Explore Longwood Gardens

Diagonal view of two guests strolling down a brick walkway bordered by colorful late summer flowers.
Carol DeGuiseppi

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

  • 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.

  • Vietnamese Bluebell Tree

    Trifidacanthus unifoliolatus is a unique leguminous shrub, in fact the only species in its genus Trifidacanthus. Native to Southeast Asia, including Hainan (China), Vietnam, the Philippines, it grows in wet tropical and semi‐open habitats. One distinctive feature is its trifid (three‐pointed) spines, which develop from old flowering stems and stalks as these structures harden. The leaves are relatively small leathery, and often have a single leaflet (hence its specific epithet unifoliolatus), despite being in a genus of legumes. The plant blooms from spring through summer with small purple, flowers that smell similar to grapes,. In horticulture it is sometimes called the “Vietnamese Blue Bell Tree,” and is cultivated ornamentally (including as bonsai), for its attractive flowers and unusual, twisty and spiny growth habit.
  • Chenille-plant

    Chenille plant is a tropical shrub native to the South Pacific, particularly New Guinea and the Malay Archipelago. Belonging to the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae), it is valued for its striking, fuzzy red flower spikes that resemble chenille yarn, often reaching up to 18 inches in length. These vibrant blooms, which can appear year-round in warm climates, make it a favorite ornamental plant in gardens and containers. Acalypha hispida thrives in humid environments with full sun to partial shade and is especially attractive to pollinators like butterflies and bees. While beautiful, all parts of the plant are toxic if ingested, so caution is advised around pets and children.