Longwood Gardens

The greatest gift of the garden is the restoration of the five senses.

~Hanna Rion

 

A long-time favourite garden of mine is Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, PA.

I visit as often as I can, usually once every other year or so, almost always in May or June (most recently this past June), and one time in December. I didn’t really start taking photos until 2007, though I think my first visit was in the mid 1990s.

There is something for everyone here: water features and fountains; formal Italian Gardens; treehouses, beehouses, birdhouses, the historic Pierce-duPont house to tour, a chimes tower and waterfall; music concerts, fountain shows, and fireworks; large ponds with frogs, turtles, and fish in them; a recently expanded meadow with trails; idea gardens and trial gardens; vegetable and berry gardens; perennial and annual flower gardens; a conservatory with a silver garden, a children’s garden, an espaliered fruit garden, orchids, cacti, a rose garden (as well as an outdoors rose garden), an orangery, a palm house; a large water lily garden; a topiary garden; peony and wisteria gardens; allées all over the place; expansive lawns, huge trees, shady hillside gardens, woodsy trails. And two good restaurants, one a cafeteria with inside and outside seating and the other a more formal sit-down restaurant.

The garden is tended scrupulously, and yet many parts of it feel wild. The staff, even when hard at yardwork, are generally willing to answer questions and help identifying plants. If you go, look for the garden cats that keep the mice and vole population in check.

If you can’t get there in person (or even if you can), you may enjoy or be inspired by these images of this gem of a public garden. [Click to enlarge any photo.]

MAY 2007

phlox around tree trunk
phlox around tree trunk
gazebo and pond
gazebo and pond
fringed purple tulip
fringed purple tulip
wine and jazz festival
wine and jazz festival
varmint cat
varmint cat
pink and green tulips
pink and green tulips
meadow tree
meadow tree
kids playing in fountain water
kids playing in fountain water

 MAY 2009

 

alliums
alliums and others
fig fruit and leaf
fig fruit and leaf
drapey trees
drapey trees
orange azalea
orange azalea
turtle in pond
turtle in pond
Italian garden
Italian garden

May 2011

green-walled restroom area
green-walled restroom area
wisteria garden
wisteria garden
trees and pond
cypress trees and pond
'Temple of Beauty' and 'Triumph' tulips
‘Temple of Beauty’ and ‘Triumph’ tulips
yellow archangel
yellow archangel
swatch of white snapdragons
swatch of white snapdragons
shaded pathway
shaded pathway
landscape near Italian gardens
landscape near Italian gardens
snapdragons, tulips, foxgloves
snapdragons, tulips, foxgloves
fountain show
fountain show
pathway
pathway
pathway in wooded area
pathway in wooded area
meadow
meadow
eye of water waterfall
eye of water waterfall
cacti
cacti
blue anemone
blue anemone

 

June 2013

anthurium and other tropical plants in conservatory
anthurium and other tropical plants in conservatory
inside conservatory
inside conservatory
textures in the cactus house
textures in the cactus house
Swiss chard in children's garden
Swiss chard in children’s garden
veggie garden
veggie garden
another varmint cat
another varmint cat
very fragrant roses
very fragrant roses
waterlily pond
waterlily pond
very pink waterlily
very pink waterlily
carillon tower with trees
carillon tower with trees
hanging melons
hanging melons
espaliered nectarines
espaliered nectarines
layered pine
layered pine
orchid room
orchid room
lettuce, cabbage, beans
lettuce, cabbage, beans
restaurant
restaurant
walls meet dome
walls meet dome
in the palm house
in the palm house
gingko
gingko
bonsai room
bonsai room
allee
allee
3-bin composter
3-bin composter
walkway with dogwoods
walkway with dogwoods

June 2014

 

Welcome to the Children's Garden (fun for adults, too!)
Welcome to the Children’s Garden (fun for adults, too!)
tree house
tree house
tree and roots
tree and roots
peaches
peaches
new boardwalk steps near meadow
new boardwalk steps near meadow
milkweed in meadow
milkweed in meadow
birdhouse with green roof in meadow
birdhouse with green roof in meadow
annual flower beds
annual flower beds
Italian Gardens (another view)
Italian Gardens (another view)
feathertop pennisetum grasses and caladium
feathertop pennisetum grasses and caladium
bass and blue gill in pond
bass and blue gill in pond
Eye of Water
Eye of Water
astilbe and hedges with sundial
astilbe and hedges with sundial
bullfrog in pond
bullfrog in pond
lily pads and Victorias
lily pads and Victorias
purple and pink astilbes
purple and pink astilbes
'Rosade Noche' lilypads with dragonfly
‘Rosade Noche’ lilypads with dragonfly
Princess trees, topiary, conservatory, lawn
Princess trees, topiary, conservatory, lawn

 

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