Closer to the museum, bright yellow witchhazel brighten the day. Look along the stone wall near the galleries building and on the back terrace of the museum store for fabulous masses of yellow. Take advantage of a sunny day to experience early spring in the Winterthur Garden.

Here’s a good source of what’s to come in the Winterthur Garden this spring: http://www.winterthur.org/?p=657

Be sure to come this Saturday, March 12, for two exciting events, a lecture by W. Gary Smith on “From Art Into Landscape” at 11a and a guided walk on the March Bank at 1p!  Details here: http://www.winterthur.org/?p=862

$20; $15 Members. Free for WGLS and Garden Associates Members. To register, call 800.448.3883 or 302.888.4600.

Detail of Oak Hill Azaleas by W. Gary Smith

After the lecture, Smith will sign his new book, From Art to Landscape: Unleashing Creativity in Garden Design. (Members receive a 10% discount from the Bookstore.)

Second Saturdays Garden Walk
March 12, 1:00 pm
After experiencing Smith’s unique perspective, get out into the garden with a guided walk focusing on “Snowdrops and Other Minor Bulbs.”

Find out more here.

If you happen to visit Winterthur in the middle of the day on a Wednesday during the growing season you will have the opportunity to enjoy a lecture by one of our staff members on a horticultural or historic topic. Most guests are surprised to learn that these lectures require no pre-registration, carry no fee, and offer an opportunity to learn a bit more about the behind-the-scenes world of the garden.

We’ve been offering these ‘Wednesdays at Winterthur’ lectures for 5 years now and the positive response has been wonderful. As someone who loves gardening and the Winterthur garden in particular, it has been so rewarding for me to meet and talk with others about horticulture and the history of the estate.

This year, as a follow-up to a very strong season of programs, we held a luncheon during which we solicited the feedback and opinions of Wednesdays at Winterthur participants. It was a very informative lunch and I have listed their comments below. If you have any comments you would like to offer, feel free to respond to this post. Your input is welcome.

As we look forward to next year, I’d like to thank all of the staff, volunteers, and participants for making this program such a delight. These programs don’t happen by themselves – all of your efforts are what make them possible.

 Thank You! 

1. Native Plants (3 seasons)

2. Attracting specific birds, butterflies, hummingbirds

3. Loved and for repeat: ferns, barn, sheep, hike, containers, flower arranging, koi

4. Meadow walk

5. History talks

6. Repelling deer and groundhogs

7. Water management, especially the streams and ponds

8. Energy conservation. Any plans for solar?

9. Future plans and projects

10. Request a more effective loudspeaker system when the group gets large or break into smaller groups. Increase number of walks.

11. Change the time. Make it earlier, like 10:30

12. Impact of technology on Winterthur – computer analysis, solar power, STA/Nav system

13. Wildlife at Winterthur; migration of birds, deer, Fox, etc. Impact of wildlife on care and maintenance.

14. Certainly, Enchanted Woods!

15. Ferns

16. More history, inside and outside ok

17. Start season in March for March bank

18. Start walk a little earlier, around 10:30 or 11:00, especially in middle of summer

19. A tour of the library covering what is available to members and schools.

20. Common garden weeds and how to get rid of them!

21. Creatures/birds and their interactions with the plants and trees

22. More about the farming. What fields did the cattle graze?

23. Inside of Barns

24. Liked printed material

25. It would be nice to visit the same area (any given area) at least once during early season to observe the changes and the introduction of the plants with each other as the season change.

26. Tree IDs

27. New plant developments – you may be constrained to renew & replace plants chosen by Mr. DuPont, but when and if you can introduce newer cultivars and materials unknown, what do you bring in? What would horticulturists like to bring in (wish lists?)

28. How have populations of birds, insects and other animals changed over time? Anything you are trying to bring back?

29. Follow in the footsteps of horticultural staff to see what they do on the grounds and behind the scenes.

30. See inside some of the barns and railway station, etc.

31. Environmental benefits of some plants

32. History and general info re: iron work (gates, fences )

33. How about putting some photographs that Chris was talking about on display somewhere? (Longwood has rotation photo exhibits on display in their visitor center.)

34. Full Moon Walk

35. Woodland walk to “hidden lake”

36. Guyencourt Tour

37. Summer Houses

38. Shade Gardening

39. More container gardening

40. Interplanting vegetables in flower borders

41. Vines and climbing plants

42. Integrated pest management

43. For formal gardens: How did fountain pump water before motors were invented? How were gardens watered?

44. Urban shade gardening

45. The Making of Enchanted Woods

A discussion of the partnership between Alfred I. duPont and Thomas Hastings of Carerre and Hastings that led to the design of the gardens at Nemours. She will focus on aspects of the gardens that were never built and on some of the unusual approaches to horticulture that were considered.

The lecture will be held in the Rotunda, near the museum. Enter through the main museum entrance doors and ask for directions. Free to members and free with any admission ticket.

It seems counterintuitive, but with rain in the forecast, now is a great time to get out and see the garden. Warm temperatures and rain have a way of completely transforming a garden. Unfortunately, the crocus pictured above on the East Terrace will get battered but the daffodils, squill, and scilla that are just starting to push up will race into bloom. So make sure to get out into the Winterthur garden or your own garden to enjoy the early spring display.

If it is too rainy this weekend, we’ll still get to enjoy talking about the garden. On Saturday, Rick Darke, will be sharing his photography and insights as he talks about the “wild garden.” Click here for details. Hope you can join us for this lecture, which takes place on Saturday at 11:00. If your adventurous, bring your wellies and go for a walk through the garden.

On this beautiful, warm summer day, discover a peaceful, shady oasis in the Glade Garden. The waterfall and ponds entice with cool waters filled with brightly colored koi.

Join horticulturist Amy Bloom as we meet Winterthur’s koi collection. Learn how they came to live at Winterthur and interesting facts about how we care for them.

Wednesdays at Winterthur will take a break in August, resuming on Wednesday, September 2nd.

The newest feature in Winterthur’s Enchanted Woods—the Upside-Down Tree—has “roots” extending back to the very conception of the beloved children’s garden.

Hear the curious tale of how the piece came to be from John Salata, who discovered the tree, and Randy Fisher, who artfully fashioned it into its present form.

Looking for different ideas for your summer containers? Learn new combinations of annuals, tender perennials, and tropicals. With horticulturists Leigh Donnelly and Michele Christiano, enjoy a walking tour of Winterthur’s summer containers.

Michelle and Leigh’s steps to planting a great Spring container:

1.      Mix potting soil with water to moisten thoroughly

2.      Fill container with potting soil, leaving room at the top for watering

3.      Mix in fertilizer, if needed

4.      Remove plants from nursery pots and loosen roots if root-bound

5.      Plant into potting soil

6.      Lightly press soil around plants’ roots to eliminate air pockets

7.      Add or take away soil as necessary

8.      Water

9.     HAVE FUN AND BE CREATIVE!

For more garden lectures and walks in 2009, take a look at this link:

http://www.winterthur.org/calendar/garden_programs.asp