Almost two years ago, I had the incredible experience of visiting one of the best public gardens in the U.S. I worked at Chanticleer Garden for two weeks as an intern gardener.
It was 5pm on a Saturday in mid-May. I made my way to the shuttle which would transport me to Wayne, PA, home to Chanticleer Garden. Once in Wayne, at the agreed-upon meeting place, Peter from Chanticleer arrived to deliver me to the wonderland... Driving through town on tiny, curvy two-way lanes we pass, gorgeous, old stone houses surrounded by lush tree canopies.
We arrive! The iron gates magically open, we pass through the rooster-topped pillars and drive into the driveway of my home for the next two weeks. The house is white stucco with copper scuppers and downspouts with the loveliest blue-green patina. One of the Chanticleer garden-artists, Jonathan, lives here and kindly agreed to share his home with me. His apartment is on one end of the Main House on the property, where the Rosengarten family once resided. Peter had an engagement, so I was invited to wander the garden and get my 'bearings'. Truthfully, I didn't get my bearings for about 24 hours.
More on my experience later - for now here are some photos of the gardens that surround the Main House.
This was the view from my bathroom window.
Garden bed adjacent to the rill and fountain.
Chanticleer is comprised of 7 types or styles of gardens, each is designed, planted and maintained by a gardener/artist. The Chanticleer House or Main House is cared for by Dan Benarcik. Dan travelled to New Zealand the previous spring which inspired his creations as seen here.
Looking down the lawn, the Main House on the right and swimming pool on the left.
Dan's New Zealand-inspired plantings create a highly-textural border in front of the swimming pool.
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