I had the pleasure of attending a work-related conference at Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, Penn. I know, I know: Pinch me, I’m working! In the coming weeks, I thought I would share images of some of the wonders at Longwood. Let’s start with a wee bit of history then it’s on to photos taken in the 4-acre conservatory.
A 36-year-old Pierre du Pont, whose family had a long tradition of gardening, purchased Peirce’s Park on which, beginning in 1798, had been planted one of the finest collections of trees in the nation. The property fell into disrepair and plans were underway to cut down the trees in the arboretum. Mr. du Pont bought the property in 1906 primarily to preserve the trees. Properties around the original acreage were purchased, expanding Longwood Gardens to around 1,000 acres. The original Conservatory opened in 1921. You can read a detailed history on the website.
In the future, I’ll share photos of the trial and idea gardens (especially the Calibrachoa), iconic Flower Garden Walk planted in a rainbow of color (yellow to orange to red to blue to purple flower border) and a few other special spots.
Bismarckia noblis palms native to Madegascar welcome visitors at the main entrance to the Conservatory.
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| Bismarckia noblis |
Views in the main conservatory.
This gets my vote for the loveliest walk to the bathroom: a green wall primarily populated with ferns and pothos.
Photos of a few specimens in the conservatory’s fern passage.
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| Hare’s Foot Fern – Phlebodium aureum ‘Blue Star’ |
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| A giant maidenhair fern – Adiantum trapeziforme var. Braziliense |
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| A beautifully mounted staghorn fern – Platycerium bifurcatum |
The conservatory’s Silver Garden was breathtaking.
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| Felt-Bush – Kalanchoe beharensis ‘Oak Leaf’ |
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| A member of the lily family from South Africa Haworthia reinwardtii forma kaffirdriftensis |
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| Parry agave |
Here are a few more photos that hopefully will inspire you to plan a visit to Longwood Gardens and Pennsylvania’s Brandywine Valley.
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| Visitors in the tropical hanging garden |
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| This tree-like plant – sorry I didn’t catch the name – doesn’t put out the welcome mat for anyone! |
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| A Longwood hybrid Victoria waterlily in the Conserrvatory’s outdoor courtyard |
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| Wood’s Cycad – Encephalartos woodii |