The Brandywine Valley of Delaware and Pennsylvania is considered to be the Garden Capital of the World, and if you spend any time searching for estates and botanical gardens here, you’ll quickly understand why. This region of the country is speckled with famous landmarks like Longwood Gardens, the Mt. Cuba Center, and Winterthur. However, there’s more to discover here than the enormous and famous landscapes. If you know where to look, you can find a secret garden in Delaware, too.
While many of the DuPont Estates have been preserved or restored, Gibraltar is one that sits abandoned in Delaware’s largest city.
Flickr / Michael Caruso
Hugh Rodney Sharp, son of Isabella Mathieu du Pont, purchased this estate for his family in 1909. After his death, it fell into disrepair.
Flickr / Michael Caruso
While Sharp lived at Gibraltar, though, he hired famous landscape architect Marian Coffin to lay out a beautiful formal garden.
Flickr / Simon
Thanks to the efforts of preservationists, the Marian Coffin Gardens are manicured and maintained to this day!
Flickr / Mandy Jansen
You can visit this beautiful secret garden in Delaware
Flickr / Mandy Jansen
In any season, the bright and colorful trees, flowers, and structures of the Coffin Gardens draw photographers, artists, and nature lovers to this hidden corner of the First State.
Flickr / Mandy Jansen
While many of Coffin’s gardens were restored, the gardens at Gibraltar are considered one of the most accurate displays of her work.
Flickr / Mandy Jansen
Make plans to visit this secret garden in Delaware for a relaxing stroll on a sunny day and you’ll fall in love with the history of Delaware’s hidden estate.
Flickr / Simon
Delawareans can enjoy this beautiful garden thanks to the work of Preservation Delaware. They facilitated the purchase of the entire estate in 1998, and have painstakingly restored the garden to its former glory. The owners of the mansion have yet to restore the house itself, and it remains closed.
Flickr / Michael Caruso
Flickr / Simon
Flickr / Mandy Jansen
You can learn more about the history of Gibraltar and the Marian Coffin Gardens on the Preservation Delaware website, here.
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
Address: Marian Coffin Gardens at Gibraltar, 1405 Greenhill Ave, Wilmington, DE 19806, USA
