In the Brandywine Valley of Delaware, Winterthur is 1,000 acres of protected meadows, woodlands, ponds, and waterways. The 60-acre garden, designed by du Pont, is among America’s best, with magnificent plantings and massive displays of color throughout the year. The land, house, and landscape are part of the famous du Post family. Henry du Pont was born at Winterthur and, in 1906, assumed responsibility for supervising the Winterthur Garden from his father. Du Pont developed and improved the formal garden areas near the house and created the March Bank, the first garden area with a naturalistic design.

The gardens were developed to showcase the landscape surrounding the magnificent house. They are filled with native plants, unique trees and truly accent the natural landscape. 

Walking thru Winterthur is like stepping back into time. Walking through the meadows, gazing at the farmlands, you can imagine life about 100 years ago.
While the home is one of the largest in America and quite impressive, it fits so comfortably into the landscape that surrounds it. The house and grounds go together, and one is not complete without the other. 

I visited Winterthur in the early fall season. The meadows were full of dried flowers and seedpods; the trees were full of winter fruit. The colors were starting to turn gorgeous autumn tones. It was fascinating to learn about how the area was developed. There is a layered approach to the landscape. Plants are layers to grow and bloom throughout all seasons. They also layer in scale - as you look up the grand landscape, the plants and trees get more extensive and magnificent.

I look forward to visiting again in spring to see all the colors unfold. 

When visiting the gardens and home, you should plan on a full day. I would start with the garden tram tour; this will give you an excellent overview of the property and hear some of its history. Once you end the garden tour, you can tour the home and museum. I would bring a picnic lunch and then enjoy out in the garden area. Spend the afternoon walking back through the extensive landscape, enjoying all the nature and small details that need to be experienced on foot. Any season is a fantastic time to visit this magical place. There will be something blooming and incredible history to share.