Streambank Stabilization at Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library
Nestled in the heart of Delaware’s beautiful Brandywine Valley, Winterthur is the former estate and farm of Henry Francis du Pont. Today, Winterthur exists as a world-class center for the display and restoration of American decorative arts. What many don’t know is that it also includes 1,000 acres of woodlands, meadows and waterways, in addition to an extensive set of gardens both formal and naturalistic around the house.
One of these gardens, set around a woodland stream, is called the March Bank and was the focus of our scheduled site visit in June 2024.
Eco-Friendly Carpentry is for the Birds
One of the many ways our Carpenters choose to recycle leftover materials is through building birdhouses. This idea existed in our wood shop long before we started constructing them earlier this year. The process of materials selection for the nesting boxes asks 2 questions: is it a natural material and is it a drop (or remnant) from a cut large enough to be used? Off cuts of Knotty Cedar, White Oak, Ipe, Meranti Mahogany, Douglas Fir, Pine, Ash and other tree species can be seen in the beautifully crafted, patchwork appearance of each Indigenous Ingenuities birdhouse.
Ecological Beauty
We love brilliant colors and symmetry as much as the next person, but we ask more of our spaces! Beauty is not only about how something looks, but how it works, so our projects address both our customers’ aesthetic and functional needs, while also serving surrounding flora and fauna. In fact, environmental care runs throughout all of our businesses, and
Ecological Landscape Alliance (ELA)
When Ecological Landscape Alliance asked us if we might host a gathering to discuss best practices with members and industry colleagues, we didn’t hesitate to welcome them into our Doylestown workshop and office! The ELA has been promoting sustainable approaches to landscape design, construction, and