Snowdrops on Magnolia Bend

Ok—well, we really are still in winter but for the most part you would not know.  With multiple days in the 40’s and 50’s there is lot of activity in the horticultural world.  Early flowering shrubs such as fragrant honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima), witchhazel (Hamamelis vernalis) and winter jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum) are in blossom and the snowdrops are making a show on the March Bank as well as in woodland pockets throughout the garden. 

Glancing at the long range forecast on the Old Farmer’s Almanac web page (gardeners are obsessed with weather) they predict that the month of January will be 5 degrees above normal.  For those of us that like to spend time outdoors gardening or hiking to ward off the effects of cabin fever, this is most welcome news (sorry about that snow enthusiasts!).  This weather trend has been a wonderful carry over from December where the garden saw a flurry of activity by those hoping to enjoy some time outside with friends and family and walk off a few of the cookies and candy that made their way to the winter waistline.  With a warm weekend in the forecast, the garden should be hopping yet again with walkers and more floral activity as the blossoms respond to the winter sun and spring-like temperatures. 

The sad part of this warm season tale is that Winterthur will close to the general public from January 9th through February 29th.  The upside to this tale is that if you are a member, you have access to walk the garden and grounds while we are closed…and what a treat that is.  There is nothing like the feeling of having your own “private garden” and the soulfulness of watching spring unfurl before your very eyes.  There are many magical moments in the winter garden such as seeing the early morning light illuminate the fuzzy flower buds of magnolias or the waning afternoon rays backlighting a forest of beech leaves still attached to the trees.  There is also plenty of wildlife to view from waterfowl to song birds at the feeders. Maybe your sole interest in walking the garden is keeping that New Year’s health resolution going; the miles of paths and inclines promise to deliver a good cardio-workout; that is unless you stop to look at the flowers!

So at the risk of sounding like a salesperson, if all this winter activity sounds appealing to you and you are not a member why don’t you consider becoming one?  Information about membership benefits can be found on our website, www.winterthur.org or by calling 302 888-4713.   (I get no kickbacks from this endorsement!).  I hope to see some new faces out in the garden this winter and to all the rest I look forward to seeing you in March!

Winterthur is very excited to announce a gift of $1 million from Alice Cary Brown and W. L. Lyons Brown, Jr. (Lee) to fund the creation of the Brown Horticulture Learning Center. This gift will be used to adaptively renovate an original estate greenhouse to house the 3,000-square-foot center. Featuring a classroom and meeting space, the center will allow us to expand our educational programming for Members and the public.

The idea for the Horticulture Learning Center grew out of the enthusiasm of our garden supporters, including the Browns. Winterthur’s garden programs, such as the popular Wednesdays at Winterthur and Second Saturdays Garden Walks, have attracted a large audience of avid gardeners interested in exploring the history of the Winterthur Garden as well as learning sound horticultural techniques. With the Horticulture Center, we will be able to expand and diversify these programs.

I am just as excited as the quote made me sound in the newspaper about our ability to reuse a historic piece of architecture for the center.

“The design for the new Horticulture Learning Center is sensitive to the historic nature of the garden, and I am so pleased that our architect, Moeckel Carbonell Associates, and facilities staff were able to design such a creative solution to our classroom needs,” says Chris Strand, Winterthur’s Director of Garden & Estate. “The building that will be renovated was at the heart of Winterthur’s horticultural activities for nearly a century. The character of the old greenhouses and workspaces is something we cherish and will maintain with this project.”

Our Director, Dave Roselle, went on to say, “This gift will transform Winterthur, as the Brown Horticulture Learning Center will be at the core of the estate, joining the museum complex with the Visitor Center. Lee and Alice Cary Brown are leading the way in helping us address the needs of Winterthur, and we applaud their generosity and leadership.”

Below are some images of the greenhouse area in use for our programs, programs taking place out in the garden, and a couple of renderings of the Learning Center that will give you a sense of what it will look like when completed.

On behalf of all of the garden staff here at Winterthur I would like to extend our sincere thanks to the Brown family for this generous gift.

This Saturday, October 10, will be the last opportunity this season for members and staff to buy fresh vegetables grown here on the farm at Winterthur. The Winterthur Farmstand will feature heirloom tomatoes, potatoes, greens, and peppers (hot to mild) grown at Winterthur and corn, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, onions, apples, peaches and PUMPKINS from neighboring Hill Girt Farm. As a special feature, a local vendor will be selling Asian pears. The Farmstand will be open from 10 am to noon and will be located along Rte. 52, just south of our Entrance Gate at Gate 2.

This Saturday, October 3, we are again offering members and staff the opportunity to buy fresh vegetables grown here on the farm at Winterthur. The Winterthur Farmstand will feature heirloom tomatoes, potatoes, greens, and peppers (hot to mild) grown at Winterthur and corn, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, onions, apples, peaches and pumpkins from neighboring Hill Girt Farm. As a special feature, a local vendor will be selling Asian pears. As you can see from the photograph, Asian pears are round; they have a crisp juicy flesh that is very sweet. The Farmstand will be open from 10 am to noon and will be located along Rte. 52, just south of our Entrance Gate at Gate 2. We will continue to offer vegetables at the Farmstand as the season develops.

This Saturday, September 26, we are again offering members and staff the opportunity to buy fresh vegetables grown here on the farm at Winterthur. The Winterthur Farmstand will feature heirloom tomatoes, potatoes, greens, and peppers (hot to mild) grown at Winterthur and corn, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, onions, apples, and peaches from neighboring Hill Girt Farm. As a special feature, a local vendor will be selling Asian pears. As you can see from the photograph, Asian pears are round; they have a crisp juicy flesh that is very sweet. The Farmstand will be open from 10 am to noon and will be located along Rte. 52, just south of our Entrance Gate at Gate 2. We will continue to offer vegetables at the Farmstand as the season develops.

This Saturday, September 12, we are again offering members and staff the opportunity to buy fresh vegetables grown here on the farm at Winterthur. The Winterthur Farmstand will feature heirloom tomatoes, potatoes, and peppers (hot to mild) grown at Winterthur and corn, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, onions and peaches from neighboring Hill Girt Farm. The Farmstand will be open from 10 am to noon and will be located along Rte. 52, just south of our Entrance Gate at Gate 2. We will continue to offer vegetables at the Farmstand as the season develops.

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.

This Saturday, August 15, we are again offering members and guests the opportunity to buy fresh vegetables grown here on the farm at Winterthur. The Winterthur Farmstand will feature heirloom tomatoes, potatoes, squash, and greens grown at Winterthur and corn, tomatoes and melons grown at neighboring Hill Girt Farm. The Farmstand will be open from 10 am to noon and will be located along Rte. 52, just south of our Entrance Gate at Gate 2. If you would like to reserve your bag of corn or tomatoes or would simply like to ask our farmers a question feel free to leave a comment on this post and I will make sure they get your request/question. We will continue to offer vegetables at the Farmstand as the season develops.

H. F. du Pont and generations of his family enjoyed walking the Winterthur estate. Today, Members, visitors, and staff all take advantage of the estate’s roads and walkways to experience nature up close and on foot. We encourage you to walk the estate and enjoy the garden, meadows, and woodlands throughout the seasons. The following are some frequently asked questions about walking at Winterthur.

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.

Who can walk at Winterthur?

All visitors are welcome to walk the grounds of Winterthur as long as they are wearing a wristband or displaying their membership card. We encourage walkers to become Members to enjoy this activity on a daily basis.

Where can I walk at Winterthur?

You are welcome to walk throughout the garden and the wider estate. Winterthur’s roads, garden paths, and mowed trails in meadow and woodland areas are all excellent walkways. In the interest of safety, we ask that you do not explore the barns, houses, outbuildings, or any areas marked “Staff Only.”

When can I walk at Winterthur?

Guests can walk 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 walk the estate from dawn to dusk on days when Winterthur is open to the public. (The US Naval Observatory makes sunrise and sunset times available on their website.)

Can I get a map of Winterthur that shows paths, roads, and trails?

Yes. You can request a garden map at the Visitor Center or you can download a PDF of the Winterthur Estate Map. The map shows roads and paved paths as well as the locations of restrooms and emergency call boxes on the estate. The mowed paths in the meadow and woodland areas are not shown on the map, but you are welcome to explore them.

How large is Winterthur?

Winterthur is nearly 1,000 acres.

How many miles of roads are there at Winterthur?

There are 10 miles of roads.

Do Members have special access for walking?

Members receive free general admission every day that we are open and are allowed to walk the estate from dawn to dusk. Please display your membership card when walking.

Can I picnic at Winterthur?

Yes. Outside food and drink are allowed in the garden. No alcohol please. Be sure and use the waste receptacles provided.

What should I do if I get injured?

Please report your injury to our Public Safety office 302.888.4911. There are several emergency call boxes located on the estate (locations are marked on the Winterthur Estate Map).

Can I walk my dog at Winterthur?

Pets are not permitted in the Gardens, nor are there provisions to temporarily house them during a visit. Please do not leave dogs or cats in your car in the Parking Lot during warm weather since shade is minimal. Properly identified Service Dogs that provide assistance for visitors with disabilities are permitted.

Can I arrange a walk for my club?

Yes. Winterthur offers discounted rates of admission for groups. Please call 800.448.3883 or see our website for additional information.

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 other 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, ball playing, Frisbee playing or sledding are not allowed.