A Trip to the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens

Last weekend, my family and I visited the Lewis Ginter Gardens. These fabulous gardens and conservatory are located in Richmond, VA. It was ou first visit, but after one day there, it will definitely not be our last! We were mainly drawn to the fact they are offering a Butterflies Live exhibit through October, but there was so much more to see! It was really fantastic. There are no words to describe the butterfly exhibit, as you will see further down. I highly recommend this garden to anyone who enjoys the outdoors, gardens and a variety of plants.

To learn more, visit their website here: http://www.lewisginter.org/

This is a sampling of the photos that we took as a family. I hope you will enjoy it through our lenses!

This is entering the gardens grounds, just after exiting the visitor's center.

This is looking across what is known as the sunken garden. I liked the elliptical pool!

This looks back, from the other side of the sunken garden, facing the visitor's center.

Next is a photo of the children's tree house, as seen from across the pond. They have an entire section of gardens dedicated just to children. My girls loved it!

Jessie (left) and Madelynn (right) say "Hi!"...
Now where is Jena???

Oh! There she is!!!

Also from the children's garden... hands! They were everywhere! Like colorful spring tulips! You could buy a hand as a dedication or memorium! Very pretty!

A couple views of the lovely ponds...

Another...

View of the conservatory from across the pond...

A peaceful gazebo...

These next three are of a gingerbread-style house that is completely inside the conservatory. It makes you feel like you just stepped into the story of "Hansel and Gretel". I just couldn't get over it! My girls wanted it for a play house!

Well... for some reason one of the photos wouldn't load!
Let me try this one!

This is inside the conservatory... I think it was called the palm house.

Now a few individual plant photos...
Of course, they are from my own bias!
Beautiful display of spanish moss

An enormous staghorn fern ball... every bit four feet across!

I don't know what this is... if you do, please identify and I will add the name.
It is striking planted in mass!

Another pretty I am unsure of the name of... is it Thumbergia?

I'm pretty sure of this one...
Peruvian Lily

A striking passiflora!

Both sides of the conservatory has reflecting pools...
A water lily and it's reflection.

A mass of water flowers along the pond edge...

Very pretty, thanks for sharing.

Detail...

Last one for now... I must go run some errands!
I will load the orchids and butterflies tonight!

Pitcher plants in the bog area... there were so many varieties and so many colors! Wow!

Loved taking your virtual tour. That dark plant may be an ornamental pepper. Love the lotus shot and the bog plants, they are so colorful, I had no idea they could be that pretty.
Can't wait to see the rest of the tour.

I'm glad you like it so far!
Let's take a look at the orchid house!

This is a wreath of orchids over the door as you enter!

A phalaenopsis...

An unknown orchid...

A cattelaya I think... one of my favorites!

Nope that wasn't my favorite...
But this one is!

And then three more unknowns...

Another... I thought this was a pretty color!

Last of the orchids!

VA_Wild_Rose,

Lovely pictures of one of my favorite spots in my old home town! They have tons of wonderful programs there, and I hope you were able to grab lunch in the Garden Cafe. Their Spring and Fall Plant sales are not to be missed - I drive down for them every year, especially the spring one.

Glad you had such a good time, and thanks for sharing your photos...................Barb

A little friend met along the way!
This little bird was getting his bath in the stream that feeds one of the ponds, and didn't seem to mind me getting his picture!

Thanks Barb! Yes, we did have lunch in the garden cafe... and cooled off too! It was wonderful! Then we strolled over to the gift shop before going back on the grounds... I told my hubby, "I'm in trouble in here!" LOL!!! I was too, when we stopped there again on the way out!

Hubby says "Hi!".... he has become a shutterbug too!

Hi back to Mr. Wild Rose! He looks like he's enjoying himself too - that's always nice.

Oh yeah, that gift shop is really dangerous! Hope you joined for the discounts. BTW, also if you belong to American Horticultural Society, I think you get 10% off purchases and free garden admission.

Sounds like you had a great day - DO mark your calendar for the upcoming Fall Sale - I don't' know the date off the top of my head - probably September, it should be on their web site by now.

Barb

Now for the butterflies! I debated between going to Washington DC for the Smithsonian's live exhibit or going to Lew Ginter, since we are half way between DC and Richmond. I am sure the DC exhibit is great, but they limit people to 15 minutes inside the exhibit! LG did not. I am so glad we went to LG. Again, words cannot express how awesome the butterflies are... flying around you and landing on you!

When you enter the exhibit, you are directed through an airlock... so as not to let any of the butterflies escape. From this vantage point, you can already see them flying around! When you first walk in, there is a large pine tree on the right... and it was covered with butterflies and one type of moth... the Atlas Moth. Unbelieveable! Wow is all I can say!

As soon as we walked in a Blue Morpho landed on hubby's shoulder! The girls and I were flipping out! I couldn't pull my camera out fast enough!