Set on twenty-five acres adjacent to Rock Creek Park, Hillwood’s gardens feature a diverse and fascinating array of trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants, offering something to see in every season. 

What's in Bloom: The Vista Terrace, November 19, 2021

Here are just a few of the plants in bloom in the gardens: 

• The café is still sporting what we refer to as specialty chrysanthemums. Chrysanthemum x morifolium ‘Kurume’ is considered a cascading form with free branching flexible stems and rapid growth. These characteristics are what allow our greenhouse grower, Jarett Currin, to train them into cones and other various forms. The flowers of ‘Kurume’ have a cushion-like disk in the center surrounded by petal-like ray florets placing it in the anemone class of chrysanthemums.

• The native witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) is lighting up the garden at the Four Seasons Overlook. The yellow flowers have crumpled, strap-shaped petals that open as the leaves begin to drop. This small, multi-stemmed, deciduous tree works well on the north side of a home landscape where they can get a bit of shade.  

• There are several groupings of Camellia sasanqua blooming throughout the gardens. One such area is at the bottom of the Japanese-style garden where the cultivar ‘Winter’s Star’ has been newly planted. As the area matures, the bright pink flowers of this cultivar will stand out strongly against the evergreen background of Cryptomeria japonica 'Black Dragon'.

Orchids to note in the greenhouse:

• A beautiful cymbidium orchid, Cymbidium Vanessa Amorosi ‘Paradise’, is blooming in the entrance house. The burgundy markings stand out in stark contrast to its white petals and sepals. Although many cymbidiums like cooler conditions, Cymbidium Vanessa Amorosi ‘Paradise’ is heat tolerant and grows in a tropical climate.

• A very lovely slipper orchid, Phragmipedium Jason Fischer, can be found in the west orchid house. Phragmipediums are native to the tropical Americas from Mexico to Brazil and Bolivia. The hybrid Jason Fischer is known for its intense red color. These orchids grow best in warm areas with bright indirect sunlight.

• Is purple your color? Then check out the orchid Zygonisia Murasakikomachi. This intergeneric cross has lovely purple flowers and a lip edged in white. Part of its Japanese name, “murasaki” translates to “purple” in English. It is a strong grower, putting out multiple flower spikes. This orchid also has a wonderful sweet floral fragrance.