Longwood Gardens

Longwood Gardens Longwood is one of the great gardens of the world bringing joy and inspiration to everyone through the beauty of nature, conservation, and learning.
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Longwood Gardens is committed to nurturing a diverse and inclusive environment that celebrates the complexities and differences of all living things. We welcome and respect diverse backgrounds, life experiences, and perspectives. We do not tolerate hate or discrimination of any form. We reserve the right to remove comments that may cause harm to our community including:
– Derogatory or demeaning l

anguage
– Statements that can be construed as racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, ableist, or reflect an ideology that denigrates a person or group of people
– Inflammatory language that provokes violence or harm
– Political propaganda
– Personal (named) attacks

Facebook users who violate our community guidelines will be blocked from Longwood's social media channels at the discretion of Longwood staff.

Now is a beautiful time to wander through our Bonsai Courtyard, as we bid farewell to August and the first subtle signs ...
08/30/2026

Now is a beautiful time to wander through our Bonsai Courtyard, as we bid farewell to August and the first subtle signs of September begin to appear. Look closely at our trident maple and you’ll catch a tiny hint of the color still to come.

Feel the late-summer sun warming the stone beneath your feet. Notice the breeze stirring through the Courtyard and the quiet presence of trees shaped with patience over years and even decades. It’s a place that invites you to slow down, look a little closer, and notice the season beginning to turn.
Photos by Hank Davis.

We have several special ways to curate your 1906 dining experience and dive into the flavors of the season with a bloomi...
08/29/2026

We have several special ways to curate your 1906 dining experience and dive into the flavors of the season with a blooming twist on happy hour and a special Members’ lunch. And, by the way, did you know that we have a private dining room? We do!

Swipe for more info on these special events and spaces. Come enjoy the flavors of the season with us!

08/28/2026

We came, we saw, we floated! And what did we win? We won the satisfaction of participating in the 2026 Waterlily Weigh-Off!

So, we didn't bring home the championship, but here in Philly we know our way around a comeback. A huge congrats to Bok Tower Gardens for winning the heavyweight category with their gargantuan water-platter that held 285.7 pounds! Close behind was Kew Gardens whose leaf lifted a massive 224.9 pounds.

And right behind them in third place? That would be us. We’ll be proudly displaying our trophy as soon as it arrives. Wait, what? No trophy for third place? We are choosing to be completely at peace with this.

A big huzzah to New York Botanical Gardenk for trouncing the Fan Favorite category!

This year was full of horticultural hijinks. We crossed the Delaware. We powdered our wigs. We talked to our remote control lawn mower and it talked back. Tim got to wear his robe to work. And we got to play in the wooder. The best part is geeking-out over this amazing plant with our spirited horticultural community.

Big thanks to Denver Botanic Gardens for making this madness happen. Over 60 gardens and zoos from 12 countries participated this year!

Check out the full playlist of entries on the official Waterlily Weigh-Off Instagram page: https://bit.ly/3SvOzEI

For now, we’ll return to our regularly scheduled horticultural programming.

08/26/2026

Kenny and Karl are back at the announcer’s table for the biggest sporting—or should we say hort’ing—event of the year. The 2026 Waterlily Weigh-Off is ON. 📢🪷🏆

Horticultural heavyweights Suzanne Boom and Tim Jennings spent months growing an absolute unit of a Victoria ‘Longwood Hybrid’ water-platter measuring 63 inches across. Now comes the moment of truth: Just how much weight can this botanical beast hold?

Our Ambassador of Aquatic Affairs, Benny, would have you believe that we hit “two hunnert and fiddy pounds” in honor of America's 250th year. We love his enthusiasm. We really do.

Alas, we cannot tell a lie.

The final count fell shy of Benny’s proclamation, but a whopping 45 pounds MORE than last year.

💪 210 POUNDS! 💪

Our friends at Denver Botanic Gardens will crown the Weigh-off champion and the Fan Favorite on Friday, August 28. Until then, we are resting on our laurels (and our waterlilies) and celebrating 210 pounds of pure, unadulterated buoyancy.

And THAT is where you come in. 🫵

Head over to https://www.instagram.com/waterlilyweighoff/ and vote for Longwood for Fan Favorite TODAY! Voting ends the morning of Thursday, August 27.

Stay tuned and stay buoyant, everybody!

Members, join us for two special experiences at Longwood!🍽️ Members Garden Lunch at 1906Mondays and Thursdays starting a...
08/25/2026

Members, join us for two special experiences at Longwood!

🍽️ Members Garden Lunch at 1906
Mondays and Thursdays starting at 11:00 am, through September 30
Indulge in a seasonal, garden-inspired meal featuring a herbal elixir, warm brioche, your choice of entrée, and seasonal petite fours—all crafted and specially priced for our Members.

Reservations are encouraged: https://bit.ly/4giJR6f

🎶 Sensory-Friendly Members Evening
Thursday, September 17 from 6:00–9:00 pm
Join us for a uniquely relaxed evening, designed for those with sensory sensitivities. Enjoy a sensory-friendly performance with Dan and Claudia Zanes and Tyree Austin at 6:30 pm, followed by the Journey to Oz Illuminated Fountain Performance at 8:15 pm, with lower audio volume, smooth lighting transitions, and no fire effects. Quiet areas will also be available.

Member reservations are required and limited to ensure a calm experience for all guests. Learn more: https://bit.ly/45NKONW

Photos by Adelyn Duchala and Amy Simon Berg.

Imagine Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons performed live beneath the open sky. Thousands of candles flicker across the lawn. An...
08/24/2026

Imagine Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons performed live beneath the open sky. Thousands of candles flicker across the lawn. And overhead, points of light begin to rise into the night.

This Wednesday and Thursday, join us for The Four Seasons: A Drones & Strings Spectacular, an evening where music, candlelight, and technology come together in one unforgettable experience.

Settle in on the Orchard Lawn near the Meadow Garden as Blue Line Quartet performs Vivaldi’s beloved The Four Seasons surrounded by the glow of thousands of candles. As the music moves from the exuberance of spring to summer storms, autumn celebrations, and the chill of winter, choreographed drones take to the sky, creating patterns of light inspired by the music unfolding below.

For 60 minutes, the landscape becomes part of the performance: live strings on the lawn, candlelight at your feet, and an ever-changing canvas of light overhead.

Bring your own chair and find your place on the lawn, or purchase a reserved seat and experience The Four Seasons in a way you’ve never seen or heard it before.

✨ The Four Seasons: A Drones & Strings Spectacular
📅 August 26 & 27
🕣 8:30 pm
📍 Orchard Lawn near the Meadow Garden

Tickets include all-day Gardens Admission. Tickets are limited and a sellout is likely.

Summer may be winding down, but we’re certainly not slowing down. This week at Longwood is packed with reasons to make t...
08/23/2026

Summer may be winding down, but we’re certainly not slowing down.

This week at Longwood is packed with reasons to make the most of these last days of August—from gardens overflowing with late-summer color to DRONE SHOWS(!) lighting up the night sky, followed by an entire Fountain Fest Weekend filled with live music, dancing fountains, Taylor Swift, ABBA, and more.

Whether you’re planning a daytime stroll, a night under the stars, or a full weekend of summer fun, there’s plenty waiting for you in the Gardens.

Swipe through to see what’s happening this week and start planning your visit.

Get your tickets and Member reservations at longwoodgardens.org

The Gardens are open late today (10:00 am–10:00 pm), and it’s the perfect evening to slow down and enjoy everything Long...
08/23/2026

The Gardens are open late today (10:00 am–10:00 pm), and it’s the perfect evening to slow down and enjoy everything Longwood has to offer.

🍽️ Dine at 1906
Reservations are available!

🌙 Journey to Oz with an Illuminated Fountain Peformance
Embark on an adventure down the Yellow Brick Road and watch water defy gravity, set to the vocals of iconic musicals including Wicked and The Wiz, with classic favorites from the original Wizard of Oz.

🎙️ Enjoy live music in the Beer Garden
Station Hill Bluegrass (Bluegrass)

Come visit, stay awhile, and enjoy the Gardens after dark.

Nature’s color palette is in full bloom. 🌈From fiery reds and sunny yellows to cool blues, rich purples, and every shade...
08/22/2026

Nature’s color palette is in full bloom. 🌈

From fiery reds and sunny yellows to cool blues, rich purples, and every shade of green, the Gardens are bursting with color this summer.

Swipe through for a rainbow-inspired tour of some of the plants brightening the Gardens right now. Which summer shade is your favorite?

❤️ Scarlet rose mallow (Hibiscus coccineus)
🧡 Canna (Canna ‘Cannaredgold’)
💛 Lantana (Lantana camara ‘Bani Yelbic’)
💚 Philodendron (Philodendron 'Xanadu')
💙 Blue milkweed (Oxypetalum coeruleum 'Heavenly Blue')
💜 Perennial phlox (Phlox paniculata 'Jeana')
🩷 Hardy waterlily (Nymphaea 'Masaniello')

08/21/2026

The String Queens will take the stage at our Open Air Theatre on Thursday, September 3 at 7:30 pm! Get ready for an evening of magical music under the stars surrounded by lush garden beauty.

🎻 The String Queens
📆 Thursday, September 3 at 7:30 pm
📍 Open Air Theatre
🌺 All day Gardens admission included

Praised for their authentic, soulful, and orchestral sound, The String Queens take listeners on an exhilarating journey through time and genres, with a versatile repertoire spanning the Baroque era to the Jazz Age to today’s Billboard Hot 100.

Kendall Isadore (violin), Élise Sharp (cello), and Dawn Johnson (viola) create captivating musical experiences that inspire audiences to love, hope, feel, and imagine.

Get your tickets before they’re gone: https://bit.ly/4xU07AH

Address

1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square
Kennett Square, PA
19348

Telephone

+16103881000

Website

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