Chanticleer Gardens near Philadelphia, PA is a 35 acre pleasure garden. Built in the early 20th century it was a summer home of the Rosengarten family. There are rolling hills, woodlands, a cutting garden, terraces and ponds, it is a truly beautiful garden space. There is an entire book written to describe and illustrate its story. Chanticleer’s spring palate was anchored with shades of purple mixed with whites and pink. The alliums in purple and white and in all stages of bloom were a star of the show. These perennial bulbs are easy to grow, come in a variety of colors and require little space. Interspersed among other plants they are great for adding height to a border as the pop up inserting their ball shape bloom. The buds emerge a small smooth ball with no hint of what will emerge. Then it begins to crack open and the beads of color appear. The individual flowers are a star shape and when fully open the bloom is a baseball size burst of color. I love them in the flower beds, in bouquets and in all stages of opening.
Killdeer, Killdeer, Henry Schmeider Arboretum
There is always a chance of a surprise encounter when wandering into a garden. Today we explored the Henry Schmeider Arboretum, which encompasses the entire campus of Delaware Valley University. The iris and peony garden was blooming and hidden among the flowers on bare ground a killdeer sat on a nest. Alert and protective she called out her name onomatopoeically. Her mate returned the call, both on alert and then she stood up!Under her were four eggs, spotted, camouflaged and like small rocks they seemed to set directly on the ground unprotected. The mother flew off to fake an injury to draw me away from the nest. Calling out and flapping her wings she wanted us to follow her. She wanted us to move away from the eggs. We backed away and she quickly returned to the nest. All seemed well. In just three weeks the babies will hatch. Remarkably they break out of the shell able to see and forage quickly after.
If I were to have a conservatory . . .
Mt Cuba Botanic Center
Former home of Mr. & Mrs Lammot du Pont Copeland, Hockessin, DE
If I were to have a conservatory it would be lovely to have large tall windows facing southeast. From inside I could look out on the rolling hills of the Piedmont range in northern Delaware. The tall windows would allow light to flood into the second story of the house and the room. The sun would fall on the black and white tile floor. The potted plants would thrive in the pleasant environment.The walls would be painted with a soft taupe. A perfect sideboard in green with gold leaf accents would be just the thing to showcase a collection of floral china pieces.
A Walk in the Woods
Mt Cuba Gardens, Hockessin, DE
A rare day in May found me walking in the woods down a path flanked with blooming ephemeral spring flowers. There were jack-in-the-pulpit, and the trillions in yellow, wine, red, white and pink were all about the ground. The native florida flame azalea shrub with its deep orange blossoms added intense color in the green forest. The tulip poplar trees shot 100 feet into the sky providing a full canopy of cooling shade. My destination was the lowland ponds. I wasn’t sure how it could be any prettier and yet when I arrived it was wonderful.
Nemours, French & Fabulous
Nemours Mansion and Gardens is Alfred duPont’s tribute to his family’s French Heritage. In 1909 he built a 102 room mansion in the late-18th-century French style. The mansion is said to be based upon “Marie Antoinette’s Petit Trianon at the Chateau de Versailles.” I toured the mansion and it was lavish and lovely. The garden surrounding the house is said to be the largest formal French garden in North America. It is grand, symmetrical and designed to impress.
Welcoming Children in the Garden
Wandering into a garden one lovely summer day I was greeted with a sign “No Picnicking, No Pets, No Bicycles, No feeding the wildlife.” Beyond the gate was cool shade, colorful flowers, falling water, birds singing in the trees, rabbits, ducks, and squirrels on a carpet of lush lawn. I found no one in the garden but the gardeners. I’m fine with policies about expected behavior, yet a greeting like this kicks the kid in all of us out of a garden.
Texas Flowers, Clark Gardens, Weatherford, TX
Beyond the stockyards, the boots and bar-b-Q spring is the time to see Texas flowers bloom. East of Weatherford, TX is Clark Gardens Botanical Park. A private garden of 55 acres open to the public for spring and fall only. My mid April visit gave me a glimpse of the famous Texas blue bonnet magic. Great sweeps of blue mixed in with double ruffled pink poppies filled the ground in all directions.
Donna’s Garden
“Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, a place to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and cheer and give strength to body and soul alike.“ John Muir
Yellow Season
It is yellow season in the Desert Southwest. It is that brief time between our short spring and very long hot summer when yellow flowering plants seem to be everywhere. No plant announces this season more beautifully than the Palo Verde tree in full bloom. The small yellow flowers are like spring rain drops suspended in the air letting you see the spray of thousands of petals. In the city the yellow trees are scattered about, in neighborhoods one glorious tree after another is in bloom. In the shopping and resort areas the landscape design marches them around the perimeter in symmetrical groves surrounding the architecture.
What’s Your Sign?
What is the sign you look for to tell you spring is near? Is it a robin, a crocus poking up through the dead leaves of last fall, a just awakening snake in your path, a citrus blossom, a pussy willow branch, or that first walk out of doors without a jacket?