The gardener's eye

The Gardener's Eye

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Chanticleer's Asian Woods: Another Woodland Inspiration

Chanticleer's Asian Woods. Photo from "What's in Bloom" on their website.

The Asian Woods at Chanticleer, the magical pleasure garden in Wayne, PA, is another inspiration for the Wild Garden I am developing. The Asian Woods is the most collection-oriented garden at Chanticleer. The woodland has unusual plants native to Korea, Japan, and China in a setting that tries to emulate an American woodland garden. The winding paths with unique paving materials lead the visitor to special seating areas with distinctive benches that add to the atmosphere. Best of all, there is an comprehensive plant list on line that is an excellent resource for the dedicated plants-person.

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Garden in the Woods: An Inspiration for my Wild Garden

Sone Steps in the Woodland Garden

Gravel Pathway

A Fork on the Pathway

A Rustic Bench

A garden that I have repeatedly visited for inspiration and education is the Garden in the Woods in Framingham, MA. The Garden in the Woods was entrusted to the New England Wildflower Society in 1965 by owners Will C. Curtis and Howard Stiles. Curtis bought the property and began to create a naturalistic garden in 1931. His wanted the garden be "a Wild Flower Sanctuary in which wild plants will be grown, their likes and dislikes discovered and the knowledge so gained eventually passed on in an effort to curb the wholesale destruction of our most beautiful natives."

The Woodland Garden is my favorite section of the garden. It has a maturity to it that feels tranquil and inviting. Part of the garden is on a slope which offers much inspiration for my Wild Garden. I admire the stone steps and the way the pathways wind and coax the visitor along. There is a great diversity of native trees, shrubs and perennials. The plants form a tapestry of texture even when they are not in bloom. Many of the woodlanders are spring ephemerals but the autumn colors can not be easily rivaled. It is an captivating place to observe plants in an environment where they flourish. There are many native American plants that are still unknown to me so I always bring back a new treasure from the nursery.

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails