The Open Air Theatre celebrated 100 years of arts in 2014. A fond look back.

Our guests frequently ask me how to properly take care of orchids at home. Many home gardeners are intimidated by orchids, thinking that they are difficult to grow. However, with some simple instructions, many home gardeners will find great success. If you are considering buying an orchid, the most important thing to be aware of is the type of orchid you are purchasing so that you can replicate the conditions of the orchid’s native habitat within your home.

As part of Longwood’s Community Read of A Sand County Almanac, I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Curt Meine, author of Aldo Leopold: His Life and Work, published by the University of Wisconsin Press. Meine currently serves as Senior Fellow with the Aldo Leopold Foundation, Senior Fellow with the Center For Humans & Nature, and Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

“There are some who can live without wild things, and some who cannot.” Aldo Leopold—conservationist, naturalist, philosopher—was one who could not. His career in forestry and wildlife management and his keen observations of the natural world inspired him to write A Sand County Almanac, so he could share his thoughts about nature, humanity, and the connections between them. From now through mid-April, Longwood Gardens invites you to take part in our first annual Community Read, which features Leopold's conservation classic. Read the book, think about the issues of land, legacy, and community that it raises, and engage in activities and discussions at Longwood, at one of our partnering institutions, or join in our discussion on social media.

Holidays celebrate tradition. Gifts—symbols of good will, of gratitude, of joy—are a part of that tradition. Many of our best-loved holidays take place in fall and winter, as we gather to share the fruits of our harvest, the company of family and friends, and our hopes for the coming year. Come join us for A Longwood Christmas, where the gift and tradition of fruit is the centerpiece of our celebration.

Trees have an immeasurable number of benefits such as being planted for use as shade or wildlife habitat in parks and recreation areas, or as sustainable forests to provide lumber. However when it comes to your home garden, it can get a little more personal.

For centuries, botanists, artists and hobbyists have enjoyed the art of pressing and drying plants. At Longwood Gardens we maintain a herbarium, an organized collection of preserved plant specimens. Our herbarium is comprised of almost 12,000 pressed and dried plant specimens.

In the remote flood plains of South America, a giant water lily blooms, attracts pollinator beetles, produces fruit and seed, and thus carries on through time. The discovery of Victoria regia, its world-wide cultivation, and the man-made works of beauty it inspired are the subjects of a new exhibit at Longwood Gardens entitled Secrets of Victoria: Water Lily Queen.

Gardens are always changing. While the Mona Lisa hangs in the Louvre looking much as it did 500 years ago, every year, every season, and even every hour you are in a garden it is constantly in flux. As a gardener you can either try to fight this change or work with it. In the 10 years I have been working in Peirce’s Woods I have done both.

Our historic orchid growing houses, normally open only to Longwood’s staff, were constructed between 1926 and 1962. Today we use these houses to grow and care for the nearly 9,000 orchids in our collection. Visit us this Saturday, March 23, 2013, for our final Beyond the Garden Gates Day of the Orchid Extravaganza season, when you’ll have the rare chance to visit these spaces in person.

Our aspiration at Longwood Gardens is to create a place where our guests can take a deep breath and leave behind the stresses of our 21st century lives. This winter at Longwood, your escape is Orchid Extravaganza—a world filled with thousands of flowering orchids.

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.