Longwood Gardens, PA
Mon. Nov 25, 2024 15:39
My beautiful April day at Longwood Gardens was a reminiscent blast from the past. I pictured a little girl giggling in the children’s play area with artistic water fountains and sculptures of vividly colored adorable animals. Longwood Gardens changed my life when I was four years old. I discovered the beauty of nature in a botanical outdoor space. I never knew how water could be manipulated to look like a rainbow. I saw glamorous water display shows at Longwood Gardens within the past fifteen years.
My mother’s favorite blooming tulips were the focal point of a walkway. The vibrancy was remarkable! The small field of tulips ranged from lemon, orange, pink, and hybrid.
The trees ranged in immense height to small shrubs, lower than the wandering toddlers.
The man-made pond is surrounded by grassy land and trees. The setting is serene and peaceful, eluding magic.
I especially enjoyed feeding the geese! It’s a fun activity for the entire family.
The Conservatory is truly magnificent. Its aura reminds me of the greenhouse in the film Barbie as the Island Princess. The Conservatory is home to exotic plants, flowers, water fountains, and aquatic features. Its fragrance consists of dozens of various flora.
The Children’s Garden is located in the center of the original Conservatory. It has miniature stone steps to a balcony-like enclosure, animal statues, small water fountains, flowers, and plants. A snake sculpture carved on the wall next to the bottom of the stone steps reminds us of the Slytherin emblem.
I remember the Children’s Garden fondly. Seeing a girl play with the water induced a smile on my face. Life comes back around full circle.
Botany encourages people to care about nature, learn about native and exotic flora, and protect the environment.
Longwood Gardens revives the optimism within my soul. Being at ease surrounded by flowers is an indescribable euphoric feeling of happiness. It’s something each person should experience in their lifetime.
The newly completed Conservatory opened to the public earlier this month. The new Conservatory is a lovely clear-glassed single-story edifice presenting dozens of plants and showcases Christmas decor amid warm lighting. Longwood Gardens also launched a luxurious restaurant and dining experience for guests to enjoy their time. There is something for everyone here!
The bathrooms in the original Conservatory are exceptionally designed. Each bathroom is a circular room with a built-in baby-changing station, a spherical sink, and a skylight.
The original house of the founders of Longwood Gardens is now maintained as a small historical museum.
A Brief History
Pierre S. Du Pont is the founder of Longwood Gardens, and he was an exemplary leader in botanical protection/advocacy and an ambitious business leader who acquired a fortune through his companies which produced gunpowder.
He was drawn to flowing water fountains and the art water could create through different patterns. He felt at home in gardens and wanted to spread joy to more people to experience water fountain displays and botanical gardens.
He bought 202 acres of land in Chester County, Pennsylvania in 1906. Pont aimed to create a large-scale garden for his family and friends. The land was originally Pierce Park Farm. He started building Longwood Gardens in 1906 and finished in the 1950s. He expanded Longwood Gardens into 926 acres after purchasing 25 properties spanning decades.
He meticulously designed and helped build his incredible botanical garden and planned glamorous water fountain displays. His beloved wife Alice du Pont shared his love for botany and encouraged his pursuit of developing a wondrous, majestic landscape filled with flowers and exotic plants.
In 1906, Pierre S. du Pont designed the plans for the Flower Garden Walk, completed in the Spring of 1907.
He added three enclosed gardens: the Square Pool, the Sundial Garden, and the Rose Garden in 1908.
Pierre wrote, “Many groups may visit the grounds at the same time, each one maintaining a feeling of being apart from the crowd.”
Pierre hoped for people to experience the joy he found in botanical gardens.
Today, Longwood Gardens showcases innumerable varieties of flowers, plants, trees, and the spectacular water fountains create stellar displays in summer.
In 1916, Pierre started building the Conservatory, a large-scale grand greenhouse, home to hundreds of species of flowers and other herbiology. The Conservatory opened in 1921.
It is a historic everchanging gem in the heart of Chester County, Pennsylvania, hidden away from the nearby cities of Philadelphia and Wilmington.
“In the 18th century, Philadelphia was the largest colonial city and the center of botanical interest in America. The region’s advanced horticultural activity was due to the benevolent attitude of the Quakers toward the study of natural history.”
In 1936, Longwood Gardens was split into the Flower Garden Walk, the Open Air Theatre, and Pierce’s Woods. There were blueprint plans to create new botanical displays.
In 1929, Pierre S. du Pont created a large reservoir to allow flowing water for the fountains and waterfall. He turned the cornfield into luscious greenery by planting several hundred trees and shrubs.
In the 1930s-40s, Pierre ensured Longwood Garden’s future by setting aside a fund for maintenance and new additions.
In 1954, Pierre passed away at 84, 3 days after being awarded the Cravate de Commandeur of the French Legion of Honor.
Longwood Gardens continues to flourish today. Pierre’s long-lasting legacy and impact on the education of horticulture and herbology is fundamental to today’s modern knowledge of botanical gardens and achieves everlasting transcendental success.
Longwood Gardens is a spectacular day trip, one to two hours driving distance from New York City, Philadelphia, Wilmington, and Reading.
