Gardeners on the Go

Great gardens are created by designers who have studied other great gardens, landscapes, and plants first hand. You will have no better opportunity to experience the sights, smells, sounds, and textures of the plants and gardens in our region than on these unique trips. Come along with our groups as we hit the road to learn design fundamentals in exceptional private gardens, buy plants at undiscovered nurseries, or touch massive champion trees. You’ll learn from your interaction with our experienced guides and share insights with other garden enthusiasts as you relax and let someone else do the driving on these daylong jaunts.

2008 Courses:

On the Trail of Champion Trees

with Scott Wade

DATE:  Friday, Oct 3. 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
FEE:  $62 passholder; $69 non-passholder. lunch provided 
WHERE:  Visitor Center Parking lot
CODE:  082GTCTD

The Longwood Gardens Big Tree Group is now a recognized player in the fascinating world of champion trees. In the 2006 edition of the Big Trees of Pennsylvania, members of our tour nominated over 10 trees for champion status. We are always on the lookout for new champions, the biggest, tallest, and oldest trees in our region, in Pennsylvania, and even the nation. On this trip we will measure and record tree diameters, heights and spreads, and discuss tree identification, structure, and natural history. Scott has added an official task to our tours – a percentage of our stops will be to see trees that are new nominees for champion status. We have regular attendees, but we hope you join us so you can experience the indescribable feeling of standing at the base of one of these giant trees and putting your hands on living history. Come along and be a witness to what time can do in the landscape.            Fee includes transportation, lunch, and refreshments.

The Gardens of Oehme, van Sweden and Associates

SOLD OUT!

with Paul Van Meter

DATE:  Friday, May 16. 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
FEE:  $119 passholder; $129 non-passholder. lunch provided 
WHERE:  Visitor Center Parking Lot
CODE:  081GTOVD

Way back in 1995, we took a group to visit gardens featuring the bold, romantic style of evolutionary garden designers Wolfgang Oehme and James van Sweden. These gardens, with their majestic sweeps of spring bulbs, ornamental grasses, and popular hardy perennials, were truly inspirational to us back then. So, we decided we should return to see how these gardens have matured. This all-day tour will highlight private gardens in Maryland, one of which is Oehme’s home garden. We will see firsthand the use of familiar plants in designs that are now at maturity and then some. Tap into the expertise of designer Wolfgang Oehme and tour leader Paul Van Meter, who has worked with Oehme for over twenty years. There will be plenty of time for questions, design and plant discussion, and photographs. It will be a trip back in time or some of you, and a brand new adventure for others. Either way, it will be a unique day and one not to miss.
Your fee includes bus transportation and a catered lunch in one of the private gardens.

Specialty Nursery Tour

with David Culp

SOLD OUT!

DATE:  Friday, June 6. 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
FEE:  $129 passholder; $139 non-passholder. lunch provided 
WHERE:  Visitor Center Parking lot 
CODE:  081GTSND

Back by popular demand, this tour is a sellout every spring so be sure to sign up as early as you can to reserve a spot. With plant extraordinaire Dave Culp as our guide, we will again visit some relatively unknown regional nurseries where you will find highquality and often hard-to-find plants for your garden. The only thing you really need on this day is some sort of plan and a little bit of control so you can sort through the dynamic selection of annual and perennial plants at great prices. We will load your treasures in a truck and bring them back to Longwood for you to take home that day. Its fun, it’s hectic, it’s not for the faint of heart. Register early and get this day on your calendar now.

Green Gardens: A Design Tour

with Jeff Jabco

DATE:  Thursday, Oct 23. 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM 
FEE:  $109 passholder; $119 non-passholder. lunch provided 
WHERE:  Visitor Center Parking lot
CODE:  082GTGGD

As a follow up to his November 2007 lecture, Longwood asked Jeff Jabco to lead a group of us on a tour to see first hand many of the green and sustainable projects he spoke about in his talk. We’ll be in Villanova, Swarthmore, Media, and just beyond to see green roofs, permeable parking lots, rainwater and storm water collection systems, and a number of other cutting edge projects which will be literally brand new when we see them. Bring your note pad to jot down the ideas and make sketches for your own garden as we all learn how adaptable these big ideas are for our own landscapes and gardens.

Pennock Floral Company Tour

with Jane Godshalk

DATE:  Thursday, Nov 6. 12:00 Noon to 5:00 PM
FEE:  $62 passholder; $69 non-passholder
WHERE:  Visitor Center Parking lot
CODE:  082GTPCA

Floral Design Elective - 1 credit
Start your holiday decorating with new ideas and purchases from the Pennock Company, one of Philadelphia’s leading flower wholesalers. Take advantage of this unique opportunity to tour their facility, which is not normally open to the public. Learn how they purchase, prepare, and store fresh flowers. We will also tour the extensive design supply, silk and dried flower, and container departments where we will see the operation of this business in action. This is a popular annual trip and a great opportunity for you to shop and open accounts after the tour. The bus will leave the back of the Main Visitor parking lot promptly at noon (brown bag lunches are welcome) and return by 5pm.
Please bring a warm coat, you will be touring coolers kept at 37°F.