March 27, 2024
Provided Image/Weiss/Manfredi
Longwood Gardens' new West Conservatory will open to the public on Nov. 22. It will feature floor-to-ceiling displays of Mediterranean plant life set on islands above a pool.
The centerpiece of Longwood Gardens' $250 million transformation plan — a new glasshouse conservatory dedicated to Mediterranean landscapes — will open to the public in November with festivities marking its new exhibitions and programs.
The botanical preserve in Kennett Square said its new West Conservatory, which has been under construction since early 2021, will debut Nov. 22. The project is one of several renovations that will open over the coming year, including a bonsai courtyard that sits alongside the new conservatory.
The roof of the glasshouse features a series of peaks above a 32,000-square-foot exhibition space that appears to float on a body of water. Three displays will be set on islands surrounding by pools, canals, bridges and low fountains. A mix of wild and cultivated landscapes will rise from the ground toward the roof, where some plants will be suspended from the ceiling.
“The West Conservatory marks the first time we have brought aquatics under glass," Longwood Gardens President and CEO Paul Redman said. "The pools that are the foundation of this immersive garden landscape will be filled with plants that are not only beautiful but interact beautifully with the water. The horticulture display will be lush and colorful year-round with seasonal species that add visual interest and color throughout the year.
Among the species being planted this spring at the West Conservatory are aloes, laurels, blueblossom and Greek horehound. Cypress and 100-year-old olive trees will rise above the building's tapestry of 60 permanent displays and about 90 rotating, seasonal plant species. The exhibition will spotlight six geographic areas with Mediterranean climates, from coastal California and central Chile to the cape region of South Africa.
A rendering shows the new West Conservatory at Longwood Gardens.
An aerial rendering shows the new West Conservatory at Longwood Gardens.
The Bonsai Courtyard planned at Longwood Gardens is shown in the rendering above.
The expansion of offerings at Longwood Gardens will span 17 acres that better connect visitors to the other buildings and exhibits that surround the Main Garden Fountain, which had a $90 million renovation completed in 2017.
Another newly built, 3,800-square-foot glasshouse will be the site of the relocated Cascade Garden designed in 1992 by Brazilian landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx. The reinstallation of the tropical garden in its new home will take place this spring and summer.
In May, a new conservatory terrace overlook and plaza will open to the public above the Main Garden Fountain to coincide with the start of water and light performances. Restaurant and event space 1906 sits on the hillside that surrounds the fountain.
A rendering shows the conservatory terrace overlook and plaza above the Main Garden Fountain at Longwood Gardens.
Other features of the ongoing expansion are a new education and administration building with a library and classrooms, the renewal of the Waterlily Court, and the preservation of six historic Lord & Burnham glasshouses from the early 20th century that will be used as year-round garden displays.
The design for the expansion is being led by Weiss/Manfredi Architecture/Landscape/Urbanism and Reed Hilderbrand.
A series of member-only preview days and special events will be held during a two-week celebration of the West Conservatory's opening.
Longwood Gardens has operated as a public garden in Chester County since 1946, sitting on more than 1,100 acres and consisting of curated exhibits, manicured outdoor fields and water fountain features, along with indoor displays. It was formerly the estate of American entrepreneur and conservationist Pierre S. du Pont, who opened his luxurious grounds to the public.
Last year, Longwood Gardens announced it had entered an agreement to acquire the Granogue estate, a 505-acre property in northern Delaware that once belonged to the du Pont family. The site is about five miles from Longwood Gardens, which will act as a steward of the land and will explore opportunities for public visitation in the future.
