Winterthur Garden Blog

Updated February 14, 2013

We have a large number of programs planned for this spring to take advantage of our recently completed Brown Horticulture Learning Center. The programs are organized into two broad categories: Walks & Talks and Programs & Workshops. You will notice with the long list of Walks & Talks that they are free and available on a drop-in basis. I invite you to explore the range of interesting topics offered. We hope you will find it very easy to just pop in on a program and learn about something new.

Our Programs & Workshops are more in-depth and often require registration and/or a materials fee. These programs require a little more planning on your part but are well worth it. Please feel free to offer us feedback on any of these programs. To register, call 800.448.3883. This is a brief listing of garden events at Winterthur. Please visit our full Calendar for a listing of all Winterthur events.

Walks & Talks (no registration required)

Second Saturday Garden Walks
The second Saturday of each month at 1:00 pm (unless otherwise noted)
Walks begin at the Visitor Center and last 1 to 2 hours.

Join Winterthur’s horticulture staff for monthly garden walks highlighting interesting and seldom seen parts of the Winterthur landscape.

January 12 - Winter Interest (Members only – Winterthur closed)

February 9 - Winter Color and First Flowers (Members only – Winterthur closed)

March 9 - Snowdrops and Other Minor Bulbs (same day as Bank to Bend event)

April 13 - Winterhazels and Early Azaleas

May 11 - Azaleas and Spring Wildflowers

June 8 - (8:00 pm) Meadows, Streams, and Ponds (bring your flashlight)

July 13 - (8:00 pm) Chimney Swifts on Farm Hill (bring your flashlight)

August 10 - (7:00 pm) Sunset from the Train Station (bring your flashlight and prepare for a long walk)

September 14 - Garden Architecture and Water Features

October 12 – Autumn Color, Flowers, and Fruits

November 9 - Late Fall Color in the Garden

December 14 - Conifers and the Winter Garden

All of the walks take place on the second Saturday of each month and will begin at Winterthur’s Visitor Center unless otherwise noted. Please dress for the weather and wear appropriate walking shoes.

In case of inclement weather, an update message will be left at 302.888.4915 after 10:00 am. Walks last about 90 minutes.

Members free. No reservations necessary. Included with admission.

Garden Glimpses
Saturdays and Sundays, April–October, 1:30, 2:30 & 3:30 pm
Meet your guide in the Galleries Reception Area.

Enjoy a 20–30 minute guided walk by the Reflecting Pool. Explore its history and learn about materials and design elements.

Members free. Included with admission.

Programs & Workshops (registration required)

To register, call 800.448.3883

Vegetable Gardening Month-by-Month with HG Haskell
Friday, March 1, 2013 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm at the Brown Learning Center
Learn from the best, join us for a lecture with local farmer HG Haskell on raising your own vegetables. This month we’ll feature root crops, early greens and peas and will offer a ‘take away’ to get you started. $20; $10 Members.

Winterthur Trip to the Philadelphia Flower Show
Monday, March 4, 2013 9:00 am departure, leave Philadelphia for return to Winterthur at 3:00 pm
Join Winterthur garden staff on a bus trip to the Philadelphia Flower Show. This year’s theme is “Brilliant” and features gardens inspired by Great Britain. Follow this link for more information about the theme, exhibitors, and horticultural displays Philadelphia Flower Show. The bus will leave the Winterthur parking lot at 9:00 am and will depart Philadelphia for the return trip at 3:00 pm. Lunch is on your own with numerous choices at the show and in the famous Reading Terminal. Seating is limited – fee includes bus fee/tip, admission, and refreshments. Call 800.448.3883 to register. $60 members, $75 non-member; 48 participants

Bank to Bend: Alan Street of Avon Bulbs
Saturday, March 9, 2013 11:00 am to noon Copeland Lecture Hall
This year’s Bank to Bend event will feature a lecture by Alan Street of the renown nursery Avon Bulbs. Known for his passion for bulbs, Alan will describe how he got interested in snowdrops, how they have become such a worldwide phenomenon, and how Avon Bulbs brings snowdrops to market and to the showbench. Along the way he will share a selection of bulbs that will complement your snowdrops and will offer insights into his own personal connection with this unique genus of plants. Registration includes tours of the March Bank display and access to specialist nurseries selling snowdrops and other winter interest plants. $20; $10 Members. Free for WGLS and Garden Associate Members.

The annual Bank to Bend lecture is named for Winterthur’s signature March Bank display of early bulbs and perennials. H. F. du Pont and other family members used to look for the earliest bulbs on the slope to the north of the house, where the heart of this display occurs. They called the path along the slope “from bank to bend.” The Winterthur Garden and Landscape Society underwrites the annual lecture and has generously supported the restoration of the March Bank.

Life at Haseley Court and Its Gardens: The Legacy of Interior Designer Nancy Lancaster
Tuesday, March 12, 2013 6:00 pm, Copeland Lecture Hall
Fiona Heyward and her husband Desmond purchased Haseley Court in Oxford, England in 1982 and moved in with their four children. The Heywards had been friends with the previous owner, Nancy Lancaster, since 1968 when they bought the farm that surrounds Haseley Court. Lancaster, who still lived in the Coach House just across the courtyard, emphasized that the house and gardens now belonged to the Heywards and they could make any changes that they wanted, but Nancy would retain the walled garden for her lifetime. For 12 years before her death at age 94, the Heywards spent many happy days wandering through the gardens with their neighbor Nancy and learning a tremendous amount about gardening. For example, she emphasized the importance of not making everything in the gardens too neat and tidy. Over the years, the Heywards have made changes to the house and gardens but kept true to the original design. Join Fiona Heyward for a look at the life of Haseley Court and its gardens, and the lessons learned from Nancy Lancaster. Members Free. Included with admission. Reservations are encouraged. Call 302.888.4600, ext. 7029 for reservations.

Volunteering in the Winterthur Garden
Friday, March 29, 2013 9:30 am to 10:30 am at the Brown Learning Center
Are you interested in learning more about gardening and about Winterthur? Join us for this introduction to volunteering in the Winterthur garden led by staff members and current volunteers. Free, call 302.888.4779 to register.

Vegetable Gardening Month-by-Month with H. G. Haskell
Friday, April 5, 2013 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm at the Brown Learning Center
Learn from the best, join us for a lecture with local farmer H. G. Haskell on raising your own vegetables. This month we’ll continue with potatoes, onions, soil prep and growing in high tunnels. Class will include a give away to get your garden started. $20; $10 Members.

Volunteering in the Winterthur Garden
Saturday, April 13, 2013 9:30 am to 10:30 am at the Brown Learning Center
Are you interested in learning more about gardening and about Winterthur? Join us for this introduction to volunteering in the Winterthur garden led by staff members and current volunteers. Free, call 302.888.4779 to register.

The Layered Garden: Lecture and Booksigning by David Culp
Wednesday, April 17, 2013 6:30 pm to 7:30 Copeland Lecture Hall
David Culp is a nationally known horticulturist, lecturer, and author. His book, The Layered Garden, explains how he has created a horticultural wonderland on two acres adjoining a late 18th-century farmhouse he affectionately refers to as Brandywine Cottage. Join us as David takes us on a virtual tour through each part of this celebrated garden and shares his hard-won insights into horticulture and garden design. Booksigning to follow lecture. Free, call 302.888.4779 to register.

Walking and Running at Winterthur
Friday, April 19, 2013 1:30 to 3:30 at the Brown Learning Center
Winterthur is a fantastic place to walk and run, with 10 miles of roads, nearly 1000 acres of scenery, and readily accessible staff and amenities. Learn how to make the most of walking and running on this famous country estate. Our introduction will include a review of paths and roads, maps, and a list of resources and tips for making the most of your time on the property. Free, membership card or registration required.

Vegetable Gardening Month-by-Month with H. G. Haskell
Friday, May 3, 2013 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm at the Brown Learning Center
Learn from the best, join us for a lecture with local farmer H. G. Haskell on raising your own vegetables. It is about time to put those warm-season vegetables outside. Learn how to make the most from your corn, tomatoes, and squash this season. Class includes a starter plant to get you going. $20; $10 Members.

Walking and Running at Winterthur
Saturday, May 11 2013 10:00 to noon at the Brown Learning Center
Winterthur is a great place to walk and run, with 10 miles of roads, nearly 1000 acres of scenery, and readily accessible staff and amenities. Learn how to make the most of walking and running on this famous country estate. Our introduction will include a review of the paths and roads, maps, a list of resources and tips for making the most of your time on the property. Free, membership or registration required.

Peonies in the Winterthur Garden
Wednesday, May 15 2013 from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm at the Brown Learning Center
Enjoy the spectacle of Winterthur’s peonies in bloom while you learn how to select, plant and care for these remarkable plants. Class will include the essentials of peony history and cultivation and will include a peony for every participant. Class will be indoors and in the field. $35; $25 members.

Chickens: the New Garden Ornament
Friday, May 24 2013 1:30 to 3:30 at the Brown Learning Center
Several Winterthur staff have taken to raising chickens in their backyards – and not just for the eggs. Discover why our chicken-loving staff got interested in poultry, how they learned about raising them and what resources are available for would-be backyard farmers. $20; $10 Members.

KIDS GROW! Children’s Vegetable Garden
Saturdays, June 8-August 3, 2013 – program takes place in the Winterthur greenhouse area.
This 9-week course introduces children ages 6–12 to the excitement of growing their own plants. Members only; free. Call 302.888.4779 to reserve a spot.

Vegetable Gardening Month-by-Month with H. G. Haskell
Friday, June 7, 2013 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm at the Brown Learning Center
Learn from the best, join us for a lecture with local farmer H. G. Haskell on raising your own vegetables. Your vegetable garden should be in full swing by now, but if it is not don’t worry, we’ll give you some tips to get it going. Class includes a take-away plant to add to your vegetable patch. $20; $10 Members.

Earth Perfect? Nature, Utopia, and the Garden
June 6-9, 2013
This 4-day symposium showcases the garden as an emblem of the ideal human relation with nature. The symposium is designed for an academic audience, garden professionals, and a general public interested in the importance and meaning of gardens.

Event Locations:

The University of Delaware, Delaware
Longwood Gardens, Pennsylvania
Winterthur Estate Gardens, Delaware
Chanticleer Garden, Pennsylvania
Mt. Cuba Center, Delaware
The Delaware Center for Horticulture, Delaware

Events Include:

Themed garden tours and exhibitions, and lectures and academic paper sessions focusing on topics such as wellness and the garden, environment and society, historic preservation and land use, green textiles, CSAs, the garden in the visual arts, the garden in literature, the meaning and function of domestic and public gardens, architecture and the garden, the spiritual associations of gardens, gardening the planet in the face of ecological decline, political aspects of gardening, and economies of the garden.

This symposium is interdisciplinary and international in scope. Participants will be both academics and non-academics from around the world working in a wide range of fields including art, art history, architecture, anthropology, agriculture, philosophy, literature, horticulture, botany, nutrition, landscape architecture, garden design, and law as well as earth and life sciences more generally. While ours is a topic appropriate for any “age,” it is particularly appropriate now when people are more than ever engaged in discourse about our relationship with and responsibilities towards the natural environment.

Follow this link Earth Perfect for additional information and to register.

Estate Tour
Wednesdays, June through September, 4:30 pm
Visit the former dairy and farm while exploring the ever-changing estate landscape on this narrated tram tour. Hear accounts of estate history as you see how we have repurposed historic work areas. Glimpse behind the scenes on this tour led by a specially-trained guide. The 45-minute tour will leave from the east circle near the Dorrance Gallery. Reservations recommended by 4:00 pm, $5 per person upgrade, members free, capacity of 40, weather permitting, handicapped-accessible, recommended for adults.

Upcoming Programs & Workshops

Building a Stone Path – Masonry Workshop with Winterthur’s Stone Masons
Friday, June 14, 2013 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm at the Brown Learning Center
Learn the ins and outs of building a dry fieldstone or slate path; how to pick your stone, prepare a base, organize and lay out the stone, and then install it so that it stays put. Our expert staff will share their insights and make sure you understand how to get started SAFELY with your own projects. Fee and registration limits to be announced.

Ferns to Know and Grow
Wednesday, June 19 2013 from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm at the Brown Learning Center
Ferns are such versatile plants; they can be used as groundcover plants in difficult situations and also feature as exquisite specimens in a shade or woodland garden. Class will include the basics of fern botany and cultivation, an introduction to the best ferns for our area, and a fern for every participant. Class will take place indoors and in the field. $35; $25 members.

Discovering Streams
Saturday, June 22, 2013 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm at the Brown Learning Center
The streams in our neighborhoods are teaming with life (or should be) and are essential reservoirs of biological diversity. Through this class you will be introduced to the basic flora and fauna of a stream. You will discover how your garden and your neighborhood can positively affect the health of your local streams. $35; $20 Members.

Seed Saving with Happy Cat Farm
Wednesday, June 26 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm at the Brown Learning Center
Once upon a time, all gardeners and farmers were seed-savers. With this class you will learn the how’s and why’s of saving vegetable seeds and be equipped start some seed saving of your own. $35; $20 Members.

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