5 tips to make the most of your first visit to Longwood Gardens
Amanda Fries- Eat before you go to Longwood Gardens to avoid long lines at the venue's eateries.
- Know what's in bloom so you visit at the best time.
- Take advantage of all Longwood Gardens has to offer by going beyond the foliage and seeing the working pipe organ or the inner-workings of the fountain pumps.
So you want to go to Longwood Gardens.
Maybe you just moved to the area, or are visiting for the weekend. Perhaps, by chance, you were like me — growing up a stone’s throw from the sprawling garden venue but have never been.
That all changed during a sunny Sunday afternoon in May when I visited with my parents for the first time.
Did I plan things properly?
No.
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Did I eat before I got to the horticultural venue?
No.
Did I get to see all the exhibits I wanted?
Also, no.
Learn from my poorly planned experience so that you can make the most out of your first Longwood Gardens visit.
Consider eating before you go
Dining options are limited and concentrated to one area of the over 1,000-acre garden venue, so if you’re thinking of grabbing lunch at Longwood Gardens, adjust your expectations.
Lines for both the Beer Garden and The Cafe remained long through 2 p.m. on a recent Sunday.
While Longwood offers food and beverage carts scattered throughout the complex during major holidays, you’ll have to rely on proper planning to ensure hydration and avoid getting hangry on other visits.
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Bring a water bottle — that’s allowed upon entry — and fill it up at the main entrance. If you need a bite to eat, try hitting up the available food options during off-hours, or make a reservation ahead of time at 1906 for a sit-down meal.
The $250 million “Longwood Reimagined” revitalization project will include a new restaurant space, which hopefully will help ease the strain on the existing options. The renovations are expected to be completed in 2024.
Beat the crowds
Check Longwood Gardens’ event calendar before settling on a day and time to visit. The horticultural venue features “member days” and other events that can attract larger crowds.
If you can swing it, visiting during the week could help avoid wedding and other special event photo shoots and large crowds that flock to Longwood on the weekends.
Fewer crowds will make the conservatory and other enclosed spaces a bit more pleasant.
Know what’s in bloom
The azaleas already had shown off their colorful glory when I visited Longwood, and the peonies – oh, did they impress.
We also made sure to take a stroll through the rose garden, though roses were never my favorite flower. They certainly delight when spilling over garden walls and interspersed with poppies and lupine.
SEE WHAT’S IN BLOOM AT LONGWOOD GARDENS
The conservatory plantings offered the chance to see a variety of hydrangeas and other shrubs and flowers not yet blooming in the outdoor garden areas, while aimlessly wandering the grounds allowed me to come across plantings that aren’t prominently featured.
Beyond the foliage
Longwood's blossoms may be the stars of the show, but there is a lot more to see.
You can meander out of the East Conservatory to admire the world’s largest residence pipe organ, and check out its pumps behind the scenes.
Next to the cascading wisteria, the Historic Pump Room & Gallery offers an indoor exhibit and lesson in what goes into Longwood's fountain shows and performances, with a chance to see the inner workings of the pumps used for the fountain spectacles.
And don’t miss out on taking in the view at the top of Chimes Tower. You get to see the bells up close.
Next time I go
Of the many lessons learned with my first Longwood Gardens trip, key among them is planning to go when my favorite blossoms are blooming.
That means going in April to see tulips at Flower Garden Walk and a summer visit to catch the outdoor hydrangeas. And probably a late-summer visit, too, if I want to see the dahlias. Maybe I’ll even brave a crowded day in the winter to experience “A Longwood Christmas.”
Top on the list for next visit also will be taking in the views from the three treehouses scattered across the property.
Between crowds and poor planning, we quickly lost time, patience and stamina to attempt tackling those features during my first visit.
Make sure to wear good walking shoes if you plan on taking on this 1,077-acre expanse at once. I know I will be next time, especially if I want to make it out after strolling through the Meadow Garden.
Got a tip? Contact Amanda Fries at afries@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter at @mandy_fries.
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