. du Pont and his wife, Alice, hosted the families of the Longwood employees with an elaborately decorated Christmas tree, gift giving and holiday music.  The table setting was inspired from the party given on December 23, 1921.

It is a 64 foot long table that sits 50 with a moss runner, preserved roses, vases of winter flowering begonia, white-moth orchid, brake fern and silver willow branches.

To back track a bit, Mr. du Pont bought Pierce's Farm to save the trees on the property.  The du Pont family had a tradition of gardening and Pierre was probably one of its greatest gardeners.  Here is a link to the History of Longwood.  We are lucky that Mr. du Pont cared about the land and wanted to preserve and enhance the property and make it a destination for gardeners from all over the world using the garden as a theater.  I'll show you some more daytime photos tomorrow.  We had a great day.  Well, the weather has finally turned cold again.  It was 65 here today.  Ridiculously warm for December.  Hope you had a great day.  Talk to you later.

5 comments:

Pat said...

Heaven on earth - just stunning! That banquet table setting kind of sets the bar for our own dining rooms, doesn't it? Better go check to see if my red tablecloth is long enough !!! :o)

Have a good day & looking forward to the evening photos.



Lemon Verbena Lady said...

Well, TO, those days are over for me. We could fit that many people in our house! LOL! xxoo Nancy

Anonymous said...

This is absolutely stunning. What a wonderful day out. That table is spectacular, and the tree at the end is perfect. I wish I could go there.

Lemon Verbena Lady said...

Yes, Tracey it was worth the whole day to walk around. It was wonderful. xxoo Nancy

Rosemary said...

Beautiful! Thank you for taking us along on this excursion! Lovely decorations.