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A Bouquet of Gardens for April

By Carol Reed

Spring! It stirs our souls with renewal, as the days grow longer. Garden stores begin to look tempting, and lawnmowers call out to be oiled and ready for duty. Gardening is a wholesome activity for the entire family, whether you are landscaping your rolling estate, or merely your front porch.

For inspiration, we have some fabulous, world-famous gardens in our own “backyard.” So “plant” your feet in some of these bouquets of gardens, and get out into the springtime!

Pierre du Pont’s Longwood Gardens offers 1,050 acres of gardens, woods and meadows. Enjoy 20 outdoor gardens and 20 gardens inside 4 acres of heated greenhouses with spectacular fountains. Horticulturists nurture thousands of different types of plants. Educational programs include career training and internships. At various times of the year, experience flower shows, gardening demonstrations, concerts, and fireworks displays. Longwood is open every day, and attracts more than 900,000 visitors a year.

In early April, their “Welcome Spring” program features daffodils, tulips, pansies and forget-me-nots in bloom in the Orangery and Exhibition Hall. The Cascade Garden offers fragrant tropical plants and waterfalls, while the Rose House is full of delicious blossoms. The Orchid display features striking flora, and the Fruit House tempts you with nectarines, melons and other fruits. Outdoors, bulbs are in bloom from February through April. Longwood presents special garden areas and activities for youngsters. Daily programs include gardening demonstrations, Children’s Fun Days, and select weekend performances.

Longwood Gardens is located in the Brandywine Valley: Route 1, PO Box 501 Kennett Square PA 19348, 610-388-1000, www.longwoodgardens.org.

Historic Bartram’s Garden, home to botanist John Bartram, is just minutes from center city Philadelphia. It is America’s oldest living botanical garden, and an 18th century homestead. Amidst the city 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 Philadelphia skyline. George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson have all been here, so come along and share in their experiences.

An interactive kids’ website can be found on at: http://www.bartramsgarden.org/education/kids.html

The gardens are located at 54th St. and Lindbergh Blvd., Philadelphia 19142. 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 site 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.

Take a spring walk along meandering 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 indigenous 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 Germantown and Stenton Aves. http://www.business-services.upenn.edu/arboretum/.

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