Our own Versailles in Kennett Square

Last Thursday the New York Times published a very interesting story about the Duchess of Northumberland and her garden at Alnwick Castle. The story, entitled, "The Versailles of the North," highlighted the struggles and determination to complete what will be one the most aspiring new public gardens in Europe. As yet unfinished and critiqued by some as too commercial it is none the less a major project and is bringing in hordes of visitors. There is a nice slideshow as part of the story to show you the work in progress.

Luckily, we Yanks don't have to cross the Pond to see a garden in the style of Versailles. A good friend just returned from a weekend in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania and raved about the beauty of Longwood Gardens.

Less than two and half hours from Washington DC, in the Brandywine Valley, sits over a thousand acres of botanical gardens, meadows, and majestic fountains.Open to the public year round, Longwood is a gift from it's creator Pierre S. du Pont.

The garden has twenty outdoor and twenty indoor gardens and from late May to the first of September has a wonderful nighttime show of the fountains lit and set to music. Here is the link to Longwood Gardens.