Tucked away in the southeastern corner of Pennsylvania near the city of Philadelphia and also close to the states of Delaware, Maryland, and New Jersey is a 1,000 + acre piece of real estate that displays gardens that are perhaps one of the best in the world. I have not seen better in the USA.

Brief History

These gardens were the work of the wealthy Pierre S. du Pont. Please let me submit a few words from the Longwood Gardens web site. The Long wood Gardens...sometimes referred to as the DuPont Gardens... offers 1,050 acres (425 hectares) of gardens, woodlands, and meadows; 20 outdoor gardens; 20 indoor gardens within 4 acres (1.6 hectares) of heated greenhouses; 11,000 different types of plants; spectacular fountains; extensive educational programs including horticultural career training and internships; and 800 horticultural and performing arts events each year. The site also mentions that over 9,000 people visit these gardens annually and it is open every day of the year.

It was Pierre du Pont who founded the DuPont Chemical Company. This extremely wealthy man purchased the piece of land that is now Longwood gardens in 1906. This property, that was once owned by William Penn, was sold to a Quaker family that used it for farming. That owner, Samuel Peirce, started planting an arboretum in the late 1800s. It was shortly thereafter that Dupont took possession and did most of the work in developing this land to be as it is now. It is incredibly beautiful and that was just at one time of the year we were fortunate to see it. Dupont had these gardens set in a way so that there is some kind of spectacular outdoor display at all the growing times of the year from late winter/early spring right through to the end of fall and the beginning of winter. With the inside conservatory, you will always find something in bloom all year round.

So Much To See

These gardens cover a huge area and offer so much. The conservatory, that is the largest building, is broken up into many garden rooms. Some are quite formal looking and others have a more natural look. You simply stroll from section to section and it is stunning as you leave one type of environment and enter another. maps are available for the Conservatory at the entrance to that building.

The grounds have many different places to see and observe. Fountains are shooting up throughout the grounds and there are special shows throughout the day. Dupont put these fountains in to rival places he saw in Europe and he did it in spectacular fashion.

Two particularly grand displays are the Main Fountain Gardens that are well viewed from terraces above at the Conservatory.

The other fountain, and there are many others, is the Open Air Theatre. This is not a structure but rather a defined area closed in by shrubs, trees and displays of flowers. This is a garden area where smaller fountain shows are displayed. We didn't get to see this one.

When you enter the grounds you are given a schedule of these displays. You will also get a schedule of the Fireworks Display. Unfortunately we were not privy to see these but I did read that they will be held again this year on four different dates. These are done to music and in conjunction with the fountain displays. It's a special price for it and from what I understand, it is a good idea to book ahead of time. Be sure to check out all the special events that are ongoing or just set up for particular times of the year. This is a VERY busy place. Many special shows have an additional charge.

The gardens themselves are divided into large areas that feature particular types of gardening techniques and flowers. The map shows what to see and it is easy to follow.

There is also dining in the Terrace Restaurant that is quite beautiful with stunning views.

Our Experience

Driving into the grounds is easy. You do not get a sense of what and where the gardens are at all. There was plenty of parking but you may have to walk a bit. The fact is this self guided tour is nothing but a lot of walking. It is comfortable walking though. To see everything or at least try, it is a leisurely stroll that takes you from place to place. There are some hills and stairs that take you to the Conservatory and restaurant areas. This requires a little effort.

Just a note, the gardens have a few dozen wheel chairs available for use, free of charge. They are on a first come first serve basis. They also have a very limited amount of electric carts too. There is a slight restriction on their use. Call ahead and get there early.

From the car we made our way to the ticket office area. Though it was not busy when we were there, you can see they are set up for large groups coming in. Prices were $12 for adults and I believe children were about half that. Do check prices because they do vary depending on the time of year. They do ask that no food, drinks, or pets are to be brought onto the grounds.

I mentioned that you do don't see much of the garden from the parking lot area. This is because the building and the parking lot are hidden from view of the Conservatory and other high ground areas by a huge berm. This berm is made to have a natural look to it and makes the views from above terraces free of any car clutter and such.

We had trouble just getting through the entrance areas in that my wife was studying every brochure of every special even they have in these gardens. And there are many. In high season demonstrations and shows are given daily. Special events are held most weekends and spectacular Seasonal Festivals are always being planned and presented.

Once through the building you come out into the heart of the grounds and then decisions must be made as to what directions to go and what to see. The map is easy to read, but the decisions for us were difficult. It is hard to see everything without backtracking. It's my thought to check out the special events for the time you are there and ask some of the workers what may be particularly interesting in that season. So much does change from month to month.

We took a leisurely stroll through the Rose Garden that was not in full bloom, yet still lovely, and then to the nearby Topiary Garden. This is a must stop, well actually stroll. It s a wonderful display of gardening skills. Inside this area is also a huge sundial that was designed and set to within a two minute accuracy at any time of year by Dupont himself. This is best on a sunny day. :)

We walked through these gardens and up, literally, to the Conservatory.

This building is amazing in its structure and displays. Running water and pools abound, as they do outside. Dupont really got things right with this. I was in awe of all the different rooms and feel of each. It is considered one of the best in all the world and they are still improving it. There was construction going on in many of the rooms which was slightly disappointing. The fact is there was still so much to see within that I suppose I really didn't feel I missed anything.

Some of the rooms in the Conservatory are used for social functions and you could see they are designed for such with open areas and fantastic floral displays to catch the eye. Two of these rooms are the Ball Room and the Music Room that has a huge pool in sight in the Exhibition Garden, not for swimming. It is actually a very shallow marble floor that has but a foot or so of water covering it. This gives a wonderful feel and visual display of reflections of the surrounding plants and sunlight dancing on the slightest ripples of water.

Some rooms are grand looking and a few are much smaller with narrow paths taking you from one to the other. I found the Bonsai Room particularly fascinating, while my wife was drawn to the room displaying orchids.

I liked that the feeling of the rooms completely changed from one to the next but there was a sense of easy passage between them. Some were quite formal like the Music Room and Mediterranean Gardens while others gave a sense of natural environment as I received from the Acacia Passage, the Garden Path,(under construction now) and my favorite of rooms the Tropical Terrace.

Things for Kids

One thing I want to mention was a fun thing for the kids to do in the conservatory. They are given a map and they go throughout the conservatory and find particular plants and flowers at stations that have an ink pad to post in their map. I thought this was educational and kept the kids interested.

Also designed just for kids is the Children's Garden that has little private areas for kids to play in and check out. Topiary figures were also in there. This was a fun area with many picture taking opportunities. Ha, we didn't have our kids but we did take kiddie shots of ourselves.

This area along with the East Conservatory and Garden Path is closed now for expansion according to their web site. I can understand because it was very popular when we were there and it wasn't a busy day. There were also a few areas where congestion built up and dead ends. I'm sure the new plans will help eliminate that.

According to the web site the children's area is being expanded to three times the original size. Good for them! They really seem to keep children of all ages in mind.

The plans include a couple of mazes, ramps, more whimsical topiary, water displays and much more that seems designed to keep them "moving along and interested". The unfortunate part is that this isn't slated for completion until 2007. Believe me, adults will want to go into the Children's Garden just as much as the kids. We loved the older smaller one that just closed and the plans for the new one are quite attractive.

The Great Outdoors

When we were finished in the Conservatory we stepped outside to get our first look at the gardens below. It is spectacular! The setting is quite formal and the fountains give a feeling of stateliness. There are places to sit and get the view. No need to rush down. Take your time here for a while. Again, be sure to get the schedule of the fountain shows that go on every couple of hours. They are a must! Please take a moment here to scroll back to the picture above. This same display goes on a few times every day from late spring to early fall!

We eventually did go back on the trail through the Main Fountain Garden and to the very informal Hillside Garden beyond. This gave a totally different kind of feeling. No longer were the plants in symmetrical forms with matching fountains. Now we had running brooks and streams coming from small falls above. There are a couple of stone structures that blend with the natural feel of their surroundings. One is the Eye of Water and the other is the Chimes Tower. This area had children running around a bit more and climbing. It just seemed natural for them. We enjoyed the area too.

We spent about three and a half hours wandering around the grounds the day we were there. We already had dinner plans so we didn't spend extra time at the restaurant. Even if you have just an hour and a half you can get to see quite a bit. I will say that the more time and endurance you have the better. You can easily spend the whole day there.

We had a lovely day. My wife picked up an item or two in the gift shop and then we moved on. These gardens are spectacular and world class. Mmm, did I happen to say that already? They really are!



Other Pennsylvania reviews by poprocks

Pennsylvania, A wonderful State to visit

Independence National Park, Philadelphia
Pennsylvania Dutch Country An overview
Gettysburg National Historic Park
Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site
Valley Forge National Historic Park


Recommended: Yes

Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime