Main Fountain Garden

District: Main Fountain Garden District
Style: Grand, Historic, Ornate
Best Seasons to Visit: Summer, Autumn
Scale: 6.5 Acres

The Main Fountain Garden is the culmination of the legacy and vision of our founder Pierre S. du Pont (1870-1954), combining classic garden design with extravagant theater, astounding choreography, a spectrum of color, musical accompaniment, and, on special occasions, fireworks! As the water rises and falls, dances and sways, you might feel as though an impressionist painting has come to life. European-inspired architecture and hand-carved Italianate limestone stonework and sculptures provide an impressive structure to this unforgettable, world-class formal garden.

About This Garden

The Main Fountain Garden has been mesmerizing our guests for more than 90 years. Neoclassical terraces and fountains capture the spirit of Pierre’s vision for beauty, grandeur, and showmanship. Expertly clipped boxwood hedges frame the fountains and architecture, highlighting the symmetry and flow of the space, while lush lawns and Italianate limestone sculptures add depth to the view. Reflecting the French Baroque inspirations of Pierre’s original design, hand-pruned allées of littleleaf linden trees provide a pristine canopy for strolling (and cooling off) on warmer days. Especially refreshing at any time of year is the Grotto, added during our award-winning restoration of the garden in 2017. Concealed behind the Loggia, it adds an element of surprise and discovery, transporting visitors to an otherworldly moment of peaceful contemplation.

The Main Fountain Garden’s original fountains were in use from 1931 until the kickoff of our expansive renovation in 2014. At that time, we implemented brand-new infrastructure housed mostly underground, featuring 1,400 feet of tunnels that include state-of-the-art mechanical systems that run the hydraulic operations, geothermal wells, multiple separate reservoirs, and 5 miles of pipes that support 35,000 gallons of water that courses through them daily.

Longwood Gardens has always been a place devoted to shared memories and togetherness. Providing an unequaled guest experience is at the forefront of our mission—along with thoughtful and innovative stewardship of the land, our buildings, and our commitment to so many of the garden’s original, historic elements. For us, the Main Fountain Garden represents the epitome of why we are here: the celebration of beauty, in all its lasting and evolving forms.

Please note: The water features of this garden can be enjoyed from mid-April until late October. The Grotto water features continue to run year-round, weather permitting.

Fountain Performances

Main Fountain Garden Performances

By Day

Main Fountain Garden Performances

Enjoy the thrill of what 1,719 jets can do.

Daily May 9 through October 27, 2024
Illuminated Fountain Performances

By Night

Illuminated Fountain Performances

Enjoy a nighttime spectacle in our Main Fountain Garden unlike any other.

Most Thursdays–Saturdays May–October

A Bit Of History

The seeds for the majestic Main Fountain Garden were planted when Pierre was 23 years old, while visiting the Columbian Exposition of 1893 in Chicago. While there, he was captivated by the great fountains, with their impressive feats of hydraulics and majestic beauty. In the years after he purchased the Peirce farm, his vision began to take shape. Visits to the legendary gardens and fountains of the Royal Palace at Versailles, France and the Villa Gamberaia near Florence, Italy, impressed him greatly. In 1921, after many of Longwood’s first fountain gardens had been designed, he looked east to the cornfields–with a great plan in mind.

The germ of the creation of the Longwood fountains was found in the great fountain in the Court of Honor at the Chicago Exposition.

Pierre S. du Pont

A person at the control panel of the Main Fountain Garden — Russell “Phil” Brewer at the control panel of the Main Fountain Garden in 1958. Mr. Brewer, who created and headed the maintenance department at Longwood, provided much of the engineering expertise that brought Pierre du Pont’s vision to life. Photo by Gottlieb Hampfler.

By 1928, canals, circular pools, and a rectangular basin were added to the landscape, along with 380 fountainheads, a recirculation system of 18 pumps, and adjoining reservoirs. In total, the system held an impressive 675,000 gallons of water. Though the Main Fountains were turned on in 1931, the 5-acre garden was not completed until several years later. Limestone carved into decorative flowers, fruit, and water creatures were shipped from Italy by the Florentine firm Olivotti, helping to impart an old-world elegance to the industrial exuberance of Pierre’s design. The Main Fountain Garden, combining Italian ornamentation, French grandeur, and World’s Fair showmanship, became an engineering marvel of the most beautiful kind. The completion of the fountains marked the end of major construction during Pierre’s lifetime, completing a journey that began with his purchase of a 206-acre farm back in 1906, with the goal of saving a historic arboretum of trees.

After the passing of our founder, from the late 1950s until the 1990s, the Main Fountain Garden continued to evolve. Technological advancements and maintenance to the fountain’s infrastructure continued. In 1980, we debuted fireworks, adding yet another spectacular element to the fountain performances. Over 80 years after Pierre’s hydraulic masterpiece debuted, the stonework, fountain nozzles, and plumbing had begun to decay. The grand design was ready for a reinvention—one that kept the spirit and legacy of our founder alive, while looking forward to the future of Longwood Gardens. In 2014, New Heights: The Fountain Revitalization Project began. Spanning six years, it was the largest restoration project we’d ever undertaken. New fountains, new features, new seating, and improved accessibility were the end results of our massive efforts, spanning multiple teams and hundreds of people invested in preserving the vision of our founder, while ensuring that Longwood would continue to deliver the world-class experience for which we are known.

Grand Designs

Meander through majestic moments of splendor in our historic Main Fountain Garden.

A fountain pool with decorative white stone statues runs along a wall with streams of water pouring into it

Springtime means the historic fountains of this majestic garden come alive, treating guests to a symphony of sound. Nearby, the plants express their budding enthusiasm for the days and weeks to come.

a tall vine covered in pendulous purple flowers grows up an arching trellis

In spaces defined by sunbleached limestone and deep-green foliage, the pale-purple blooms of Wisteria frutescens 'Betty Matthews' (American wisteria) bloom in May, offer a moment of striking color and soft texture.

A gravel pathway leads down an alee of trees with a bench near the foreground

Precise, symmetrical, and verdant: the oft-photographed linden allée represents formal gardening at its most aspirational. Planted in 2016 as part of our revitalization project for this garden, 164 littleleaf linden trees (Tilia cordata 'PNI 6025') are meticulously maintained by hand. During the hot days of summer, while soaking up a bit of shade, guests might feel they’re visiting a Parisian park.

a bright green lawn with bushes and fountains

The Main Fountain Garden is resplendent during the summer months. An expansive view of this five-acre landscape provides an opportunity to marvel at its scale—and encourages endless exploration.

bright green palms and herbaceous plants artfully arranged in containers surrounded by pale stone walls

A moment of Mediterranean flair tucked into a stairwell adds a harmonious layer to the languid days of summer—perfect for enjoying a moment of horticultural wonder as you wait for one of the multiple daily fountain performances.

In front of a bright blue and vivid orange sunset, adults and children peer over a short stone wall into a rectangular fountain basic with jets shooting into the air.

Summer twilight in the Main Fountain Garden is exquisite—a liminal moment when the earth sighs after the long heat of the day, and the skies wink with what is yet to come.

a group of people stand in silhouette in front of towering jets of water illuminated in shades of blue and green

Enjoy the thrill of a nighttime performance at the hottest ticket in town. Set to music and imbued with a jewelry box of color, 1,719 hydraulic jets propel thousands of gallons of water into the sky in a choreographed feat of synchronized, jaw-dropping delight.

A row of octagonal stone basins at night, with fountains in basketweave formation, lit up in fuchsia and topped by fire.

Here, the past meets the present, marrying hand-carved, historic beauty with modern-day engineering. 29 octagonal wellheads, located in the canals of our pump room, propel water and flame simultaneously—a feat about which our founder, Pierre S. du Pont, would be proud.

indoor daytime image of water cascading in the grotto

As part of the 2017 restoration, excavations provided an opportunity for a new garden element—the Grotto. Grottos are natural or artificial caves used since antiquity as spaces of devotion or retreat in the landscape. Open year-round, weather permitting, guests can escape the crowds and feel transported for a few moments of numinous tranquility.

A man plays a guitar standing among an area with fountains, tables, chairs, and trees

While we’re known for our spectacular fountain shows, you might chance upon yet another kind of performance, one reminiscent of a cherished moment at a European plaza—or in this case, in the heart of the Brandywine Valley.

the low, golden fall sun illuminates sparkling fountain jets set against a background of green conifers, deciduous trees with bright orange leaves, and a cloud-filled blue sky

Come fall, our littleleaf linden (Tilia cordata 'PNI 6025') allées ignite with blazing color, offering guests an autumnal stroll as the fountains are readied for their long winter’s nap.

A view of carved limestone fountain basins adorned with Christmas lights in cone shapes, with a sprawling Conservatory in the background

Even though the fountains have been turned off for the winter season, a glittering spectacle continues during the holidays.

a long, straight pathway bordered on both sides by perfectly spaced, symmetrical lines of leafless trees

The colder months usher in quiet stillness, providing another fascinating vista of the structure and symmetry of well-worn pathways and oft-tended trees.

snow falls and covers the ground on a grand view of old-growth trees, clipped boxwood bushes, and a classical stone façade

There is no end to the postcard-worthy beauty of the Main Fountain Garden, the culmination of the legacy and vision of our founder, Pierre S. du Pont. For almost a century, its splendor has captured the imaginations of our guests beneath the expansive sky.