Winterthur
What: Spring Garden Highlight of the month is the March Bank
When: Opens to public March 1
Where: 5105 Kennett Pike (Route 52)
Winterthur, DE 19735
Admission: $18-20
Bloom calendar (from their site)
March 3
The March Bank display is already well on its way. The bank is alive with thousands of bright yellow blossoms of the adonis and winter aconite bulbs, along with the early flowering cornel dogwoods. Countless snowdrops bloom here as well as throughout the garden. The East Terrace lawn is covered with the lavender Crocus tomasinianus, or “Tommies,” along with the deliciously scented flowers of winter honeysuckle. The chartreuse green of hellebores can be found at the Winterhazel Walk, and at the Quarry Garden there are early glory-of-the-snow and the orange-yellow blossoms of the witch-hazels
March 11
This week at Winterthur the March Bank is covered in white snowdrops and yellow winter aconite and adonis. This color scheme is accented by crocus in shades of purple and lavender. Blue glory-of-the-snow are beginning to bloom at the Quarry Garden along with yellow cornelian-cherry dogwoods. Chartreuse and pink hellebores are still in bloom along the Winterhazel Walk.
March 18
This week in the garden, the highlight continues to be the March Bank. The “yellow phase” has just begun to fade as the bright yellow flowers of the winter aconite and adonis give way to the beginning blossoms of the blue squills and glory-of-the snow. These are accented with the yellow flowers of a Cornus officinalis, white and lavender crocus, and miniature daffodils. The crocus and daffodils can also be found at the Quarry Garden. Here there are three beautiful cornelian-cherry dogwoods in full bloom combined with the coppery shades of the hybrid witch-hazels and again the beginnings of the glory-of-the-snow. On your way to the Quarry, be sure to take the Winterhazel Walk and check out the burgundy and white Helleborus This time of the year the garden is constantly changing, especially as the “blue phase” of the March Bank begins.
March 23
Taking center stage this week is the March Bank, which is in the midst of the change from the “yellow phase” to the “blue phase” with the beginnings of the blue glory-of-the-snow and squills extending from Azalea Woods through the March Bank and down into the Glade. There are also early miniature daffodils, lavender and white crocus, and yellow cornelian-cherry dogwoods in full bloom. The Winterhazel Walk has white, rose, and pale green hellebores, and blooming nearby are deliciously fragrant pink and white viburnums with early flowering rhododendrons beneath. At the Quarry Garden you can find yellow cornelian cherry dogwoods in bloom with yellow daffodils and blue glory-of-the-snow. The East Terrace lawn of the museum is filled with blue glory-of-the-snow, and nearby are fragrant white winter honeysuckle and yellow winter jasmine.
March 30
It’s finally here! The March Bank is at its peak with millions of scilla and glory-of-the-snow in full bloom. The sea of blue starts in the Azalea Woods, covers the entire March Bank, and spills down into the Glade. This bulb combination has seeded throughout the garden and is accented with the pale yellow of cornelian-cherry dogwoods, early forsythia, and daffodils. The other main display this time of year is the Winterhazel Walk, just coming into flower. The pale yellow winter-hazels and the lavender and pink Korean rhododendrons are just breaking bud along with the lavender corydalis and the white and burgundy lenten rose. With warm weather, the March Bank show will not last long, so be sure not to miss it!
