Garden is beautiful. The pond was even more beautiful. Wish the site was open for tours. Nonetheless, a pretty place. A little gem.

What an absolute shame that this historic property has fallen into such disrepair and neglect. While the noble efforts of Preservation Delaware are keeping parts of the grounds of Gibraltar maintained, it looks to be a losing battle, and the enemy appears to be the obstinate neighbors who are opposed to any kind of development.I am all for the preservation of history, particularly in my home state of Delaware. It breaks my heart to see open space or beautiful old buildings disappear in the name of progress. Thirty years ago, there was an opportunity to re-purpose the architecturally significant mansion, and renovate the gardens. Several attempts have been made, but the surrounding community does not seem to support any updates. Now it’s too late, and the blighted property has now suffered demolition by neglect!As a tourist attraction, this is a great place to visit if you’re in a great mood and want to be depressed. One may find some value in the horticultural display, but unlike nearby Hagley, which has done a great job creating a “ruins garden,” the crumbling Gibraltar mansion and outbuildings do little more than to provide a shabby backdrop that screams “eyesore.”There are plenty of other options to see fabulous gardens in Wilmington and the Brandywine valley.

We arrived at the Marian Coffin Gardens at Gibraltar this afternoon. There were 3 different “formal” gardens with statuary, a fountain, a goldfish pond with lily pads, and urns. Wrought iron fences, gates, and stairs separate the gardens from each other and from the rest of the grounds. The gardens appear to have been neglected somewhat, but are in considerably better shape than what we could see of the mansion.The mansion is currently closed to the public. It appears to be going through a renovation, or at least I hope so! It has been neglected for quite some time perhaps even decades! From photos I have seen online, the mansion and its gardens in its “heyday” was absolutely magnificent!

I read about Marion and wanted to see with my own eyes what she createdWe came early in the morning and there were only two of us and the birdsWhat a romantic fairytale! And it is free!

This is beautiful little garden in Wilmington that is the perfect spot for a nice little stroll, and it has many pretty photo opportunities. We will definitely go back at some point in the future for a visit. (I would warn that it seems to be a popular spot for professional photography, so if you go on the weekend and it is a nice day, prepare to run in to a lot of people taking photos. For the most part, this did not impact the enjoyment of our visit, but there were some photographers being selfish and taking over whole areas for quite a long time. They need to remember it is a public garden, and they should not take away from other people’s enjoyment by monopolizing areas.)