October 21, 2017

A Visit to Longwood Gardens

I'll be back in West Chester, Pennsylvania, this weekend, at the QVC headquarters and studios, to share more of my new gourmet food collection. Be sure to tune-in tomorrow, October 22nd, between noon and 4:30pm ET, when I talk about my delicious pigs in a blanket hors d’oeuvres and my mouthwatering prime rib! I will post reminders on my Twitter page @MarthaStewart.

While I was at QVC earlier this week, I had the opportunity to visit the exquisite Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square. Longwood Gardens has a rich and varied history. For thousands of years, the native Lenni Lenape tribe fished its streams, hunted its forests, and planted its fields. In 1700, Quaker farmer, George Peirce, purchased 400-acres of the English-claimed land and began developing the property. His decedents eventually created an arboretum of some of the finest trees in the nation. Unfortunately, as years passed, heirs lost interest and the land suffered decades of neglect until 1906, when it was obtained by Pierre du Pont - entrepreneur, businessman, philanthropist and member of the prominent du Pont family. Pierre's passion and vision created the groundwork for what is now Longwood Gardens - home to many spectacular botanical collections spread across 1,083-acres - all wonderfully maintained by a staff of 1,300 employees, students and volunteers.

If you are in the area through November 19th, stop by and visit the Chrysanthemum Festival, where you’ll see thousands of colorful mums planted in orbs, spirals, and pagodas - you’ll love it. Here are photos from my recent visit to Longwood Gardens - enjoy.