I’ve been to Winterthur (in Wilmington, Delaware) before. It was really pretty (OK I might be just a bit jaded by all of my garden travels…). But little did I know. Last week we went to Winterthur at it’s absolute PEAK, and it was, dare I say it, SPECTACULAR.
Seriously, at times I almost wanted to cry, it was so beautiful. I finally GET Winterthur! Yes, I’m being dramatic. But man, those people know how to do a spring woodland. These photos don’t even come close to doing it justice, but enjoy them all the same.
I’ll show you 12 more tomorrow. Because I can’t seem to narrow them down to one batch. **Happy sigh**
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Comments
amazing and lush. love the pr imrose and moss.
These pictures from Winterthur sing the lesson (I was going to say "scream" but the other word sounds more celebratory)that if you have large scale, you should definitely have large quantity.The carpet of blue that just seems to go on and on is Mother Nature at her most generous and the effect is hugely pleasing the eye.And, sad to say, but I guess I have to go sit in the dummy chair because I do not know what plant is creating the swath of blue. Looking forward to tomorrow's sharing.
meander1, I too love that blue carpet. You expressed my feelings much better than I could. I wondered what the blue was so got out my iPad which allows me to zoom in on the photos and it looks like the daisy like plant may be Anemone blanda, windflower, which comes in blue, pink and white.
I also saw some Virginia Bluebells? in some of the other photos but in one they were partially pink so don't know if that's what it is. I have a couple that I have relocated to my wooded area and they are so blue.
Do you know what the shrub that has the red blooms on it is?
Hey Michelle, I didn't get my GPOD email today. Did get the FG e-newsletter though.
Sorry I didn't ID the plants, guys. I do know the following:
White and blue starry flowers: Windflower (Anemone blanda cvs.)
Yellow hanging flowers: Merrybells (Uvularia grandiflora)
White 3-petaled flowers: Trilliums (Trillium spp.)
Blue and pink flowers: Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica)
And yes, we're still having trouble with the mail service. Grrr!
Last time I was at Winterthur the azaleas, lilac and rhododendron groves were all blooming magnificently. It was breathtaking. We took the little bus around the gardens in the morning, then had a tour of the splendid house museum, and then went back again for the garden tour in the afternoon sun when everything just glowed. I've gone there a dozen or so times in the past 15 years, and it's always worth it, but it was soul-stirring to be there at it's spring peak.
I really do have to start visiting some more public gardens. Thank you for the beautiful mini tour. My current property is more like open farmland, but I have a special place in my heart for woodland gardens. I have no immediate plans to move, but I have been eyeballing an awesome property with many acres that backs up to Candlewood lake. It has amazing moss and lichen covered rock outcroppings, hemlock and oak forest, ferns and more. I have a great time fantasizing about adding trilliums, jack in the pulpits, native orchids, and other woodland treasures. One of the reasons I love this blog, is it is so much fun to imagine what I would do with all the amazing properties I get to peek at here.
Woohoo, I was right on the windflowers...Wow, I am usually wrong because I don't look at all the characteristics, my ADD kicking in.
Got my GPOD, Michelle. It said it came at 7:58am. I liked it better when it came in the wee hours of the morning. So who fixed the unbroken email in the first place, Lol! My hubby says if it ain't broken, don't fix it. But we can find you without an email link so keep posting those pictures.
trashywoman62: I also grow Virginia Bluebell but after the peak of its bloom it turns light pink. My trillium does the same.
I love today's pictures! Especially the masses of Anemone Blanda or Grecian Windflower and the Japanese Primulas which are ideal for wet shady areas
The email usually goes out automatically at 3 or 4 am, eastern time, but since we've been having problems one of our web gurus has been sending it out manually as soon as he gets to his computer and finds out there was a problem. Now, off to pester them more! ;-)
So glad you love Winterthur - an absolute treasure in the Delaware hort. scene, along with Mt. Cuba Center ( go go go ) and Longwood Gardens. FYI, Winterthur is in Wilmington.
Winterthur is wonderful at any time of the year. Strongly recommend the additional house tour. Henry duPont's collections are truly the best we have ever seen.
Next time you are in the area, please visit Chanticleer, http://www.chanticleergarden.org/. The gardens are just super and so very well done. In addition, many of the designs and implementations can be easily copied for home use. Before your visit, download and print the PDFs with the contents of the beds as there are no labels in the beds.
And if you want to have your breath taken away, then visit Nemours in the same area. http://www.nemoursmansion.org/
Thank you very much for all of your work and excellent writing. I look forward to your emails everyday.
What a really nice place! I would be in that place year round just walking and walking and walking.
phyllissergent, we did go to Chanticleer! It was HEAVENLY! I've been there numerous times, but spring was an awesome treat. Now I have to go check out Nemours--thanks for the tip!
What is the pink flower in the 6th picture with the Virgina Bluebell?
i need to get out more! especially the gardens of the northeast
Love your pictures, Michele! I have never gotten to see Winterthur gardens though I have been on the house tour several times. I will try to make it when the azaleas are in bloom. Last weekend I went to the Mt. Cuba for the Woodland Wildflower walk and it was beautiful! Longwood is always a treat.
You are right, Phyllis, Chanticleer is a treat. I will try to visit the Nemours Mansion.
Beautiful photos, Michelle! And just in time too as I am looking forward to my first visit to Winterthur this week. It was patterned after the "wild garden" concept of William Robinson, who was a lover of the spring garden. I highly recommend his book by that name! Thanks for sharing!
Wow... some parts can be my property... I love all those forest amd meadow pictures.
Speaking of public gardens, and Michelle visiting Laurelwood Arboretum in NJ last week, these pictures of Winterthur remind me of the Leonard J. Buck garden in Far Hills NJ. The woodland gardens are similar to Winterthur, and it is probably my favorite public garden in NJ. And as nice as Laurelton is, I would have recommended Michelle stop to view the cherry trees in bloom at Branchbrook Park in Newark. 2 miles of 4300 cherry trees, 28 varieties,a
spectacular display. Exit 13 280 east, right next to the Sacred Heart Basilica.
No GPOD email yet today, and yesterday's arrived late in the PM. But my log-in held from yesterday. :-)
<--- One of my two dawn redwoods. After 10 years it's about 20' tall now, grew about 1' per year... still fenced to keep the deer from munching the lower branches.
Oh, my goodness! It is just SO LOVELY! And your photos are, too, Michelle. I am looking forward to exploring Winterthur in the end of May on a garden tour , but I this is truly the time I think I'd like to see it most...the woodland in all its early spring glory. I've been trying to create a bit of this woodland beauty in my small property...it takes TIME and patience to achieve the natural look but it's such fun learning about all the delicate gems and unusual plants that make up the woodland gardens...And, of course, acquiring some of them.
I can't wait to see your next batch of photos. Thanks for sharing them.
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