Longwood Gardens: A Kennett Square, Pennsylvania Showplace

Longwood Gardens, located in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, just north of Wilmington, Delaware, should be a national treasure. What began in1906 by Pierre S.du Pont's purchase of the Pierce Arboretum in order to save trees has expanded into one of the finest horticultural showcases in the nation.

Visitors from around the world travel to to Kennett Square, PA., located in the heart of the Brandywine Valley, an area located in the South Eastern section of Pennsylvania and Northern Delaware, to visit Longwood Gardens and the other museums, galleries, historic battle field, shops and restaurants in the area.

Longwood Gardens with its 1,050 acres and 11,000 different varieties of plants is a delight anytime of the year. In the spring the bulbs are featured, and Easter Sunday is beautiful in the Conservatory with hundreds of thousands of tulips and daffodils in bloom, and the Easter Bunny greeting young and old alike.

In the summer, everything is in bloom, with the outdoor idea garden giving the home gardener ideas to duplicate in their own garden and a heads up on the newest and best plants on the market. The rose garden, topiary garden, and herb garden are always a delight to visit. Plan on visiting later in the day in the summer to see the lighted water fountain and firework display.

Fall is a blaze of color as the trees turn shades of red, orange and yellow with mums Pumpkins and gourds featured. Check out the giant pumpkin weigh in as gardens through the region bring their biggest and best prize pumpkin to Longwood Gardens to be weighed.

The Christmas Season is one of the most popular, with the Longwood Gardens staff pulling out all the stops to string millions of lights around the property for the holidays.Inside the Conservatory thousands of poinsettias fill the grand ball room and in the music room, Christmas carols are played on the century old pipe organ. Christmas admission is by timed admission only, with tickets sold for a specific day and time only. This keeps lines to a minimal and is a wonderful idea.

Longwood Gardens is open 365 days a year, opening at 9a.m. each day and closing varying depending upon the season and scheduled events. Check out the link to the web page for Longwood Gardens for exact closing times. Admission is $16.00 for adults, $14.00 for seniors 62 years and older, students $6.00, and children under 5 years are free.

There is an additional charge for the firework display in the summer, and for the ice skating performances during the Christmas Season.

Season passes are $60.00 for adults, $105.00 for a family of five, a Grandparents pass is available for grandparents and grandchildren for $105.00 and students 5 years to 22 can get a season pass for $25.00.Along unlimited admission for a year, pass holders receive 10% off purchases at the gift shop and at the two restraints located at the gardens. Parking is free.

Check out the link to Brandywine Treasures to save 10% on the cost of admission. Click on the voucher button to receive the discount.