Sarah Woods and her daughter, Ansel, sit perched on a cartoonish painted throne, dappled in sunlight. Here in the Bee a-Mazed Children's Garden, that kind of whimsy rewards parents and kids. "Every time I come here, I re-energize," Sarah says.

She's not alone. For families, Longwood offers the chance to learn together and to unplug from the noise of modern life.

Inside the expanded conservatory, plaques carry Latin plant names, and brochures detail the global design influences of the stunning building--standard stuff for most public gardens. Look closer, though, and you'll notice five small stands scattered throughout the conservatory. These "stamp stations" offer kids a chance to fill in the blanks in their stamp hunt booklets and read about what a gardener, a volunteer, or a painter does.

left: Families particularly enjoy the gardens.