Longwood Gardens is a premier botanical garden in the Brandywine Creek Valley region of Pennsylvania. This 1,077-acre garden is consistently voted one of the best public gardens in the country. We have been twice, and still don’t think we’ve seen everything there is to see.
Unlike most gardens, tickets here are timed to keep crowds manageable. It wasn’t a problem for us, but it’s a good idea to purchase tickets in advance.
What’s in bloom changes depending on the time of year you visit. Explore the highlights of Longwood’s historic gardens on a guided walking tour— free with Garden admission. There are terraced gardens, Italian water gardens, a rose arbor, woodland meadows, and a huge indoor conservatory. On one of our visits, the outdoor ponds were filled with giant lily pads.
The gardens were founded by Pierre D. du Pont, and there is a nice museum display on the construction of the gardens and the history of the founding family. In addition to flowers and trees, Longwood is known for its fountains.
In the warmer months you can enjoy daily fountain performances, evening Illuminated Fountain Performances, and special Festive Friday theme nights. Experience the Main Fountain Garden from the inside out on a Behind the Scenes Tour: Under the Fountains. This tour is in addition to Garden admission and includes private box seating for the Fountain Daytime Show.
You will be doing a lot of walking, so you’ll probably work up an appetite. Luckily, Longwood has a few food options onsite. Full-service dining is available at restaurant 1906, or there are casual options at The Café. There is also an outdoor Beer Garden with pub fare and beers on tap on the weekends.
Longwood is one of the U.S.’s must-see botanical gardens. You will not be disappointed!
