The Merry Band of Travelers

Pat Dumas
Garden Blog
June 4, 2012
 

Remember when we didn’t have to pay taxes?  That time we had maids, butlers, and servants galore?  Ah, yes. That was a time.  A time for big money, no responsibilities and a chance to do whatever you wanted.   Remember that?

If you do, or if more likely you say “not in my lifetime”, and want to explore the opulence, there’s no place like Longwood Gardens in Kennet Square, Pennsylvania where myself and a little group of travelers, under the expert guidance of Sickles tour guide Kirsty Dougherty took a day trip in April.  Part of the new tour program -- Sickles On the Road -- that Sickles has rolled out this year, Longwood Gardens is a trip to savor in the heart as well as the palate.  Sickles Market staff rolls out the red carpet on the bus with breakfast, wine, snacks, good talk and hearty companionship.  

The site of Longwood Gardens has a long history.  We closed our eyes and traveled  back in time with a bit of a hush --- this opulent living won’t happen again; but, we can learn from the rich and famous.  This is where our visit took us.

On our way, we traveled through small towns with little houses in the Brandywine Valley that lead to the manor.  I think to myself these were the small houses of the help. They were the masons, gardeners, pantry workers and chefs.  Out of the small town, the open land seems to beckon lovers of trees and peace.

In 1798, the first owners of the land on which the Longwood estate  stands, planted their version of an arboretum which heartily welcomed the public from the very start. The Pierce brothers were known to have the finest arboretum in North America by 1850.

Our story gets more involved, as it was the dawn of the industrial revolution and land owners with a love of nature, trees and plants were in the minority.

In comes one very industrious capitalist: a lover of nature named Pierre DuPont.  He bought the land from the Pierce brothers to keep the trees from being farmed for lumber.  It became his obsession for the rest of his life, and the grounds of Longwood are now a mecca for all who love the things that are preserved: acres of land, trees, flowers, greenhouses and homes. 

Pierre DuPont (founder of Dupont Chemical)  made millions bringing smokeless gunpowder to the United States and producing it here in the Brandywine Valley.  Master of war as he was, he also had a passion for all things growing on his land, and left a legacy of power, money, pollution and guns as well as one of redemption in his trees, plants and flowers. 

 We are thankful for his good conscience. After his death, he left part of his wealth to the Longwood Foundation which provides for upkeep of the estate, cultural events, and one of the finest horticultural research centers in the world. Over the last 30 years, over 5,000 students have attended programs in horticulture at Longwood. A legacy indeed.  As the ever social-conscious Dupont stated in his will, the gardens were to always be open to the public and to be a place of educational endeavor. 

The jewel of the Longwood estate is the Conservatory.  A massive greenhouse, DuPont’s conservatory boasts a fabulous pipe organ and many ornate fountains. Lush orchids, tropicals and plants never seen in a lifetime wind in and out of fabulous themed decors.  There is even a children’s garden meticulously conceived for children as well as the young at heart.    

The grounds are seasonally themed with long walkways with fields of flowers and trees. Water features that defy engineering in the 19^th century are everywhere.  It’s impossible to understand the way they worked without electricity.

Dupont loved to see his flowers in a natural state, and much of the grounds boast an easy, natural look with masses of flowers, vines, and trees in a natural setting.  A grand tree house stands out as miraculous. Not only for the young, this tree house is heavily draped by wisteria, old age, and a good dose of old fashioned whimsy. 

Relaxed meandering through Longwood Gardens is a delight.  Free time, and lunch under the trees at the fabulous cafeteria capped our day off.  On the way home, a movie on the bus was followed with a good white wine and tired merriment.

Would we like to live in this time again? Most of us might say maybe. I say too much free time and idle hands!  But, if you like to learn about things past, present and future with a healthy dose of fun, wine and education, one of Sickles’ tours will feed your desire for a laid back adventure.