GTGL Snippets: The Italian Water Garden at Longwood Gardens
Breath, taken. Yours, too? I'll give you a minute to catch it then.
We first heard of Longwood Gardens from my husband's relatives, who had planned a multi-family Mother's Day out in 2014. We passed because
(1) we had already made plans,
(2) we just did Brooklyn Botanic Garden the previous Mother's Day - and I'm pretty sure I'm not the kind of mom who celebrates Mother's Day at botanical gardens (at least not one who would two years in a row),
(3) I'd like to be the only fabulous mom whom my family appreciates on the day we celebrate all fabulous moms. 😜
I saw the photos they shared on Facebook and Instagram, and I listened to them rave about how gorgeous the place is; but I didn't comprehended the beauty they were trying to describe in words and in pictures until I saw it for myself. Longwood Gardens is glorious. And that is an understatement.
An hour or so in, and after a super late lunch at 4:something p.m. to refuel, my family and I resumed our exploration of Pierre S. du Pont's personal estate. The entire expanse is an architectural grandeur made up of exquisite horticulture and ornate fountain systems (which does warrant a full blog post once I free myself up of some time). du Pont's love for fountains is evident in the many that tower Longwood Gardens, most of which 'perform' astonishing over-the-top shows. But it is the peace and tranquility that the Italian Water Garden brings that sets it apart from the others, even the massive one by the entrance.
The first glimpse of it got us all awestruck. We followed the path to the viewing deck, all the while taking glances of the intricate water garden, to have a full scale perspective of the whole thing.
Pure elegance.
On our way out, I kept telling my husband how my parents would love Longwood Gardens, and that we should make it a point to take them when they visit later this year. The spring/pre-summer blooms are gorgeous; I can't wait to see how magical it looks when the fall foliage is ablaze.
Carol is one of the founders of get there | get lost. She is a New Jersey-based content producer and social media specialist, and a digital nomad wannabe. With regards to travel, she writes mostly about getaways with her family, and is a strong advocate of the “experience over things” mantra. Follow her everyday adventures @fcbsantiago.