In 2024, the Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, PA opened its new Bonsai Courtyard.
The new design is beautiful with cherry trees intermixed amongst the bonsai displays. There is also an abundance of Japanese forest grass around the edges and beneath many of the display podiums. At 12,500 square feet, the courtyard can accommodate up to 200 miniature trees.
The collection held by Longwood, and in conjunction with gifted trees from The Kennett Collection, allow the garden to rotate up to 50-60 specimens throughout the year.
Website: https://longwoodgardens.org/gardens/conservatory-district/bonsai-courtyard
The bonsai in the garden are magnificent. The new courtyard also does a fantastic job of displaying the bonsai.
Visitors can meander about and examine the trees from multiple angles, while some trees are isolated in nooks within the courtyard.
Larger open spaces accommodate collections of plants.
I also like the large panel-backdrops behind many of the trees. They help frame the trees and limit distractions that can take away from the viewing experience.
Other displays at the near and far ends of the courtyard employ charred-black screens as a backdrop, further enhancing the details of some of the smaller trees.
There is also a large bonsai work room in one of the original potting buildings just prior to the entrance to the courtyard. It is open for viewing from just inside the doorways.
Longwood Gardens, and its Bonsai Courtyard, are well worth a visit. Without a doubt, it is one of the best publicly accessible bonsai displays on the east coast of the United States.
