Longwood Gardens Winter Visit

Longwood's East Conservatory reopened after a 2005 renovation with a ceiling of over a thousand rose-tinted glass panes.

Flowing water is a signature Longwood feature, and indoor streams like this one echo the fountains found throughout the estate.

Garden paths link the Conservatory's many themed rooms, each dressed for A Longwood Christmas during the winter season.

The West Conservatory's Mediterranean-inspired plantings were designed to mature and fill in the new glasshouse over time.

The Cascade Garden holds over 150 species of bromeliads, rainforest plants that collect rainwater in their cup-shaped leaves.

Longwood's Indoor Children's Garden includes a bamboo maze among tree-sized bamboo, built for young visitors to explore.

Longwood's Garden Railway includes handcrafted miniature replicas of the Gardens' own landmarks among its model train tracks.

Longwood's Orchid House displays hundreds of orchids in custom trellises, part of a collection spanning 2,000 different taxa.

Designed by Isabelle Green, the Silver Garden's slate path winds past silvery cacti, agave, and artemisia from arid climates.

Pierre du Pont was an avid music lover who collected pianos, organs, and early recorded-music devices throughout his life.

For 2025, A Longwood Christmas transformed the Gardens into a celebration of gemstones, with jewel-toned trees at the entrance.

During the 2025 season, Longwood's conservatories filled with towering holiday trees shimmering in jewel-toned blues and greens.

Opened in November 2024, the 32,000-sq.-ft. West Conservatory's Mediterranean garden style was designed by Weiss/Manfredi.

Pathways wind between islands of gardens set amid pools and canals inside Longwood's newest glasshouse, the West Conservatory.

Conrad Hamerman helped design this garden's sculptural stone walls, which were sourced from a local quarry.

Fragrant herbs like rosemary, geranium, and oregano line the ramps of Longwood's 4,000-square-foot Indoor Children's Garden.

The Orangery once showcased Pierre du Pont's citrus trees before becoming a display and entertainment space in the Conservatory.

This is Rhyncholaeliocattleya Donna Kimura 'Paradise Tami,' a compact orchid hybrid known for flat blooms on sturdy spikes.

The Peirce-du Pont House, one of Longwood's oldest buildings, was Pierre du Pont's home and now hosts a historical exhibit.

The Conservatory's Aeolian organ has 10,010 pipes, the largest ever built for a home, and anchors Longwood's holiday concerts.

This pool typically blooms with tropical water lilies from May through October; in winter it joins the holiday display instead.

Fountains and canals weave through the West Conservatory's gardens, designed by Reed Hilderbrand to feel like a floating oasis.

This wall is located in the Cascade Garden, the only North American design by Brazilian landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx.

The Cascade Garden is modeled on an equatorial coastal rainforest, combining plants, water, and stone in Burle Marx's style.

Brick pathways connect the Conservatory's many display rooms, each decorated for Longwood's winter holiday season.

During the holidays, trees seem to float above the Orangery's lawn, a signature display in Longwood's historic Main Conservatory.

Pierre du Pont began building Longwood's Conservatory in 1921, originally intended to grow fruits and vegetables through winter.

Du Pont outfitted his home with modern conveniences for its era, including electric plate-warming ovens and radiator heat.