Growing resilience

Nestled in the rolling hills of the Brandywine Valley, Winterthur's wild gardens burst with exquisite color. Planted more than a century ago by horticulturist Henry Francis du Pont, the historic gardens date back to the early 1900s. This year, Winterthur celebrates its 75th anniversary; the estate was incorporated as a museum in 1951. Today, the 60-acre garden remains a place of verdant beauty, a testament to the resilience of the natural world.

The ability of some plants to adapt and recover in the face of adversity fascinates Carol Long, a University of Delaware Class of 1990 distinguished alumna. Long is the garden manager at Winterthur, where she's worked in the gardens for 34 years.

"I've started focusing on plant resilience," Long said. "Can a plant withstand what the environment is throwing at it? Of course, there's still the issue of beauty - we are an ornamental garden, and all plants have their own version of beauty - but plant resiliency will be an important component in how we keep gardens green in the future."

To design the gardens at Winterthur, H.F. du Pont worked with his friend, landscape architect Marian Cruger Coffin, who designed the campus plan for the University of Delaware. Three generations of the du Ponts have gardened at Winterthur since 1839.

A lot has changed over the last century. Today, the garden is facing challenges due to changing environmental conditions.

"There are a lot of environmental changes that we're having to deal with - a lot of heavy rains," Long said. "The velocity at which it comes down is difficult for the plants."