Washington Winter Show 2024

51 51 Fig. 15: The greenhouses at Hillwood house the orchid and tropical plant collections and are open to the public all year. Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens, photographed by Erik Kvalsvik. informal, to enchant visitors with surprises around every corner. Beauty is paramount in Hillwood’s gardens. They are full of color in every season. In summer, rows of flowers abound in the cutting garden. Fall brings many types of chrysanthemums from the most exotic — spider, spoons, incurves — to masses of the mounded variety throughout the beds. In winter, many types of trees sport berries and the greenhouses are full of Post’s favorite flower, orchids. Hillwood is probably best known for its spring garden, when the azaleas, bulbs, wisteria, camellias and roses are all in bloom at once. Marjorie Post enjoyed sharing her garden with others during her lifetime. She made it available to many even when she was not in residence in D.C. during the summer and winter months. Her final, most generous gift was to leave her magnificent creation for all of us to enjoy the whole year around.  ■