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![A rose bush with an empty bench to its left.](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/2024-04/593407_Rose%20Arbor_Davis_%20Harold%20_Hank_%20_Longwood%20Volunteer%20Photographer_.jpg?itok=ynrXRXuK)
Ensuring the Longevity of Roses
From work we do here in our Gardens to manage such threats, to our support of related research led a multidisciplinary team from nine universities and the US Department of Agriculture to deepen understanding of such diseases—we are working to ensure the longevity of this iconic plant in our Gardens and beyond.
![The Cynorkis orchid with small pink flowers set in front of green foliage.](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/2024-04/760431_Cynorkis%20Hybrid%20Orchid_Gross_%20Carol.jpg?h=a3e84c09&itok=I-yQSYHU)
Cynorkis: A Jewel Box of Possibilities
Our first hybrid Cynorkis—Cynorkis Longwood Pink Gem—is now on view for the first time in our Orchid House for the next week, and ready to delight.
![Pink, green, and white leaves of a houseplant.](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/2024-01/188510_Garden%20Highlights_Ward_%20Candie%20_Longwood%20Volunteer%20Photographer_.jpg?itok=6vHrlTYf)
Winter is for Houseplants
Follow along as I share some fantastic houseplants to add to your home, as well as ways to keep your existing houseplants thriving and beautiful this season.
![A birdhouse made from lego blocks hanging on an outdoor evergreen tree.](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/2023-11/737663_Wildlife%20Tree_Berg_%20Amy%20Simon%20_Longwood%20Volunteer%20Photographer_.jpg?h=f78b8398&itok=R_lPFQdh)
A Very Handmade Holiday
From living wreaths, to floral chandeliers, to creative ornaments, we’ve had so much fun rolling up our sleeves and hand-creating for the season.
![Four round pastries displayed on a wooden board.](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/2023-11/735661_Chef%20Will%20Retro%20Christmas%20Recipes_Gross_%20Carol.jpg?h=4379832d&itok=MibAAWxY)
A Delicious Blast from the Past: Retro Holiday Recipes
Just like our A Longwood Christmas display it’s the small details (and the deliciously big impact!) that make these retro recipes shine. What’s more, they’re perfect for your holiday table.
![A landscape at Longwood Gardens featuring tall trees and rhododenrons in bloom.](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/2023-07/652046_Photographer%20Larry%20Lederman%20_Miller_%20Jackie.jpg?itok=uzPY0gQO)
What Larry Taught Me: Photographing Longwood
I was asked to escort photographer Larry Lederman around the Gardens while he took photos for a book about the du Pont family gardens of the Brandywine Valley. At the time, I didn’t know that working with Larry would shape the next 14 months of my life and change how I view Longwood.
![A vase of purple flowers on a table.](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/2023-07/646708_2023%20International%20Organ%20Competition%20-%20Centerpieces_Shoemaker_%20Dave.jpg?h=785567c1&itok=GORRJXce)
Following Nature’s Cues for Floral Design
Found in such spaces as the Visitor Center, by the Guest Services desk in the Main Conservatory, or in the conservatory of the Peirce-du Pont House, our arrangements take their cues from the seasons and are styled in natural ways to highlight their connections to the Gardens.
![A bulldozer moving a large pile of dirt.](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/2023-06/377388_Compost%20for%20Chimes_Davis_%20Harold%20_Hank_%20_Longwood%20Volunteer%20Photographer_.jpg?h=1355dde2&itok=gdd00d6g)
The Secret in Our Soil
Whether compost is being used in our Gardens or in your garden, its benefits are numerous.
![two bees on organce flowers](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/2023-05/174245_Garden%20Highlights_Ward_%20Candie%20_Longwood%20Volunteer%20Photographer_%20%281%29.jpg?itok=I6Z62a1V)
How to Create an Ecologically Friendly Home Landscape
While we often think of the landscapes around our homes as self-contained, they’re actually part of a broader landscape mosaic —and each home landscape can make a profound impact on that mosaic and the variety of wildlife (and people!) that rely on it.
![a close up image of succulents forming a tree](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/2022-11/613556_Succulent%20Christmas%20Tree_Gross_%20Carol.jpg?h=3594daf0&itok=qygLayv9)
How to Create Your Own Living Succulent Tree
One of the many elements of botanical artistry on display during this year’s A Longwood Christmas greets you just as you enter the Conservatory—an 8-foot-tall, 4-foot-wide living tree swathed in 1,800 gorgeous hardy Sempervivum, or hens-and chicks.
![a plate of food, drink, bowl of soup and a vase of flowers on a wood table](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/2022-11/611490_Botanical%20Recipes%20for%20A%20Longwood%20Christmas_Gross_%20Carol.jpg?h=b197130e&itok=PQFMY1Q-)
Plants as Our Palette: Holiday Recipes
This year, as we showcase botanical splendor at its finest with our horticulture artists using plants as their palette, I’m inspired to showcase the jewels of the garden with a selection of botanical-forward dishes perfect for any holiday gathering.
![pastry sitting on a plate with whipped cream and blackberries on top](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/2022-08/599281_1906%20Recipes_Gross_%20Carol.jpg?h=4126ca17&itok=Awiy4TM9)
A Summertime Tart Close to My Heart
Even though summertime is quickly coming to a close, there’s still plenty of time to savor the freshness of the season.
![small sprouts of lemongrass popping up through the soil](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/2022-07/596359_Ornamental%20Kitchen%20Garden_Gross_%20Carol.jpg?itok=NPTSoAz8)
Visit the Tropics in Our Idea Garden
From fragrant dwarf cardamom to vibrant mandarinquats, a variety of tropical herbs and plants are thriving in our Idea Garden, all of which can be reliably grown and enjoyed by home gardeners in the mid-Atlantic region.
![close up image of a red Disa orchid](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/2022-06/594211_Disa%20Longwood%20Renaissance%20Horizon%20_Sea%20Lord%20_%20Kewdior_Griffis_%20Greg.jpg?itok=MTC86l0f)
Disa, Redefined
Longwood is one of a small number of public gardens around the world who breed and display the Disa genus. We have recently met a major milestone that adds an entirely new dimension to our Disa history and our breeding program—and may increase the ease with which Disa can be grown at home.
![close up of small purple flowers with a bee flying near one bloom](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/2022-06/593383_Edible%20Plants_Gross_%20Carol.jpg?h=f53b3a62&itok=c34HICFB)
Edible Plants that Feed Pollinators, Too
This week is National Pollinator Week, an annual event that celebrates pollinators, addresses the urgent issue of declining pollinator populations, and supports all we can do to protect them.
![plate of food set on a white table](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/2022-05/582879_Photo%20shoot%20-%20Terrace%20Restaurant_Gross_%20Carol%20%281%29.jpg?itok=HI0Yt0D4)
Warm Weather Recipes by a Rising Star
It’s a perfect time of year to prepare refreshing selections that celebrate the bounty of the season, crafted with fresh late spring and early summer herbs, fruits, and more.
![a close up of a Christmas tree with dried flowers and green ornaments](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/blog_post_images/553586_christmas_gross_-carol-image.jpg?h=6f3da441&itok=Rc9dzlyP)
The Beauty (and Possibilities) of Dried Flowers
Here at Longwood (and at home), arrangements made from dried flowers serve as spectacular options for the holiday (or any) season … and they help showcase and celebrate the beauty of plants long after their natural growing season.
![a glass of alcohol with a set of hands lighting a lemon peel on fire](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/blog_post_images/551002_christmas-fire-_-ice-recipes-with-chef-will_gross_-carol-image.jpg?h=e8aa0766&itok=ioXEVPIB)
Fire and Ice, Made Delicious
We’re thrilled to share with you some delicious fire and ice-inspired recipes perfect for your own home entertaining (one of which is even featured on our 1906 holiday menu).
![a gloved hand presses a flower bulb into bare soil](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/blog_post_images/545928_bulb-planting_gross_-carol-image.jpg?h=e825b8ba&itok=RbzzNx6L)
Now is the Time for Fall Bulb Planting
Now is the time to plant those bulbs—just as the Longwood intern class did in late October—in preparation for next year’s spring display.
![a set table with a flower vase and a plate of food](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/blog_post_images/527751_wine-pairing-recipes-with-chef-will_gross_-carol-image.jpg?h=fdfae4f6&itok=okxNt78t)
Wine and Dine into Fall
We thought we’d challenge ourselves to pick just a few of our featured Wine & Jazz wines, share their stories, and pair them with some great recipes you can make from home to lead us all into fall on a delicious note.