House & Theater District

Aerial view of house and theater gardens filled with trees, a small fountain garden, and brick house

The story of Longwood Gardens begins here.

In 1906, Pierre S. du Pont purchased a 202-acre farm and former Quaker homestead in order to save a collection of historic trees, unaware at the time that his purchase would grow to become one of the greatest display gardens in the world. Developed with the specific purpose of display, the House & Theatre Gardens District is an excellent representation of how Pierre’s passion for horticulture, design, and preservation laid the groundwork for an unparalleled garden experience, to be enjoyed by guests for many years to come. Transport yourself in the early days of Longwood, taking in views that Pierre and his family enjoyed more than a century ago, including Peirce’s Park and Peirce’s Woods.

About This District

Pierre intended to restore his newly acquired land as a space for entertaining friends—but the lavish gardens and dazzling fountains would come later. His first projects involved tending to the trees for which he’d purchased the property and restoring Peirce’s Park, a historic arboretum planted a hundred years earlier by Quaker farmers Joshua and Samuel Peirce, to its former glory. In the process, his vision for Longwood’s future took shape in a series of “firsts.” The 600-foot flower garden (what is now Flower Garden Walk), punctuated with a simple round fountain (another first!), was so beautiful the following spring that Pierre decided to host his first Longwood garden party—a tradition that would continue until 1940.

 

I have recently experienced what I would formerly have diagnosed as an attack of insanity; that is, I have purchased a small farm.
- Pierre S. du Pont

 

In 1913, following an inspiring trip to the Villa Gori in Siena, Italy, with his future wife, Alice, Pierre began construction on what would become the Open Air Theatre, complete with illuminated fountains that flanked the stage. When the fountains debuted at a 1914 garden party, the guests were delighted—as were Pierre and Alice. 

Pierre found the winters in the Brandywine Valley to be dreary, so in 1914 he began construction of his first conservatory as part of an L-shaped extension to the farmhouse. Planted with exotic tropical foliage and a marble fountain, it became Longwood’s first winter garden housed under glass. 

Gardens in this District

  • Flower Garden Walk & Compartment Gardens
    Sun shines on a circular fountain with a brick pathway in the background leading through green garden beds

    Flower Garden Walk & Compartment Gardens

    In Pierre S. du Pont’s very first garden at Longwood, 600 feet of dazzling hues of orchestrated botanical forms will take your breath away in one of our most popular (and photographed!) gardens.

  • Open Air Theatre & Theatre Garden
    partially overhead view of fountain jets shooting up from a sea green stage, against a backdrop of tall green trees

    Open Air Theatre & Theatre Garden

    Framed by a canopy of towering trees and clipped arborvitae, this Italian-style, outdoor garden theater has come alive with countless performances of every kind since its debut in 1914, and features fountain performances throughout the day.

  • Peirce-du Pont House
    A hanging basket is seen in the distance in a small house conservatory with green plants, metal railings, and a lamppost

    Peirce-du Pont House

    Step back in time for a glimpse into the lives of the du Ponts and the Peirce family at one of the oldest buildings at Longwood. Not to be missed: a Monstera deliciosa vine that’s been there since the mid-1900s.

  • Peirce’s Park
    sun shines through a line of trees on to a wooden bench sitting on path made of wood chips

    Peirce’s Park

    Home to two notable allées of stately and spectacular trees, this area is where Longwood’s story begins. Enjoy woodland wildflowers and soaring tree specimens, many of which are more than 100 years old.

  • Peirce’s Woods
    A stone gazebo sits beside a small lake tucked into a forest of bright green trees

    Peirce’s Woods

    This award-winning woodland garden, designed by W.Gary Smith, showcases mighty oaks, ashes, maples, and tulip-trees that tower over 200 species of native plants and cultivars, offering seasonal interest from spring through fall.

What’s in Bloom

  • Chaste-tree

    Vitex agnus-castus ′Shoal Creek′

    Chaste tree, is an underused yet highly ornamental shrub native to the Mediterranean and western Asia. Growing 8 to 15 feet tall, it features elegant, palmate leaves and long spikes of violet, lavender, or white blooms with a subtle, intriguing fragrance. Flowering from midsummer into fall, it attracts a wide range of pollinators and brings extended color to the landscape. Historically used in ancient herbal medicine, Vitex also carries a rich cultural legacy tied to women’s health and monastic traditions. Drought-tolerant and low-maintenance, it thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, making it an excellent, often-overlooked choice for pollinator gardens, xeriscapes, or as a distinctive flowering specimen.

  • Oblong-shaped light purple petals with a yellow center.

    Chinese Anemone

    Anemone tomentosa ′Robustissima′
  • Spikenard

    Aralia racemosa

    American spikenard is a large, aromatic woodland perennial native to eastern North America. Growing up to six feet tall, it features bold compound leaves, arching stems, and clusters of small green-white flowers that mature into dark purple berries. A valuable native species, it supports pollinators and provides late-season food for birds and wildlife. Traditionally used by Indigenous peoples and early herbalists, its fragrant roots were valued for treating respiratory issues and fatigue, and even flavored early root beers. Sometimes called “life-of-man,” Aralia racemosa is now appreciated not only for its medicinal past but also for its role in restoring woodland ecosystems.

  • Blood-flower

    Asclepias curassavica
  • Yellow Waxbells

    Kirengeshoma palmata

    Kirengeshoma palmata is a rare and elegant perennial plant native to the mountainous woodlands of Japan and China. Belonging to the hydrangea family, it thrives in shady, moist environments and is prized for its late-summer blooms and distinctive foliage. Kirengeshoma features maple-like leaves and nodding, waxy, pale yellow flowers that resemble small bells. It is cherished in Japanese gardens for its subtle beauty and its ability to brighten shaded areas when many other plants have finished blooming. 

  • Spike of bright red tubular flowers and a ruby-throated Hummingbird
  • Sunflower with yellow petals and brown center with a bee.

    Hybrid Sunflower

    Helianthus 'SUR67-1' (Suncredible Yellow)
  • Orange flower with a yellow center against green leaves

    Mexican Flame-vine

    Pseudogynoxys chenopodioides
  • Inflorescence of pendulous red flowers

    Hybrid Sage

    Salvia 'HYBSV18020' Skyscraper Orange
  • Large velvety, royal-purple flowers clustered on slim branches on upright spikes.

    Large-leaf Glory Bower

    Tibouchina grandifolia