Spring Blossoms in the Historic Brandywine Valley

In 1771 a young chemist by the name of E. I du Pont left France and settled on the banks of the Brandywine River in Delaware where he started a gunpowder manufacturing operation. He and his descendants built both a lasting business empire and a lasting legacy of estates and gardens in the Brandywine Valley area of southeastern Pennsylvania and northern Delaware.

The French inspired Nemours garden

Photo by Rose Palmer

The family history starts at the Hagley Museum, Library and Gardens in Wilmington, DE where the first gunpowder works were established. The site includes the restored mills used for making black powder, a worker’s community and the ancestral house and gardens of the du Pont family. A variety of tours provide insight into the black powder manufacturing process, its uses and its impact on American history. In the spring, the property glows in shades of pale green and white as the wooded landscape and the many dogwood trees comes to life.

French inspired mansion and gardens at Nemours

Photo by Rose Palmer

The one acre sized pool at Nemours

Photo by Rose Palmer

Across the border at Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania, Pierre S DuPont purchased a track of land in 1906 in order to protect an arboretum with tress that were over 100 years old. This farm became the centerpiece of his summer residence which he developed into a showpiece for entertaining friends and family. The formal outdoor spaces were inspired by the French and Italian fountain gardens he discovered on his European travels. Pierre added conservatories and an outdoor theater, all of which became the core of one of the country’s premier horticultural display gardens. The outdoor spring show peaks in April as a succession of bulbs, bushes and trees flower throughout the property. The highlight is toward the end of April when the 600 foot long Flower Garden Walk blossoms in a rainbow of tulips, hyacinths and other spring flowers.

Sunset in the Azalea Woods at Winterthur

Photo by Rose Palmer

Shades of blue Siberian squill carpet the March Bank at Winterthur

Photo by Rose Palmer

Siberian squill and magnolia in bloom at Winterthur

Photo by Rose Palmer

In contrast, the younger Mt. Cuba Center puts on a naturalized display of native woodland plants which also peak toward the end of April when the dogwood path and the trillium garden are at their best. In the 1960’s Lammot du Pont Copeland and his wife chose to focus their efforts on the conservation of wildflowers and other local native species. Opening for the season in May, A I duPont’s Nemour’s Estate will make you wonder if you’ve left the country. The largest French style gardens in North America and the French inspired mansion were built by Alfred du Pont in 1907 to show his love for his much younger second wife Alicia. There is something to do and see in the Brandywine Valley all year, but spring is an especially colorful time to experience both the history and the horticulture of the area.

The Flower Garden Walk is filled with tulips and spring blooms at Longwood

Photo by Rose Palmer

The preserved black powder works at Hagley

Photo by Rose Palmer