By Miya Cao, Staff Reporter

On Feb. 2, the botanical conservatory Longwood Gardens, located in Kennett Square, announced its acquisition of the Granogue estate in nearby New Castle County, Delaware. Granogue Reserve LLC (GRLLC) has been working with Longwood Gardens and The Conservation Fund on the transaction since 2016. Longwood Gardens did not disclose a date for when the estate will be open to visitors.

Irénée du Pont Jr. resided in Granogue until his death on Jan. 16, 2023. GRLLC is the legal entity that represents the estate, with Grace Engbring, daughter of Irénée and Barbara du Pont Jr., serving as the family representative.

“Preserving this beautiful land is important to our family,” Engbring said. “Longwood Gardens has shown great care in stewarding our great-uncle Pierre’s former estate, and I know Longwood will ensure Granogue thrives into the future.”

The sprawling estate has acres of farmlands, forests, pastures and meadows. Irénée du Pont Sr.’s family mansion, built in 1921, sits on a hilltop. Although Granogue is privately owned by the du Pont family and not open to the general public, it often hosts community events and fundraisers like foot races and Boy Scouts events. The 505-acre lot is one of the last unprotected open spaces of its kind in the Brandywine River Valley area.

“Longwood Gardens is honored to play a part in the preservation of Granogue,” said Paul Redman, president and CEO of Longwood Gardens. “We understand the important role this iconic landscape plays in our region’s ecology, community and quality of life, and we look forward to working with our partners to ensure this treasure is stewarded for future generations to enjoy.”

The Conservation Fund is a national environmental nonprofit based in Washington, D.C. that helps save land by leading the negotiations between property sellers and buyers. Blaine Phillips, the senior vice president and Mid-Atlantic director of The Conservation Fund, feels that the potential for overdevelopment is dangerous.

“We know that when we drive down (Route) 926, we see this beautiful countryside and rolling farmland. But, we also see that we’re losing it and that we’re getting more and more crowded and congested every year,” Phillips said. “It’s important to protect land, especially land that allows for recreation so people can enjoy the outdoors.”

Philadelphia is often called “America’s Garden Capital” because it has more than 30 public gardens within 30 miles. Part of this is due to Éleuthère Irénée du Pont de Nemours’ descendants settling in the Brandywine Valley area, including both Pierre S. du Pont’s Longwood Gardens and Irénée du Pont Sr.’s Granogue Estate.

“We tend to take things that are in our own backyard for granted,” Phillips said. “The Brandywine Valley is rare, and it’s a gem. I hope (we) can all recognize things that are right here in front of us and protect them.”

Miya Cao can be reached at [email protected].