Longwood Gardens is a place where heaven meets earth. Beautiful floral designs, intricate fountains, enormous greenhouses, and one of the nation's most impressive holiday displays on the property.

Pierre S. du Pont had a vision for Longwood Gardens. To entertain family and friends, he needed a beautiful space. In turn, he created a genuine estate for the public to enjoy. Each year, Longwood Gardens attracts over 1 million visitors inspired by its beauty and educated by its history.

Come and experience this slice of heaven. Its 1,000 acres of meticulously manicured grounds make it a breathtaking sight. Below are ten compelling reasons to visit this garden of paradise.

10 Gardens Of International Renown

Featuring over 1,077 acres of gardens, woodlands, and meadows, Longwood Gardens is one of the world's premier botanical gardens.

Flowers, oh my! Over 10,000 plant species are found, and their blooms are stunning. Through the gardens' many pathways, one feels like they have stepped through a magical door.

In the summer, horticulturists experiment with various plants to create stunning compositions in experimental plots. With the grand allurement of such a wide variety of posies, it will be easy to find some favorites.

Related: Escape To A Garden Oasis At The Botanical Gardens Of Kauai

9 The Conservatory

The conservatory is one of the largest indoor gardens in the world, spanning over 4 acres with 20 gardens and 5,500 plants.

Decorative walls of orchids, a Mediterranean garden, a tropical terrace, lily ponds, a rose house, a banana room, fern passages, a desert display, a children's garden, and bonsai trees decorate the grounds.

In the fall, tourists flock to Rose House to see the magnificent pink, purple, and scarlet rose colors.

A peculiar feature of the Conservatory is its bathrooms. They are circular and have an open oculus to allow natural light to enter.

8 Water Features Of Outstanding Beauty

Fountains, waterfalls, and reflecting pools adorn the gardens, including the well-known Italian Water Garden.

Recently, the fountains were renovated, making them even more spectacular. During the revitalization project, 4,800 pieces of Italian limestone were restored, 772 extra lighting fixtures were added for ambiance, and 350 extra light fixtures were along the guest paths.

The water fountains here are certainly a main attraction. Here are three theatrical water shows coming in 2023:

Related: It’s A Ten-Minute Walk From The Trevi Fountain To The Spanish Steps: Here’s What You Can See On The Way

7 Seasonal Displays

In addition to its famous Christmas light show, Longwood Garden offers an orchid extravaganza and a chrysanthemum festival in the fall.

Longwood Gardens transforms into a Christmas wonderland during the Christmas holiday season with thousands of lights strung throughout the grounds. Flowers and plants are decorated for the holiday season.

Nevertheless, Longwood Gardens' events change as the blooms change according to the season. For example:

  • Winter Wonderland (Jan 21-March 26, 2023)
  • Spring Blooms (April 1 – May 7. 2023)
  • Festival Fountains (May 11 – Sept 24, 2023)
  • Chrysanthemum Festival (Sept 30 – Nov 12, 2023)

6 Seasonal Food And Drink

In Longwood Gardens, guests can find seasonal food and drink options at cafes and restaurants, many of which use locally sourced ingredients.

Visitors to Longwood are invited to enjoy lunch in the Picnic Area on a first-come, first-served basis.

1906 (formal), The Cafe (relaxed), and the Beer Garden (lively) are popular alternative eateries.

Plenty of points of interest at the Longwood Gardens (aside from eating) exist, so spending an entire day wandering about and learning new things is far from boring.

The entrance fee for students is only $10 with a valid student ID!

5 World-Class Performances

This botanical garden is also home to a world-class performance venue. Various performances are held at the gardens yearly, including concerts, theater shows, and dance performances. The gardens provide a beautiful setting for live music.

Similarly to Longwood's gardens, the arts at Longwood are vibrant, inspiring, and beautiful.

Warm the winter by filling the air with jazz, classical, and organ music vibes. It’s not just strolling through garden lights and flowers. Music lovers flock to Longwood Gardens each season, from Sing-Alongs to carolers roaming around the grounds.

Related: Upstate New York's Artistic Charms: An Excursion To Discover Its 10 Best Music Venues, Theaters, & Opera Houses

4 Programs Of Education

Longwood Gardens offers various educational programs for visitors of all ages. Programs include workshops, classes, tours, and lectures covering gardening, horticulture, and conservation.

Visitors can learn about the gardens' history and the plants and animals that call Longwood Gardens home.

A variety of online learning opportunities are available, from intensive courses to casual tours.

No matter what gardening style, whether a homeowner, hobbyist, artist, horticulturist, or landscape professional, guests are bound to discover something new.

Philadelphia is just a short trip away, so continue the educational experience by visiting the United States' birthplace.

3 Meadow Garden

Enjoy a peaceful and beautiful afternoon exploring the Meadow Garden at Longwood Gardens. Wildflowers, butterflies, and birds can be found in the meadow, as well as exotic plants and animals. Trails are available for visitors to walk along, guided tours are available, or they can simply relax and observe nature's beauty.

The Meadow is a vital habitat for wildlife and flora in the region. Meadow stewardship enhances the water quality of the Brandywine River watershed by providing high-quality habitats for various terrestrial and aquatic organisms.

2 Orchid House

If an orchid enthusiast, one must visit Longwood Gardens' Orchid House. Over 5,000 orchids are featured in the house, including rare and exotic species worldwide. Its many rooms feature unique orchid displays that guests can explore.

Beautiful gardens are a mainstay, but the mosaic display of orchids rivals any garden tapestry worldwide.

Following restoration, an additional 50% more orchids can now be displayed in the Orchid House.

Visit the Orchid House to see any 250 to 300 blooming orchids, along with custom trellises that allow the flowers to be displayed at various depths.

1 Children's Garden

Balancing everyone's needs is the most challenging part of planning a family trip. Longwood Gardens hears this and has stepped up to the plate by providing a garden just for the little ones.

Children have their own garden at Longwood Gardens. The interactive exhibits in the Children's Garden are a treehouse, a garden maze, and a miniature railroad. The gardens offer children a lush, whimsical place to run wild and shake out their sillies in a sensory-friendly setting.

Children are taught to appreciate beauty, texture, form, and color using all their senses.