If you have not heard the name, Longwood Gardens is one of the largest botanical gardens in the United States, featuring an ever-changing indoor and outdoor horticultural display which includes — as you’ll see in the photos — fountains along with exotic plants from around the world.
While many of these photos are from the holiday season just passed, when our longtime friend, John Wicoff, sent us a large group he took during the last couple of his regular pilgrimages to Longwood … I knew I had to share a few with you.
Alicia and I have been there any number of times, although it’s been a couple of years since our last visit — and I don’t take pictures like John does. This beautiful place is located on U. S. Route One in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania … about 30 miles southwest of Philadelphia. The area is known as the Brandywine Valley. Nearby in Chadd’s Ford is the Brandywine River Museum, where you’ll find a great collection of Wyeth art, and Winterthur, a former du Pont family home that’s now a museum housing a large collection of American decorative arts … it’s situated just a few miles south across the Delaware state line.
The land which Longwood Gardens occupies was first purchased from William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania, by farmer George Pierce in 1700. By 1800, George’s twin great-grandsons had inherited the property and began planting an arboretum, which by 1850 displayed which has been described as one of the “finest collections of trees in the nation.” However, as succeeding generations lost interest, the land was acquired in 1906 by a lumber mill operator, who was ready to start cutting.
At the last minute, a member of the American industrial dynasty du Pont family, entrepreneur and philanthropist Pierre, stepped in and acquired the farm, primarily to save the trees. Initially, he had no further plans … but as time passed, he developed a desire to create a place to entertain friends. So, his simple country farm was soon transformed into Longwood Gardens, a large garden-like display of the world’s great natural beauty.
Not only does the botanical garden feature hundreds of different trees and plants, water fountains and light displays … it also has a giant organ containing ten-thousand pipes, which Pierre du Pont had installed in his home on the property in 1929, as well as a carillon which plays every half hour during much of the year.
We have all of this today thanks to Pierre du Pont placing Longwood Gardens in a public trust and insuring its future by leaving this beautiful place well-funded! And that includes the wonderful collection of orchids, which are now being spotlighted in the annual Orchid Extravaganza!
Thank you to Pierre du Pont and all who have labored since to enlarge, improve and maintain this beautiful place for our eyes and senses to behold!
Next week, being that it’s Valentine’s Day, I’m planning a special LOVE feature. Following along after that, expect more radio and rail-focused Musings. Meanwhile, I’d love to hear from you and read your thoughts and comments!
