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One thing we had this past winter here in Caroline County was true winter weather. We saw more than one snowfall and quite cold temperatures. Writing this column during the first week of March, it’s still chilly as March came in like a lion and the winds are still blowing. Signs of spring are starting to appear including early blooming daffodils, an indication that the natural world is about to put on a show once again.
While not in Caroline County, there is a place not too far away that is going to be putting on a fabulous show in May. That place is Winterthur, located north of Wilmington, Delaware in the Brandywine Valley region of northern Delaware and southeastern Pennsylvania. Winterthur was home to three generations of du Ponts from 1839 until 1959, when the home was turned into a museum by then owner Henry Francis du Pont. The gardens were so special to du Pont, however, that he maintained ownership of the gardens until his death in 1969. The 60-acre gardens are surround by almost 1,000 acres of meadows, farmland, and waterways. In 1962, du Pont, a lifelong gardener, was recognized by the Garden Club of America as “perhaps the best gardener this country has every produced.” He spent his life creating gardens where plants bloom almost continuously and paid particular attention to color.
As fabulous a gardener as he was, du Pont was also an incredible antiques collector and today 175 rooms of the Winterthur home now house some 90,000 items, including many pieces of American decorative arts. He was so respected as a collector of American decorative arts that he was called upon by First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy in 1961 to help restore the White House interiors.
On Wednesday, May 21, the Caroline County Garden Club is hosting a bus trip to Winterthur Gardens and Museum. Cost of the trip is $120 and includes transportation, driver tip, water and snacks for the bus ride, admission to the gardens, museum, exhibitions, and a privately led garden tour. There are two boarding locations: the Denton Food Lion parking lot at 8:30 AM, and the west bound Route 50/404 Park & Ride at 8:50 AM. Approximate return time is 6 PM. For tickets please contact: ccgardenclubinfo@gmail.com or call Kim at 240-419-9177.
