Longwood Gardens will bring back its autumn Chrysanthemum Festival later this month after skipping last year's display of the stunning "thousand bloom" plant and other varieties of fall's favorite flower.

The botanical preserve in Kennett Square said this year's festival will run from Oct. 24 to Nov. 16 with a new exhibit explaining the science behind growing and artfully shaping the colorful plant.

The species is one of the few that naturally blooms during cooler fall months, but cultivating them for vibrant displays is a rigorous process that can take upwards of a year. Longwood Gardens took a break from last year's festival to devote more attention to the opening of its new West Conservatory and other exhibits from the $250 million Longwood Reimagined project.

During a December l

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