Explore Longwood Gardens

A potted succulent stands out in a sunny conservatory filled with yellow and orange blooms, and foliage in various hues of green.
Holden Barnes

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

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  • 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

  • Japanese Camellia

    Japanese camellias have glossy evergreen leaves and rose-like flowers in various shades of pink, red, and white that bloom at Longwood throughout the winter.  These beautiful flowering shrubs were one of Pierre S. du Pont’s favorite flowers and one of the first species planted in the Conservatory upon its completion in 1921.

  • Cape Pond-lily

    Aponogeton distachyos is a water lily-like plant that produces floating leaves and fragrant flowers from tubers growing at the bottom of water bodies. It is beneficial for water gardens, as it helps to absorb excess nutrients, which can reduce algae growth. Large oblong leaves (to 3-6” long) lie flat on the water surface. The plant is also a popular choice for ponds and water gardens for its ability to grow in both shallow and deeper water areas, making it versatile in pond design. The flowers reportedly have a hawthorn-like fragrance, hence the additional common name of water hawthorn. In South Africa, this plant is commercially grown for its edible tubers that may be added to stews.