Find out how some of our previous interns got their start in public horticulture and where their careers have gone since—and how their time at Longwood helped them get there.

We are excited to be highlighting a facet of Mr. du Pont’s vision: practical education, in the form of spectacular fresh-cut floral arrangements and intricate botanical art, all proudly displayed in our Conservatory for the duration of A Longwood Christmas.

Through our Longwood @ The Creamery collaboration, not only are we able to connect with new learners and those in our community through fun, lighthearted events—but we’re also able to make an impact and offer public programming designed to serve the needs of our wonderful community.

Floral desing became a journey that meandered through time and brought me to unexpected and wonderful places, including my time at Longwood working toward my Certificate of Merit in Floral Design.

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.

With fascinating backgrounds and diverse expertise in aquatic plant care to landscape architecture to outreach and education, we’re thrilled to welcome our newest Fellows to our Gardens … and we can’t wait to see how they better the field of public horticulture.

Our Fellows reflect on their time spent at their individual field placement sites across the country, their lessons learned, and memories made along the way.

Very close to Route 1, just south of the entrance to Longwood Gardens, stands a 19^th century farmhouse that silently bears witness to an illustrious history ultimately connected to today’s Longwood Gardens.

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.

Each year dozens of organizations across our region join together to present programs around the topics covered in our Community Read books.

Living and working with five mid-career professionals—as our Fellows cohort does—is challenging, rewarding, fun, supportive, frustrating, at times lonely, inspiring, and sometimes hard to put into words.

Combining extensive hands-on gardening experience with classroom work, the two-year, tuition-free Professional Gardener Training Program fulfilled founder Pierre S. du Pont’s wish for a practical school of horticulture and floriculture at Longwood.

As part of the Fellows Program, our cohort has had the opportunity to immerse ourselves in the culture of organizations throughout the region.

As the docent intern at Longwood, I focus on how we interpret and share such details, so I am constantly thinking about the stories we tell in our garden, as well as the design choices, gardening techniques, and plant selections we employ to tell them.

It’s been nearly 18 months since we last welcomed students into the Gardens as part of our in-person Continuing Education programming … but all of that changes this October.

Our Fellows Program brings talented professionals to Longwood to live and study alongside one another … all while learning more about themselves and the further contributions they can make.

Discover hidden secrets in the Main Fountain Garden, identify trees in Peirce’s Woods, search for wildlife in our Meadow Garden, and even take a meditative moment with garden-inspired yoga poses.

After not being able to have a Student Exhibition Garden in 2020 because of the onset of COVID-19, we are incredibly excited to once again proudly showcase our students’ beautiful visions, hard work, and utmost care in the form of the three distinct gardens that reflect this year’s Student Exhibition Garden theme—signature and identity.