Proposed by: The Garden Club of Wilmington, Zone V

In 1906 industrialist Pierre Samuel du Pont purchased a small farm to save a collection of historic trees. Today Longwood Gardens encompasses 1,077 acres featuring 20 indoor gardens, 20 outdoor gardens, meadows, and woodlands showcasing more than 11,000 types of plants. The seasonal displays elevate the art of horticulture, spotlighting unusual but also ordinary plants, all grown to extraordinary effect. Horticulture endeavors extend beyond the boundaries of the gardens to include a thriving research and production program. Longwood has become the most visited public garden in America with more than one million guests annually. In  2014 Longwood unveiled an expanded Meadow Garden, 86 acres of native wildflower plantings, trails, and the story of the landscape through the seasons. June 2015 brought “Nightscape: a Sound and Light Experience,” an immersive evening journey through the Gardens using the landscape as the canvas for this artistic installation.