Spring is just weeks away—and that means that soon enough, there will be no shortage of in-bloom gardens to explore, including Philadelphia’s historic Longwood Gardens. With more than 1,077 acres of landscaping, Longwood Gardens is one of the United States’ premiere horticultural display gardens, with both native and exotic plants, not to mention events, performances, and seasonal and themed attractions, as well as educational lectures, courses, and workshops.
One particular part of Longwood Gardens looks a little different this year, though: its recently restored and reopened Orchid House. This venture marks the first completed project of Longwood Reimagined, a transformation of 17 acres of the Gardens’ main visitor area.
The Orchid House, which has been returned to its original appearance, is now able to exhibit up to 50% more orchids following its restoration. Its curator is Greg Griffis, the Senior Horticulturist at Longwood Gardens.
This content is imported from YouTube. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
“Ever since our founder Pierre S. du Pont and his wife Alice began collecting orchids in 1923, these magnificent plants have been a significant part of our mission of horticultural education and research,” Paul Redman, the Director and CEO of Longwood Gardens, said in a statement. “With the completion of the stately, thoughtfully reimagined Orchid House, we are demonstrating our commitment as stewards of this collection and these gardens. As we preserve and enhance this treasured space, we have created an even better experience to enjoy our renowned orchid collection, so that we can continue to share the diversity, beauty, and importance of our orchids with our guests long into the future.”
Longwood Gardens partnered with John Milner Architects to restore the vintage mosaic concrete of the Orchid House and to install a new glass roof, glass walls, lighting, display components, and custom frame trellises designed by Longwood’s in-house design team. Additionally, the Orchid House’s antique bronze display cases have been restored and moved to a new location.
Upon visiting the Orchid House, expect to see anywhere from 250 to 300 blooming orchids on any given day, alongside custom trellises that allow these flowers to be exhibited in various depths, heights, and arrangements.
Looking to see the famed Orchid House in person? You can do so by purchasing tickets here.
Follow House Beautiful on Instagram.
This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io