Chanticleer Part 3: Through the Seasons
Carolyn’s Shade Gardens is a retail nursery located in Bryn Mawr, PA, specializing in showy, colorful, and unusual plants for shade. The only plants that we ship are snowdrops and miniature hostas. For catalogues and announcements of events, please send your full name, location, and phone number (for back up use only) to carolyn@carolynsshadegardens.com. Click here to get to the home page of our website for catalogues and information about our nursery and to subscribe to our blog.
Close up of the teacup fountain in fall.
Chanticleer is a unique public garden in Wayne, Pennsylvania, U.S., which I have profiled in two previous articles. The first, Chanticleer Part 1: A Pleasure Garden, gave an overview of this one-of-a-kind horticultural destination. The second, Chanticleer Part 2: Garden Seating, focused on the huge variety of thoughtful seating areas in the Chanticleer gardens. This post will show some of Chanticleer’s gardens as they evolve through the seasons, highlight some additional “hardscape” features, and focus on the attention to detail in one tiny garden that peaks in the fall.
The Teacup Garden through the seasons: clockwise from top, spring, summer, fall. I highly encourage you to click on any photo to enlarge it for more detail especially the collages.
I hope that my first two posts have inspired you to visit Chanticleer. However, if you live in the area, it is well worth visiting several times a year. As you can see from the photos of the Teacup Garden above, the changes in some of Chanticleer’s gardens are very dramatic. And even the less dramatic evolution of other areas makes each visit feel unique. Here are a few more gardens from spring through fall:
Entrance courtyard: clockwise from left, summer, spring, fall. The lavish and very colorful plantings in this area, where visitors check in, often have a tropical theme.
The gardens above the pond and below the ruin: clockwise from left, summer, spring, fall.
View of the Serpentine Garden from the gravel gardens below the ruin: clockwise from top, fall, summer, spring. Although the changes are more subtle, they are no less beautiful.
Another more subtle change in the area below the ruin and above the Stream Garden: top summer, bottom fall. A change in the seasons gives a whole different feel.
One of the many unique features of Chanticleer is the ingenious use of “hardscape” or architectural elements throughout the garden. These elements are as important to my visits to the garden as the plants themselves. They provide a dimension of experience not available in any other garden I have visited. I have highlighted some of the hardscape in each of my posts, but here are additional examples:
The elegant gate at the entrance to the Teacup Garden.
Stone acorns in the Ruin Garden: Chanticleer has many beautiful stone sculptures, including the stone chair in my garden seating post, which has taken Pinterest, the online pinboard site, by storm.
Pattern in the floor of the Ruin Garden: at Chanticleer, it pays to look where you are walking because art is incorporated into the paths. I have been inspired by my visits to add design elements to my own woodland paths.
Lovely bridge with carved wooden railing below the Pond Garden.
Elegant bridge marking the entrance to the Asian Woods.
This creepy fountain of sunken marble faces is in a secluded alcove of the Ruin Garden—I love it!
I thought you might like to see close up photos of all the sunken marble faces in the Ruin Garden fountain.
My latest visit to Chanticleer was on October 21, shortly before the garden closed for the season at the beginning of November. I was captivated by a small garden between the Teacup Garden and the back gate. So much work had been put into the plantings and the seating arrangement to ornament the very short period when Chanticleer is open in the fall. The eggplant-colored chairs perfectly echo the October-blooming and -fruiting beautyberries, toad-lilies, and other flowers behind them—now that’s attention to detail and that’s what Chanticleer is all about.
To finish out this series, I will need to visit Chanticleer in winter. Because they don’t reopen until April 1, I hope to get special permission to visit off season. Wish me luck!
I am currently putting together a Carolyn’s Shade Gardens 2012 Calendar featuring some of my favorite photographs from the past year. If I am successful, look for an announcement here–it will make a great holiday gift.
Carolyn
Notes: Every word that appears in orange on my blog is a link that you can click for more information. If you want to return to my blog’s homepage to access the sidebar information (catalogues, previous articles, etc.) or to subscribe to my blog, just click here.
Nursery Happenings: The nursery is closed for the year. Look for the snowdrop catalogue (snowdrops are available mail order) in January 2012 and an exciting new hellebore offering in February 2012. If you are within visiting distance and would like to receive catalogues and information about customer events, please send your full name and phone number to carolynsshadegardens@verizon.net. Subscribing to my blog does not sign you up to receive this information.
CAROLYN'S SHADE GARDENS 
November 29, 2011 at 11:29 am
Chanticleer looks like a really cool garden! I’ll have to check it out next time I visit PA, my son lives in Phoenixville, so maybe next year. That teacup fountain is pretty cool, and the marble faces are definitely creepy.
November 29, 2011 at 11:46 am
Alison, The sunken faces are creepy but fascinating. I visit them every time I go there. If you come to Phoenixville, you won’t regret a visit to Chanticleer, but I hope you can stop by Carolyn’s Shade Gardens too. I am less than 10 minutes away. Carolyn
November 29, 2011 at 6:25 pm
Chanticleer’s whimsy, colorful plants and textures are beautifully represented in this blog. There’s nothing quite like visiting this pleasure garden. It’s always worth the trip, Allison!
November 29, 2011 at 6:29 pm
Louise, I am glad another person who really knows Chanticleer thinks I captured it on my blog. It really is a one-of-a-kind place. Carolyn
November 29, 2011 at 11:37 am
The carved railing of the bridge below the pool garden reminds me that our bridge to the woodland strip needs attention – maybe I ought to carve a new railing for it ? But the wow for me were the aubergine chairs and the Callicarpa berries – such colour co-ordination – fantastic !
November 29, 2011 at 12:25 pm
Pauline, I am so glad you liked the fall seating area I featured. The photos are not as good as I would like and do not catch the full interaction of all the plantings with the seating. It is all beautifully integrated. Carolyn
November 29, 2011 at 11:50 am
It is very nice garden,i wish i live close just to visit it,picture s are professional and amazing,
Thank you
November 29, 2011 at 12:37 pm
Muna, Thanks for visiting. I am happy to share Chanticleer with long distance readers too. Carolyn
November 29, 2011 at 12:08 pm
Hello Carolyn,
How fortunate you are to have such a lovely garden nearby with this mix of great planting and sculptural/hard elements. Last time I was taken by the images of the stone sofa, this time by the stone acorns, and then the heads in the fountain, which I thought was inspired. Strangely we’ve just taken some of our work to a small art/craft exhibition where I encountered the work of Susan Hanna for the first time, who concentrates on ceramis forms of the head, influenced by masks and forms from throughout the world. The link is : http://www.myspace.com/sue_hanna, if you’re interested, but I found her sleeping heads in black and white fascinating, and its given me ideas for perhaps a wooden form in the garden. Thanks again for showing us this beautiful garden,
BW
Julian
November 29, 2011 at 12:40 pm
Julian, That’s what I like about Chanticleer. A visit leads to discussions about stone heads submerged in a fountain. Many of the plants are unusual too or new ways of using plants that I know about. Carolyn
November 29, 2011 at 1:00 pm
I’ve never been to Chanticleer, but if I found myself in the area, I’d certainly go. I love their use both of hardscape, and color. I really adore the gate to the teacup garden. We need to build a permanent gate under an arbor than leads to our orchard, but I’d hate for it to just look ‘functional’ and austere. This might be the inspiration I need. Maybe we could so something creative with Manzanita or Madrone branches that are growing on the property so it blends in with the landscape a little better, but still has an element of charm.
BTW, I can’t wait to see how the calendar turns out, I’ll be watching for the reveal!
November 29, 2011 at 1:10 pm
Clare, I wish you would find yourself in the area so you could come to Carolyn’s Shade Gardens! I have to admit I love my photo of the Teacup Garden gate. The same design but evoking local CA trees would look great at Curbstone Valley. As you know, the calendar is kind of an ordeal for me, but with your help I am plugging along. Thanks, Carolyn
November 29, 2011 at 2:32 pm
Hi Carolyn,
Wonderful photos and kind words. Thank you for featuring us!
Best, Bill
R. William Thomas
Executive Director
Chanticleer Foundation
November 29, 2011 at 3:01 pm
Bill, It is always hard when writing about a garden to know if you have gotten it “right” or missed the whole point. I am so glad that you liked the post, and I am also thankful that I can spend so much time in your wonderful garden. Carolyn
November 29, 2011 at 2:52 pm
Those paths and stone acorns are the best. I wonder how they make the acorns? Too cool. Good luck on visiting in the winter. I bet they’ll give you permission no problem. Take care and enjoy your holidays!
November 29, 2011 at 3:04 pm
Tina, The Ruin Garden has a lot of sculptures big and small. There are several stone books, which I think are quite cool. My favorite sculpture at Chanticleer is the stone pear in my first post. I know you are taking a break from blogging so enjoy your holidays too. Carolyn
November 29, 2011 at 3:37 pm
How interesting – love the beautiful bridges. The marble faces under water was quite something! Thanks for sharing!
November 29, 2011 at 3:55 pm
Barbie, Fun to hear from you—usually it’s Christine! Glad you enjoyed the garden long distance from South Africa. Carolyn
November 29, 2011 at 4:31 pm
Those are some big acorns.
I thought this when I first saw the ruin fountain in pics, and seeing them again, it just confirms it. Creepy. Like people drowning. But I’m sure this is just me.
November 29, 2011 at 6:19 pm
Susan, The Ruin Garden is designed to evoke a feeling of death, dying, and decay. The plantings consist of plants that would seed into an abandoned structure and slowly demolish it. The main room is mostly filled with a giant sepulchre. I think the faces are supposed to be creepy and probably do represent dead people. However, if you enlarge the collage, they don’t look tortured and some of them are smiling and the center one looks peaceful. It’s about the natural evolution of life. I hope the designer/sculptor doesn’t read this because I could be all wrong. That’s just the feeling that the place gives me when I visit. Carolyn
November 29, 2011 at 7:33 pm
Your photos are spectacular from close-up of the tea cup to the gate and the bridge. I even find the purple chairs uniquely beautiful. The berries must have something to do with it.
November 29, 2011 at 8:14 pm
Thanks, One. I am not very confident in my photography so your compliment means a lot. The photograph of the purple chairs does make them look slightly overdone but that’s just because I didn’t really capture the scene. If I had had time, I would have gone back to try again. Carolyn
November 29, 2011 at 8:11 pm
Nice series Carolyn. I really have to get back there sometime, it has been far too long since I visited. Such a lovely place to take photos, too. Nice idea on the calendar too, I am sure it will be successful.
November 29, 2011 at 8:16 pm
Donna, You can visit Chanticleer when you come in May. Even if I can’t go south, you can stop on your way and stay here. Clare from Curbstone Vally has been helping me with the calendar. If it weren’t for her, I would have shot myself by now. Carolyn
November 29, 2011 at 8:17 pm
I have to visit these gardens…I love the garden art…amazing..that teacup garden is wow!!! Perhaps a side visit when I finally get down there…I wanted to experiment with making a calendar too…love to know how it comes out..
November 29, 2011 at 8:20 pm
Donna, I just replied to the other Donna that you will both have to visit chanticleer in May whether or not I go south with you. The calendar process is quite frustrating. I just don’t find anything about the site intuitive, but Clare at CVF says it’s the best for quality. Will let you know. Carolyn
November 29, 2011 at 9:32 pm
Ok, I’m inspired. And I am endlessly fascinated with pictures over time. That the garden changes so much right before our very eyes is neverendingly entertaining to me. I’m seriously considering getting a plantcam for next season 🙂
November 30, 2011 at 8:31 am
Jess, I am glad you liked seeing Chanticleer change through the seasons. I was lucky to find enough areas that I had taken repeat photos of because I wasn’t planning this post last March. Plantcam—it would really have to speed up the “action”. Carolyn
November 29, 2011 at 11:00 pm
These have been very inspiring posts… I’ve always wanted to visit Chanticleer as I am really impressed with all I’ve seen of it over the years… perhaps someday! Larry
November 30, 2011 at 8:32 am
Larry, It is a hike from Wisconsin, but there are so many gardens here to visit, you would really enjoy the trip. Carolyn
November 29, 2011 at 11:32 pm
I am so far away, I may never be able to visit. Thank you for sharing Chanticleer so beautifully!
November 30, 2011 at 8:34 am
Alison, If you can’t come in person I am glad you enjoyed the virtual tour. Chanticleer’s Executive Director, Bill Thomas (his comment is above), is going to arrange for me to visit during the winter so there will probably be one more post. Carolyn
November 30, 2011 at 6:48 am
It is indeed an amazing place! And one that warrants repeat visits.
For those not lucky enough to live in the area, remember that there are “secret” gardens everywhere. Philadelphia has many, both public and private, tucked away in quiet corners of the city.
Rural areas abound, too, with bits of nature that have been “tamed” just enough to distinguish them from Wilderness. Storm King sculpture park is 500 acres of Art and Nature an hour north of NYC. There is a Secret Gardens tour in New Orleans, but they are everywhere, and with a bit of sleuthing, I bet readers can find one in their own back yard- or at least a neighbor’s!
November 30, 2011 at 11:01 am
Steve, There are many beautiful gardens to visit in our area and others for many different reasons. I have always wanted to visit Storm King and need to make that visit happen. Carolyn
November 30, 2011 at 7:11 am
Thanks Carolyn. You really stress the importance of careful observation and hardscape;very educational.
November 30, 2011 at 11:03 am
Charlotte, You are right: careful observation is a key ingredient to Chanticleer’s success with what they do. The big picture is important, but beauty is also in the details. Thanks for commenting. Carolyn
November 30, 2011 at 8:42 am
Hi Carolyn! Beautiful pictures! For anyone in the area, the Narberth Garden Club is having a program on Chanticleer Thursday evening, December 1, at 7:15 at the Narberth Municipal Bldg on Haverford Ave. It will be presented along with a recent book about the garden.
November 30, 2011 at 11:06 am
Paula, Thanks for telling us about the program. Is it put on by Rob Cardillo about his new book about Chanticleer? Is it open to the public and is there a charge? Carolyn
November 30, 2011 at 10:55 pm
Hi Carolyn! Yes to all your questions, but the charge is minimal – $5 or so. Hope you can attend:)
December 1, 2011 at 10:11 am
Paula, Thanks for the additional info. I am thinking of coming. Carolyn
November 30, 2011 at 12:49 pm
And something else to encourage local folks to visit Chanticleer several times a year is that it costs only $5 – yes, five dollars – to enter! Louise
November 30, 2011 at 1:10 pm
Louise, I really appreciate your comments! Thanks for pointing out that Chanticleer’s entrance fee is very reasonable. Carolyn
December 5, 2011 at 9:24 am
I believe the entry fee has gone up to $10 per visit in 2011. Since I live relatively locally & Chanticleer is a garden really worth seeing repeatedly, I highly recommend the “season pass” for $30.
December 5, 2011 at 11:29 am
You are right, the 2011 general admission fee for adults has gone up to $10 with children 12 and under free. Radnor Township Library cardholders pay $5, and garden professionals are free. The season pass is $30 for one person and $50 for two.
November 30, 2011 at 4:44 pm
I absolutely love the teacup fountain / garden, through all the seasons. I was very taken with Chanticleer in the last post you did on it already. But if I am being very honest, I don’t like the creepy heads. Just a personal thing, the rest of the gardens are beautiful!
November 30, 2011 at 5:23 pm
Christine, You and Susan in the Pink Hat agree, and even I think the faces are creepy. I wish you could come over from South Africa and see them in person and tell me what you think. My children have always loved them. Carolyn
November 30, 2011 at 5:56 pm
Am sold on Chanticleer with your 3 reviews. What a joy to follow in your footsteps Carolyn and enjoy this marvel of a garden through your lens. Love the quirky design elements but the simpler change of textures in paths grab me. Your calendar will be a stunner
November 30, 2011 at 7:30 pm
Laura, I am glad I could take you on a virtual tour. Stay tuned for winter at Chanticleer. I am glad you have such confidence in my calendar–it has been an ordeal and its not even done yet. Carolyn
November 30, 2011 at 11:52 pm
Carolyn,
I love your opening shot and seeing the succession plantings in your collages. Beautiful. I agree that it is the attention to detail that sets this garden apart from other gardens, especially public gardens. Someone clearly enjoys living and making garden art there. I am in the process of getting their new book, Chanticleer: A Pleasure Garden, to learn more about it.
Wonderful post!
December 1, 2011 at 10:00 am
Julie, I have not seen the book, but I went to an exhibit of the photographs and they were magnificent. I am going to try to go to the author’s talk tonight mentioned by another commenter. Carolyn
December 1, 2011 at 3:23 am
Amazing garden, really very well planned and artistically executed. Very beautiful, your photos are wonderful too.
December 1, 2011 at 9:53 am
Andrea, Thanks for your feedback. I think I caught the “flavor of Chanticleer. Carolyn
December 2, 2011 at 9:29 am
Great job displaying the look of the gardens in three seasons … Those sunken faces are creepy, though everything else is lovely. I particularly like the gate to the teacup garden …
December 2, 2011 at 9:36 am
Sheila, I am glad I put the sunken faces in because they have elicited a lot of comments. My photo of the gate turned out well, thanks. Carolyn
December 2, 2011 at 5:16 pm
Chanticleer always takes my breath away. I live close but rarely take the time to go. Shame on me. Loved your touch of “snow” on the post.
December 2, 2011 at 5:22 pm
Darlene, This series of articles has gotten me to go to Chanticleer about once a month. I used to go a lot when my children were young because it is a very child-friendly place, and they loved it. I didn’t realize my blog was snowing. I did that last year, and I guess my blog host just turns it on again. I am still feeling very fall like right now so I don’t know what I think about snow!!! Carolyn
December 2, 2011 at 9:23 pm
I do wish I could see Chanticleer in some other season than high summer, but at least then all the tropicals they use are at peak. Spring and fall, both, must be stunning there.
December 2, 2011 at 9:41 pm
Les, You should come up during one of those seasons and visit Longwood, Winterthur, Morris Arboretum, and Carolyn’s Shade Gardens. It would be a fun trip. Carolyn
December 5, 2011 at 9:34 am
I am always so impressed at how much change happens each year at Chanticleer. While your post references the natural changes over the three growing seasons, Bill Thomas & his passionate staff seem to continue to both broaden the scope of planted areas on the ground as well as undertake substantial re-planting of established areas. These botanical changes appear to be not just a matter of improving horticultural problems & weaknesses, but it is change for the fun of it. So returning year after year remains a fresh experience.
Although not intensively publicized, Chanticleer seems to have become known quite widely (internationally) for it’s creativity. Many out-of-town speakers at the recent Perennial Plant Conference made reference to how special they found Chanticleer gardens.
December 5, 2011 at 11:24 am
Eric, My photos show both the seasonal changes near the ruin and the serpentine and also the changes to which your refer. The teacup garden and the entrance courtyard are both highly managed–whole plantings are removed and replaced during the season to produce a whole new look. The hillside above the pond also tends to change on a regular basis with perennials and bulbs added and removed. This does indeed add to the value of repeat visits. Carolyn