Plow back with me in time to The Garden Blogger’s Fling in September, a few months ago. Owl Creek Farm in West Chester, Pennsylvania was a favorite. There were no ancient walls, limestone paths or turrets as backdrops but the design elements leaned towards English garden theory. Stepping into this garden, fed my plant lusting eyes but also my heart. I hope you will enjoy a look at Owl Creek Farm.
Lush plantings such as these pink borders in the two photos above with several kinds of Coleus, Impatiens, Angelonia, and Lantana. Texans could borrow this scheme.Color Themed Gardens, yellow reigns here!Plant Diversity-yuccas, orange zinnia and dahlia with a banana as an exclamation.Perfectly Planned Borders, love the textural contrast-coneflower, anemones, a grass I can’t name, allium seed heads in the front, weeping redbud, Cercis canadensis anchoring the back.
Trellis– such as these three, an essential English garden element
Exuberant Pots, Phormium, Coleus, a bit of Lantana, Cuphea at it’s feet and blue salvia
Ann Lamb, Dallas County Master Gardener, Class of 2005
My heart is beating fast just thinking back to my four hours at Chanticleer in September. The history of the garden is interesting because without philanthropic foundations like Chanticleer’s, we wouldn’t have the opportunity to visit such awe inspiring gardens. This historical information is taken from their website.
The Chanticleer estate dates from the early 20th-century, when land along the Main Line of the Pennsylvania Railroad was developed for summer homes to escape the heat of Philadelphia. Adolph Rosengarten, Sr., and his wife Christine built their country retreat in 1913, remodeling and expanding to make it a permanent residence in 1924. In 1990 following the death of Adolph Jr., the entire Chanticleer estate was set up as a foundation for the education and enjoyment of the public.
Thirty five acres are open for exploration.
Map of Chanticleer Garden
The teacup garden, named for this fountain is reinvented every year. This year’s design was taken from historic Persian gardens with silver and variegated plants. See Starla on the left in focus!I am not sure the name of this garden but loved the yellow foliage and the large leaves of the banana below. Asparagus for days!A truly inspiring asparagus border located next to the vegetable garden.The ruin garden, notice the firestick plant in front, flanked by cactus, agave and euphorbia and an espaliered magnolia holding up the wall(so to speak).The dry garden reminiscent of a Mediterranean garden and also looking very Texan. This garden of agaves and Yucca rostrata with many self -sowers, like Mexican feather grass, echinacea, poppies and asters; faces the same challenges we have at Raincatcher’s. Edit, edit for beauty.
The Serpentine beds-an inventive way to celebrate agriculture. Sweet potatoes are planted in these large swaths and were recently harvested.Yes, sweet potatoes can be beautiful.
The great lawn below the main house, part of Minder woods, is planted with blue, purple and orange flowers. Cosmos, Zinnia ‘Queen Lime Orange’ and asters, Russian Sage and blue salviasalong with lusty dahlias.My favorite pot with an other-worldly bromeliad, brownish-green Hoffmannia roezlii, caladiumsand purple at its feet. I couldn’t name all the plants but plan to have this in my garden someday.
Ann Lamb, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2005
Starla and Ann at Carol Verhake’s garden,Boulderhaven, in Berwyn, Pennsylvania
September 29, 2023
Dear Texans, we are sorry to inform you Texas is not the center of the garden world. Philadelphia is America’s Garden Capital. With over 30 public gardens, arboreta and historic landscapes within 3o miles of Philadelphia and the roots of horticultural history firmly planted in this area, we surrender the title to them.
Starla and I toured 15 private and public gardens in 4 days with The Garden Fling, a group of 100 garden variety bloggers, instagrammers, and podcasters. When walking through Charles Cresson’s gardens of Hedgleigh Spring, Margo, a young author remarked to me “surely there is a better word for what I am experiencing than garden envy.” As I recalled our conversation, it seemed to me she was expressing the yearning we feel when we experience beautiful gardens . They take us to a place of appreciation in our souls. Gardens inspire and turn us from the mundane affairs of the world to something bigger. And so, as we share these photos from The Garden Fling in Philadelphia over the next few weeks, allow yourself to be transported as we were.
Mature trees and sabal minor palm Lilac Colchicum under LespedezaPeach Salvia Fellow gardener admiring the climbing roses and honeysuckle.Hedgleigh Spring circa 1883, tended by 3 generations
DALLAS GARDEN BUZZ 