Longwood Gardens, in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, is among the United States’ finest botanical gardens, spanning 1,100 acres of meadow, woodlands and formal gardens backdropped by the Pennsylvanian hills.
Originally part of a Quaker farm, Longwood was purchased by industrialist Pierre S. du Pont in 1906 and transformed into a lavish estate with lush botanical gardens and natural habitats. It opened to the public in 1921, with its iconic Italian-inspired fountain garden installed in the 1930s, and the estate has been managed by the Longwood Foundation since du Pont’s death in 1954. It launched the ambitious Longwood Reimagined initiative to mark the garden’s public centenary and expand it for the next generation.
Photography by Ngoc Minh Ngo. Courtesy of Reed Hilderbrand.
Photography by Ngoc Minh Ngo. Courtesy of Reed Hilderbrand.
Photography by Albert Vecerka/Esto. Courtesy of WEISS/MANFREDI.
Photography by Sahar Coston-Hardy/Esto. Courtesy of Longwood Gardens.
Photography by Albert Vecerka/Esto. Courtesy of WEISS/MANFREDI.
Photography by Ngoc Minh Ngo. Courtesy of Reed Hilderbrand.
Photography by Albert Vecerka/Esto. Courtesy of WEISS/MANFREDI.
Photography by Ngoc Minh Ngo. Courtesy of Reed Hilderbrand.
Photography by Albert Vecerka/Esto. Courtesy of WEISS/MANFREDI.
Photography by Sahar Coston-Hardy/Esto. Courtesy of Longwood Gardens.
New York-based firm Weiss/Manfredi designed the colossal 32,000 sq ft West Conservatory, the centrepiece of the project. The magnificent pavilion rises above newly landscaped grounds by Reed Hilderbrand, with its saw-tooth roof zigzagging in the reflection of a large pool and echoing the undulating hills beyond.
‘The Conservatory’s crystalline silhouette and asymmetrically pleated roof continue the story and form of the conservatory complex’s original historical structures,’ explains the firm, which won an award at The Plan 2023 Awards for its innovative design. Built in the tradition of vast 19th-century glasshouses, the West Conservatory utilises sustainable technologies and materials to foster a close relationship with water. The gargantuan greenhouse seemingly floats on the surface of the surrounding reflecting pool, while the interiors, criss-crossed by arches, house Mediterranean-inspired gardens with pools, canals, and fountains arranged in a tapestry-like design.
Roberto Burle Marx’s midcentury Cascade Garden has also undergone a radical transformation, having been relocated and reconstructed on-site – the first time a historic garden has ever been moved in its entirety and preserved in this way. The garden holds particular significance as it’s the only one in North America designed by the Modernist Brazilian landscape architect, with his firm, Burle Marx Landscape Design Studio, enlisted for this delicate project. Its 3,800-square-foot jewel-box design now allows the plants more space to flourish, ensuring its preservation for future generations.
The West Conservatory at Longwood Gardens will open to the public on 22 November 2024.
