Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
LONGWOOD GARDENS READY FOR SUMMER
Light show, beer garden, concerts returning this season
With the return of the Festival of Fountains at Longwood Gardens this summer, guests will be able to once again enjoy illuminated fountain performances as well as live instrumental music in the Beer Garden and carillon concerts. Guests will also be able to take home a memento of their visit from the newly reopened Garden Shop.
The lifting of restrictions on May 31 means that Longwood will be able to bring back their fireworks shows, beginning July 3.
“We’re also hopeful that we’ll be able to have some performing arts events later in the summer, although those are still in the planning process in response to this recent announcement,” Evans says. “We’re looking forward to a great summer.”
Longwood Gardens’ “Back to Beauty” reopening last June brought some of the first bright rays of hope to local residents — and a new understanding of how Longwood Gardens brings the world to Kennett Square.
“One positive that’s come out of this time is an increased appreciation for the gardens and landscapes we offer — and for public parks and open spaces as well — as people reconnect with nature,” says Trish Evans, Director of Communications at Longwood Gardens and Historic Kennett Square Board member. “That’s very rewarding for us.”
As vaccination rates increase and COVID case numbers drop, Longwood continues to gradually increase its capacity. The priority now is making sure people feel safe.
“We’re very appreciative of the support of our community, members and guests who love visiting the gardens and our region, and we’re so looking forward to welcoming everyone back at 100 percent capacity,” Evans said. “We hope that’s very, very soon.”
Longwood’s “Festival of Fountains” season runs from May 6 to Sept. 26, and features Main Fountain Garden shows set to choreographed music are at 1:15, 3:15 and 5:15 p.m. with additional shows on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 6:15, 7:15 and 8:15 p.m. The 30-minute illuminated fountain performances are at 9:15 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings through Aug. 28, then are at 8:15 p.m. for the remainder of the season.
Hours at Longwood Gardens are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday, and 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday to Saturday for illuminated fountain shows. Admission is by timed ticket only. Tickets are $25 for adults, $22 for ages 62 and older, $13 for students, and free for children 4 and younger. Tickets for “Festival of Fountains” go on sale April 3. For tickets and reservations, visit www.longwoodgardens.org.
The reality of the pandemic shutdown hit many residents keenly when even Longwood Gardens had to close last year. Local small business owners felt the loss of revenue from Longwood’s more than 1.5 million guests who visit each year.
The hundreds of community members who are Longwood employees and students felt the impact, too. Curating an ever-fresh panoply of spectacular displays across the seasons requires a small army of expert horticulturists, and keeping an internationally prized garden at the forefront of horticultural preservation and research, education, and tourism requires a diverse team of professionals in marketing, guest services, facilities management, and more. Every one of these local residents, and their families, also experienced the uncertainty and anxiety the pandemic brought.
Longwood Gardens immediately and expertly pivoted to sharing beautiful online content and connecting with its local and international community in a variety of new and creative ways last spring, but the heart of its mission is to create a world apart for guests to experience with all five senses.
While Longwood Gardens’ extensive community engagement contributes hugely to the social fabric of the Kennett community, it’s sometimes one of the less visible aspects of their mission. “Longwood staff serve on a variety of local boards, including the Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce, the Kennett Library, the YMCA, and Historic Kennett Square,” Evans says. “Community engagement is a very important aspect of Longwood Gardens and something that we see as integral to Longwood’s role in the community.”
Some of the very visible ways that Longwood has supported the community over the past year include their anchor sponsorship of Historic Kennett Square’s expanded Christmas in Kennett tree lights, decorations, and planters, as well as their support for the ongoing Kennett Blooms initiative that HKS is implementing to support local businesses this spring and summer.
Local residents will also reap the benefits of the fouryear Longwood Reimagined transformation. As part of Longwood’s ongoing commitment to preservation, innovation, and beauty, this expansion of the conservatory and gardens will utilize 17 acres of the gardens in a completely new way. It’s a multi-faceted project, Evans said, that includes a spectacular expansion of the west end of the 100-year-old conservatory that Pierre du Pont opened in 1921.
“It will look as though it’s floating on water,” Evans says of the new west conservatory, as she describes the important role water plays in displays, fountains, and landscapes throughout the gardens.
The impressive scope of Longwood Reimagined also includes a new restaurant and event space, as well as enhancements to the Waterlily Court, Cascade Garden, and Bonsai Courtyard and preservation of the Orchid House. Longwood Reimagined is the most ambitious of many projects that have continued to make the Longwood experience second to none. It’s difficult now to imagine Longwood Gardens without the extended Meadow Garden, for example, or the Indoor Children’s Garden, Green Wall, or the gloriously restored Main Fountain Garden.
“Longwood Reimagined is about the future — we’re planning for 50 to 100 from now,” Evans says.
Between Longwood Reimagined and the new Kennett Library, the community will leave a lasting legacy for future generations.
Preparing for the future at Longwood Gardens, however, never diminishes the pleasures of the present. Evans said Longwood is committed to providing inspiring world-class experiences for guests whenever they visit — pandemic or not, and regardless of ongoing projects. Evans smiles as she promises “spectacular seasonal displays as well as other new and exciting programs and exhibits” to come over the next few years as expert teams bring Longwood Reimagined from vision to reality.
Evans said Longwood Gardens is committed to community.
“Our president and CEO Paul Redman often says that Kennett Square should be the most beautiful town in America,” Evans says. “That’s why we are so pleased to be active in the community and to support programs like Christmas in Kennett and Kennett Blooms. We read about Kennett all the time now, and the work that HKS has done and continues to do every day has elevated the town tremendously. Kennett is one of the best small towns in the country, and we’re delighted to be part of it.”