How Laurel Valley Soils Helped Provide Horticultural Compost, Interior Soils, and Bioretention Soils for Longwood Gardens’ Reimagined Project
At Laurel Valley Soils, we know amazing landscapes have to start somewhere, and that is from the ground up.
But few projects embody this more than our recent collaboration with Longwood Gardens on their landmark Reimagined Project. This was no ordinary undertaking; it was a generational investment in one of the world’s most iconic botanical gardens. And we were given a foundational role in helping shape the future of a place that’s both a local treasure and a global destination.
This isn’t just about soil. It is about three unique soil solutions designed to support three vastly different goals. It is about how modern horticulture demands a level of precision, testing, and craftsmanship that elevates soil blending into both art and science.
The Allée: Blending the Old with the New
One of the earliest phases of the project involved a new allée; a stately tree lined boulevard that bridges the historic East Conservatory with the new West Conservatory. The soil under this allée was not trucked in from afar. Instead, it was reborn right on site.
With Bancroft Construction as the General Contractor, we worked closely with B.R. Kreider & Son, Inc., who produced an amended soil blended to Longwood Gardens stringent specifications.
Using soil salvaged onsite, imported coarse sand and our very own Horticultural Compost, Kreider and Laurel Valley worked together, creating several test blends until the soil mixture was dialed in. Using loaders equipped with bucket scales to measure each component down to the pound, Kreider produced a consistent, high-performance amended soil. Blending on site using reclaimed soils is a notable example of how to limit a project’s carbon footprint.
The West Conservatory
At our production facility in Landenberg, PA, we manage a rigorous process of prototyping, sampling, and testing. First, we tested all the individual components that in combination make up the Interior Soil. Then it took several rounds of blending and testing the mixture of these components until the mix was perfected to meet the specification.
Creating soil for a world-class conservatory is no small task to say the least! While we were ecstatic to be selected to provide the Interior Soil, we definitely felt the weight of that responsibility. The soil, as it was designed by Longwood’s Landscape Architect, needed to be blended perfectly with no margin of error.
The soil was designed to maintain its structural integrity over time and provide a long list of critical functions including providing porosity, moisture balance, infiltration, and nutritional needs. As the soil was installed in layers, many other features were built into the soil like irrigation and fertility delivery systems, air delivery systems, and sensors for temperature, moisture, and oxygen. This way Longwood would have the ability to manage each unique planting area, of which there were many, with individualized care based on its specific plant group requirements.
The result? A highly specialized indoor growing medium, ready to bring forth Longwood’s newest generation of living displays.
“It is humbling to be part of this iconic, once-in-a-lifetime project—a local treasure our community is proud to share with the world,” says Jake Chalfin, Laurel Valley Soils, Sales Manager.
The Bioretention Basins: Smart Soil for Stormwater Sustainability
Alongside the beauty of the expansion came a critical infrastructure need: stormwater management. For that, Longwood utilized the modern green infrastructure feature called a bioretention basin. These living basins are designed to collect, filter, and absorb stormwater from the increased impervious surfaces created by the West Conservatory and surrounding hardscape.
We supplied a bioretention soil mix tailored to meet both functional performance and regulatory compliance—providing the right balance of infiltration, filtration, and plant support. It’s not just a basin—it is a working ecosystem, and the soil is key to making it thrive.
Stay tuned for our upcoming “Jake from the Basin” content series, where we dive deeper into the purpose and performance of this system.
A New Era for Soil Craftsmanship
The three different soil designs implemented on this project highlight the significant role that engineered soils now play in our landscapes. Soils are tasked with not only providing robust planting environments but are also required to play critical roles in managing and preventing the damaging effects from severe storm events that are becoming much more commonplace. Soils have been redefined beyond traditional horticulture and are now considered to be a critical pillar of green infrastructure.
And for us? That is exactly where we thrive.
From the classic allée’s to modern conservatories to sustainable stormwater infrastructure, our soils are the quiet foundation for the extraordinary—the next chapter of Longwood Gardens now Truly Reimagined!
