Longwood Gardens has been on our list of places to visit for a long time. I recall Janice, whom I worked with at the Division of Disability Determinations, telling me she visited the gardens with her husband and that we should plan a trip there.

Over 4o years later, we made the horticultural gem a destination on our way back to New Jersey from D.C., where my husband attended a lawyers’ conference, in October. We were certainly glad we made it to the gardens. The grounds in Chester County, Pennsylvania, are distinctively beautiful.

The brainchild of Pierre S. du Pont, Longwood Gardens encompasses 1,100 acres of well-manicured land. Much about the lush gardens can be found in a Google search.

“Pierre S. du Pont was born in 1870 in a DuPont Company house overlooking the Brandywine Creek just north of Wilmington, Delaware. His early years were influenced by the area’s natural beauty and by the du Pont family’s long tradition of gardening. But not even Pierre himself could have predicted that he would someday become one of the country’s most influential gardeners.”

As we walked around the various gardens, Claude Monet came to mind when I stood there marveling at the beauty enveloping the water lily pond with a display of brightly colored blossoms. Having been to Monet’s home and gardens in Giverny, I predict the artist would have appreciated the beauty of Longwood Gardens.

Standing poised from a balcony-like setting, overlooking the fountains next to the display of ornamental topiary trees, was akin to being in a European Garden. Time stood still as I gazed about and took in all the beauty of the well-manicured scenery.

More about du Pont found on the internet, tells that “At the age of 36, Pierre bought the Peirce farm and soon began creating what would become Longwood Gardens. He followed no grand plan; rather, he built the gardens piecemeal, beginning with the ‘old-fashioned’ Flower Garden Walk. His later gardens would draw heavily on Italian and French forms.

“Many generations helped create Longwood Gardens, but Pierre du Pont – industrialist, conservationist, farmer, designer, impresario, and philanthropist – was to make the most enduring contribution.”

Put it on your list of “places to see.” Just don’t wait over 40 years to get there. It really is worth the trip. During our stay, we spent the three recommended hours touring around on our own, but we hope to return and spend more time exploring and enjoying the wonders of Longwood Gardens in various seasons. It could be called “The Second-Happiest Place on Earth,” next to the famously dubbed “Disneyland, The Happiest Place on Earth.”

There may not be any Disney rides or attractions at Longwood Gardens, but a child-pleasing Thomas the Tank Engine runs on a toy train line nestled in the trees, flowers and fauna. The staff, mimicking a Disney-style smile and comforting greeting, could not be more friendly and welcoming.

The manicured grounds are peaceful and enjoyable to explore. The property is handicap, wheelchair, and stroller-accessible. Unlike Disney, with a distant memory of the long lines we waited in before the advent of timed ticketing, Longwood Gardens is the perfect place for a relaxing outing.