Longwood Gardens

Pierre S. du Pont bought the property in 1906 to stop a stand of old trees being cut for timber, then spent decades turning it into a garden on a scale intended to entertain. He was an engineer by training and designed the water systems himself: the five-acre Main Fountain Garden was his most ambitious project, and after a rebuild it reopened in 2017 with fountain shows. The conservatory holds 1.6 acres of gardens under glass in thirteen indoor gardens, with more than 4,500 orchid plants, and its ballroom houses an organ of 10,010 pipes. An extensive Christmas light display fills the holiday season.

What to look for

• The Main Fountain Garden - five acres, rebuilt and reopened in 2017.
• The Conservatory - thirteen indoor gardens under glass.
• An organ of over ten thousand pipes - in the conservatory ballroom.
• A garden begun to save trees - du Pont bought it to stop the felling.

When to go

April to October for the fountains; December for the Christmas display. A full day.

Good to know

Tickets are timed and sell out, particularly at Christmas. Fountain shows run to a schedule, not continuously. It is expensive. The site is large with a lot of walking.

Nearby

Winterthur is south in Delaware; Brandywine River Museum is east.

Key facts