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![An old frame containing a black and white image of a person in a tuxedo, surrounded by a gold inset on the frame.](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/2024-06/768575_Ruth%20Naomi%20Floyd%20Juneteenth%20Blog.jpg?itok=Yx5SQGqS)
In Their Own Words: Ruth Naomi Floyd and Voices Underground
To commemorate Juneteenth, and in collaboration with Kennett Square nonprofit Voices Underground and the Chester County History Center, we are proud to soon present Frederick Douglass Jazz Works—a discussion and jazz performance comprised of vocalist and composer Ruth Naomi Floyd.
![The end of a stone bench with a carved head of an eagle in it.](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/2024-04/164105_Winter%20Garden_Davis_%20Harold%20_Hank_%20_Longwood%20Volunteer%20Photographer_.jpg?h=0e991fab&itok=uAe88oOs)
Do You Want to Know a Secret?
Our beloved Whispering Bench is not only a lovely place to sit and take in the view; it’s a place of physics, history, and curiosity, where secrets have been told—and fun has been had—for generations.
![Two black iron snakes laying in a garden.](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/2024-03/754976_Iron%20Snakes_Gross_%20Carol.jpg?h=48c2b73a&itok=qjIPFfaR)
Uncle Pierre’s Iron Snakes
Since the days of the Peirce family, a pair of wrought-iron snakes have occupied various locations on the grounds, alternately delighting and startling unsuspecting visitors.
![A black and white image of an old farm house.](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/2024-03/3346_Edgar%20White_s%20House.jpg?itok=SYnvNm2S)
A Wartime Agricultural Connection
Our 2024 Community Read book, The Last Garden in England by Julia Kelly, isn’t just a remarkable selection that exemplifies the meaning we can all find in gardens—it also has a fascinating historic agricultural connection to Longwood Gardens.
![An old white house being moved on a large trailer with wheels.](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/2024-02/750875_Cox%20House%20on%20Route%201_Donham_%20Richard%20_Longwood%20Volunteer%20Photographer_.jpg?itok=rBy9pmUQ)
Preserving History: A Move for the Cox House
Located on Longwood property just south of the entrance to our Gardens, the Cox House sits alongside Route 1 and, in response to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s initiative to widen the road, Longwood made the decision to relocate the Cox House away from the road to ensure its ongoing preservation.
![A black and white image of a small staircase surrounded by plants inside the Pierce du Pont house at Longwood Gardens.](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/2024-02/2881_Main%20House%20Conservatory.jpg?h=1b788b3a&itok=OrbxDEiz)
The Peirce-du Pont House Conservatory: A Story, A Legacy
From carefully chosen plants to meaningful flags to symbolic wedding gifts of Pierre and Alice du Pont, the Peirce-du Pont Conservatory captures, in one place, the heart of the Longwood Gardens story—and, following its current refresh, that story not only continues, but thoughtfully evolves.
![An outdoor concert overlooking a meadow with people sitting in chairs looking at the stage.](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/2024-01/743609_Wine%20_%20Jazz%20FOR%20BLOG%20_Randall_%20Colvin.jpg?itok=fSgjOcDX)
Garden of Music
No garden in American can equal such a performing arts legacy—and with Garden of Music I share the stories of Longwood’s performing arts legacy, in which over the years I have been—and continue to be—happily immersed.
![A vintage red pick up truck holding several evergreen trees in the bed.](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/2023-11/736667_A%20Very%20Retro%20Christmas%20Courtesy%20of%20Longwood%20Gardens%20_Laurie%20Carrozzino.jpg?itok=bFbTXzkt)
A Restoration for the Ages
Originally intended to be used as a farm truck on a private farm in Port Deposit, Maryland, this 1969 International Loadstar 1800 stake body dump truck sat unused for 20 years on the farm before it made its way to our Gardens—and into our hearts.
![The conservatory at Longwood Garden with planted poinsettias around the garden beds.](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/2023-10/29424_Longwood%20Gardens%20Christmas_twk_SizedForBlog.jpg?itok=kyumDrim)
Longwood Christmas Past
Follow along as we take a look at some notable A Longwood Christmas indoor and Conservatory displays throughout the decades, from new features to display milestones … and leading up to this year’s spectacular display.
![A person in a safety vest approaching a large fallen tree.](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/2023-09/690823_FOR%20BLOG%20-%20August%202023%20fallen%20white%20oak_Chinese%20Scholar-tree%20response%20_Altenburger_%20Tyler.jpg?itok=3dB-vlBC)
From Fallen Trees, An Uplifting Effort
It’s a question that’s been posed for years: if a tree falls in a forest and nobody is around to hear it, does it make a sound?
![a statue of a foo dog in front of topiary trees](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/2023-04/629506_Foo%20Dog%20Installation_Barnes_%20Holden%20_Volunteer%20Photographer_.jpg?itok=zz5ZwGPa)
Restoring Longwood’s Guardian Lions
The removal, restoration, and reinstallation of these finely detailed—and heavy—sculptures required a delicate, almost surgical approach and in the process, we delved into their history and purpose at Longwood.
![a cemetary with bright green grass, blue skies, and two large trees](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/2023-02/609464_Cemetary%20Headstones_Davis_%20Harold%20_Hank_%20_Longwood%20Volunteer%20Photographer_%20%281%29.jpg?itok=1gzeVxiY)
Sharing Our Underground Railroad Connection
As we continue to immerse ourselves in the history of the cemetery and its place in southern Chester County past and present, we develop a deeper understanding of the mid-19th century context in which the cemetery and meeting house were founded, so that we can better share those stories.
![oil painting of two people sitting in a garden with a gold placque that reads Longwood PA 1936](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/2022-08/544206_Portrait%20of%20Pierre%20and%20Alice%20du%20Pont%20-%20detail.jpg?itok=tklj_d4Y)
Alice du Pont's Support of Pennsylvania's Unique History
Alice du Pont played a very important role in the 1926 acquisition of one of the Philadelphia Museum of Art's well-known period rooms—which made quite a stir upon its opening—and can still be viewed today.
![sepia tone image of an old stone house](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/2022-05/97752_Cox%20House.jpg?itok=I8g8gDuE)
Another Branch of the Longwood Story
Very close to Route 1, just south of the entrance to Longwood Gardens, stands a 19th century farmhouse that silently bears witness to an illustrious history ultimately connected to today’s Longwood Gardens.
![pink and white rhododendron plants](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/2022-05/513215_Rhododendron_Davis_%20Harold%20_Hank_%20_Longwood%20Volunteer%20Photographer_.jpg?h=b432bfd4&itok=Bjs_WF3R)
A New Take on an Old Favorite: Rhododendrons
Longwood has made continual efforts to strategically build a beautiful and diverse collection of rhododendrons—and the dozens of newly donated plants soon making their way to Longwood represents a new milestone in our rhododendron collection.
![view of a topiary garden with blue sky](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/2022-05/469034_COVID-19%20Documentation_Ross_%20Matthew%20%282%29.jpg?h=02c886fd&itok=rM0DZBhZ)
A Labor of Love: The Topiary Garden
With 35 specimens and more than a dozen forms ranging from wedding cakes to spirals to birds, our Topiary Garden is much more than a collection of yews (Taxus)—it’s also a collection of stories told by those who have so expertly cared for it.
![image of a tree looking up at the sky next to the trunk](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/blog_post_images/93261_liriodendron-tulipifera_l0338w_peirce_s-woods-2013_fellows_-steve-_longwood-volunteer-photographer_image.jpg?h=8cc2f318&itok=vrOxfq_X)
Trees as Connectors
The Songs of Trees is this year’s Community Read selection for Haskell’s poetic take on how human history, ecology, and well-being are intertwined with the lives of trees.
![a black and white photo of a stone walkway with plants growing along the walls and roof](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/blog_post_images/563572_marie-hansen-travel-photograph_niner_-william-_longwood-intern_-2-image.jpg?h=9d2edaf3&itok=jNSxP6YG)
Unraveling a History Mystery
In August 2021, the Longwood Gardens Library received a sizable donation of archival material from the Kennett Library, documenting the lives and stories of the people of Kennett Square— foremost among them the famous author and diplomat Bayard Taylor.
![a Weeping Beech with a bright blue sky and fluffy white clouds in the background](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/496824_winter-landscape_hare_-sue-_longwood-volunteer-photographer_agg.jpg?itok=2jK_zxbG)
Longwood’s Weeping Beeches: Their Origins and Significance
Longwood is the proud home of two specimens on view that represent a strikingly impressive form of Fagus sylvatica, and whose beautifully undulating lines are perhaps best appreciated during the winter months after their leaves have fallen.
![a stone farmhouse with red shutters and a large tree behind it](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/blog_post_images/141593_meadow_markey_-sam-_sam-markey-photography_image.jpg?h=ae1cf876&itok=6uRdcaZT)
A Farmhouse, A Story
The Webb Farmhouse’s history spans a long time before Longwood Gardens existed, and the evolution of the land helps tell its story.