As with every new project or idea Longwood Gardens approaches, we do so with an adept attention to detail and an eye for beauty. The same holds true in our Garden Shop, where our creative shop team curates a unique shopping experience that takes inspiration from all aspects of our Gardens. With two days to go until we enter our most magical A Longwood Christmas yet—combined with the debut of Longwood Reimagined—our Garden Shop has gone above and beyond to bring that magic to life in the form of heartfelt keepsakes, one-of-a-kind handmade finds, apparel, and so much more … so you can take home some of the magic.
From local, handmade collections, to unique works of art crafted in Europe, to gorgeous plants that reflect our new spaces … each new piece added to The Garden Shop has a story.
The West Conservatory, the centerpiece of our Longwood Reimagined project, was an endless source of inspiration for the shop team. From curating products that highlight its stunning architecture, to gathering plant selections that reflect the Mediterranean-inspired ecosystem inside, there are many items in our shop inspired by this space. Photo by Becca Mathias.
To blend the momentous opening of Longwood Reimagined with our magical A Longwood Christmas, The Garden Shop now has beautiful, festive pieces that you can bring home and admire during the holidays—and all year-round. An exciting addition to our shop, we have a brand-new signature ornament handmade by Joy to the World Collectibles, who have been creating the finest European handcrafted glass ornaments for more than 20 years. This new West Conservatory ornament marks the fifth piece in our handmade signature series, which also includes our Main Conservatory, Peirce-du Pont House, Canopy Cathedral Treehouse, and Love Temple. Learn more about this beautiful collectible on our shop page.
These new West Conservatory ornaments are hand-painted by Joy to the World Collectibles to depict the lush greenery inside the West Conservatory and its beautiful crystalline walls and roofline. Photo provided by Joy to the World Collectibles.
In so many new items we have available at The Garden Shop, there is a touch of detail that you can’t find anywhere else—and we even have pieces made with fallen wood from our Gardens. Longwood engaged with local Delaware-based nonprofit The Challenge Program to commission custom furnishings for many of our Longwood Reimagined spaces. These handmade furnishings are made of the wood of fallen Longwood hickory, catalpa, and ash trees—and they are proudly placed in the new 1906, Bonsai Workshop, and The Grove—the central hub for Longwood staff, students, and volunteers. In addition to these beautiful, bespoke pieces, The Challenge Program also created custom pieces for us to make available in our shop—including tealight holders, coasters, cutting boards, and more—all made from the wood of fallen Longwood trees.
Each piece created by The Challenge Program is unique, with different wood grain patterns and shades. These coasters are a perfect commemorative gift. Photo by Adelyn Duchala.
These beautiful pieces are a long-lasting, one-of-a-kind reminder of this momentous time in our Gardens’ history. Photo by Adelyn Duchala.
The Challenge Program is a Wilmington, Delaware-based nonprofit founded in 1995 that provides vocational training for Delaware’s youth to empower them with confidence, skills, and purpose. Read more about their work in creating our bespoke furnishings here. Photo provided by The Challenge Program.
For the Longwood Reimagined project, we created a brand-new seal inspired by the peaks of the West Conservatory. This seal is elegantly placed on many commemorative items—from The Challenge Program wooden creations to hats, tote bags, and more.
The Longwood Reimagined seal featured on many of our commemorative products was designed by our very own creative team at Longwood Gardens. Find this classic tote bag here. Photo by Adelyn Duchala.
To gather more handmade pieces, The Garden Shop worked with Lancaster-based potter Amy Burk to create something authentically Longwood. Imagination ran wild when Burk took inspiration from the striking architecture of our new West Conservatory while creating custom ceramic mugs.
Notice how the hand-carved curved and straight lines on these mugs intersect to emulate the peaks of the new West Conservatory. Photo by Adelyn Duchala.
The Garden Shop also pulled inspiration from our new, stunningly beautiful Bonsai Courtyard. From bonsai ornaments to a selection of bonsai trees to take home and care for (available in-store only) to books on bonsai, we welcome you to not only marvel at our new Bonsai Courtyard, but also take home a bit of it with you.
Our new Bonsai Courtyard showcases our nationally recognized collection of nearly 150 bonsai in a rotating display of up to 60 specimens at any one time that ebb and flow with the seasons. Photo by Becca Mathias.
To share more living beauty with our guests, our Planted by Longwood team creates festive and elegant botanical arrangements using all organic materials, perfect for your holiday table. These arrangements are available in-store only, and each are one-of-a-kind and handmade.
Brighten up your home with our new, festive Planted by Longwood botanical creations available in-store only. Photo by Mary Manning and Renee Ezokas DePietro.
Visit The Garden Shop online or in-person to explore these unique finds—admission to Longwood Gardens is not required to enter The Garden Shop. If you visit us in-person, be sure to admire the festive décor that brings the magic of the season to life throughout the Shop. Each year, The Garden Shop staff and volunteers get creative and transform the shop into something spectacular. Working closely with Associate Director of Horticulture Display Design Jim Sutton, the shop team develops visual design concepts a year in advance inspired by the A Longwood Christmas display.
There’s magic in the tiny details of our shop decoratives … and, above the children’s section in The Garden Shop, be sure to spot the whimsical forest we’ve created, with colorful woodland animals in a cozy winter wonderland. Photo by Mary Manning and Renee Ezokas DePietro.
With a magical A Longwood Christmas display, paired with our opening of Longwood Reimagined, The Garden Shop made sure to add many touches of wonder to its decked-out displays. Photo by Mary Manning and Renee Ezokas DePietro
Editor’s Note: Looking for holiday gifts for the whole family? Explore our holiday gift guide to discover hand-picked selections and lots of new items perfect for anyone on your list—or for yourself!
