Some Christmas Magic At Longwood Gardens.

Some Christmas Magic At Longwood Gardens.

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Despite the Covid -19 pandemic that has altered and devastated so many of our lives this past year,  Christmas magic still exists. I  found some of it at Longwood Gardens in Chester County this  past weekend. 

This was my second visit to Longwood Gardens. I first  visited last  Summer to see  Sprout the corpse plant.  I loved the Conservatory and outside gardens. And  I soon became a member. I was looking forward to Christmas at the Gardens. I had heard both the displays inside the Conservatory and outside in the gardens were remarkable.  Unfortunately, after planning a visit last weekend  , we learned that the Conservatory would be closed because of the pandemic. 

We decided to still visit the outside gardens and arrived late in the afternoon to see the displays in daylight and again once it got dark. The ground was covered with snow from the nor’easter that hit the region the day before our visit. It was also frigid with temperatures in the 20’s. 

Admission was limited and you had to arrive at a scheduled time. As we walked through the gardens we were glad to see everyone wearing a mask and keeping their distance.  The gardens were enchanting.  Christmas music filed the air. The bare trees and shrubs were decorated with lights, ribbons and ornaments. 

This Christmas tree was decorated with various types of fruits, seeds and nuts to feed the birds. 

The  many lights strung   on the trees began to appear as the sun set in the partly cloudy skies.

We walked past the Italian Gardens  where fire pits provided warmth to the visitors. Once again the fear of the virus  deterred many folks from gathering together as they would have in years past.  Leaving the gardens and approaching the fields we saw folks braving the snow and cold and walking to the old farm homestead on the far end of the property.

After a short stroll in the old woods we walked back to the main gardens and past the many decorated trees that were now becoming more visible as darkness approached. 

There were a number of concession stands selling food and hot beverage for those willing to sit out in the cold.  As we approached the Conservatory we peeked in through the window to see the beautifully decorated trees. Thousands of roses were in bloom.  I am sure it would have been a spectacular display had we had the opportunity to enter.   

The fountains in front of the Conservatory weren’t operating, I suspect because of the cold . Instead of the water  we were treated to a magical show of  lights dancing to the sound of Christmas songs. 

It was getting dark now and the gardens became even more magical. 

It was like walking into a Christmas movie. 

We retraced  some of our earlier walks enjoying the stunning light displays. 

And the Christmas trees that now illuminated the cold night air. 

The  enchantment continued as we watched a water fountain dance  to a  classic Christmas carol. There was a new display with a different Christmas song  every fifteen  minutes. 

Despite the cold,  groups of folks gathered around the Christmas trees light  displays, 

or just strolled along the lanes illuminated by the trees whose branches were entwined with Christmas lights. 

We wished we could have stayed all night, the gardens were open until 11 pm,

but it was cold and we were hungry and we didn’t want to wait in the long lines and eat in the cold. So we decided to leave the Christmas magic on display at this wonderful gardens. 

We hope to return next year, with warmer temperatures and the  Covid- 19 pandemic only a bad dream, forgotten under the enchanted lights of Longwood Gardens. 

Here is a link to a photo gallery on my blog website with more photographs of my visit to Longwood Gardens and the enchanting Christmas magic I found there. Longwood Gardens December 18 2020.

“Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful. ”
― Norman Vincent Peale

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