In the Idea Garden—home to five unique garden spaces, including our recently redesigned Ornamental Kitchen Garden—we bring horticultural inspiration closer to home, showcasing a range of educational, experimental approaches to gardening and design, and using plant varieties that can be reliably grown by home gardeners in the mid-Atlantic region.
Echoing some of the classical elements of the Main Fountain Garden, blending the formal with the less formal and notably the agrarian, pathways lead the way to sections dedicated to annuals, perennials, vegetables, fruits, herbs, and more. With a nod to the Brandywine Valley, traditional bedding plants are combined with swaying grasses, handcrafted support structures, and other eclectic elements that showcase our gardeners’ passion for plants and creativity. We recommend you bring along your camera—and make time to take lots of notes!
About This Garden
Annual Corridor
Look for an ever-changing palette of color in this evolving space featuring tropical, hardy, and flowering plants. Bulbs take center stage in the spring, while annual flowers bloom continuously throughout the summer months into fall. This space is often used to showcase new and exciting plants that are available commercially, as well as ways to enliven outdoor spaces both large and small. Form and repetition are key to the designs, creating a coordinated vista of sun-bright hues and artful combinations.
