LEGO Blocks take over Lewis Ginter
The word LEGO is not something that comes to mind when thinking about a garden. However, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden pulled it off. In the midst of the hustle and bustle of Richmond, Virginia, lies 50 acres of scenic garden views. In these gardens, not only can one find delicate flowers and busy bugs but also all sorts of life made out of LEGO blocks. However, the display only lasts through Sept. 22.
This is the first year that Lewis Ginter has put on this display. The people who put on the display are not sure if they will be doing it next year.
Alongside the winding walkways, people can find various species of flowers, shrubberies, and trees. With every new plant that is spotted, there is a small sign stating what type it is. As people walk further through the gardens, they are greeted by the refreshing mists that radiate from a few ponds that almost surround a secluded building, Robin’s Tea House.
The pond directly in front of the tea house is home to many species of small fish and has a path that people can walk out on and feed the fish. A lifelike LEGO mother duck and her ducklings walk along the edge of the pond.
Next stop on the LEGO map was the Bloemendaal house which was tucked back into the shaded woods. As children ran up and down the gravel walkways, they were greeted by a huge garter snake and tiny mouse which were both made out of LEGO blocks.
Joyous laughter floated from the children’s garden, where the youngest guests ran and played. During the summer, Lewis Ginter has a small water park in the garden to give a place for parents to rest while their children play and cool off.
Further through the maze of winding paths, a small display is just a short walk from the conservatory. The display consists of a picture board where children and adults can poke their heads through the hole and pose as an adult doing yard work posing with a child that is helping out.
After a long journey through the blossoming gardens, people can go into the conservatory for the annual butterfly exhibit. In the exhibit, people can walk around and interact with hundreds to thousands of butterflies while learning interesting facts about the different species and why they are important to nature.
“I was thinking it was going to be another poorly done LEGO exhibit but it was actually really amazing. I found it very interesting how they tied all of the LEGO displays into one another,” said Andrew Payne.
