Explore Longwood Gardens

Conservatory buildings are viewed in the distance through garden grasses in the foreground
Bob Doerr

Longwood Gardens, one of America’s quintessential landscapes, is a place of ever-changing seasonal beauty, handcrafted feats of horticultural wonder, and an awe-inspiring collection of the most beautiful plants from around the globe. 

From our humble beginnings as a Quaker farmstead and arboretum, to Pierre S. du Pont’s forward-thinking stewardship, to today’s collection of renowned landscape designers, horticulturists, and architects, our great garden of the world evolves and emerges again and again.

Through Longwood Gardens and its program of outstanding horticultural display, every visitor to the Gardens has the opportunity to gain, culturally and spiritually, a better peace of mind.

Russell J. Seibert, Longwood’s first director

Explore nearly 200 acres of lush, formal gardens, open meadows, and winding paths to breathtaking Brandywine Valley vistas. Together, mesmerizing displays, feats of engineering, and science-based research and conservation work harmoniously toward the overarching goal to unite and inspire our guests in appreciation of beauty—as only Longwood can. 

Explore Our Gardens

View All Gardens
  • Our Districts
    A stone path winds through a lush room of colorful plants with a hanging light above

    Our Districts

    Explore nearly 200 acres of lush, formal gardens, open meadows, and winding paths.

  • Our Seasons
    looking through fall leaves to the canopy cathedral treehouse

    Our Seasons

    We honor the four seasons with five unique Longwood seasons, celebrating the bounty of our gardens throughout the cycles of renewal, growth, and ever-evolving splendor. 

  • Our Plants
    close up of orange Clivia Miniata with green and yellow center

    Our Plants

    Explore over 10,000 species and varieties of plants, representing 200 different plant families. 

  • Our Science
    A person holds a small vial with plant material inside in a lab

    Our Science

    Our scientific work lays the groundwork for discoveries that expand our understanding of the natural world and help perpetuate and celebrate its beauty for generations to come.

What's in Bloom

See More of What's in Bloom

  • Gordlinia

    × Gordlinia grandiflora is a rare and striking hybrid flowering tree or large shrub, created by crossing two members of the tea family (Theaceae) - Franklinia alatamaha and Gordonia lasianthus. This intergeneric hybrid was developed in the southeastern United States to combine the best traits of its parent plants. It features large, fragrant, white camellia-like flowers with golden centers that bloom in late summer to early fall, often when few other trees are in flower. × Gordlinia grandiflora is valued for its fast growth, attractive glossy foliage, and extended blooming period. It thrives in well-drained, acidic soils and performs best in full sun to partial shade.

  • Chaste-tree

    The chaste tree (Vitex agnus-castus) is a deciduous shrub or small tree in the mint family (Lamiaceae), known for its aromatic, gray-green leaves and showy spikes of lavender to violet flowers that bloom from summer into fall. Native to the Mediterranean region, it’s widely grown in warm climates for its ornamental value and its strong appeal to pollinators like bees and butterflies. Despite the name, the "chaste" tree has a long history of use in herbal medicine, once believed to promote celibacy. Today, it's appreciated more for its drought tolerance, graceful form, and extended bloom period in the landscape.