Longwood Gardens' beauty and history continue to draw generations of visitors to Chester County
Longwood Gardens is one of America's premier horticultural destinations, drawing visitors year-round with colorful displays, dazzling fountain shows, concerts and workshops.
Spanning more than 1,100 acres, Longwood features indoor gardens, outdoor gardens and striking architecture. Visitors travel from around the world to experience the attraction.
"The flowers we've seen so far are beautiful," Andy Plaistow from Oxford, England, said. "We're going to see the fountain display next."
The popular institution traces its roots back more than a century to the vision of businessman Pierre S. du Pont, who transformed the property into a regional treasure.
In 1906, du Pont purchased the property after learning its historic trees were in danger of being cut down for lumber. After preserving the land, he began expanding it into the destination visitors know today.
"He [du Pont] loved gardening and so he decided he wanted to create a summer house and have beautiful gardens here," Longwood Gardens public relations manager Jourdan Cole said.
Historic photos show the Conservatory under construction in 1919. Over time, du Pont added landmarks like the Exhibition Hall, the Chimes Tower and the Water Lily Pond.
What started as a private estate has grown into a world-renowned public garden that now welcomes more than a million visitors each year.
"I love the flowers," Shota Tanaka from Kumamoto, Japan, said. "I like the nature."
In 1972, Longwood Gardens was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
"One of the things that does set us apart is that we have year-round beauty here," Cole said. "We actually say that we have five seasons of beauty. Christmas is its own season, and one of our most-visited seasons."
Longwood's Christmas display attracts as many as 300,000 guests with 400,000 lights, 200 concerts, dancing fountains and colorful floral displays — the kind of spectacle du Pont envisioned when he expanded the gardens.
As America celebrates 250 years, Longwood Gardens continues to evolve by modernizing its grounds, enhancing its displays and honoring du Pont's vision of conservation.
For Addie Corvo from West Chester, it's a place she returns to make lasting memories.
"Every week I come, there's something different," Corvo said. "Longwood Gardens is a peaceful, beautiful place. I love walking everywhere here."
For Janet Williams from Arden, Delaware, the gardens are also a source of inspiration.
"All summer, you can have beautiful flowers, you can paint beautiful flowers that you can't find anywhere else," Williams said.
Du Pont believed education was an important part of Longwood's mission. Today, the gardens continue that legacy through a two-year horticulture program and a fellows program designed to train the next generation of garden leaders.
