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![a black pool with large water lily pads and white flowers](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/blog_post_images/526091_victoria-_longwood-hybrid_hill_-william-_bill_-_longwood-volunteer-photographer_image.jpg?h=5cf2dbd0&itok=Ruu5IcGG)
Going the Distance
![inside of a greenhouse filled with tropical green plants](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/blog_post_images/514650_wood_s-cycad_deguiseppi_-carol-_longwood-volunteer-photographer_image.jpg?h=a24be253&itok=YLENFaKM)
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.
![tree with signage for the discovery trail](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/2022-03/517427_Discovery-Trail_DeGuiseppi-Carol.jpeg?h=4bd98a52&itok=pRuA1HNU)
Follow Our Discovery Trail
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.
![a small pond surrounded by large green trees, a waterfall, and a stone tower in the distance](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/blog_post_images/512794_chimes-tower-and-waterfall_hummel_-scott-_longwood-volunteer-photographer_image.jpg?h=7fc42046&itok=ZVOL7AS9)
With Bells On
Our live carillon concerts—held on select Sunday afternoons through September—allow our 62-bell, five-octave Longwood Carillon to truly shine.
![close up image of a pink orchid](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/blog_post_images/391406_orchid-extravaganza_kreevich_-nick-_longwood-intern_image.jpg?h=2d0dd450&itok=SOxzMsRV)
Going Beyond Beauty
The field of ethnobotany—the study of how a region’s plants are used by the local culture and people—is a fascinating topic and one that considers much more than a given plant’s aesthetic appeal.
![a collection of bonsai trees displayed on elevated platforms](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/blog_post_images/514688_east-conservatory_deguiseppi_-carol-_longwood-volunteer-photographer_image.jpg?h=23d5793b&itok=rKx_7YJv)
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.
![view from atop a tree from an arborist](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/blog_post_images/lightening-image.jpg?itok=WFVhxuSA)
Weathering the Storm
Among Longwood’s many methods of caring for our trees and helping facilitate their longevity is our lightning protection plan. Journey along with me as I walk you through the field of lightning protection.
![a wooden walking path zig-zags through a bed of greenery](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/blog_post_images/511818_student-exhibition-gardens_hill_-william-_bill_-_longwood-volunteer-photographer_image.jpg?h=c743eabb&itok=8jVekB6R)
A Lesson in Signature and Identity
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.
![a group of three musicians performing on a small stage with trees in the foreground](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/blog_post_images/511378_beer-garden-opening-night_mathias_-becca-_longwood-volunteer-photographer_image.jpg?h=9895bc78&itok=KI9e1tRd)
Setting the Tone
We are beyond thrilled to once again offer live music in the Beer Garden, welcoming back these talented local performers to once again treat us to their vibrant sounds of bluegrass, traditional Cuban and Latin jazz, Caribbean steel pan, and much, much more in the unforgettable setting of our Beer Garden.
![off centered orange flower](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/blog_post_images/477700_orchid-expedition-luzerne-county-pa_ross_-matthew-image.jpg?h=0102ab66&itok=eIh1G3FF)
How to Create a Bog Garden
Bog gardens serve as a means of beautifying traditional gardens and enhancing plant collections, but they can also play a role in safeguarding rare plants and conserving the flora and fauna of globally rare and threatened ecosystems.
![landscape image of a garden bed with two foxglove plants that are half in bloom](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/2022-03/508923_Spring-Blooms-Foxglove_DeGuiseppi-Carol.jpeg?itok=LEdbX_Px)
The Height of Care
These late spring flowers have just recently made their debut along Flower Garden Walk, but we’ve been carefully planning and coaxing their arrival since last summer, using a growing technique rooted in precision and care.
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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.
![The Home Place book leaning against a tree](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/blog_post_images/479096_community-read-2021-books_davis_-harold-_hank_-_longwood-volunteer-photographer_image.jpg?h=3060c017&itok=w0QGjVAp)
Community Read: A Conversation with Author J. Drew Lanham
We are delighted to discuss finding a passion for nature and what can become of that spark … an idea that’s wonderfully explored in our 2021 Community Read adult title by J. Drew Lanham.
![Close up of a pink flowering Magnolia_soulangeana](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/blog_post_images/399877_magnolia-_-soulangeana_mathias_-becca-_longwood-volunteer-photographer_-1-image.jpg?h=443c4834&itok=o3TfSOcz)
Reflections on the Pandemic as a Student
Learning to navigate the effects of Covid-19 is an experience that every person in our country and across the world has been confronted with over the past year, including the Longwood Professional Horticulture class of 2021.
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Making Lunch Count
National Make Lunch Count Day (April 13) serves to remind us all to unplug midday and enjoy a true (and delicious) lunch break, no matter where you’re working or what you’re working on.
![a scanned photograph of a large victorian home surrounded by evergreen trees](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/blog_post_images/cemetery-image.jpg?h=70d17b58&itok=sewjKnR8)
The Tale of Bayard Taylor
There are many stories to be told about the lives of the residents of the Longwood Cemetery, located just outside of the Longwood Gardens entrance.
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The Art of the Great Gardener
Behind every great garden is a great gardener telling a story through his or her design.
![Closeup of smiling person with long blonde-brown hair against a background of green grass](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/2022-02/497893_Community-Read-author-Mya-Thompson.jpg?h=52b4cb1c&itok=dv6JXUrd)
Community Read: A Conversation with Author Mya Thompson
We had the pleasure of recently speaking with Mya Thompson about her work, her inspiration, and her recommendations for how families can get involved in birding and nature appreciation.
![a zoomed in photograph of a vibrant purple orchid bloom](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/blog_post_images/orchid-image_0.jpg?h=0b80f9f8&itok=G3fAPzsW)
Specimens of Beauty
Our frequently-changing display of specimen orchids gives our guests the chance to see some of the most spectacular and unusual selections from our collection of approximately 5,500 orchids.
![wide view of a conservatory](/sites/default/files/styles/blog_masonry_sm/public/blog_post_images/conserv-image.jpg?itok=9sl2o_s6)
March is a Month of Icons
With iconic, impactful, and simply gorgeous plants gracing nearly every corner of our Main and East Conservatory display, March is the time that many of our most signature plants are on view in full spectacular bloom.