Coffin Garden in Delaware is hidden in the Brandywine Valley, considered the Garden Capital of the World if you add Pennsylvania. 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, such as 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 also find a secret garden in Delaware. Let’s check out one of the most beautiful gardens near me.

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, and his wife Isabella Mathieu du Pont Sharp purchased this estate in 1909.
Flickr/Michael Caruso
It was already a sprawling 19th-century mansion with about 80 acres of beautiful landscaping. Sharp expanded the home with the addition of several wings to the east and west, a conservatory, a carriage house, a greenhouse, a swimming pool, and an elaborate garden.
Marian Cruger Coffin was one of four women in 1901 enrolled in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to study landscape architecture.
Winterthur Archives, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
She was not accepted at any of the architectural firms in New York City and opened her own business in 1905.
While Hugh Sharp lived at Gibraltar, he hired Coffin in 1916 to lay out a beautiful formal garden.
Flickr/Simon
He requested the Italianate Beaux Arts style, seeing each space as a lovely room or hallway.

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Granting his request, Coffin designed the garden as a series of terraces each one with a unique theme.
Flickr/Mandy Jansen
Sadly, the estate and its garden slowly fell into disrepair after the deaths of Hugh (1968) and Isabella Sharp (1946).
Thanks to the efforts, beginning in 1998, of Preservation Delaware, with the backing of the community and the Sharp family, the Marian Coffin Gardens are manicured and maintained to this day!
Flickr/Mandy Jansen
You can visit this beautiful secret garden in Delaware.
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
Coffin's designs include primary elements to create focal points in each area of the garden.
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 one of the best gardens in Delaware for a relaxing stroll on a sunny day.
Flickr/Simon
You might just fall in love with the history of Delaware's hidden estate.

Learn more about the history of Gibraltar and the Marian Coffin Gardens on the Preservation Delaware website. Have you visited this enchanting secret garden? What was your favorite area? Please share your experience in the comments below.

Read about the sites in historic Wilmington. And make it a vacation by renting a charming Vrbo.

One Of The Most Unique Cities In America, Wilmington Is Perfect For A Day Trip In Delaware

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More to Explore

Gardens In Delaware

Carolyn Harmon | April 17, 2024

What are some of the best gardens in Delaware?

  • Goodstay Gardens (Wilmington): Located at the University of Delaware, these historic gardens are some of the oldest, continuously kept gardens in the state. The property dates back to the 1700s and was the cherished childhood home of Howard Pyle (1853-1911).
  • Valley Garden Park (Greenville): This sweet place follows along the pretty Hoopes Reservoir in the heart of the Chateau Country. It features paved walking trails among a river landscaped with mini waterfalls.
  • Winterthur (Wilmington):  It's hard to choose what to explore first here with the house and garden tours, exhibitions, and the Enchanted Woods. If you just choose the impressive garden, you'll be there all day exploring the 1,000 pastoral acres of meadows, streams, and forests.

What is one of the best state parks in Delaware?

  • First State National Historical Park (New Castle): This park is comprised of six individual sites. Each destination has some type of welcome center providing information about the property and available tours.

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Marian Coffin Gardens at Gibraltar, 1405 Greenhill Ave, Wilmington, DE 19806, USA