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Fighting Fire in the Face of a Pandemic
image of a Longwood crew member walking away from a cleared forest fire area

Fighting Fire in the Face of a Pandemic

As Longwood’s Land Stewardship Operations Manager, a Chester County forest fire warden and first responder, and a wildland firefighter, it’s my absolute honor to protect the landscape.

By Erik Stefferud, on September 30, 2020
A Meadow is a Moment in Time
a large field with tall, golden wild grasses and rolling hills in the background

A Meadow is a Moment in Time

A meadow is a moment in time, like the shape of a cloud or cherry blossoms in the spring. A meadow is ephemeral.

By Lea Johnson, on September 23, 2020
A Chenille Plant Journey
chenille plant's pink cascading flower clusters

A Chenille Plant Journey

Chenille plant is native to tropical Papua New Guinea, and according to our plant records it has been grown at Longwood since at least 1957.

By Gillian Hayward, on September 16, 2020
Getting Started with Seed Saving
vegetable plant getting cut from stem

Getting Started with Seed Saving

Getting started with seed saving can be easy if you select good beginner crops and learn some basics about plant breeding.

By Alex Correia, on September 9, 2020
A Very Lucky Rabbit’s-Foot
a large hanging fern basket suspends from the ceiling of a greenhouse

A Very Lucky Rabbit’s-Foot

This hard-to-miss green giant hangs in the center of the Tropical Terrace and measures a sprawling 9.5 feet in diameter.

By Gillian Hayward, on September 2, 2020
Getting to Know Plants by Name
a silver sage plant planted in a bed of brown mulch

Getting to Know Plants by Name

Names, in general, allow us to make an association with an object, living or not, and are a basic facet of our everyday life. In the world of biology, living things have scientific names … and plants are no exception.

By Kristina Aguilar, on August 26, 2020
Our New Combination Garden
a pathway lined with lush summer grasses

Our New Combination Garden

We have transformed part of the Idea Garden into our new Combination Garden, an intimate and exuberant mix of woody, herbaceous, and seasonal plants, all layered into one dynamic space just next to our Main Fountain Garden.

By Judy Stevenson, on August 19, 2020
The Season (and Reason) for Native Plants
a yellow and black striped caterpillar crawling up the stem of a wild flower

The Season (and Reason) for Native Plants

Flowers of countless garden favorites abound this time of year and among them are several of our most cherished, useful, unusual, and rare native plants.

By Peter Zale, on August 10, 2020
A Musical Score for a Time of Hope
a wall of fountains that glow colors of green, blue, purple, and pink

A Musical Score for a Time of Hope

The voices of my colleagues are really needed more than ever. And with technology, we can have this much needed contact and support.

By Tim Martin, on August 3, 2020
Lessons from the Studio Garden
Patio surrounded by flower beds and filled with container plantings with mostly green textured plants and some small purple blooms

Lessons from the Studio Garden

This morning, while tending a Pelargonium in the Studio Garden and looking around the entire space, I was reminded of the basic human need for nurturing something like plants … and the simple pleasure that comes with it.

By Andrea Brunsendorf, on July 30, 2020
Where in the World is Victoria?
A box of victoria seeds inside a cardboard box with packing peanuts

Where in the World is Victoria?

Our most far-reaching educational experiences start with a seed sent to gardens around the world … resulting in not only the sharing of seed that is not readily available commercially, but allowing for even more public garden visitors worldwide to experience the beauty of Victoria.

By Kristina Aguilar, on July 27, 2020
Glorious Groves and Glades: Oak and Conifer Knoll
landscape of knoll trees with a bench in spring

Glorious Groves and Glades: Oak and Conifer Knoll

Towering, century-old trees, winding pathways, and hidden benches await guests any time of year in Oak and Conifer Knoll. It is an all-season destination with a rich history and serene beauty.

By Gillian Hayward, on July 22, 2020
The Scent-sational Story of Sprout

The Scent-sational Story of Sprout

Our Conservatory’s Tropical Terrace is home to one of the rare wonders of the botanical world … and this rock star plant has just completed the performance of a lifetime.

By Gillian Hayward and Katie Mobley, on July 16, 2020
Midsummer is for Sowing
stem of green leafy vegetable in mulch

Midsummer is for Sowing

This month, don’t forget about fall crops, or you will miss out on a bounty of greens, root vegetables, squashes, and more—many of which are of higher quality in cool fall weather and can store through the winter.

By Alex Correia, on July 9, 2020
The Drama and Appeal of Our Theatre Garden
garden path on a misty day

The Drama and Appeal of Our Theatre Garden

Designed by noted landscape architect Thomas Church, the Theatre Garden features drought-tolerant plants that can survive tough conditions … and gives a textural, star-studded performance each year during the summer’s heat and bright sunlight.

By Gillian Hayward, on July 1, 2020
Getting Started with Field Sketching
a canvas of a painted yellow lily and paint supplies placed on a patch of grass

Getting Started with Field Sketching

Deeply inspired by science and nature, artist Natalya Zahn—who created the more than 50 pieces of art that appear throughout our Meadow Garden—shares expert field sketching tips.

By Natalya Zahn, on June 25, 2020
Our Evolving Rose Garden
plants in black containers on a bed of soil

Our Evolving Rose Garden

When you return to visit us again, we hope you’ll make the Rose Garden one of your first stops … there is something new to see!

By Judy Stevenson, on June 22, 2020
Together Again

Together Again

It is with immeasurable gratitude that we can begin welcoming our Members, first, on a limited non-public basis, back to our outdoor gardens starting June 18.

By Paul B. Redman, on June 16, 2020
Our Fellows Reflect
a bare tree in a field

Our Fellows Reflect

As part of the Fellows Program, our 2019–20 Fellows spent time at individual field placement sites around the globe. Here, they reflect on their time spent at their host organizations, and their lessons learned along the way

By Shawna Jones, Abra Lee, Becky Paxton, Mae Lin Plummer, Barbara Wheeler, and Nanette Wraith, on June 10, 2020
Conserving the Brilliant Bluebird

Conserving the Brilliant Bluebird

If you live in a place where Eastern bluebirds might thrive, you can support this species at home with your own bluebird house.

By Lea Johnson with George Gallatig and Pat Smith, on June 3, 2020