What a splendid day it is in the Winterthur Garden. Fresh clear air, color in abundance, happy people, spring blooms – thrilling!
As I begin to write about the garden, the word that springs to my mind is “full.” But full doesn’t do it. A thesaurus is helpful to find words to describe the lush color of azaleas, primroses and peonies: abounding, chock-full, extravagant, lavish, saturated and voluminous are good descriptors of the garden today.
1) The peony garden is coming into full bloom. My favorites are the single pink peonies near the summer house. If you catch them in just the right light, they seem to glow.
2) The lower March Bank, especially looking at it from Icewell Terrace is fabulous right now. Azaleas in pink, white and purple. I recommend a picnic lunch on Icewell Terrace in the cool shade of the magnificent trees.
3) The Reflecting Pool Garden sports lavendar azaleas and puffy white viburnums. My daughter, who will (hopefully) be married there on June 27th, asked if I could freeze the garden just as it looks today. Is the power of the mother-of-the-bride that strong?
4) The Quarry Garden is as pretty as I’ve ever seen it in my 11 years at Winterthur. The candelabra primroses in sweet candy-shop colors must like this spring’s weather. I suspect staff and volunteers have been working very hard to make the Quarry Garden look “like it just happened.”
5) In Azalea Woods, most of the azaleas are done for the year. Don’t dispair – following close behind the azaleas are the triumphantly bold rhododendrons. Love the lavender ones with deep purple centers.
6) In the Pinetum, bright orange and yellow native azaleas brighten the shade as the conifer walls capture their sweet fragrance. Ferns and lillies of the valley carpet the soil. Well-placed benches invite you to take a break and enjoy a perfect spring day in the Winterthur Garden.
Enjoy!
Love all your inspiration/comments on the garden. We visited about 2 weeks ago and because my husband was on crutches, took the tram ride through the garden twice!! I have been trying to recall the name of the small tree just to the right of the Estate/Museum “garden” as you look at it from the tram (I think this area used to be a swimming pool and the tree was between the “changing house” and the tram road. Think it was a euonymous or viburnum…..one of our guides said it was her favorite tree with shimmery leaves (flowers?) in the summer and beautiful fall foliage. Would you happen to know this tree so I can try to locate it (if it even grows in our zone) Many thanks….what a treat it was to see all the azaleas and rhodies in bloom and to have 2 guided tours to enjoy it all. Ellen Gray
Ellen, I am glad that Karen was able to get back to you with the identity of the euonymous (Euonymous bungeana).