Skip to content
JOURNEYS WITH JENN
JOURNEYS WITH JENN

  • About Jenn
  • Disclosures
    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookie Policy
  • Let’s Work Together
JOURNEYS WITH JENN
JOURNEYS WITH JENN

Longwood Gardens: A Year Round Masterpiece

Jenn, January 23, 2019February 1, 2021

Sharing is caring!

  • Share
  • Tweet

Longwood Gardens is tucked away in the small town of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania in the Brandywine Valley. Less than an hour outside of  Philadelphia, Longwood Gardens, is one of America’s most beautiful public spaces. Open to the public almost continually since the 18th century, a walk through these gardens is a great way to spend your days.

longwood gardens review

Filled with beautiful flowers, fountains and history, Longwood Gardens should be on your travel list. You should also plan to visit during different seasons, as there are special events that bring the gardens to life year round.

Longwood Gardens

In 1906 Pierre S. du Pont,  bought a simple farm and turned it into a majestic early 20th century estate garden. Attractions include magnolias and azaleas in spring; roses and water lilies in summer; chrysanthemums in fall; and camellias, orchids, and palms in winter. This 1,000 acre wonderland will leave you in awe.

longwood gardens review

History of Longwood Gardens

The land that would one day become Longwood Gardens was purchased from William Penn in 1700 to be used as a farm. In 1798, twin brothers Joshua and Samuel Peirce began planting trees, and, by 1850, the land had become one of the best collections of trees in the country. Known as Peirce’s Park, the land was a popular destination for visitors. However, due to a declined interest by the family, the trees came under threat of being cut down by a local lumber company. Pierre du Pont stepped in and bought the land to preserve it.

Mr. du Pont didn’t just preserve the land. In fact, he created much of what can be seen today. When du Pont died in 1954, he left most of his fortune to the Longwood Foundation to maintain and improve the gardens. Today, more than 50 years after du Pont’s death, his gardens continue to delight visitors.

longwood gardens

Admission & Hours

The outdoor gardens and Conservatory open at 9 am every day of the year. Closing time varies by season, as the Gardens frequently remain open later for special events, Illuminated Fountain Performances, and the holiday display.

If you are visiting during a special event be sure to purchase tickets in advance, as many will sell out. When you arrive at Longwood Gardens you will enter through the visitors center before entering the main gardens. Parking is on-site, and free for guests. They do have over flow parking with free shuttle buses during special events.

Adults: $23

Seniors (age 62+): $20

College Students (with valid ID): $20

Youth: $12 (ages 5-18)

Children 4 and under: FREE

longwood gardens

Year Round Attraction

Longwood Gardens is a year round attraction, open 365 days a year. The weather is not a problem, as four acres of cactus, ferns, bonsai plants, and the biggest green wall in North America, are housed in the heated conservatories. I could have spent all of my time just in the conservatory exploring, every inch of these buildings is covered in beautiful horticulture.

If you are visiting with children be sure to spend time at the Indoor Children’s Garden. This magical area is home to a creative crew of garden residents, innovative water features, and a palette of plants to inspire imagination. They can paint the walls with water, relax in a quiet nook or just explore the beauty around them.

While in the Conservatory, don’t miss the large pipe organ that was installed by du Pont. With over 10,000 pipes, this organ was one of the largest private pipe organs in the world when it was installed here in 1929.

longwood gardens

Visitors can walk around the organ to learn about its history and even get a glimpse into the inner workings through a window. When there isn’t a performance you can go behind the scenes and see how it all works. Even the youngest kids in our group were fascinated by this musical wonder.

Seasonal Events

Orchid Extravaganza: January 19–March 24

Longwood transforms its Conservatory into an orchid oasis as colorful blooms cascade down walls, spill from containers, and hang from above throughout Longwood’s 4.5 acres of indoor gardens. Outdoors, vibrant witch hazel punctuate the landscape and will entice you to stroll the beautiful subtlety of winter. In early March, Longwood’s famed blue-poppies, known for their unique blue hue, return to the Conservatory for a limited time.

Spring Blooms: March 30–May 5

Relish being outdoors as Longwood’s 1,083 acres herald the arrival of spring. Enjoy the spectacular outdoor spring bulb display, culminating in a rainbow of more than 250,000 spring bulbs blooming in their famed Flower Garden Walk and Idea Garden.

longwood gardens

Festival of Fountains: May 9–September 29

Summer at Longwood makes a splash as the Gardens’ fountain collection jets to life. The Main Fountain Garden offers jaw-dropping performances daily and extended hours for Illuminated Fountain Performances on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings. A number of new shows will be added, highlighting a number of musical genres. Also, be sure to  enjoy the Open Air Theatre fountains, which perform daily, as well as the picturesque Italian Water Garden, which offers a cool respite from the warm summer sun.

The wildly popular Fireworks & Fountains Shows return with six new shows in 2019 on May 26, July 3, July 20, August 10, September 1, and September 28.  Other performing arts highlights include the return of the Wine & Jazz Festival on June 1 featuring live jazz music and wines from around the region and world.

Wine and Jazz tickets go on sale March 13 at 9 am. General admission tickets for Festival of Fountains and Fireworks and Fountains Shows go on sale April 8 at 9 am.

Festival of Fountains also features the Gardens in their summer splendor. Flowering annuals and perennials abound, as well as a breathtaking Waterlily Display that showcases aquatic plants from all over the world. No summer visit is complete without relaxing with friends in the beer garden under the stars.

longwood gardens

Autumn’s Colors: October 3–November 17

The Gardens embrace the harvest season with pumpkins and thousands of chrysanthemums indoors and out. The miniature Garden Railway will young and old with its fanciful cars and engines. The fountain shows continue daily through October 27, with Illuminated Fountain Performances every Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening through October 26.

Chrysanthemum Festival (October 24–November 17) spotlights Longwood’s horticulture expertise as chrysanthemums are crafted and grown into extraordinary shapes, some taking as long as 18 months to complete. The highlight of the display is the Thousand Bloom Mum, a single chrysanthemum that boasts more than 1,500 uniform blooms on a single plant.

 A Longwood Christmas: November 22, 2019–January 5, 2020

No visit to Longwood is complete without taking in the beauty of the holiday season. Thousands of poinsettia, towering Christmas trees, and fragrant flowers transform the Conservatory into a warm holiday wonderland. Outdoors, more than 500,000 decorative lights glitter in more than 100 trees and colorful fountain displays set to holiday music enchant visitors. Evening choral concerts, strolling carolers, and organ singalongs fill the Gardens with the festive sounds of the holiday.

longwood gardens

We absolutely loved A Longwood Christmas, despite the rainy weather. The damp day gave us plenty of time to explore the conservatories. It cleared up just enough to stroll along the main paths and see all of the lights.

longwood gardens

Next time you are looking for a new place to explore with or without the kids, head to Longwood Gardens for a day you won’t soon forget. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pennsylvania Travel botanical gardenslongwood gardenspennsylvaniatravel

Post navigation

Previous post
Next post

Related Posts

Travel

Expect the Unexpected in Branson, Missouri

May 22, 2020

The quaint Ozark Mountain town of Branson is unique in so many ways. I was able to visit in 2017, and absolutely fell in love with this area of the country. Not only is it home to Silver Dollar City, but also amazing live entertainment, gorgeous Table Rock Lake and…

Read More
Travel

Hard Rock Cafe New York City: A Rock N Roll Party in Times Square

July 28, 2017

Hard Rock Cafe, New York City is in the heart of Times Square. Located on Broadway you won’t find much more of an iconic location. Hard Rock Cafe New York will rock your senses with tantalizing food and drinks and an awe-inspiring collection of music memorabilia. Hard Rock Cafe New…

Read More
Travel

George Washington’s Mount Vernon: Spring Events

March 9, 2019

George Washington’s Mount Vernon kicks off the spring season with new specialty tours, an augmented reality experience, Distillery & Gristmill re-opening, and a few special events. Stroll through Mount Vernon’s gardens, which will begin to bloom soon, and visit the livestock enclosures to see the baby lambs. This historical site…

Read More
Living Life One Trip At A Time… Jenn is a mom, writer, and business owner. She loves to travel- solo, with her family or a group of friends. No matter where she is, she is always making an impact and sharing her journey. When she isn’t traveling, she can be found on the farm helping her daughter raise her show animals. She’s a country girl at heart, with a love for travel.

Browse by Category

UNIVERSAL ORLANDO RESORT

  • ollivanders wand shop
    Ollivanders Wand Shop at Universal Orlando
  • universal roller coasters
    Universal Orlando Roller Coasters: From Wild To Wilder
  • epic universe at universal orlando
    Epic Universe- Opening at Universal Orlando Resort
  • best breakfast at universal
    Universal Orlando On-Site Resorts: The Best Breakfast Options
  • 8 Tips For an EPIC Universal Orlando Vacation

Copyright 2024 · Journeys with Jenn – All photos & posts are property of Journeys with Jenn All rights reserved. No part of this site may be reproduced without prior permission of the owner, except in the case of brief quotation uses permitted by copyright law.

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Copyright 2024 · Journeys with Jenn – All photos & posts are property of Journeys with Jenn All rights reserved. No part of this site may be reproduced without prior permission of the owner, except in the case of brief quotation uses permitted by copyright law.

Preferred Travel Agency of Journeys with Jenn

travel agent
©2025 JOURNEYS WITH JENN | WordPress Theme by SuperbThemes