No matter what season you decide to visit this year-round gem in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, we’ve created a roadmap with everything you need to know before adventuring to Longwood.
First things first, though. Make sure to carve out 3½ to 4 hours for your visit — although you can certainly stay as long as you want during business hours. Re-entry is currently not allowed.
Longwood doesn’t track state of origin, Evans said, but they do survey travel time.
Evans said most of their guests come from within a two-hour drive. “But we get guests from almost every state as well as guests from overseas.”
She estimates that 4% of their guests are international.
Featuring more than 9,000 species and varieties, Longwood Gardens’ plant collection equals many of its peer institutions, according to its website.
Speaking of the website, it’s a good idea to check it before visiting to see what’s in bloom. But over the course of the year you’ll find a gorgeous display of lush and unique flowers.
For example, around the last week of March guests are treated to world-famous and rare blue poppies. These are real blue flowers that are native to high elevations of the Himalayan Mountains, and usually not cultivated outside their natural habitat.
In mid-April guests are shown a rainbow of 200,000-plus colorful tulips and other seasonal flowers.
Visiting the gardens is mainly an outdoor experience, but indoor offerings include a 4-acre Conservatory, the historic Peirce-du Pont House, the Webb Farmhouse & Galleries, The Terrace and a Visitor Center.
Its century-old Orchid House has been restored. It now can exhibit up to 50% more orchids from Longwood’s collection, recognized as one of the most important around the globe, and featuring 5,000 plants of diverse origin, size and color, representing 2,000 different taxa.
