Milford chronicle., 1953-05-15
Azelea Gardens At
Winterthur On Display

The famous azalea gardens of
Mr.. and Mrs. Henry Francis du-
Pont, Of Winterthur, Delaware,
viii again be on display during the
month Of May by special arrange
ment for the benefits Of the. Henry
Francis DUPONT Winterthur Muse
UNI. From May / through May %,
except for Sundays and Mondays, a
special combination tour Of the
Gardens and about twenty early
American period rooms in the Hen
ry Francis dupont Winterthur Mu-
scum may be taken without adj
vance reservation.
This is a repetition Of what the
museum stan calls the successful
experiment" Of last May, when
many went to see the noted col
lection Of colonial and pOst-cOlon-
fal decorative arts and to enjoy
the azaleas and other spring flow
ers in their natural settings.
HOrticulturists are familiar with
the magnificent naturalized wood
land paintings at Winterthur of
many different shades OF Kurume
and Kaempferi AZaleasHthe Azalea
Firefy, the Azalea Magnifica, and
various hybrids which were prop
agated from beginning of sixteen
different plants. To others less spe-
cialized in their interests, the spec
tacular clouds Of color, ranging
from white and palest orange to
flaming crimson and dark red, are
a breath-taking sight. The azaleas
are at their best during the month
Of May.
There is a vast display of other
unusual and interesting plant ma
terial, some in full flower, to de-
light the visitor. Winding through
a spectacular pinetum, one encoun-
ters perhaps the finest collection of
Towering ounces in actual use in
this country. This group includes
named varieties, hybrids, and even
seedlings, with a wide range Of col
Grafton from richest crimson
through apple-blOssom pink to bun
yellow hues.
Through the wooded area unus-
ual paintings of Virginia bluebells,
anemones, bellWorts, trilliums,
mayapples, and dOgwoOd are to be
seen. In one section, on the edge
of the wooded area, are groups Of
great specimen magnolias and a
splendid collection of towering
crab apples. Among the unusual
plants, specimens of the yellow
lowered RhOdOdendrOn keiskei and
a 120-year-Old specimen plant of
wisteria are located in the more
formal garden area Immediately
adjacent to the house.
Woodland paths lead in every
direction amid towering oaks,
beeches, and some of the finest
specimens Of great tulip trees.
In announcing the special tour,
Joseph Downs, curator, said that it
is the hope of the museum staff to
welcome thousands of persons
whom the museum has been un-
able to accommodate under the sys-
tenn in effect since the opening in
October, 1851. By museum policy.
all-day tours are limited to 90 visit
Ors a day and halliday tours to 40
visitors a day, personally conduct
ed in groups of four by a trained
guide. These regular tours, Mr..
Downs said, are now completely
booked through most OF 1868. Visit
Ors with appointments for May will
be cared for as usual while the spe-
cial tours are going on.
The May "Open-hOuse" program
will offer a tOur Of what fho ofo ff
considers to be more than twenty
OF "the most important rooms in
the museum" Among the interiors
to be shown are some of those rec
ognized as the finest of the Queen
Anne, Chippendale, Federal, and