Another Year at Brandywine Cottage:
Tours of David Culp’s Garden through the Six Seasons
A Series of Six Seasonal Tours
Details for the entire series of 6 tours below.
(For individual tour descriptions, click on the other tour dates in the Event Calendar.)
To register for the Entire 6 Tours ($80) Members Only. The series is full.
There was so much interest in our Brandywine Cottage series that we are delighted to offer a new series of visits to David Culp’s famous Brandywine  Cottage in 2025, shifting the dates from 2024 to offer yet new perspectives. To simplify the calendar, all visits are scheduled for a Thursday, with rain date the following day. The timing of the visits will reflect the six seasons as described in his award-winning book, A Year at Brandywine Cottage: Six Seasons of Beauty, Bounty, and Blooms. Dates for all six tours are shown below.
Your Tour Guide – David Culp:
David Culp, a founding member of the Hardy Plant Society/Mid-Atlantic Group, has spent more than 30 years creating a sensational year-round garden that provides an abundance of joy. If you have read his book, you know that his garden is more than, well, a garden. It is about making our place in the natural world and enjoying the changing of the seasons. As he points out, we do not live in a static world, and gardens are not a static art form. Through this series, David will guide us to see more clearly the subtle seasonal transitions. By looking closer, we can learn how to create beauty and build a habitat for ourselves in the garden.
For additional information on David, and his books, go to https://www.davidlculp.com/.
Tour Dates (all at 10 AM – 12 Noon):
Season – Early Spring (February March): Thursday, March 6 (Rain Date March 7) This date is full.
Season – Late Spring (April/May/June): Thursday, May 8 (Rain Date May 9) This date is full.
Season – Summer (July/August): Thursday, August 7 (Rain Date August 8)
Season – Early Fall (September/October): Thursday, October 9 (Rain Date October 10)
Season – Late Fall (November): Thursday, November 20 (Rain Date Nov.21)
Season – Winter (December/January): Thursday, January 8, 2026 (Rain/Snow Date Jan. 9)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This series of in-person tours is open to Members Only.
To register for the entire 6-tour series click here. To register for individual tours, go to the calendar event and register there.
Click here if you would like to become a member of HPS/MAG before registering for this event.
For the entire 6-tour series, the fee is $80 per person; limit of 20 registrants. A limited number of spots (10) will be available for each individual date; cost is $20 per person.
Important Info regarding registration: Please make sure you hit the "finish" button after registering on-line. If you do not receive a confirmation e-mail, then the registration process was not completed.
Address and parking directions will be sent to all registrants in their confirmation email.
Contact: Nora Sirbaugh, [email protected]
Season – Early Spring (February/March)
(10 AM – 12 Noon):
Thursday, March 6 (Rain Date March 7)
Coming off his annual Galanthus Gala, David now enjoys the snowdrops in his own garden. The long-awaited and much-anticipated Galanthus season is now in full swing, a cause for celebration as it is the first harbinger of spring. By March the hellebores, tommies and early daffodils have joined the party. Seeds are sprouting in the barn, and the garden is burgeoning with life. Come celebrate the beginnings of the gardening season with David. [Photo by Rob Cardillo]
Season - Late Spring (April/May/June)
(10 AM – 12 Noon):
Thursday, May 8 (Rain Date May 9)
By May the garden is in full flush with the species peonies coming into bloom. Trilliums and Virginia bluebells are blooming. The trees are blooming as well, adding more colors to that layer of the garden, and the tree layer becomes more evident. Tulips abound as well. The containers are planted with collectibles, and at Brandywine Cottage they offer the opportunity to try different color and plant combinations, as well as grow edibles. [Photo by Rob Cardillo]
Season – Summer (July/August)
(10 AM – 12 Noon):
Thursday, August 7 (Rain Date August 8)
August tests a gardener’s ingenuity! All too often it is a month of extremes, often beleaguered by drought. The wild garden looks blowsy by August. Being water-wise is an important practical aspect with only a well for water! The vegetable garden is located centrally at Brandywine Cottage and is the heart of the garden. Abundant bounty here. Wet or dry, August is about texture and color echo. [Photo by Rob Cardillo]
Season – Early Fall (September/October)
(10 AM – 12 Noon):
Thursday, October 9 (Rain Date October 10)
There is no excuse for the October garden to be dull. The asters are blooming and the colchicums emerge, and the sumac is spectacular. This is the last hurrah for dahlias too. The colors of fall add drama, and seeds and berries are seasonal accents, along with gourds, pumpkins, and acorns. This is also a time of bulb planting, and the meadow is glorious.
Season – Late Fall (November
(10 AM – 12 Noon)
Thursday, November 20 (Rain Date Nov.21)
November is one of David’s favorite months. The words for November are leaves and bulbs. It is a time for respectfully gathering objects for winter wreaths and decorative containers. On milder days, there is time to plant woodies and admire the flowers of Hamamelis virginiana and fall/winter blooming Galanthus.
Season – Winter (December/January)
(10 AM – 12 Noon)
Thursday, January 8, 2026 (Rain/Snow Date Jan. 9)
Winter is all about bringing light to darkness. January is a time for dreaming of things to come, of planning for the future. The garden in winter is about the effect of light on nature. Oil lanterns adorn the porch and picnic table, fires in the hearth and candles everywhere, both indoors and out. Bonfires are a winter bonus. The mahonias have budded up and the Leucothoe axillaris is in its winter color, a beautiful deep burgundy beside the golden yellow Cephalotaxus harringtonia. There are winter crocus and Galanthus also blooming, with bright berries of the Ilex verticillata.
|
