Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Visiting Jonathan at Chanticleer

Chanticleer Garden in Wayne Pennsylvania must be one of the most unique, beautiful and well run gardens in the country. I'm very fortunate to be friends with Jonathan Wright who lives and works at the garden. I have also been fortunate to see the garden several times over the years and have seen the progression of plantings, furniture and art. This morning when the garden was closed I had a long stroll. Below is what I found.


Jonathan has an amazing eye,  I have these same incredible natural concretions at home but not perfectly arranged like this. 

Jonathan created what I would call hanging meadows

very unusual Dahlia 'Obsidian ', Jonathan's find

Dan Benarik's tower of some variegated Coprosma

Dan's tropical design is fantastic, subtle color play with Philodendrons

This year's Tea Cup Garden

Ginormous hibiscus

Zinnias in the veg garden

Loving this huddled family of Ilex 'Sky Pencil'

Erie stone faces a la Marcia Donohue



all weather furniture

Spectacular kale fields






Alocasia 'Sting Ray'


Jonathan's temporary meadow

Love Jonathan's color combos!

Jonathan again, lemony fun

This urn has been covered with this same ivy for many years... I recognize it from The American Hort Society's A-Z

Erithrina variegata?

Schaueria flavicoma (LOVE)

Angelica gigas




Aechmea blanchetiana

golden Tupidanthus


lumbering hulks of Picea abies 'Pendula'

playful acorns and oaks




coffin or dinning table




comfy ;)



Gingko espalier



bridge as art








pneumatophores 

not a plane crash but tree bridge, more bridge as art.  Love this though they were toning down the color of the "bark".  What a wonderful and ambitious project.  Only a place like Chanticleer can do things like this!







Monday, August 19, 2013

More Heronistas


Just wanted to do a quick visual tour of Duane West's place in western Washington. He has been very very busy.


New sheds, love the colors


'Shiro' plum = yum

Fastigiate copper beech in narrow container


Cute bird condos


his old place (lived here for 30+ years!)

I made fried oysters for dinner

All the veg from the garden

Beaver freak out moment



"alien" peony fruits

Duane West, Celia Pedersen

Echinops ritro toughing it out on the edge of the dry woodland

Ricinis 'Carmentcita' with amazing hot color


yummy veg