Our Blog

Our Blog


Blog All Items Title
All Recent Articles

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
Stewardship Science: Testing Techniques to Benefit Biodiversity
a forest floor with many black pots of small trees lined up in a row

Stewardship Science: Testing Techniques to Benefit Biodiversity

The practice of land stewardship constantly raises new questions—how best to approach a new problem; what methods work best—that can be answered using the tools of ecological science.

By Lea Johnson and Kristie Lane Anderson, on April 26, 2023
Restoring Longwood’s Guardian Lions
a statue of a foo dog in front of topiary trees

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.

By David Sleasman, on April 19, 2023
A Beautiful Relationship, A Groundbreaking Performance
a close up shot of a musical instrument with keys and strings

A Beautiful Relationship, A Groundbreaking Performance

The upcoming May 12 Curtis Symphony Orchestra performance held here in our Gardens—marks the first time the full Curtis Symphony Orchestra will perform at Longwood, and the only time guests can experience the orchestra in the region before they embark on their Curtis On Tour West Coast engagements.

By Katie Mobley, on April 12, 2023
Classic Spring Beauties with a Twist
a close up image of pink and white hydrangea blooms

Classic Spring Beauties with a Twist

Through April, classic spring plants such as hydrangeas, azaleas, and fuchsias bloom indoors in new and exciting varieties.

By Jourdan Cole, on April 5, 2023
Meet the Bright Young Talents of the 2023 Organ Competition
a close up of organ keys

Meet the Bright Young Talents of the 2023 Organ Competition

We are thrilled to soon be welcoming 10 of the brightest young organists from around the globe for our 2023 Longwood Gardens International Organ Competition.

By Katie Mobley, on March 29, 2023
A Day in the Life of an International Intern
a person in a tan jacket working with leaves of a potted plant

A Day in the Life of an International Intern

Leaving home for the first time to travel to a different part of the world, to come to Longwood as part of the International Internship & Training Program, was a hard choice for me, but the right choice for my career, and a way in which I could experience a culture of kindness and inclusion.

By Siphesihle Sibiya, on March 22, 2023
A Taste of Camellias
A pink camellia flower in bloom with many green leaves around it

A Taste of Camellias

Most of our indoor camellias have wrapped up their flowering for the year, but those that are still in bloom give a hint of the camellias planted in the outdoor gardens, and also hint at our behind-the-scenes breeding work with this group of plants.

By Anthony S. Aiello, on March 15, 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
Resilience, Roots, and Relevancy
pink flowers in front with a blurry background

Resilience, Roots, and Relevancy

At Longwood, our growing knowledge of horticulture is constantly expanded on by our staff, students, and fellow horticulturists—and as this year’s Today’s Horticulture Symposium hosted by the Professional Horticulture Alumni Association showed, horticulture is a practice of resilience, of roots, and of relevancy.

By Jourdan Cole, on March 6, 2023
Community Read: A Conversation with Author Bryant Terry
a close up image of okra growing in a garden

Community Read: A Conversation with Author Bryant Terry

Over the ten years of Community Read, our program goals haven’t changed; we want to inspire generations to read, think, and engage with authors and their writing … plus, the more than 200 events in the community that explore the books each year help keep the conversation going.

By Brittany Long, on March 1, 2023
Sharing Our Underground Railroad Connection
a cemetary with bright green grass, blue skies, and two large trees

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.

By David Sleasman and Jennifer Fazekas, on February 22, 2023
Change and Adaptation, Designed
a person outdoor on a green grass trail overlooking a meadow

Change and Adaptation, Designed

This year, as part of the Professional Horticulture Program, our nine students have been asked to design, create, and maintain three garden designs based on the theme of change and adaptation.

By Kyle Post, Allison Edmonds, and Kinga Obartuch, on February 15, 2023
Every Orchid is an Individual
a terra cotta pot with a purple orchid set against a dark backdrop

Every Orchid is an Individual

Since 1955 all orchids in our collection have been accessioned and their life status tracked in a system whose “record will be of information and great value for our program of public education,” as was reported to our Board of Trustees in October 1955.

By Kristina Aguilar and Beth Pantuliano, on January 25, 2023
From Rust to Regeneration in the Steel City
a view of Pittsburgh and the Phipps Botanical Gardens

From Rust to Regeneration in the Steel City

At Phipps, the Fellows had the opportunity to learn about the principles of regenerative thinking during a workshop led by Phipps Chief Executive Officer Richard V. Piacentini and Senior Director of Communications Joe Reed.

By Danny Cox and Ryan Gott, on January 18, 2023
Careers Cultivated Here
Interns in green shirts plant bulbs in a garden bed

Careers Cultivated Here

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.

By Jourdan Cole, on January 4, 2023
The Art Behind the Lights
two large trees lit with purple and pink christmas lights with blurry lights on the right side

The Art Behind the Lights

Follow along as we share just a few of the many artistic elements—and the artists behind them—that light the way for this year’s fantastic outdoor display.

By Katie Mobley, on December 21, 2022
How to Create Your Own Living Succulent Tree
a close up image of succulents forming a tree

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.

By Kerry Zwack, on December 14, 2022
Shining a (Christmas) Light on Continuing Education
amarylis plant with red christmas balls around them

Shining a (Christmas) Light on Continuing Education

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.

By Timothy Gould, on December 7, 2022
Ornamental Beauty
a red and gold ornament hanging on a christmas tree

Ornamental Beauty

Follow along as we track the process behind selecting Longwood ornaments for display, and where each spends most of its time alongside 66,999 of its closest friends.

By Kirsten Berlin, on November 30, 2022