If you care for nature, she will reward you with her beauty.  That is certainly true in Longwood Gardens, near Kennett Square, Pennsylvania.  It’s a living museum spanning over a thousand acres of gardens, woodlands and meadows devoted to our natural heritage.   Nestled outside the 4-acre Conservatory “greenhouse” building, landscaped pools provide a home for numerous varieties of water lilies, from June to October.  Despite its popularity, this is a quiet place where the gentle sounds of fountains stir the water…and your mind…and colorful blooms rise from the dark pools like nature’s stars.

For our anniversary, my wife and I returned to this special place to photograph the water lilies and stroll along the trails throughout Longwood.  I am presenting here a sampling of my images from June, as a tribute to the water lilies.

A dragonfly joins us in the Water Lily Garden

Thank you to all the welcoming staff and volunteers who maintain Longwood Gardens…and to the foundation that has preserved this unique horticultural wonder for the public, in the spirit of the founder, Pierre S. du Pont.  Website: www.longwoodgardens.com