Visit Longwood Gardens for Mother's Day
Why treat the special woman in your life to a single bouquet of flowers this Mother's Day when you can give her thousands of blooms with a visit to Longwood Gardens? Longwood Gardens is one of the great botanical gardens of the world, inspiring people through horticulture, education and the arts. And it's right in our backyard – a lovely 45-minute drive through the picturesque Amish countryside to Kennett Square.
The land on which Longwood Gardens stands was once home to the native Lenni Lenape tribe and to Quaker farmers. Today, the 1,077-acre property welcomes more than a million guests each year to enjoy the magnificent gardens, woodlands and meadows. Spring is a magical time to visit, as extensive outdoor gardens begin to burst with colorful blooms. The Flower Garden Walk showcases more than 100,000 tulip, daffodils and other spring bulbs in peaches, pinks and yellows, while the Idea Garden features another 60,000 more.
Indoors, there are 20 gardens within an almost 5-acre group of heated greenhouses. Longwood's Conservatory contains 4,600 different types of flowers, plants and trees, as well as fabulous fountains. Look for spring favorites in this historic glass house, including azaleas and freesia. The Conservatory is undergoing a massive re-imagination project that will bring new buildings, new gardens and new guest experiences by the fall of 2024.
Longwood Gardens will celebrate the opening of its Festival of Fountains on Mother's Day weekend. The gardens are open until 10 p.m. on May 5-7, and until 6 p.m. on May 8. It's a popular time to visit, and advance tickets are required. Stroll through the gardens awash in brilliantly blooming annuals and perennials, or discover a starlit getaway with the Illuminated Fountain Performances and live music in the Beer Garden Thursday through Saturday evenings.
“When the world wearies and society fails to satisfy, there is always the garden.” – Minnie Aumonier
