If you’re looking for a garden destination while there are still some warm-ish fall days to enjoy, I can’t recommend a better place than Chanticleer. Located in Wayne, PA, the garden occupies thirty-five of the forty-seven acres of the former estate of Adolph Rosengarten Jr. Despite its size, the gardens – on what was once just sweeping lawn dotted with trees – have a surprisingly intimate feel to them.
My partner Charlie had never been to Chanticleer, so we recently took advantage of a sunny (if chilly) day to take a look. In October we weren’t expecting much of a floral display, so we were delighted to find so much in bloom, along with vibrantly-colored foliage plants. It was an amazing treat for the senses – an artistic combining of colors and textures, and unusual and unexpected sculptures and details. Who knew that so many plants flower this late in the season, or what it would look like if you put them all together?
I had really just wanted to get out onto the grounds, which I remembered from a visit to the gardens about 10 years ago. In particular, I wanted to explore the Ruin Garden, built in and around the original foundation of Rosengarten’s original house. I remembered a towering stone wall and “books” created out of slabs and chunks of rock.
I found that the garden is just as beautiful and intriguing (and a little creepy – marble “faces” peering up from the water of a black pool) as I remembered. The “books” bear whimsical titles: Moss, Fossils, Masonry, Holy Schist.
My favorite moment was walking up from the Ruin Garden to the Gravel Garden where we came upon a small sea of almost foamy-looking magenta. It was masses of pink muhly grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris). This grass is a clumping ornamental native to the western-central United States, and well-suited to poor soils and dry conditions.
I was enchanted by how much color such tiny flowers on such delicate stems could create when all massed together. Despite the coolness of the day Charlie and I were both wearing shorts; it was fun to wade through these thigh-high, tickly clouds of color.
In addition to the Ruin Garden and the Gravel Garden there a Tennis Court and Pond Garden. All of these areas focus on hardy perennials. Surprising in the Gravel Garden were several yuccas, which I would have expected to be out of their element this far north.
A Serpentine Garden features grain crops as planting material. There is an enormous cutting-garden down by the potting shed (more like a cottage) as well as a vegetable garden. The six- to seven-foot dahlias bordering the potting shed were spectacular. There is also the Teacup Garden, a walled area adjacent to the house.
Arriving late in the day, we did not have time to explore the Asian Woods and Bell’s Woodland. While both areas are shady, the former features plants from China, Korea, and Japan; the latter, plants native to North America.
The visit was lovely, but I had one small frustration. Created as a “pleasure garden” rather than a horticultural/teaching garden, there are no plant identification tags at Chanticleer. In little kiosks at each of the garden areas there are drawings of the planting beds along with a plant list for each bed, but unless you have an idea of what it is you’re looking at, it can be impossible to identify individual plants. I was able to confirm several species, but was stumped on many others.
For more detailed information on Chanticleer, go to www.chanticleergarden.org/aboutus.html. Entry fee is $10 for people age 13 and older. Twelve and under are admitted free. The gardens will close for the winter season on Oct. 30, reopening on March 28, 2018.
Note: Pam Baxter has just published an interactive nature journal for children designed to get kids and families exploring nature in a whole new way. “Big Life Lessons from Nature’s Little Secrets” takes everyday experiences in nature and connects them with daily human life. The thirty-one entries explore topics such as Persistence, Being a Leader, Paying Attention, Simplicity, Making Wise Choices, and Being Yourself. With each entry there’s a place for children to respond to several “What do YOU think?” questions. (Available through Amazon at http://amzn.to/2ylkOIu)
Pam Baxter is an avid organic vegetable gardener who lives in Kimberton. Direct e-mail to pamelacbaxter@gmail.com, or send mail to P.O. Box 80, Kimberton, PA 19442. Join the conversation at “Chester County Roots,” a Facebook page for gardeners in the Delaware Valley. Go to Facebook, search for Chester County Roots, and “like” the page. To receive notice of updates, click or hover on “Liked” to set your preferences.
