Lessons from Winterthur’s Gardens on Design
Set among the rolling hills of Delaware, the garden at Winterthur is more than beautiful—it’s a layered, living lesson in how landscape can shape how we live and design. Henry Francis du Pont, the visionary behind Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library, didn’t simply create a garden; he orchestrated an immersive experience that merged horticulture with heritage and elegance with ecology.
Photo Credit: Rob Cardillo
And maybe that’s what makes the garden at Winterthur so enduring; it isn’t just a backdrop to a historic home—it’s part of the story.
Design with the Season in Mind
Du Pont’s garden is a masterclass in seasonality. Each turn of the path reveals something new depending on the time of year–azaleas in spring and woodland textures in winter. This intentional progression reminds us to think seasonally in our own spaces. Whether through tabletop florals or rotating textiles, embracing the rhythm of the seasons brings a home to life.
Embrace Naturalistic Textures
Winterthur’s landscape flows—soft borders, curving paths, texture, and tone layers. Translating this into interiors invites us to blend materials, textures, and periods in thoughtful, storied ways. Rooms feel richer when they echo nature’s complexity.
Courtesy of Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library
Let the Outdoors Lead
Du Pont believed gardens should inform what happens inside the house, too. The blooms outside Winterthur’s windows often inspired floral motifs in upholstery, the palette of a room, or even a table setting. This principle is powerful for those of us drawn to heirloom living: let your home’s landscape whisper to your interiors. A pink camellia blooming out the window might be your next napkin color.
Courtesy of Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library
Make it Personal
It might be hard to believe that a 175-room mansion wasn’t created for flashiness, but it’s true; Winterthur spurred out of love for a place, a heritage, a way of life. That spirit of stewardship infused everything du Pont did. It’s a good reminder that our homes and gardens don’t need to be perfect to be meaningful. They need to feel connected to our story, land, and values.
Winterthur’s garden teaches us that beauty isn’t about perfection but presence. It invites us to live in rhythm with the land, layer and design with memory and imagination. In a world that moves quickly, that kind of timeless, rooted design feels more meaningful than ever.