Surrounded By Lights At Longwood

Fall struck Thursday, September 22 at 9:04 p.m. Do you remember where you were? The madman and I do. We were standing in a field surrounded by the lights at Longwood. During our first real road trip since 2019, we were standing at the edge of Pierce’s Woods where 18,000 globes of light transformed the dark field into a spectacular vista. I told you he had planned something special to celebrate the changing season. I think he outdid himself.

You may remember last winter we made plans, not resolutions, and our ultimate plan was to visit Longwood Gardens. We wanted to see the gardens during Bruce Munro’s lights at Longwood Gardens “Gardens by Day, Light by Night.” So, we packed up the Mustang and braved a rainstorm and crazy New Jersey drivers to arrive in Kennett Square, Pa. in early afternoon. After the five-hour road trip we were ready to walk. And Longwood Gardens with its 1,100 acres of gardens, fountains, meadows and woods surrounding a four-acre conservatory was just the place for walking.

Conifers

When we entered the gardens, it was still daylight, and it would be for a while. I asked the madman where we should start, His answer – “The conifers, of course.” So off we went. The conifer collection is located on a knoll overlooking the rest of the estate. Not too many people share his fascination with the stately conifers, so this area is rarely crowded. Native white pines are interspersed with Korean firs, Hinoki cypress and various other cedars and spruces. Each tree is labeled, and the madman reads each label, although by now I’m sure he knows them by heart.

The winding path coming off the hill circles past the stone Chimes Tower next to the waterfall that flows into a small pond. I have always liked the path for the labeled shrubs and flowers that line the edge – it seems I always spot something that I must have for my garden. This year, a Panicle Hydrangea called “Pinky Winky” caught my eye. Imagine our surprise when we rounded the last curve and faced a pool filled with 1,000 plastic flamingoes. We figured this had something to do with the lights at Longwood.

Loads of Ideas

We knew we’d return after nightfall, so we wandered into the idea garden – another favorite of the madman. The edge of this area is a walkway bordered with beds where gardeners combine a variety of plants that produce some interesting and often spectacular results. The madman never would have thought of using cotton or millet to accent colorful cosmos and asters.

Then we ran into Amy, one of many Longwood volunteers who take pride in being part of this garden. She had just come on duty and was anxious to share her favorites with someone. When the madman asked her a question about the fig trees, she knew she had found that someone. After answering his question (they do stay in the ground all year), she escorted us around the idea garden pointing out the cotton, the cranberry bog, and the masses of dahlias among other things. So many great ideas the madman’s head was ready to explode.

Orchids

While Mozart’s music accompanied the Main Fountain Garden Show, the madman wandered through the idea garden. I thought he’d be there until they kicked him out, but when I mentioned the orchids in the conservatory, he said, “We can come back here tomorrow, let’s go.”

Imagine standing in a room with floor to ceiling orchid blooms staring at you. That’s what the orchid room in Longwood’s Conservatory is like. Of course, to get to the orchid room, we had to walk the length of the conservatory – through the dizzying array of the exotic plants. And, to top it off, they even have two sections of indoor lawns. The collection of CDs along the flooded exhibition hall floor set off more alarms – return after dark to experience this part of Munro’s lights at Longwood.

Time To See Some Lights At Longwood

The madman would have stayed in the orchid room forever, but I noticed the light outside was fading, so I dragged him out towards Pierce’s Woods, the oldest part of Longwood Gardens. Originally established by the Pierce family as a working farm, brothers Joshua and Samuel began planting an arboretum in 1798 that became one of the best in the country. But, by 1906, the Pierce heirs tired of this game and contracted to sell the trees for lumber.

Enter Pierre DuPont, a man with a wealth of both money and imagination. Longwood Gardens was born. For a nice history of its growth and development, check this link out.

More Lights At Longwood

As we walked down the path through Pierce’s Woods the madman noticed a glow beyond the large lake. The Italian Fountain Garden was lit up. This collection of fountains designed and installed by Mr. DuPont in the 1920’s is impressive by day, but spectacular at night. Just as spectacular was the view behind us – Munro’s Field of Lights, an ever-changing display as the 18,000 globe lights changed through the color spectrum. I’m not sure how long we spent wandering the paths in the field, past the shining Cathedral Treehouse and the rotating lights of Munro’s Gone Fishing display but we found ourselves walking along the Flower Garden Walk with its borders of giant white Brugmansias, tobaccos and other white blooms. The scent was intoxicating.

Of course, we had to catch the Main Garden Fountain light show before heading back to the hotel, anxious to return in the morning to see the Flower Garden Walk by day. We always laugh when we read guidebooks suggesting you plan 4-5 hours to visit the gardens. We can’t imagine anything less than 2 days.

Back to the Brugmansias

Shortly after the garden opened, we were back on the flower garden walk. The Brugmansias were as impressive as they had been the previous night. With a stroke of luck, the horticulturalist responsible for the display along the walk was tending her plants. The madman asked her how they got these huge plants inside for the winter. With a smile, Jessica told us they all started as cuttings – the plants are left to die over the winter. She then shared with us some of her thoughts when designing the beds and was thrilled to hear we enjoyed the garden scent at night. We probably could have talked all day, but she had work to do, and we had gardens to explore.

Scenes from around Longwood Gardens, the creation of Pierre DuPont.

There is so much to see at Longwood Gardens. As in nature, every season is different, and every path leads to a new adventure. We wandered through the large meadow where a scheduled program of burning keeps the invasives in check and the native growth healthy. We climbed into the tree houses. We sat in Mr. DuPont’s original conservatory at the Pierce-DuPont house and listened to the organ in the new conservatory. We played in the children’s area as a huge tortoise and his buddies spit water into a fountain. We watched water shows in the Main Fountain Garden. And we returned to the idea garden because the madman can never get enough of it.

Munro’s Lights At Longwood

We made sure we were in the Field of Light when dusk fell on the lights at Longwood. We experienced Munro’s SOS installation (a bit jarring for us) and hiked over to the flamingoes – officially called Ramandu’s Table. Before the big fountain show of the evening, we returned to the CDs in the main ballroom where a light show depicted what we think was the evolution of life.

Do you think we missed anything? Of course, we did, but we caught the highlights. The madman was bummed because the Water Lily Garden was closed as part of the current construction project. However, it will reopen in 2024 – sounds like a future road trip.

But now it’s time for lemonade before he begins to put some of his new ideas into play.