Deeply Rooted 
with Storyteller 
Charlotte Blake Alston

a text block that says "Voices in the Landscape"
collage of landscape images, along with people important in Black History
Deeply Rooted 
with Storyteller 
Charlotte Blake 
Alston

Take a Powerful Journey

Embark on a beautifully poignant journey with storyteller Charlotte Blake Alston as she honors and celebrates the strength, resilience, and contributions of the African American community through the lens of horticulture and the power of story. Through a series of 10 stops—experienced in-person throughout the Gardens via your phone or virtually from home—surround yourself in her moving spoken word and the stillness around you.

Hear an ancient Zulu creation myth paired with the oldest plant on Earth in the Conservatory; make your way to the Lookout Loft Treehouse and lean in to the story of the significance and symbolism of woods and meadows; call out the name of an ancestor in remembrance at the Large Lake while a traditional spiritual soothes your soul; and much more. Scroll down to discover Charlotte’s powerful voice as she leads you through the landscape, ending with a bonus track exclusive for our virtual guests.

When experiencing the exhibition in the Gardens, we recommend using headphones when listening to the audio files via your phone. Before your visit, please make sure your phone is charged. Once you’re in the Gardens, connect to FreeGardenWifi.

Voices in the Landscape is an Accessible Experience

The exhibition features a total of 10 audio experiences associated with specific locations throughout the Gardens, including seven outdoor stops and three stops in the Conservatory. The entire route is accessible without stairs and the length of the route, including the stops in the Conservatory,  is about 1.5 miles. Each audio recording ranges between three and eight minutes in length. The estimated time to experience the entire Voices in the Landscape exhibit is approximately 1.5 to 2 hours.

—Accessible Exhibition Guide
This guide provides important information for people who are blind/low vision and/or experiencing hearing loss, so they can fully participate in and enjoy this Voices in the Landscape program.

—Social Guide
This guide provides an overview of the experience of visiting Longwood Gardens so that guests can prepare or practice strategies for their visit.

Audio files with introductory audio descriptions of each location are available below. Nicole Sardella voices the audio descriptions. The audio descriptions use words to describe the landscape and plants of Longwood associated with Charlotte’s stories, as experienced in the winter season.

logo with black uppercase A and D followed by black sound waves

Thank you to our accessibility partner, Art-Reach.

For Families and Kids

If you’re visiting with children, explore our children’s route.

Learn more

The Power of Story

an empty arbor next to a a tall evergreen and a tree with bare branches, against a wintry sky
Rose Arbor

Begin your Voices in the Landscape experience with the artist's statement and a vision of what’s to come.

Listen now:

Roots of African American Gardening

a hedge of tall evergreens is backed by a line of leafless branches against a cloudy sky
Compartment Gardens

Slip through an opening in the hedge to explore our hidden compartment gardens and discover the history of African American gardening traditions.

Listen now:

Listen with introductory description of the landscape:

The Ancestor Tree

brown seed cones nestled between a moss-covered tree branch and trunk
Small Lake

Facing the Atlas cedar—native to the Atlas Mountains in Algeria and Morocco—a village’s longtime tradition of planting a tree in their ancestor forest is challenged.

Listen now:

Listen with introductory description of the landscape:

To Speak of Water

the watery reflection of leafless branches against a blue sky
Large Lake

At the Large Lake, soothe your soul with a traditional spiritual and call out the name of an ancestor in remembrance.

Listen now:

Listen with introductory description of the landscape:

A Walk with Frederick Douglass

closeup of a wooden walkway with meadow and farmhouse in background
Meadow Boardwalk

Along the Meadow Boardwalk, find yourself on the grounds of Cedar Hill, where Douglass would retreat, rest, and restore.

Listen now:

Listen with introductory description of the landscape:

Safety and Solace in the Woods

closeup of wooden walkway and railing
Lookout Loft Treehouse

Here, amid the quiet of the Lookout Loft Treehouse, experience a place of shelter, of protection, of comfort.

Listen now:

Listen with introductory description of the landscape:

Making a Connection

large green compound leaves surround large golden cones in a circular pattern
East Conservatory

In the East Conservatory, an ancient Zulu creation myth meets one of the planet’s most ancient plants.

Listen now:

Listen with introductory description of the landscape:

Beauty and Brilliance of Nature

a bird-of-paradise in bloom with blue and gold petals
Orangery

A strikingly vibrant flower with a transformative symbol awaits here in the Main Conservatory, where its story takes flight.

Listen now:

Listen with introductory description of the landscape:

A Horticultural Icon

layers of pink and blue blossoms edge a green indoor lawn backed by vine-covered columns
Orangery

Immerse yourself in the life and immeasurable impact of “The Plant Doctor” George Washington Carver, here amid the varied plants of the Main Conservatory.

Listen now:

Listen with introductory description of the landscape:

The Legacy Continues

bare trees cast long shadows on a green lawn against a partly cloudy sky
Cow Lot

Conclude your Voices in the Landscape experience with this reflection of nurturing, of gratefulness, of growth.

Listen now:

The Meetinghouse

black & white image of a simple white structure with tall windows and peaked roof
Bonus Track

At this bonus stop, outside of the Longwood property and exclusively for our virtual experience, learn about the powerful voices that have rung within this historic structure, and the messages that have traveled far beyond.

Listen now:

Listen with introductory description of the landscape:

About the Artist

Charlotte
Blake Alston

Charlotte Blake Alston is a nationally acclaimed storyteller, narrator, singer, and librettist who performs in schools, universities, museums, and concert venues throughout North America and abroad. A highly sought after storyteller, she is committed to perpetuating the African and African American oral storytelling traditions.

Read Charlotte’s full bio
Exhibition Map
map route for Voices in the Landscape exhibition

Voices in the Landscape is an Accessible Experience

Voices in the Landscape: Deeply Rooted with Storyteller Charlotte Blake Alston
Texts: by Charlotte Blake Alston, Copyright © Charlotte Blake Alston, January 2021
Photos: Images of Frederick Douglass and George Washington Carver courtesy of Library of Congress. Photo of Charlotte Blake Alston by Deborah Boardman. Voices in the Landscape location photography by Hank Davis. Meetinghouse photo courtesy of the Chester County Historical Society.