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Stone by Stone and Plant by Plant: Reimagining the Cascade Garden
A close up of a large green leaf with a light mist of water on top.

Stone by Stone and Plant by Plant: Reimagining the Cascade Garden

To move the Cascade Garden into its new, free-standing, custom-built glasshouse required us to relocate, reconstruct, and preserve this prized garden in a way no other institution has done before—stone by stone and plant by plant.

By Katie Testa, on September 26, 2024
Telling a Design Story: Planting the West Conservatory
The inside of the Conservatory at Longwood Gardens with purple plants in the foreground looking up at the glass ceiling.

Telling a Design Story: Planting the West Conservatory

Our November 22 opening of Longwood Reimagined continues to draw nearer, and with each passing day not only do we continue to make great progress, but we grow even more excited to share its beauty with you.

By Chad Davis , on June 19, 2024
Our Idea Garden, Reimagined
The Idea Garden at Longwood with spring plantings in the beds and the conervatory in the distance.

Our Idea Garden, Reimagined

Featuring five unique garden spaces—including the redesigned Ornamental Kitchen Garden—the Idea Garden echoes some of the classical elements of the Main Fountain Garden and blends the formal with the less formal, and notably the agrarian.

By Katie Mobley, on May 15, 2024
A Thing of Reimagined Beauty: Community and Sustainability
A persons hands getting ready to pick up a plank of wood.

A Thing of Reimagined Beauty: Community and Sustainability

Among those helping make Longwood Reimagined an upcoming reality is The Challenge Program, a local nonprofit that provides vocational training for Delaware’s youth to empower them with confidence, skills, and purpose—and the makers of custom furnishings that will grace the new buildings opening with Longwood Reimagined.

By Katie Mobley, on March 13, 2024
Longwood Reimagined: New Moments, New Excitement
A scene at Longwood Gardens with a love temple in the foreground and a construction site in the background.

Longwood Reimagined: New Moments, New Excitement

As our most ambitious expansion, reimagination, and preservation of our Conservatory and surrounding landscape in a century continues to take shape, we’re so pleased to share with you the latest moments and milestones along the way.

By Katie Mobley, on October 25, 2023
The Singular Art of Kusamono
Two hands, one holding a wood dow and the other the base of a plant.

The Singular Art of Kusamono

With its name composed of two Japanese characters that mean “grass” and “thing”, the literal translation of kusamono—a Japanese botanical art of small, potted grasses traditionally displayed next to bonsai as seasonal accent plants—may suggest that this Japanese botanical art is unassuming or falls secondary to its bonsai counterpart.

By Katie Mobley, on June 7, 2023
A Major Reimagined Moment
trees being planted in a construction site

A Major Reimagined Moment

We recently marked a major horticultural moment in our Longwood Reimagined: A New Garden Experience project—28 major moments, to be exact.

By Katie Mobley, on May 3, 2023
A Trip to Italy, Inspired by Longwood Reimagined
a group of people standing behind a table of poinsettias smiling at the camera

A Trip to Italy, Inspired by Longwood Reimagined

We are proud to represent our Professional Horticulture Program classmates in leading the planning and preparation for the class of 2023 trip to Italy, taking place in late May.

By Faith Redcay, Ben Helde, and Elizabeth Ciskanik, on March 9, 2023
Longwood Reimagined: The Project Continues
steel beams in the shape of arches forming a conservatory

Longwood Reimagined: The Project Continues

In recent months, we’ve reached several notable milestones as our garden expansion continues to take shape and as our cultural landscape evolves … and now is a wonderful time to share with you some of that progress.

By Katie Mobley, on October 12, 2022
Unveiling Big Bonsai News
image of a bonsai tree in a blue pot and gray rock in its roots

Unveiling Big Bonsai News

Our bonsai collection is about to grow by significant depth and breadth and, of course, tremendous beauty.

By Kevin Bielicki with Katie Mobley, on October 4, 2022
Growing From Afar
close up of a waterlily platter with a white lotus flower

Growing From Afar

Even though the Waterlily Court can’t be visited until its 2024 reopening, the aquatic plants for which this space is known—including our famed Victoria water-platters—are still growing and thriving while awaiting their newly refreshed home.

By Katie Mobley, on August 10, 2022
Navigating Our New Orchid House
a close up of a pink orchid with a yellow and red orchid in the background

Navigating Our New Orchid House

Our Orchid House has been completely restored in the same way our founder Pierre S. du Pont would have done it himself—with excellence.

By Greg Griffis, on February 23, 2022
Longwood Reimagined: Beauty in the Making
a heavy construction area with a start of a new building in the middle and surrounded by dirt mounds and trucks

Longwood Reimagined: Beauty in the Making

As our Gardens continue to take shape and as our cultural landscape evolves, we are delighted to share with you a few of the many facets of this incredibly detailed project.

By Katie Mobley, on December 22, 2021
Moving, By the Book
a row of books in various sizes and colors placed on a library shelf

Moving, By the Book

Whether we’re transplanting our plant collections or moving our precious, one-of-kind library and archives (right down to our oldest book, dated 1635), we must practice a high level of care along the way.

By Gillian Hayward, on July 21, 2021
New Homes for Old Friends
inside of a greenhouse filled with tropical green plants

New Homes for Old Friends

We are the steward of one of the most important collections of gardens and glasshouses, and one perfect example of that commitment lies in the 55 plants we’ve moved from their previous West Conservatory locations to new permanent homes in our Main and East Conservatory display spaces.

By Katie Mobley, on July 7, 2021
Rediscover Our Bonsai
a collection of bonsai trees displayed on elevated platforms

Rediscover Our Bonsai

Our guests now have the chance to interact and engage with our bonsai … including the 10 stunning azalea bonsai trees with cloud-like, vibrant flowers we’ve just now put on display in our East Conservatory, as part of a new rotating bonsai display.

By Kevin Bielicki, on June 9, 2021
Reimagining Our Orchid House

Reimagining Our Orchid House

Upon its fall 2021 reopening, hundreds of orchids at any one time will be lovingly displayed in a more immersive, bountiful experience that will showcase up to 50 percent more orchids from our collection throughout the year.

By Katie Mobley, on April 27, 2021
Reimagination Realized

Reimagination Realized

We are thrilled to announce our newest—and most ambitious—change. Longwood Reimagined: A New Garden Experience is the largest expansion, reimagination, and preservation of our Conservatory and surrounding landscape in Longwood’s modern history.

By Paul B. Redman, on February 18, 2021