Piet Oudolf meadow in fall bloom at Delaware Botanic Gardens

Piet Oudolf meadow in fall bloom at Delaware Botanic Gardens

March 15, 2022 The last public garden I visited on my road trip down the East Coast last October was newly opened Delaware Botanic Gardens in Dagsboro, Delaware. The big draw? A 2-acre meadow designed by revered Dutch plantsman Piet Oudolf, who also designed the plantings of the High Line ...
Enchanted Woods and reflecting pool garden at Winterthur, part 2

Enchanted Woods and reflecting pool garden at Winterthur, part 2

February 03, 2022 Tulip Tree House, made from a hollow tulip poplar trunk Children’s gardens are popping up like toadstools at botanical gardens everywhere nowadays. And they’re a welcome addition, encouraging families to visit and giving children, who increasingly spend much of their time online, an opportunity to explore outdoors, ...
Grand trees and pastoral views at Winterthur, part 1

Grand trees and pastoral views at Winterthur, part 1

February 02, 2022 Japanese maple I first visited Winterthur on a blustery June day in 2016. In mid-October last year, I returned to see the garden at the turn of a new season, its summer greens tinged with pale gold and rusty orange, berries and quince brightening bare branches, and ...
Enchanted Woods children's garden at Winterthur: Not your typical playground

Enchanted Woods children’s garden at Winterthur: Not your typical playground

June 18, 2016 Forget wooden playscapes, jungle gyms, and climbing walls. The most magical children’s gardens consist of natural spaces that invite exploration, slowly reveal secret spaces, and encourage imaginative play. Such is Enchanted Woods, the children’s garden at Winterthur, located in Winterthur, Delaware, which I visited with Diana/Sharing Nature’s ...
Dogwood enchantment and a wild windstorm at Winterthur Gardens

Dogwood enchantment and a wild windstorm at Winterthur Gardens

June 16, 2016 The Brandywine Valley of Pennsylvania has been calling my name since 2008, when I passed through during a family road trip and fell in love with the rolling, wooded countryside, its charming villages and Revolutionary War history, and numerous estate gardens that make it a garden traveler’s ...