Curious Parents Places to Go

Destinations

A Bouquet of Gardens for EARTH DAY
By Carol Reed

Earth Day is celebrated on April 22 as spring stirs our souls and the days grow longer and the leaves grow greener. And what’s a more perfect way to celebrate the beauty our region has to offer than a trip to the many gardens and nature reserves we have right on our doorstep? You can go even further by having the kids help with landscaping and planting a tree or merely by filling the pots on your front porch. It’s prime time to teach youngsters how to “give back” and to appreciate the gifts of Mother Earth. So “plant” your feet toward the gardens and get out into the springtime.

Pierre du Pont’s Longwood Gardens offers 1,050 acres of garden, woods, and meadows. Surround yourself with 20 outdoor gardens and 20 more located inside four acres of heated greenhouses with spectacular fountains. Educational programs include career training and internships, flower shows, gardening demonstrations, concerts, and fireworks displays. Longwood is open every day. Starting on April 1 and culminating on May 25, the new “Orchid Extravaganza” presents thousands of orchid blooms, center stage, throughout Longwood’s Conservatory. Feast your senses during Easter and Mother’s Day Weekends—complete with concerts and dining in the Ballroom. Savor Longwood’s first “Wine & Jazz Festival.” Taste vintages from wineries throughout the region while enjoying live jazz. Arbor Day weekend is set to be filled with educational activities and family events. Come welcome spring with daffodils, tulips, pansies, and forget-me-nots in bloom. Longwood Gardens is located in the Brandywine Valley at Route 1 in Kennett Square Pa. For more information, call 610.388.1000 or visit www.longwoodgardens.org

Historic Bartram’s Gardens, home to botanist John Bartram, is just minutes from Center City Philadelphia. It is America’s oldest living botanical garden and preserves an 18th century homestead. In the midst of Philadelphia, discover a surprising wildflower meadow, ancient trees, a river trail, wetlands, and stone farm buildings overlooking the Schuylkill River. Explore John Bartram’s 18th century home, barn and a cider press carved from rock. Stroll through the fragrant Common Flower Garden and the riverside meadow with an impressive view of the city skyline. George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson have all been here, so come along and share in their experiences. The “Garden & River” exhibit will be presented by the DaVinci Art Alliance on April 13 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. and on April 14-15 from 12-4 p.m. The event is a new multimedia exhibition featuring art inspired by Bartram’s Garden & the Schuylkill River. Weekend includes curator’s tours for adults & children plus art workshops. All events free, RSVP requested for Opening Reception & Workshops. The gardens are located at 54th St. and Lindbergh Blvd. For more information, call 215.729.1049.

The University of Pennsylvania’s Morris Arboretum, the Official Arboretum of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, features 92 acres with thousands of rare trees and shrubs.  Many of Philadelphia’s oldest and largest trees are here. The university took over the land in 1932 from the estate of John and Lydia T. Morris and developed a site that has become an outstanding attraction as well as a research center. Spring walks meander along paths of a Victorian garden with streams and secluded horticultural areas. Encounter an English style park with rolling hills, a formal rose garden, and an exotic Japanese Garden, all in sight of the city of Philadelphia. Indoors is the restored Hamilton Fernery with hundreds of ferns that grow around a mountain grotto, waterfall, and rustic bridge. It is the only greenhouse of its type in North America. There is a variety of wildlife living in the Arboretum, including a pair of Royal Swans. Meadows and native woodlands compliment the man-made gardens. The Arboretum is the perfect place for a self-guided family tour, and family programs include classes and workshops throughout the year, call for their scheduled special events. The Morris Arboretum is Located at 100 Northwestern Avenue, between Stenton and Germantown Avenues. For more information, call 215.247.5777 or visit www.morrisarboretum.org

Carol Reed is a middle school teacher & freelance journalist who specializes in travel writing. Carol’s journeys have taken her as close to home as the New Jersey Pines & as far as the islands in the Caribbean.