Last fall while exhibiting at the Delaware Antiques Show I decided to visit the gardens of our historic house sponsor, Winterthur. I knew they had a special exhibition called 'Follies: Architectural Whimsy in the Garden' and was curious to see what sorts of extravagances would be shown. Many people, myself included, are unsure about what exactly defines a folly. Is it a gazebo or a garden pavilion? How about a tower…or a tent? Can it be a grotto? Or can any outbuilding qualify as a folly? In fact, all of these structures can be designated as a 'folly' as long as they are not currently serving as a dwelling, that rules out hermitages, or performing any other useful purpose. Follies are all about being wholly designed for decorative aims.
 
Have you ever been lost in a sixty acre garden? As I was in a hurry to get back to my show booth I walked around with great vigor determined to find all examples of these unusual creations. However, my navigation skills were lacking and after an hour or so I ended up using Google maps to find myself.
 
You cannot miss the first one, the Needle’s Eye, a pyramidal form floating in a pond by the main driveway. Not all of the Winterthur follies have a historical precedent but this one derives from an 18th-century example in South Yorkshire. Its perfect reflection combined with the array of curious ducks swimming about made this a very memorable vision. It certainly fulfills Winterthur's prerequisite of 'architectural constructions ... positioned within the landscape to ... pique your curiosity.' Interestingly, according to local legend the original Needle’s Eye was created circa 1730 for the Marquis of Rockingham who, having made a wager that he could drive his horse and carriage through the eye of a needle, hired a mason to build a pyramid with an opening wide enough to accommodate a small carriage...oh, those crazy 18th century aristos.
 
After a good climb through the property's Azalea Woods I glimpsed the Neoclassical Folly through the trees. Its description on the explanatory stand said it was 'modeled after the portico, or entrance, to a Greek temple or public building.' I found this folly's orange interior totally eye-catching and noted that the pair of armchairs, as expected stylistically on point, placed side by side frontally, compelled their occupants to engage the surrounding view, which is, of course, another aim of these decorative buildings.
 
Without any question I found the next structure the most difficult for my old-fashioned eye to appreciate, as it was the least traditional of all. Though the form could be considered traditional since it was described as an 'interpretation of the porte cochere, or covered entrance, to Winterthur’s charming train station', its mirrored surface and bold white benches gave it a distinctly contemporary vibe. It’s truly fabulous in terms of today’s aesthetic and is a perfect folly in that it is a costly, ornamental building with no practical purpose.
 
Follies: Of No Use but Delight moved on across the field to what appeared to be the first permanent structure I had seen, a brick, hexagonal, open-sided building. From the description I found out that it was called Brick Lookout and had been installed intentionally as a folly by Mr. Henry Francis du Pont in the 1960s, reusing the peaked tin roof and eagle finial from an old shed. In my opinion it was a very successful addition to the landscape.
 
After a few false starts I came upon the Bristol Summerhouse, another of Mr. du Pont's follies. In 1960 he commissioned this copy of a Bristol, RI summerhouse that he had seen and admired. It is situated to present a breathtaking vantage of sweeping hills and shining ponds and offers the viewer a sheltered place, protected by louvered shutters, to sit and enjoy the vast countryside. True to form Mr. du Pont reused old brick for the flooring.
 
As I walked down the hill it was impossible to miss the unlikely folly at the bottom and I found myself wondering aloud, “Really?” But I was on my way to learning that even tents had been follies in landscape gardens. This was Winterthur’s Ottoman Tent! Once inside the Ottoman Tent it was very clear to me that this was the most inviting interior and it would be the ideal setting for the intimate soirée that I can only dream of giving! The background on the Ottoman Tent stated that the influence of exoticism on Northern Europe in the 1700s created a demand for certain novel design elements from the Ottoman Empire, today’s Turkey. The owner of Painshill in Surrey, the Hon. Charles Hamilton (1704-1794), installed a pseudo-tent folly that was 'brick and plaster swaddled in canvas to look like a tent.' Actually, Hamilton placed a number of variously themed follies on his property. The most piquant detail I discovered was that in true folly fashion his Hermitage was a pure fantasy as an individual was employed as its hermit. Shockingly, though hired to a seven year contract, he was fired soon into his tenure for absenteeism.
 
In the Enchanted Woods, a children's garden, I came upon the Faerie Cottage, one of the permanent, though not original Winterthur follies. It was created from found materials on the estate. There is an authentic early wellhead near the openwork log entrance structure and a pair of stone benches with carved backs depicting whimsical angels. But there are far more fanciful details. I saw six pairs of silk butterfly wings hanging on hooks and a sign reading “Happy times are never ending when we’re playing and pretending! Please return wings to the Faerie Cottage so that others may enjoy. Thank you!” Next to the Cottage is an example of the best use ever for the stump of a tulip tree. It is a mini folly on its own. The charm of the Faerie Cottage and its surroundings were clear to me and I can only imagine their effect on a child.
 
I escaped from the Enchanted Woods and came upon the Gothic Tower. Large, expensive towers were added to gardens in the 18th and 19th centuries in the UK and Northern Europe. Winterthur’s Gothic Tower has a dual-purpose veneer of blackened or charred wood that adds to its imposing appearance while enhancing its durability to last. I took the bait and climbed the tower to see if it afforded an impressive view as is the promise of 'folly' towers. It certainly delivered.
 
At this point though I was in sight of the mansion I managed to get myself totally lost thereby missing a number of follies that were near the house including three permanent fixtures that had been installed by Mr. du Pont: two were rescued from the nearby Latimeria estate in 1929 and the 1750 House was a reclaimed facade from a New Castle, DE house.
 
In his gardens Mr. du Pont was visionary in realizing the value of repurposed elements. Even though I didn’t see the “Green Folly” it is absolutely worth mentioning. In the tradition of the 18th-century English landscape garden it is constructed entirely of natural elements sourced from the Winterthur garden. While their description says it 'represents the spirit of the garden', it is 'green' in 21st-century parlance, while also harking back to the English Garden style.
 
Follies: Of No Use but Delight! The 'Chinese Pavilion' folly has an English antecedent, inspired by the Chinese House in the Stowe Landscape Garden in Buckinghamshire. This beautiful building is a jewel box with copies of the interior wallpaper of Winterthur's Chinese Parlor decorating the exterior.
 
And if you find yourself in the Wilmington area you should make a trip to Winterthur for a first hand experience of these amazing structures.
 
Although the Follies exhibition has now ended so unfortunately the Green Folly and Ottoman Tent will be dismantled and sold prior to the Spring opening on February 29th 2020. The Chinese Pavilion should still be there until sometime in the Spring, 2020. However staying on until later 2020 will be the Needle's Eye, Neoclassical Folly, Mirrored Folly and the Gothic Tower.
 
Please be advised that Winterthur are currently on a Winter break until Feb 29th 2020. During the Winter break although closed to the public, the Gardens are still open from dawn to dusk for Winterthur Members. See the website link for visiting times and further details.
 
The Annual Delaware Antiques Show is organised by Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library. The show benefits educational programming at Winterthur. Save the Date for the 57th Annual Delaware Antiques Show, November 6th to 8th, 2020. Chase Center on the Riverfront, Wilmington, Delaware, USA.