Mt Cuba Center

I was fortunate to receive two 2015 Brandywine Treasure Trail Passport tickets which gives you access to 11 amazing attractions throughout Wilmington and the Brandywine Valley’s top attractions and this was one of them. The Brandywine Treasure Trail Passport was valid from May 23, 2015 through September 7, 2015 and couldn’t be used during special events. We had no issues using them at the admission office and just waited for our passport stamp which was cool.
This was our last attraction and me and my goddaughter were both mansion and gardened out after seeing so many during the weekend. We honestly didn’t give Mt. Cuba Center its due timely justice but what we did see in our walk through was beautiful. We spent more time in the gardens and walked the wood trails which were quiet, peaceful and gorgeous. It wasn’t as huge or mesmerizing as the Longwood Gardens but it was still a treat to see and take pictures. Another must see place to check out if you’re in the area

I had been wanting to visit this place for quite some time. It had been heavily talked up for me by a number of people in my life, who described it as «spectacular» and said that what they were doing with native plants was «amazing», and that I «had to see it», and stuff like that. When I finally got here, I was disappointed.
If you’re looking for a pretty botanical garden, a little like Longwood Gardens, but one that happens to highlight plants native to Eastern North America, then you may enjoy this place. I was looking for something more ecologically-​oriented.
I think that this place may be doing harm, culturally, by reinforcing some unhealthy ways of thinking, and ways of approaching gardening that are highly resource-​intensive and work against, rather than with, nature. This place seems to operate in the «aesthetics first» paradigm, forcing nature to look a particular way, based on an arbitrary cultural sense of aesthetics, rather than allowing nature to display itself in a more wild form and then teaching people how to appreciate the beauty in the natural forms. This «subjugate and control» paradigm of approaching nature is exactly what is destroying biodiversity, and Mt. Cuba seems to operate within this paradigm on a deep level, without questioning.
One example of how this plays out is that nearly every plant grown here is a cultivar. Cultivars are inferior with respect to ecological value. They have less genetic diversity, and in many cases they have less value to pollinators or other insects as well. They also are less valuable (and can be harmful) when they seed out into wild ecosystems. I always recommend everyone to garden exclusively with straight species, growing them from seed so that each individual plant is genetically unique. This is the exact opposite approach to what you find in Mt. Cuba.
Another example of «subjugate and control» is that there are collections of plants grown in arrangements or combinations that would never survive in the wild (nor in a typical garden without HEAVY intervention), because one plant would out-​compete the others, or because the plants are not an optimal plant community for the environment where the plants are growing. Rather than working to understand the unique habitat requirements and adaptations of each plant, and then create micro-​environments in which each species will naturally thrive, Mt. Cuba throws the plants where they «look nice». There is some coarse pairing (i.e. you’ll find evergreen understory plants growing under the hemlocks) but I didn’t see signs of the sort of deep understanding that I have been working to develop (and that I would expect career professionals at a garden with the resources of this one, to have mastered). The result is that, when walking through the gardens, you will be able to learn very little about the natural habitat requirements or growing conditions of the plants here by looking at where they are growing in the garden, and you also will not be able to learn much about plant communities and associations.
Yet a third example of this is the complete absence of «weedy» looking native plants. Not all native plants have big, showy flowers, but these plants are still valuable parts of ecosystems, with unique insects that depend on them. I also think that these less visually-​attractive plants are often in greater need of protection by people, because they tend to be removed or viewed as undesirable. Mt. Cuba, because of their huge resources, and with their tours, has a unique opportunity to educate the public about the benefit of these plants, which range from common weeds to rare but inconspicuous plants, many of which are endangered. Instead they seem to focus exclusively on showy plants and «neat» looking plants. The result is that a lot of the plant communities here are incomplete, and the plants are sometimes also trimmed in unnatural ways.
There are also a ton of locally-​native plants that I couldn’t or didn’t find. One of my hopes in visiting was to see locally-​native plants that I have been unable to locate myself in the wild. For example, there are several species of Lobelia native to this area. L. cardinalis, L. siphilitica, and L. inflata are fairly widespread in both gardens and the wild. But there are other, rarer native lobelias that I have never seen, including L. spicata, L. puberula, L. kalmii, and L. nuttallii. Guess which three lobelias I found at Mt. Cuba? The three I already have seen and grown. I couldn’t find any of the four less common species that I have been wanting to see growing, and this pattern played out with numerous other plant taxa as well.
I also was disappointed that the tour did little to emphasize the importance of native plants and demonstrate the huge differences in ecological impact that you can make by growing native plants in your garden. The tour had a lot of info on history that I found uninteresting and irrelevant to me.
A disappointment. Not recommended.

Date day today led us to Mt. Cuba, so obviously I was hoping for a 5-​star experience. Unfortunately, I didn’t get it.
I do NOT recommend a tour, unless you are an industry professional. I do NOT recommend bringing kids. The tour absolutely will bore kids to death (as well as most adults), & it is doubtful that the people who manage this place would tolerate the temperament/​behavior of children.
Before I go on, let me explain that my grandfather created & maintained a 400-​tree holly orchard for over 50 years. I grew up on the orchard when my parents bought it, & helped my grandfather with the trees all the time. He developed hybrids, etc. Horticulture was not his career, nor his life, but he was an active member of the Holly Society, the PA Horticultural Society, & taught horticulture courses at a nearby trade school. He also showed at the Flower Show in Philly (in the 80’s, before it became a commercial mess). I have been to Holly Society meetings with him; helped him give tours of our orchard for Scott Arboretum (who took his cuttings for the arboretum), etc. I know local horticultural people, & I have my own interest & knowledge in it. With my background, I felt Mt. Cuba’s tour was extremely tedious + arcane, & should have been advertised as a horticultural lecture for degree holders, rather than a walk-​n-​talk around the property.
Some examples:
I do not need to know all the steps of the long & laborious 7yr propagation process for Trillium.
I do not need to know the pruning method used on the hedges.
I do not need to know the construction details of the mulch path (a substrate layer of gravel, french drains, landscaping fabric). Knowing how to construct a garden path, I would assume that was the case whether she told me or not, but really, who cares?
I do not need to know what moss is weeded with tweezers. (Ridiculously high-​maintenance for a «Natural» garden & NOT worth it.)
None of this was Q&A.
I was hoping just to enjoy walking on the path, be told some basic history about the Copeland family, have a few noteworthy species pointed out, have the docent answer questions, & that’s it. Instead, it was layer upon layer of tedious info, shuffling along, two steps at a time, & then standing for a 10-​minute lecture, repeat x12. NOT my idea of fun.
If you have any physical issues, you will suffer. I have back & foot issues; I can jog or walk for miles with no issue, but the stop-&-stand is miserable for me. While there were numerous seating areas, we were never invited to sit (I sat anyway). Even in very comfortable clothes, orthotics, + sneakers, I was in total pain by the end.
Everyone was a good 30+ years older than us, & yet I never cease to be amazed at how age does not always afford someone maturity. My husband & I were pretty put off by the pretentiousness of both the guide & fellow tourists, who seemed to want to compete/​impress each other over their grasp of native species, in an intellectual-​snob way, like insecure middle-​schoolers.
It was just NOT for us.
As stated, we opted to visit on a tour day. What they did NOT explain on the website, & what they really ought to explain, since it is pretty unusual, is that if you go on a tour day, you are NOT permitted to walk freely about the gardens on your own. REPEAT, if you go on a tour day, you are NOT permitted to walk freely about the gardens on your own. This means that if you planned your day to spend a few hours there, it’s too bad for you, b/​c after the 2-​hour tour, they will kick you out.
Why? Because they have to weed with tweezers?
If you go on a non-​tour day, you are permitted to walk freely, & that is the only option. But for some reason, if you pay for a tour, you are then told to leave. This makes no sense & is completely inhospitable. It is also exasperating, especially when you find it out after you planned your whole trip for a longer visit (+ called + emailed ahead, & no one said a word about these odd limitations).
So as my husband & I went to part company with our tour today, in order to explore on our own, our guide, Nancy, rudely demanded,“Where are you going?” as if we were retarded kindergartners.
Wondering what her problem was, I patiently explained we were headed outside to look around some more. Oh no, Nancy made sure to bluntly tell us that is absolutely NOT permitted, & all visitors need to fill out a survey, & then leave.
Mandatory surveys? Who does that? Ew. We should have declined, but when you’re in the quiet hallway with 6 others obediently completing their stupid cards, the middle school pressure is on. Needless to say, our reviews, while kinder than they should have been, were not favorable.
Really? My husband & I take a day off, we suffer through a 2hr tour of digression in 90-​degree heat, half in the sun, unable to move b/​c we’re having to listen to the details of how the mulch path was laid, & then you tell us we can’t go walk around at our leisure?
Maybe next visit (w/​out a tour) will be better?

If the greater Philadelphia area is the garden center of North America (…and it is), Mt. Cuba Center is one of the gems in the diadem. This former Dupont estate, specializes in native plants and in many ways is as impressive as its sister gardens of Longwood, Winterthur, and Nemours. Wild flowers abound here on the high hills of the Northern Delaware Piedmont. And in spring when so many of the perennials are in bloom, this is an inspirational garden to visit. I was here as a kid before it was open like it is today; in the past few years they are really making an effort to be visitor friendly. Everyone who works here is very helpful … and they now offer an introductory film and varying docent tours with your admission.
Take your sketchpad along with you. The gazebo by the ponds is a perfect place to do some painting or drawing!

Mt. Cuba Center falls somewhere between Longwood Gardens — fantastic, unique — and Nemours Gardens — impressive, haughty. The gardens around the Mt. Cuba house, once belonging to DuPont relatives, are not as extensive as either of the more famous garden sites, but they are easier to enjoy than either of them. These gardens were built to be enjoyed, unlike Nemours. They are continuous, unlike Longwood, which is more like a many-​roomed open-​air house in its layout.
We walked these Labor Day weekend, so the colors might have been less spectacular than the perfect May weekend — but the beauty was still lush and carried the sweetness, or the bittersweetness, of late summer. Abundant flowers, organized beds, woodland paths, ponds and a small meadow — those were all present for us. We started to walk unguided, but went back for one of the two or three daily scheduled docent tours, and that made it much better. A little bit of the personal history of the Copeland family, the beautiful site looking across a small valley toward other hills, and the botanical expertise of our guide Sarah all added significantly to the fun. Mt. Cuba is lower-​key than the other two DuPont gardens, and it is not on as grand a scale, but those can be virtues to the visitor. I would strongly recommend this to garden-​y and outdoor-​loving people. One warning: I needed some bug spray, which was fortunately made available to me by one of the friendly staffers. Next time I will bring my own.

Since this is the first review for this place, let me preface it with a little history about the place. This is taken from one of their brochures, which can be picked up at the Orientation Tent at the parking lot when you first get there.
‘In 1935, Mr. & Mrs. Lammot du Pont Copeland purchased farmland near the village of Mt. Cuba, Delaware to build a stately Colonial Revival house for their family. Both shared an interest in plants and an enthusiasm for gardening. With the help of prominent landscape architects Thomas W. Sears and Marian C. Coffin, they developed a series of formal gardens and elegant outdoor entertaining spaces.
Over time, the Copelands’ growing passion for native plants and naturalistic gardening led them to create a series of glorious wildflower gardens, meadows, paths, and ponds. Today, these gardens boast a diverse, scientifically-​curated plant collection that includes more than 1,900 plant species, varieties, and cultivars, making Mt. Cuba Center a widely-​respected living museum and an important botanical resource.‘
Now to the review. The way we approached the place was almost scary because of the way the roads are around there: hairpin turns and winding, narrow roads, most alongside an equally twisting, winding creek. There is another way to get there which is less perilous.
Unfortunately, by the time we got there, it was about 2:45, and the place closes at 4:00 on a Saturday. We were told we could walk it in about an hour. I found that odd, since I’d read that there’s 600 acres there. The only reason I dropped it a star from 5 was because it seems that a lot of those 600 acres are closed off and there are barriers up. Either those are private residences, workshop areas, or just dangerous to walk. I don’t know.
We found the Main House to be beautiful but empty of any visitors or docents, which was kind of cool, and in fact, we felt we had much of the entire place to ourselves that day, which was even cooler! But when I think back, I wonder how many visitors they DO receive. This place just might be a partially-​hidden gem.
We enjoyed walking through the Trial Garden. To quote the brochure: ‘Formerly the Copelands’ cut-​flower garden, this area now serves as the primary site for intensive horticultural trials and evaluation of potential new commercial plant introductions.‘
That’s kind of exciting! We saw lots of coreopsis and lilies, and took pictures.
The Lilac Allee’ had absolutely no lilacs blooming, but they’re at their peak in early May, so I guess we missed that! Still, it was lovely to walk «down the aisle» with lilacs standing so stately, leading to a bench right in the middle at the end.
Now here comes the good part, We saw a docent who said to us, «You MUST go down to the Ponds!» Glad we did! Not only was this area gorgeous, but it provided some very lovely photo ops for us both. I found shady respite in the roomy, black wrought iron gazebo, which had such a lovely view of that entire area. To cut to the chase, my boyfriend proposed to me in that gazebo on Saturday, June 29, 2013, which is why the Ponds area will always have a special place in our hearts.
When we return, we will make sure we have much more time to spend there.
Please be advised that because of the paths, they do not allow strollers or wheelchairs, and no pets are allowed. And it’s not a playground, so if you have kids, be aware of that fact as well. We go to many gardens which are supposed to be serene, peaceful and bucolic, and the experience is absolutely ruined by people who have no respect for nature or their surroundings, and use these places as free or low-​cost amusement parks for their misbehaving, loud children. Ruins it every time for us. Maybe the out-​of-​the-​way location is a deterrent for that, and I like that. I have nothing against children — I had one myself — but take them to an appropriate place if they’re feisty/​bored/​not interested in the quiet beauty of nature. Come here on your own and leave them with a sitter, or bring them when they’re a lot older. It’s only fair to them, you, and your surroundings.