Situated Between Philly And Gettysburg Is America's Largest Botanical Garden With Over 1,000 Acres Of Nature

Spanning more than 1,100 acres and featuring more than 10,000 species of plants and flowers, Longwood Gardens is the largest botanical garden in the United States. It's also home to the biggest green wall in the country — measuring 14 feet tall and with a total surface area over 4,000 square feet. It contains a staggering 47,000 plants, and it's more than double the size of the previous recordholder in Pittsburgh. With many honors to its name and plenty of unique gardens to explore, it's no wonder Longwood hosts over a million guests every year.

So, what's the story behind the place? Located outside Philadelphia, the land was originally the home of the native Lenni Lenape tribe and was later purchased by a Quaker farmer at the turn of the 17th century. His descendants are responsible for some of the historic elements still in place today, including a brick farmhouse and a vast arboretum. But it was the 36-year-old entrepreneur Pierre du Pont who bought the farm in 1906 and made Longwood Gardens what it is today. 

Apart from Longwood, there are plenty of other gardens in this part of the country. In fact, Philadelphia is known as America's Garden Capital, largely due to the presence of 30 gardens within a 30-mile radius of the city. Be sure to stop by a few more if time permits.

By the time he settled in Pennsylvania, Pierre du Pont had traveled the globe, admiring royal gardens and botanical displays as far and wide as South America, England, and Hawaii. He took particular inspiration from French châteaux and Italian country villas as he set to work on his newly acquired property, and those influences are easy to spot today. The Main Fountain Garden, with symmetrical rows of greenery, is modeled after French Baroque gardens like those at Versailles, while the garden's elegant fountains, with more than 1,700 jets, echo the architecture of Italianate water theaters.

The very first garden area at Longwood, the vibrant 100,000-bloom Flower Garden Walk, was personally designed by the founder. Du Pont also built onto the old farmhouse to create the property's first conservatory, and the luminous space has been modernized and expanded many times in the past century. Today, the Main Conservatory contains an Orchid House with 5,000 orchids and the rainforest-like Cascade Garden by the Brazilian designer Roberto Burle Marx. The state-of-the-art West Conservatory has Mediterranean-style water features, and just outside, the Japanese-inspired Bonsai Courtyard. In warmer weather, the boardwalks, treehouses, and bridges of the open-air Meadow Garden and Forest Walk are wonderful to explore on foot. If you love Longwood Gardens and are already thinking ahead to your next vacation, check out the 14 best botanical gardens in America, according to Reddit.

Since the garden's floral displays and exhibits are always changing, there's no bad time to visit Longwood Gardens. Even in the dead of winter, there's a major event that brings in huge crowds and often sells out: A Longwood Christmas, an indoor-outdoor spectacle that runs from late November to early January. While timed-entry tickets for holiday displays and other special events can cost more, general admission to the gardens is $32 per person and $17 for children 18 and under (kids 4 and under get in free). There are several dining options on-site, including a casual café, a lively beer garden, and the fine dining venue 1906 (which requires reservations). 

Longwood Gardens is located in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, about 30 miles outside of Philadelphia. It's an hour from the city center, depending on traffic. Buses operated by Ourbus serve Longwood Gardens directly from both Philadelphia ($18 one-way) and New York City ($40 one-way). If you're looking to stay close to the gardens, there are a few hotels nearby, including the Hilton Garden Inn Kennett Square ($200 per night) and the Fairfield Inn & Suites Kennett Square Brandywine Valley ($135 per night). Sticking around the area? Don't miss the 14 things you can't skip on a vacation to Philadelphia.