The most revered flower, the kiku, the chrysanthemum’s Japanese name, is the symbol of Japan’s monarchy, traditionally referred to as the chrysanthemum throne. Here I’m standing next to one of the smaller 500-bloom kiku dome-shaped plants at Longwood Garden. This year’s Ozukuri (thousand bloom) kiku at Longwood was the most successful yet, displaying 1400 blooms in one single plant.

I invite you to watch a fascinating video at https://youtu.be/yYhIkhVDYJM

It was a normally cold winter day in Pennsylvania, so it shouldn’t have been too surprising to come out of the Longwood Garden greenhouse to find a fresh coat of powder on the topiary. I must admit, I felt fortunate to be one of the few visitors to have seen the grounds in their new winter glory!

If you’re going to Pennsylvania, I encourage you to visit this extraordinary garden. Learn more at https://longwoodgardens.org/