Ten Best Places to see spring blooms in Delaware

As a lifelong Delawarean, I have explored the state for more than forty spring seasons. These are the top places to see beautiful spring blooms in Delaware. On this list you will find free parks and events, as well as paid experiences at some of the gorgeous manicured gardens that make Delaware such a treat to visit in spring time.

Spring Blooms at Winterthur Museum, Garden, and Library

Winterthur is one of my favorite places in Delaware. It includes a beautiful mansion and gallery, and dozens of acres of naturalistic garden and woodland. Don’t miss the enchanted garden, especially if you have children. Tickets are around $25 per person, but check the website for special events and discounts. The Brandywine Treasure Trail Passport is a great way to visit and save some money. The passport also includes several other attractions on this list.

Blooms to see:
March-April: Snowdrops, daffodils, bluebells
April-May: Azalea woods, wisteria, trilliums, peonies

Spring Blooms at Mt Cuba Center

Mt Cuba Center is another beautiful DuPont property that also includes a mansion, but it also includes a nursery and focuses on native plants. Oh, and it’s not actually a mountain – Delaware has plenty of hills but no mountain ranges! Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for kids, or use your Brandywine Treasure Trail pass. You can add an ecotour for an additional fee, depending on the timing of your visit. Check the website for more information.

Blooms to see:
March to April: Virginia Bluebells, Moss Phlox
April to May: Trilliums, Celandine Poppies, Wild Columbine, Woodland Phlox, Creeping Phlox,
Wild Bleeding Heart

Brandywine Park and Josephine Gardens

This small park in downtown Wilmington is a gorgeous place to see cherry trees in early spring. If you come later in the season and the trees have already finished blooming, you’ll find a beautiful rose garden on the other side of the bridge that will bloom throughout the summer. The park is free and open to the public during daylight hours.

Blooms to see:
Early spring: Cherry trees
Late spring into summer: Roses

Nemours Estate for spring blooms in Delaware

Another impressive mansion from the guided age, Nemours Estate features pristine manicured gardens that are beautifully in flower from early spring to late fall. Ticket prices are around $20-$25 and differ based on the day, but there are family passes available that are a good deal for large families. Find other discounts on the website.

Blooms to see:
March to April – tulips, daffodils, flowering trees
April to May – Azaleas, lilacs, peonies

Rockwood Park

Rockwood Park is a rural gothic mansion located in Northern Delaware, which includes rolling meadows and blooming gardens around the estate. The grounds are free and open to the public. If you’d like to tour the mansion, tickets are around $10, or free if you come on the first Sunday of the month.

Blooms to see: Lilacs, magnolias, peonies, and historic roses in the Walled Garden

Spring Blooms in Valley Garden Park, Delaware

This free, peaceful park in Northern Delaware includes rolling hills with meadows, woodlands, and a small babbling brook. It is a picturesque place to visit in early spring, when daffodil hill sports its golden blooms, along with flowering trees and ephemeral woodland blooms.

Blooms to see: Daffodils, flowering trees

First State Heritage Park in Dover, Delaware

Heading south, you’ll find First State Heritage Park in Dover, Delaware. This area is known for its historic buildings including Legislative Hall and the Delaware Archives. The walkways in this area are heavily planted with tulips, which bloom in myriad colors, typically in mid to late April.

Blooms to see: Tulips

Lavender fields at Warrington Manor

In late spring this historic farm in the small rural town of Milton, Delaware, peeks with lavender blooms. Have tea at the Wildflower tea house, buy some lavender merchandise, or just enjoy the sight and smell of the purple meadows at Warrington Manor.

Blooms to see: Lavender, peeking in June

Delaware Botanic Gardens

This lovely botanic garden at Pepper Creek includes whimsical animal statues made of natural materials, woodland paths, and the only botanic gardens in Southern Delaware. Tickets are about $17 per adult, with kids under 16 free.

Blooms to see:
March to April – Daffodils, crocus, trout lilies
May to June – phlox in the meadow garden

Spring Blooms in Lewes Beach, Delaware

The annual tulip celebration which runs in April features over 31,000 tulips as well as other spring bulbs in 20 locations throughout this charming beach town. The event features walking tours, a tulip sale, and artist displays. Park for free at a public lot on second street and you will also find lovely blooming trees along the Delaware Bay.

Blooms to see: Cherry trees, tulips, typically in April

There is no lack of options for seeing spring colors in Delaware, beginning in March and continuing throughout the season. Celebrate springtime at one of the destinations on this list, or find other things to do throughout the state of Delaware on this post.