Flowers in February always seem like a miracle. Below is a selection of quotes about the February garden at Winterthur as noted by H.F. du Pont during his lifetime. (Compiled by Maggie Lidz, Winterthur’s estate historian.)
Feb. 1, 1954 to his sister Louise Crowninshield: Had cocktails after church with Ann Marvel and walked home. It was cold but lovely and sunny. The primula malacoides have been so beautiful that I shall never go to Boca Grande till about this time.
Feb. 2, 1922, to his friend garden designer Marian Coffin: I was so sorry you could not arrange to stop here on your way north, as it was a perfect weekend and the terrace was abloom with jasmine nudiflorum, two large Hamamelis mollis, numerous snowdrops, big patches of Adonis amurensis, some yellow crocus and the sweet-swented Lonicera.
Feb 5, 1943, Garden Diary: Hamamelis mollis mass of bloom terrace near gazebo. Worth not going to Fla. to see it.
Feb. 8, 1925 Garden Diary: Many snowdrops came in warm week after coldest Jan.
Feb. 8, 1932 to his sister Louise: It was delicious weather yesterday and a lot of people were playing golf, and there are new clumps of flowers coming in bloom.
Visiting the winter garden at Winterthur, circa 1906. Photo courtesy of the Winterthur Archives.
Feb. 16, 1944, to his friend Architect Bert Ives: We had our first real snowstorm of the winter two days ago. Before that the Snowdrops were out and my Hamamelis Molis were a mass of blooms. We have had a delightful winter so far and I really don’t think I shall ever spend the whole winter at Boca Grande again. I certainly am not going there until after the war is over.
Feb. 22, 1954, Garden Diary: Crocus imperati dep purple. Crocus chrysanthus E.P. Bowles on terrace lovely yellow. Also C. vernus ‘Vanguard” on terrace. Daphne ready to open. Sarcococca hookeriana in bloom.
Feb. 25 1944, Ruth W du Pont, H.F. du Pont’s wife to his sister Louise: The Adonis Amurensis or some such name, bright yellow flowers, are all out on the bank on the way to the bend, also countless snowdrops, Aconite and Hamamelis of course. We have not closed the conservatory this year and it is perfectly beautiful, cineraria in great profusion and primulas, all very swell.
