The tradition of orchids at Longwood Gardens began with a gift. In 1922, twelve Cattleya orchids were included in a gift of greenhouse plants from Mrs. Dimmick of Scranton, Pennsylvania to Mrs. Alice B. du Pont. It might have ended there, as one-time gifts sometimes do. These first orchids did not fare well, due to the grower’s limited knowledge of their needs and habits.

I recently returned home to Longwood after attending the 9th International Gardens without Limits Conference, Gardens & The Public: The Keys to Success, in Metz, France. I was fortunate and grateful to have the opportunity to be among 26 invited speakers and 400 attendees from around the world. The theme for the biennial gathering was “Welcome to the New Generation.” It was exciting to learn how other public gardens, parks, and greening organizations are working to broaden their base of support, welcome younger generations, and remain relevant.

One hundred different chrysanthemum flowers grafted onto one plant? What an extraordinary thought! Our mum team would love to take credit for this great idea; however, this horticulture art form has surprisingly been around for hundreds of years in China and Japan. Today you can find it on display in only two places worldwide, and Longwood Gardens is proud to be one of them.

Longwood is known for its recently-restored, 10,010 pipe, Aeolian organ (the largest ever constructed in a residential setting). This summer, we’ve received a lot of attention for our premier exhibit, Light: Installations by Bruce Munro. But, did you know that there was a time in Longwood’s history when the spirit of these two crowd-pleasing attractions converged?

At Longwood, we have established our very own definition of “a great garden of the world.” To us, greatness is defined by the ability to produce beautiful and timeless displays. But we also look beyond our own garden gates—to our relationship with international institutions—to help us define greatness. Many of the most important design, horticultural and educational contributions we have made would not have been achieved without our global partners.

The American Elm was once a staple on the streets of America until Dutch elm disease was introduced in the 1930s. Today, small groups of elm trees can still be found in the woods or on the side of the road, but it is rare to find large specimens along streets or in landscapes. The American elm on the Cow Lot at Longwood Gardens is the only straight species of American elm remaining in the Gardens. Standing just outside the Visitor Center, this tree provides a majestic welcome to our guests, and gives everyone a taste of what's to come as they begin their way through the Gardens.

Ever wonder what is going on in the greenhouses at this time of the year? While you are enjoying the beautiful summer display, Longwood's growers are already getting ready for fall! One of our biggest projects at this time of year is to complete the grafting process that allows us to grow the large specialty chrysanthemums that will be on display during our Chrysanthemum Festival.

When you hear the word “garden,” chances are you think of green plants and brightly colored flowers blooming under a bright sun. But did you know that there’s such a thing as a night garden, too—a garden is designed to thrill the senses when the sun has gone down, the air is cool and the bustle of the day has diminished?

Field of Light at Longwood Gardens Longwood Gardens can be a paradise for photographers, with acres of flowers in bloom, interesting architectural details around every corner, and stunning natural areas. This summer, with the opening of Light: Installations by Bruce Munro, our guests have yet another fascinating subject for their images. However, nighttime photography poses a unique set of challenges, and requires a much different approach than taking pictures during the day.

A personal look at the ideas, inspiration and down-in-the-dirt hard work that goes into producing the horticultural displays for one of the premier gardens in the US.

It’s not a matter of “if” the Green Wall will get pests; it’s a matter of “when.” Longwood’s Integrated Pest Management (IPM) staff battles these pests with a non-chemical approach called biological control.

Longwood Gardens has so much to offer in the way of trees. Thanks to Pierre du Pont, we have this beautiful garden and its amazing old trees. Pierre bought the land for exactly that reason: to save a group of trees. The trees that he saved are incredible specimens, but I am here to tell you about the giants living among us.

“The longer I live the more beautiful life becomes. If you foolishly ignore beauty, you will soon find yourself without it. Your life will be impoverished. But if you invest in beauty, it will remain with you all the days of your life.” (Franklin Lloyd Wright)

I am excited to introduce to you a completely new type of Fireworks at Longwood Gardens—Clivia miniata ‘Longwood Fireworks’!

We are thrilled to welcome Liz Marden & her daughter Kat Marden from Liz Marden Bakery & Cafe in Kennett Square, PA as guest bloggers for Behind-the-Plants! Liz and Kat created more than 8,000 gingerbread cookies--as well as two stunning gingerbread models of the Conservatory and the Peirce-du Pont House--that are used throughout this year's Christmas display. They share their "construction grade" gingerbread recipe below!

The tall, single stemmed chrysanthemums you see in the Conservatory here at Longwood Gardens are quite different than the mounded shrubs loaded with small flowers that you find at your local garden center. These are a specialty florist type, the product of hundreds of years of breeding to reach those stately heights and flower size and are not winter hardy for us in Southeast Pennsylvania.

Do you hear the word chrysanthemum and picture those simple household flowers from the local garden shop? At Longwood Gardens, we take the ordinary mum and make it extraordinary, turning it into a work of art—the Thousand Bloom Chrysanthemum!

Historically, the students in Longwood's Professional Gardener Program were given plots to design and maintain at their residences, so that they could be responsible for every aspect of garden design--from concept through to implementation. But since last summer, the students have been creating new, unique gardens near the Idea Garden for Longwood's visitors to enjoy.

Every year, Christmas comes early at Longwood Gardens as we prepare for our largest annual display!

Summertime is full of sunshine, blue skies, and the EXTREME temperatures that veggies love!