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Picnicking at Winterthur: Frequently Asked Questions

Chris Strand — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 14:51:04 +0000

The Winterthur estate offers many beautiful places to picnic. Below are the answers to several “Frequently Asked Questions” about picnicking on the grounds. In general the responses below follow the golden rule and were developed to ensure that all guests at Winterthur have an opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the Winterthur garden.

We welcome the chance to share the beauty of Winterthur with our members and guests. Becoming a member is an inexpensive way to have access to Winterthur 6 days a week, dawn to dusk, for walking, birding, picnicking, and otherwise enjoying the garden, galleries, museum collections, and wider estate.

Where can I picnic? Can I picnic on the grass? Can I drive to my destination?

Members and guests can picnic anywhere on the grounds. In the interest of safety, we ask that you do not explore the barns, houses, outbuildings, or any areas marked “Staff Only.” Please maintain a distance of 25 yards from outbuildings/work buildings and residences for your safety and for the privacy of our tenants.

You are welcome to walk on the grass and to set up your picnic in the shade of one of our trees. We do ask that you walk or take the garden tram to your picnic destination, not drive.

What hours of the day can I picnic? Days of the week?

Guests can picnic on the estate from 10:00 am to dusk, Tuesday-Sunday, with their wristbands and can come back the next day with their paid admission (they must request a second wristband). Members can picnic on the estate from dawn to dusk, Tuesday – Sunday. (The US Naval Observatory makes sunrise and sunset times available on their website.)

Is there a limit to the number of people in a picnic group?

The Winterthur garden is a peaceful and tranquil place. In the interest of keeping disturbance to other guests to a minimum, please limit the size of your picnic group to 10.

What are some of the better picnic spots on the grounds?

Sycamore Hill is a beautiful place to picnic. From the Bristol Summerhouse you can view across the valley to the train station and see the sky reflected in the pond – and there is almost always a breeze.

Behind the Cottage, along Clenny Run is a beautiful lawn and you can enjoy the sound of Clenny Run burbling along its stone-lined channel.

For families, the lawn next to Enchanted Woods is conveniently close to the children’s garden and to rest rooms. In April and May the nearby Sundial Garden offers a place for a fragrant, flower-filled stroll.

These are just a few – there are many more wonderful spots at Winterthur to enjoy a picnic.

What should I do with my trash?

Please take your trash with you when you leave. If you must deposit your trash, there are waste receptacles located in Enchanted Woods, near the restrooms, and adjacent to the Museum.

Can I pick wildflowers, collect mushrooms, collect rocks, etc. at Winterthur?

Please don’t! We ask that our guests and staff members take only photographs and leave only footprints. We ask that you help us to maintain the natural habitat that exists here at Winterthur so that other visitors can continue to enjoy the beauty of our garden, woodlands, meadows, and wetlands. Please do not move or remove any natural or manmade materials from any part of the estate.

What rules of “garden etiquette” should I be aware of?

Please don’t climb trees, stone walls, or other garden structures. Be aware that there are other guests in the garden and keep noise to a minimum (use headphones with CD players, etc.). Walking and running are allowed, but other recreational activities such as bicycling, rollerblading, kite flying, croquet, ball playing, Frisbee playing or sledding are not allowed. For safety’s sake we don’t allow guests to start fires, set up tents, or bring their own furniture into the garden.

Posted in FAQs

Perfect Summer Day

Karen — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:02:53 +0000

Greetings! I’m back from a wonderful week of celebrating our daughter’s wedding on June 27th. The ceremony was held in the Lower Reflecting Pool Garden; the reception at the visitor center. I see these spaces most every day and yet was stunned by the beauty and power of the garden in the evening. Maybe it was the wine, but more likely it was the way the sun was setting, the birds were singing and our daughter and her new husband were beaming.

I revisited these spaces today. My main observation? Don’t try to take photos at high noon! The sun washes the color away. Nevertheless, here are a few photos to whet your appetite for beauty and to entice you to come visit the Winterthur Garden this summer. In bloom? Daylillies, hydrangea, hosta, crape myrtle. The garden is full, lush, well-kept and exceedingly romantic. Of course, that’s the view from the mother of the very happy bride.

Posted in Garden

Who grows up to become a gardener?

Karen — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:24:10 +0000

Jeannette Lindvig, a guide in the house and the garden, shares a beautiful essay and photo of the Winterthur Garden:

The other day I watched a young family walking through the garden at Winterthur. The parents were patient and attentive to their three children, two of whom walked easily with their parents. The one who caught my eye, though, was their toddler daughter. She lagged behind no matter how they cajoled and enticed her along.

What was she up to? This sweetie with a diapered bottom bent to study and pick up a bug, examining it closely. She poked her face into the fulsome bloom of a peony. A bit further down the path she discovered a thorn on a rose, and flinched but did not cry when she tested its texture with her delicate little fingers. Then suddenly, and with a flourish, she picked a leaf off a shrub and placed it in her mouth, too quick to stop! A little nip, and then she spit!

A primitive memory welled in me. I, too, had enjoyed all these sensory discoveries as a small child. It was just my nature. And so I know, this two year old toddler – who, like me today, cannot simply stroll past the flowers and bugs without exploration and examination – is surely destined to become a passionate gardener when she grows up!

Posted in Garden