LONGWOOD GARDENS, KENNETT SQUARE

Longwood Gardens in suburban Philadelphia’s Chester County spans over 1,070 acres and is recognized as one of the most spectacular botanical gardens in the United States. Eleven thousand diverse plants and trees are represented within the myriad of conservatories, greenhouses, indoor and outdoor gardens. The property, originally claimed by the English and overseen by William Penn was sold to George Pierce as farmland in 1700. George Pierce’s twin great grandsons, Samuel & Joshua had a love of natural history and started to plant an arboretum in 1798. This vast collection of varied species from both the eastern coast and overseas eventually spanned about 15 acres. In the mid 1800’s it was embraced by the local residents as a favored gathering place and came to be known as Pierce’s Park.