Learn and Discover

Have you ever wondered what might happen if you watered a plant with salt water? Or soda? Or milk? Will the plant still thrive? Put on your lab coat and find out with this fun experiment for families that explores how plants respond to different liquids. 

Did you know there are many examples of symmetry in nature? In this fun activity for kids from APGA’s Plant Heroes program, learn what symmetry is, find examples in nature (think leaves and butterflies), and discover some fun facts about three iconic North American trees you may find in your own backyard.

Hungry for a screen-free, take-your-time kind of lunch break? Our Executive Chef Will Brown shares a few delicious reasons (and recipes) why we should all unplug and celebrate National Make Lunch Count Day on April 13, 2021.

In our continuing quest to welcome spring, enjoy this recipe for Sparkling Spring Berry Lemonade from our Executive Chef Will Brown and the team at 1906.

One of the loveliest moments each year in the Conservatory happens in February when the Acacia Passage bursts into brilliant yellow bloom. Its namesake plant, Acacia leprosa, (also known as Cinnamon Wattle), is native to Australia and extremely rare in the US. It features small, yellow flowers with a unique fragrance arranged on weeping stems to create an airy, feathery texture reminiscent of a yellow tunnel that beautifully entices all to enter.

Conservatory Manager Karl Gercens continues to share plant highlights from our 2020 holiday Conservatory display. Do you have a holiday cactus at home? Karl shares his pick for the very best holiday cactus cultivar and much more!

Nothing is more enticing than a beautifully wrapped gift. As you prepare to wrap a few gifts of your own this holiday season, why not make your packages extra special by using hand-crafted wrapping paper? We’ll show you how to create one-of-a-kind wrap using natural materials such as vegetables from your kitchen, fallen leaves, twigs, or shells.

The Wildlife Tree, adorned with ornaments to feed our furry and feathered friends, is a cherished part of our holiday display. Gather the family together and create your own Wildlife Tree by making birdseed ornaments in this fun activity for all ages. How many different types of birds will your ornaments attract?

Plants are amazing. They live on every continent, are incredibly diverse, and make adaptations to their environment. Join botanical expert and Longwood educator Jeff Jabco as he shares some interesting plants from environments as diverse as the desert to the tropics and their unusual adaptations. 

Our Garden Railway is a favorite fall feature in our Gardens. Including four tracks and 31 locomotives, steam engines, diesel engines, and specialty engines, it is an engaging blend of horticulture, engineering, and lighthearted fun that holds a special place in the hearts of many. 

Join our Executive Chef Will Brown as he shares one of his favorite recipes from 1906 that you can easily recreate at home and add your own twist to with ingredients from your garden.

From exuberant students dressed in white lab coats in Mexico to hearing-impaired students signing through an ASL interpreter in Kentucky, learn about our innovative Virtual Field Trip program—free to K–12 schools—and experience a day in the life of our virtual educator (a recipient of the 2020 Pinnacle Award from the Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration).

Our free online course, The World of Plants: Exploring Horticulture takes you on a journey through the plant kingdom. Follow the evolutionary pathway to plant diversity, learn the basics of plant nomenclature and plant identification, and go behind the scenes as our horticulture experts share their passion and insight.

Learn about a favorite tree of many home landscapers: Acer palmatum (Japanese maple). Elisabeth Meyer, of North Carolina State University, shares characteristics of, and tips on how to identify, the many varieties of this amazing tree.

Discover how to identify trees in your neighborhood and have fun doing it!

Discover how vines climb, create paper vines, and even try your hand at growing your own pumpkin patch.

Test your plant knowledge! Can you identify these common perennials?

Calibrachoa is a great summer annual that you might mistake for a petunia, but it has a style and beauty all its own, explains Elisabeth Meyer of NC State University.

How well do you know your sun-loving plants? Test yourself in this interactive quiz.

Join former Longwood Fellow Barbara Wheeler on a fascinating virtual journey through her home country of New Zealand. From the diverse topography to the interesting animal species to the fascinating plant life, discover the majesty and beauty of New Zealand.

Did you know we have more than 100 animal statues scattered throughout our Gardens? Learn about a few of our favorites, then create an animal-inspired sculpture.

How do you revitalize a landscape? Our VP of Horticulture Sharon Loving and West8 Landscape Architect Jelle Therry share some of the challenges. One thing is certain: Trees play an important role.

In this activity for kids, plant some grass seed on a fun form, watch it grow, then trim its hair!

Join National Geographic Explorers as they take you on a photographic journey through the Amazon in this informative and inspiring video presentation. Learn about living with the indigenous people of the Amazon and their unique cultures, how indigenous groups regard their trees, both for physical and spiritual uses, and see how this reverence can protect both people and their ecosystems.

Create a self-watering planter and discover the many rewarding careers you can pursue in the plant world.

From the driest deserts of the Middle East to the misty mountains of tropical Borneo, travel the globe with plant hunter and illustrator Chris Thorogood to discover nature’s most unusual and amazing plants in this presentation designed especially for grades 3-12.

There are some often-overlooked woody plants whose blooms and foliage put on a dazzling spring show. Find out which hidden gems to add to your landscape.

Learn some cool facts about trees, planting and caring for them, and meet some of our smallest trees in this virtual field trip for kids grades 3–8.

Explore the life cycle of a plant from seed to flower. Go behind-the-scenes and discover how our horticulturists prepare our spectacular displays in this fun online class for grades 3-8.

Kokedama (Japanese for “moss ball”) is a decorative style of potting plants in a ball of moss and displaying them in a dish or suspended in the air. Make your own kokedama with this easy step-by-step guide.

Test your memory and learn some new flower names in this matching game for the whole family.  

Join acclaimed floral designer Cres Motzi as she shares tips and tricks for creating floral arrangements with orchids and other materials.

Try this fun experiment to make your own plant maze.

Discover the fascinating world of carnivorous plants in this online field trip, designed for grades 3–8. 

Through video lectures, recorded presentations, discussion forums, and more, we invite you to experience our free online course Everything About Orchids. Learn about our collection and how to enjoy orchids in your own home.