Now encompassing 1,100 acres, Longwood Gardens started out at less than half its current size when it was purchased in 1700 from William Penn’s commissioners by Quaker George Peirce. He turned the land into a working farm—and a century later, his descendants, Joshua and Samuel Peirce, planted a collection of trees that was among the young nation’s finest. The site was known as Peirce’s Park.
By 1906, the trees were in danger of being sold for lumber. Enter Pierre S. du Pont. A well-to-do industrialist, conservationist, designer, engineer and philanthropist, du Pont had visions of reshaping the acreage to mimic the beautiful French and Italian gardens he’d visited on his travels. There was no master plan— Longwood Gardens took shape based purely on du Pont’s whims and passions. Nine years after his initial purchase, the arts lover built an open-air theater, taking inspiration from the outdoor venue at Villa Gori near Siena, Italy. In 1921, the Conservatory opened, complete with an Aeolian organ that was later expanded in 1930 to include 10,010 pipes. It’s still in operation today.
Du Pont’s 600-jet Water Garden was modeled after Villa Gamberaia near Florence. Ever the conservationist, he designed the Main Fountain Garden to recirculate 10,000 gallons per minute.
When du Pont passed away in 1954 at age 84, the Longwood Foundation trustees set out to find someone who’d carry on their founder’s mission of legacy, stewardship and innovation. Three years later, Dr. Russell Seibert’s leadership oversaw the construction of new gardens and glass houses, a visitor center with a shop and auditorium, and a library. In 1972, Longwood was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Flash forward four decades to 2006, the year Paul Redman was named Longwood Gardens’ new president and CEO. Under a 40-year master plan, improvements include the East Conservatory Plaza, an expanded 86-acre Meadow Garden, and the revitalization and renewal of du Pont’s beloved Main Fountain Garden. Last year, the international destination expanded its portfolio with Longwood at Granogue, a 505-acre cultural landscape in Wilmington, Delaware. And, of course, there’s the culmination of Longwood Reimagined: A New Garden Experience, which we’ve detailed elsewhere in this package.
In 2026, it will be 120 years since du Pont purchased the land that became Longwood Gardens—and you can rest assured there will be a celebration. Meanwhile, Redman is eyeing a more distant future. “I may not ever really see the true outcome and impact of Longwood Reimagined during my tenure here,” he says. “It’s about the opportunity that’s being provided to the next generation of people who will be leading and caring for Longwood. Who knows what they’ll do with it? They make take our idea today to a higher level.”