Mt Cuba center has won numerous awards for its native gardens and its conservation of the land. Mt Cuba is one of my favorite native garden spaces. It is a perfect size and has something magical happening during each season that I have visited. 

There are formal gardens, testing gardens, native plant trails, and meadows. The space makes you feel like you are at someone's private home, walking through a secluded woodland forest. 

"As a botanical garden, Mt. Cuba Center holds living collections of plants, much like a museum houses collections of art or historical artifacts. Mt. Cuba Center's collections are focused on plants native to the Eastern Temperate Forests of the United States, with a particular emphasis on Appalachian Piedmont. This area spans nine states from New York to Alabama."*

"Mt Chuba was founded over 80 years ago. The Copeland family purchased 126.7 acres of farmland near the village of Mount Cuba to develop their home. The colonial revival-style house was designed by Victorine, and Samuel Homsey and the original landscape was designed by Thomas Sears."*

*www.mtcubacenter.com

I have visited the center for many seasons, but I know that fall is my favorite! The light is streaming through the tree canopy, and the berries, seedpods, and dried flowers offer warm tones and truly highlight the beauty of a natural setting. This garden is very different; it does not provide formal, decorative gardens like others in the area. It is a place to enjoy and appreciate nature and native species.

When I visit, I like to start at the gardens around the house and then head down towards the pond gardens. The pond is a magical spot full of life and natural beauty.

Visiting Mt Cuba can take about half of a day if you take your time and explore. It makes a nice stop if you are headed somewhere else in the area or only have a short time.