About an hour outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania sits the beautifully manicured estate owned by Pierre du Pont that is now known as Longwood Gardens.  Originally purchased as the Pierce Farm, Pierre spent his life traveling the world, experiencing amazing technology and architecture, and adding those elements into the gardens we see today.  I have wanted to visit Longwood Gardens for a few years now, so getting tickets months ago for the Christmas timeframe was worth the wait!

Since we arrived a bit early (as tickets are for timed entry and I didn’t want to be late) we had some time to kill.  The gift shop was a natural time-killer, as it was huge and I could have spent a fortune in there.  Unique, novelty items abounded, like this rack of pastry ornaments!  Attention to detail was apparent in every inch of the building, and all items fit perfectly with a chilly winter’s day when you just want to see pretty decorations, smell cozy scents, and snuggle up with loved ones as the holidays approached.

In addition to a beautiful cardinal ornament, I purchased a pack of candles that were supposed to smell like a woodfire burning…which is one of the most appealing parts of winter for me.  We also purchased some snacks and a mini flocked tree as a table-top decoration.  We also poked into the garden center where you can purchase live plants.

And when I say that every inch of this place is beautiful…I’m not kidding.  Here are examples of two different bathroom locations and how they were decorated:

Even though it was cold and the normal plants and flowers were not in bloom outside, there was still plenty to see.  There were also a number of buildings you could visit to escape the cold.  Here are some of my favorite indoor pics:

Outside there was also plenty to see as pathways were decorated, Christmas trees were placed everywhere, and even the normal trees had lights to guide your way.  Just beyond the entrance to the gardens sits the café and restaurant.  Other than that, we found a cute little pop-up café where chilly visitors could grab a hot chocolate and cookies to stay warm at the other end of the gardens.  This happened to be right next to the treehouse, which was definitely worth a visit!

As we circled back toward the exit we visited the open-air theatre, and even caught the fountain performing a water show!  Apparently, that fountain remained operational while the others had been shut off for the season, and it performed the water show every 15 minutes.

Most people wore their masks indoors and outdoors to both protect other visitors and also keep their faces warm in the very cold air.  Everyone was nice, caring, and respectful while visiting and so many people offered to take pictures for others nearby.  It was an amazing visit and I can’t wait to go back in the Spring or Summer when everything is in bloom outside!