The fall favorite blossoms in a rainbow of colors at Longwood Gardens
FLOWER POWER Feathery leaves and layered petals envelop a golden center in the chrysanthemum flower. “[They] are the quintessential flower of fall,” says Jim Sutton, associate director of display design at Longwood Gardens (longwoodgardens.org). The bloom, which symbolizes friendship, happiness and well-being, is on view in abundance during the Chrysanthemum Festival at the Kennett Square display garden (Oct. 1 to Nov. 13). “[It’s] the oldest and largest in the country, and it is the most challenging display we create all year,” Sutton explains. “What is so unusual is that many of the chrysanthemums on display are not the garden-variety mums that are commercially available for homeowners but instead are artisanal mums, many native to China and Japan, that Longwood maintains stock plants of to grow for the display.” During your visit, keep an eye out for the Thousand Bloom, featuring around 1,500 blooms on a single plant.
Photography by: HANK DAVIS/COURTESY OF LONGWOOD GARDENS
