Winterthur’s daffodil display is one of the Brandywine Valley’s best kept secrets. Planted in drifts by the thousands, daffodils are a visual high note in the garden, flowering in between the peak displays of minor bulbs on the March Bank and azaleas and rhododendrons in Azalea Woods.
Planted along the main drive, Clenny Run, and Sycamore Hill, Winterthur’s sweeps of daffodils have remained much the same as when H. F. du Pont planted them. Narcissus had always been a favorite of Mr. du Pont’s, with some of the earliest plantings taking place in the March Bank by 1902. He developed a system of planting that revealed his plantsmanship and knowledge of design. He wrote in the Daffodil and Tulip Yearbook 1961, “Always plant the varieties separately. This is one of the essential and all-important lessons the intending planter must learn, as there can be no comparison as to the more pleasing effect of a bold expanse of one variety than that of a mixture.” Du Pont believed in informal beds, and used the curved and irregular shapes of tree branches to create the outlines for his daffodil sweeps.
The results of du Pont’s efforts are still enjoyed today and are a highlight of the spring landscape. A large part of the display can be enjoyed on your drive into Winterthur. The long drift of Narcissus ‘Queen of the North’ along Clenny Run, is just coming into full flower and can be seen to the right as you reach the bottom of the drive. The rest of the display can be seen near Sycamore Hill as you ride the garden tram or stroll through the garden.A Good Year for Daffodils
Winterthur’s daffodil display is one of the Brandywine Valley’s best kept secrets. Planted in drifts by the thousands, daffodils are a visual high note in the garden, flowering in between the peak displays of minor bulbs on the March Bank and azaleas and rhododendrons in Azalea Woods.
Planted along the main drive, Clenny Run, and Sycamore Hill, Winterthur’s sweeps of daffodils have remained much the same as when H. F. du Pont planted them. Narcissus had always been a favorite of Mr. du Pont’s, with some of the earliest plantings taking place in the March Bank by 1902. He developed a system of planting that revealed his plantsmanship and knowledge of design. He wrote in the Daffodil and Tulip Yearbook 1961, “Always plant the varieties separately. This is one of the essential and all-important lessons the intending planter must learn, as there can be no comparison as to the more pleasing effect of a bold expanse of one variety than that of a mixture.” Du Pont believed in informal beds, and used the curved and irregular shapes of tree branches to create the outlines for his daffodil sweeps.
The results of du Pont’s efforts are still enjoyed today and are a highlight of the spring landscape. A large part of the display can be enjoyed on your drive into Winterthur. The long drift of Narcissus ‘Queen of the North’ along Clenny Run, is just coming into full flower and can be seen to the right as you reach the bottom of the drive. The rest of the display can be seen near Sycamore Hill as you ride the garden tram or stroll through the garden.