Gardening on a Grand Scale in Glen Mills, Delaware County PA

“Everything that slows us down and forces patience, everything that sets us back into the slow circles of nature, is a help. Gardening is an instrument of grace. ” –May Sarton

Last week I caught one of the final glimpses of Eleanor Tickner’s breathtaking Peony Garden, located on Route 352 in Glen Mills, PA.

A Peony Garden is worth a stop if you like the pure, natural beauty of a homegrown garden.  The garden  began about 15 years ago as a meaningful way for Mrs. Tickner to pass the time after her retirement.

With the help and inspiration of her family, the garden has since grown to over 1000 plants consisting of 100 different varieties and has been open to admirers for the past seven years.

Some ET favorites include ‘Battleflag’, ‘Gold Standard’, ‘The Fawn’ and ‘Junior Miss.’  Roy Pehrson’s Best Yellow’ blooms very early;  ‘Coral Sunset’ fades from coral to a pale yellow; and ‘Garden Treasure’ and  ‘Bartzella’ both yellow Itoh hybrids.  What’s even more striking than the color, however, is the scent that permeates the air as you walk through the rows and rows of plants.  I took over 100 shots and had difficulty deciding which ones to include in this post, as each plant was more striking than the last!

Whether it is artists, photographers, grannies with walkers or babies in strollers,  A Peony Garden is the best spot to absorb the experience of so many peonies in one place.  Spend a few minutes in the garden and you will lose track of time and understand the meaning of “living your bliss.” Unfortunately, show time is limited to several weeks in May and early June.  If you go, the garden is located at 1739 Middletown Road in Glen Mills, PA.

About the Area:  Edgmont Township is a suburban/rural area,  bordered by Thornbury and Middletown Townships on the Glen Mills side and Upper Providence township on the Newtown Square side and is served by Rose Tree Media School District.  Edgmont township is the perfect place to enjoy country living with easy accessibility to the Philadelphia Airport and major routes.

Update 2020 from Eleanor:

If you see the gates ajar, that means the garden is open! Wear a face mask and maintain a ft distance from others at all times.  They are  also taking orders by phone for cut stems for no-exposure pop-in pickups.  The garden is coming into the last bloom stage as the intersectional buds are beginning to strut their colors.  The red hues are intense this year.  Cell # 302.598.6039.

About Me: Local resident, lifetime gardener and photography enthusiast. I love to explore and and share landscapes, nature and architecture, primarily of Delaware and Chester counties.  More on Instagram.