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One of the premier Botanical Garden s in the United States, Longwood Gardens consists of 1,050 acres (4.2 km²) of gardens, woodlands, and meadows in Kennett Square , Pennsylvania , in the Brandywine Valley . EARLY HISTORY The Longwood Gardens property was originally purchased from William Penn in 1700 by a fellow Quaker named George Pierce. Although it started as a working farm, in 1798 Joshua and Samuel Peirce planted the first specimens of an arboretum. By 1850 they had amassed one of the finest collections of trees in the nation. Industrialist Pierre S. Du Pont , ( 1870 – 1954 ) purchased the property from Peirce in 1906 to save the arboretum from being sold for lumber. From 1906 until the 1930's, du Pont added extensively to the property. A world traveler from an early age, du Pont was often inspired to add features to the garden after attending world's fairs, the most notable additions being the massive conservatory complete with pipe organ, and the extensive system of fountains. After the completion of the fountains, du Pont began planning for the sustained life of Longwood Gardens after his death. He founded the Longwood Foundation in 1937, and in 1946 the foundation was chartered with running Longwood Gardens for the general education and enjoyment of the public. LONGWOOD TODAY Today Longwood Gardens consists of 20 outdoor gardens and 20 indoor gardens within 4 acres (16,000 m²) of heated greenhouses, known as conservatories. It contains 11,000 different types of plants, fountains and has extensive educational programs including horticultural career training and internships. It hosts 800 horticultural and performing arts events each year, from flower shows, gardening demonstrations, courses, and children’s programs to concerts, organ and carillon recitals, musical theatre, and fireworks displays. In January 2003, the East Conservatory was closed for a renovation project. On October 29, 2005, the main hall of the East Conservatory was once again opened to the public, though parts of the building will remain under heavy construction until late 2006. REFERENCES EXTERNAL LINKS |
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