By Vaishnavi Sriadibhatla, Staff Reporter

First publicly unveiled and started in 2021, Longwood Gardens’ Longwood Reimagined project aims to remodel more than 17 acres of the site’s conservatory and lands.

Longwood Gardens first developed the original master plan for the project in 2010. The leadership team decided to pursue the project to provide the garden’s visitors with a more contemporary and immersive experience.

Conestoga’s Studio Art 1 and photography classes take an annual field trip to Longwood Gardens. Art teacher Leanne Argonish primarily organizes the yearly trip. She believes the changes will benefit her students and invite new creative experiences. 

“I think it will give them more space to spread out and will give them more interesting, dynamic landscapes with more depth to them and more variations in the results coming back to the studio. We do get a lot of the water fountain area, so it is nice to have the other areas so the students have more diverse solutions to the problems we give them,” Argonish said.

The largest element of the project is the building of the West Conservatory, which is the centerpiece of the project. The West Conservatory will be a 32,000-square-foot greenhouse, including several gardens, pools and fountains.

Other elements of the project include the Cascade Garden, Bonsai Courtyard, Waterlily Court, Orchid House and a plethora of new landscapes. As part of the project, Longwood Gardens is establishing more pathways connecting the various attractions and restaurant spaces, as well as adding more spaces for private events.

Another key element of the project is the addition of The Grove, a learning center constructed for staff and visitors. The  Longwood Gardens website describes The Grove as “a refurbished and expanded building with new state-of-the-art studios, virtual learning studios, a library, and staff offices.” The creation and design of The Grove intends to foster a place for learning, growth and discovery.

The project will be fully completed and unveiled in fall 2024.

“Personally, I think that (the changes) are great, especially The Grove. I already know that a lot of students go there for school, painting or just to see flowers with family,” said sophomore and prior Studio Art 1 student Shreya Gopalakrishnan Sreejith. “I think that another area for students to learn is going to make a big difference.”

Vaishnavi Sriadibhatla can be reached at [email protected]