Summer may be fading and gardens limping into fall, but at historic Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, you can still wander the lush grounds and grand Conservatory and wonder at the botanical treasures that Pierre S. du Pont created on his 1,077-acre property.
If you are already missing the roses of summer, start at the Rose House that du Pont built to ensure he had roses all through the winter. Today the roses flourish, pink, purple, scarlet, all nestled with an abundance of Chinese hibiscus.
Follow the path to the Large and Small Lake, where the autumn leaves reflect in the water, which were once the site of Victorian picnics and boating parties.
Perhaps here's no better place to savor fall than in Pierce's Park, where trees over a hundred years old still stand in sylvan glades. Or climb up to one of the three tree houses for a bird's eye view of the foliage.
In the Topiary Garden, a fun family favorite, 50 specimens, nurtured in 20 different shapes from cones to pyramids to fanciful birds tower above you.
But to fully experience autumn, start your journey with a nature walk in Meadow Garden, Longwood's newest garden where you'll be enveloped by goldenrod, native asters and meadow grasses.
Within the Conservatory is an interactive children's garden, an orchid room, a room of bonsai (some more than 100 years old), a palm house with towering tropical plants, and even an arid desert room, an almost Zen-like space with an cactus in shades of grey, green and silver. Each season the Conservancy honors one flowering plant. Starting in mid-October, mums will take center stage. There will be 16,000 in all, some resembling clouds, balls, spirals, columns, pagodas and even a waterfall crafted from mums. The star of the show is the Thousand Bloom Mum, the largest chrysanthemum grown outside of Asia, with its 1,500 petals on just one plant.
Have dinner at the excellent cafe, which serves up quality fare like the creamy local mushroom soup, along with local beer and wine. Aim for a seat by the French-paned windows for a view over the gardens or by the artsy - and toasty --- fireplace in the center of one of the dining rooms.
Until October 31, plan to linger after dark for the light and sound experience of Nightscape, when the garden becomes a canvas for light and music. Created by Klip Collective, a visual arts atelier based Philadelphia, this innovative display showcases the best of Longwood at night. Take, for instance, The Legacy Tree, one of the property's oldest, which has been lit in shades of blue and purpose from the root system up to its canopy.
During Nightscape, Longwood has opened its first ever beer garden, an outdoor pop-up featuring pub fare, like fish and chips, along with local brewer Victory Brewing Company, which offers several beers on tap, including one made with lemons sources right from Longwood Gardens.
Stay overnight nearby at the Mendenhall Inn, which has its own restaurant with charming fireplace. Try the shrimp wrapped with bacon and paired with an airy horseradish mouse or the tableside bananas flambé, both retro favorites. Plus, this property has recently unveiled its new lounge called Alexander's, which features causal fare like local mushrooms stuffed with crab imperial. In nice weather plan for a seat in the garden by the firepit. If chilly, sidle up at the chic bar.
Or stay overnight nearby at the Hotel Warner, which is just a few miles up Route 1 from Longwood. Built around an old Art Deco theater, the Hotel Warner is good for families because it has spacious rooms, a heated indoor pool and free breakfast, which includes a waffle station and egg sandwiches. It's located right in the heart of downtown West Chester, which is known for its excellent variety of restaurants. In fact, the hotel has negotiated special discounts (ranging from 10 to 20-percent) for guests at many of them, including Irish pubs, Italian trattorias and Japanese sushi bars.