Bluebell Time at Gibralter

Hidden away behind high stone walls on the northwest corner of Pennsylvania and Greenhill Avenues is one of Wilmington's loveliest gardens. It's near the end of the line, trolleywise speaking, and it's open to the public without charge. (Contributions welcome!)

My wife and I spent a couple of leisurely hours there the other day and found the spring display in full bloom. We had the place almost entirely to ourselves. Two female couples -- one young and one a bit older -- were our only company. The young ones stopped to chat about gardens in general and Mt. Cuba in particular, and the older ones let me photogaph them together by the pool, which is large enough to swim in but probably served mainly as a reflecting pool. Gibralter was one of the homes of Wilmington's duPont-connected Sharp family, and, like not a few mansions of its kind, has become something of a white elephant in recent years. Its gardens, however, have been magnificently restored and are well worth a visit.