I recently had a chance to check out the Chrysanthemum Festival at Longwood Gardens. The show was up for just over a month in October and November. In addition to all sorts of wonderful varieties of chrysanthemum plants in around the Conservatory, there were some absolutely spectacular chrysanthemum displays.

First was the 1000 Bloom Chrysanthemum. With over 700 blossoms growing on one stem, this year’s 1000 bloom chrystanthemum is the largest ever grown at Longwood Gardens and is the largest in the United States.

(c) 2009 Patty Hankins

There were also two smaller 1000 Bloom Chrysantemums on display this year – each with over 500 blossoms growing on one stem.

(c) 2009 Patty Hankins

(c) 2009 Patty Hankins

There was also a Chrysanthemum Shield with 172 blossoms growing from one stalk. Longwood’s garden staff learned the technique for growing the shield chrysanthemum a Japanese chrysanthemum grower – Mr. Tadashi Imafuku.

(c) 2009 Patty Hankins

And then there were the Chrysanthemum Trees in front of the Music Room. Longwood’s Garden staff designed this display using Cherry Trees that were scheduled to be composted and chrysanthemums grown in a curtain style.

(c) 2009 Patty Hankins

The final set of decorations that I just had to photograph were the giant bees suspended around the main part of the Conservatory. Throughout 2009, Longwood Gardens has been running an educational program on The Buds and the Bees, Pollination and Secret Lives of Plants. The giant bees in the Conservatory were a great reminder of how important bees and pollination are in nature.

(c) 2009 Patty Hankins

(c) 2009 Patty Hankins