03 January 2024
Chanticleer Garden’s rooster theme continues with Marcia Donahue’s bamboo sculptures, which mark the entrance to the Elevated Walkway Garden. This is part 4 of my visit to Chanticleer during the Philadelphia Area Fling last September.
The winding path spirals around a large Japanese maple, which has turned red from autumn.
Green leaves turn orange-red
Moss and fern cover the ground under the tree, and a strange house appears under the branches – an apple house, built half underground to store cold apples.
Inside, an impressive mural that runs through every wall and even the ceiling makes the old structure a squirrel’s recess in a playhouse. Amidst the painted fallen leaves, the paper with Chanticleer’s address seems to be lying crumpled on the ground.
And the hungry cat peeks at the squirrels – and you!
Another view of the moss covered apple house and guardian Japanese maple
Flowers at the end of September
Angelica’s maroon umbrella
Lord of the Rattlesnakes
Even a few daylilies
The walkway overlooks a large lawn that slopes down from the house to the pond…
…and that brings you to the lawn near the foot of the hill.
Serpentine
Here the Serpentine squirms into view. Two winding beds are planted with agricultural crops such as barley or sorghum.
With creative dexterity, the silvery willows are pruned to look like gnarled olives, and the bushy juniper is meant to evoke the verticality of an Italian cypress. It’s a hint of old Tuscany in the Pennsylvania countryside.
At the end of the Serpentine, ruffled ginkgos surround a low stone wall.
What a wonderful enclosure
The golden rod of ‘Fireworks’ sizzled yellow behind the ginkgo.
Bulb Meadow
Farther on, there was a lawn dotted with colchicums. These fall-blooming bulbs look like lavender bouquets placed on the lawn.
A romantic scene, with colors like Easter for autumn
Next up: Asian Woods garden at Chanticleer. For a review of Chanticleer’s dreamy House Garden, click here.
To read about my past visits to Chanticleer’s Elevated Walkway, Serpentine and Bulb Meadow, follow these links:
I welcome your comments. Please scroll to the end of this post to leave it. If you read email, click here to visit Digging and find the comment box at the end of each post. And hey, did someone forward you this email and you want to subscribe? Click here to have Digging delivered straight to your inbox!
__________________________
Digging Deeper
Hey Austin area gardeners, come learn how to make a water resistant and Texas crack garden! Register for my next Garden Spark conversation with Coleson Bruce on January 18th. He created one of the most interesting and beautiful xeriscape gardens I have seen in Austin. Learn all about it and mingle with fellow gardeners who are interested in good design. Hope to see you there!
Come learn about garden design from the experts at Garden Spark! I host in-person talks by inspiring designers, landscape architects, and authors several times a year in Austin. These are limited-attendance events that sell out quickly, so join the Garden Spark email list to be notified in advance; simply click this link and request to be added. You can find the Season 7 lineup here.
All material © 2024 Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.