Longwood Gardens

 

   Thursday, June 1, 2023: It was another trip to Pennsylvania, and this time, I visited a place in Chester County that always brought joy to me whenever I visited there in the past: Longwood Gardens, 1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square (610-388-1000). Open all year round, this 1000-acre place has something for almost everybody. I’ve been here in the spring when the flowers in bloom displayed their many colors and shapes. During my two Christmas season visits, I noticed seasonal decorations, especially Xmas trees, and certain flowers & plants, including poinsettias, holly, and ivy. Then, my last visit was in the autumn in the early 2000s, during the Chrysanthemum Festival. The date above was the first time I ever visited during the summer season where Longwood Gardens presented the Festival of Fountains. In between watching the fountains, I also saw something that was in full bloom during the summer season: roses in many colors. Of course, Longwood Gardens displayed many other kinds of other flowers, during my visit, along with many plants, trees, and some lovely landscaping. Nevertheless, there was much more to this place than plants. There were some interesting buildings with the most popular being the Conservatory. Inside, this glasshouse contained so many plants and flowers that this part of Longwood Gardens alone could take up much of my time. One of my favorite buildings, however, was the Peirce-Du Pont House. This was where it all started. Early parts of the house dated back to 1730 when the Peirce family owned it as a farmhouse. Through the years, this family added to the original house, and when Pierre Du Pont bought the house and property in 1906, he added even more to the house and added a final addition in 1914. I learned this and more as I saw videos, pictures, texts, and exhibit items inside of the house covering such subjects as the history of the house, the Peirce family, and Pierre Du Pont, as well as the Lenape, early American botanists, and the growth of Longwood Gardens. For the rest of the day, I walked along and “absorbed” the sights of this property. Once again, Longwood Gardens brought joy to me!