09 January 2024
Every time I visit Chanticleer’s Gravel Garden, I get a familiar feeling. Many of the plants we grow in Central Texas show up in this Pennsylvania dry garden and it’s fun to see them in a new context. Although the garden is abundant with yuccas, agaves and cacti and sways with grasses and airy perennials, the backdrop of tall trees and lush gardens suggests it is in a non-Texas landscape.
This is part 7 of my visit to Chanticleer during the Philadelphia Area Fling last September.
From the Pond Garden, a narrow gravel path winds up a steep slope through meadow plantings.
Looking back at the pond below
In late September, the fall perennials were in full bloom, along with the maples that were beginning to turn.
pine trees — no something you would see in central texas
But Yucca rostrata? Oh yes! How surprising to see it growing on a hillside in Pennsylvania, isn’t it?
A living bouquet at my feet
Tucked away seating area in the Gravel Garden
The view from the benches
A pruned agave, which has no doubt been moved indoors for the winter.
Stone steps lead up to a bench along one side of the hilly garden.
Next to the bench, Minder Woods offers a shady woodland garden to explore. But let’s enjoy the sunny gravel garden.
So pretty with airy grasses and yuccas and meadow perennials all around
A gazebo in the shade of vines curves along the edge of the slope, with a view of the pond and other gardens.
Among the low flowering plants, a tall cactus in a box stands out.
And the spiny mouse-ear
Looking forward to Ruin Garden — next post!
I was fascinated by these pods with cone-like seeds. They look like little chocolate roses.
Gulf muhly and eryngium have gone to seed, along with brilliant white flowers
Another look
Russian sage and that cactus
On the other side, I spy Chanticleer’s famous living room with stone sofas.
As I mentioned earlier in this series, I visited Chanticleer twice on this trip, once before the Fling started and again during the afternoon dinner that Chanticleer hosted for us. Immediately behind the stone armchair were tables for drinks and a bar.
Angie Lueschen (Minnesota) found a comfortable place on the stone sofa. Notice the stone remote control located on the arm of the sofa.
Angie was joined by Natalie Carmolla (Michigan), Margo Rabb (Pennsylvania), and Amy Ellsworth DeWald from Decolonize the Garden (Maryland) – I believe all new Flingers except Natalie. It was wonderful to meet them!
Margo introduced me to Joe Henderson, one of Chanticleer’s incredibly creative horticulturists.
A half-veiled Ruin with open doors and windows is visible in the background. Let’s explore that next time.
Next up: Fairytale Ruin Garden at Chanticleer. For a look at Chanticleer’s lush Pond Garden, click here:
To read about my past visits to Chanticleer’s Gravel Garden, follow these links:
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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.
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