My friend, Carmen, was absolutely right! 'The Longwood Gardens are among my favorites! A must-see while you are in the area!' she exclaimed.
Right-eeee-oh! Since we were camping a mere 8 miles from them in the rolling hills of the Brandywine River Valley, we chose to visit them on a cool, overcast day.
According to their webpage, 'In 1700, a Quaker family named Peirce purchased the property from William Penn and soon established a working farm. Joshua and Samuel Peirce began planting an arboretum on the farm in 1798.
The farm was purchased in 1906 by Pierre du Pont so he could preserve the trees, and from 1907 until the 1930s Mr. du Pont created most of what is enjoyed today.
In 1946, the Gardens were turned over to a foundation set up by Mr. du Pont. After his death in 1954 Longwood's first director was hired.
Since that time Longwood Gardens has matured into a magnificent horticultural showplace filled with countless opportunities for enjoyment and learning.'
When Pierre du Pont heard that the farm was going to be sold to logging interests and in order to save these majestic trees, he purchased it for $15,000 and decided it would be a perfect place to entertain friends!
The 600-foot flower walk, the Italian fountains, water staircase, the tree houses....Thank you Mr. du Pont!
For more information visit: http://www.longwoodgardens.org/
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