10 Comments

Coming back here to read this now after having visited it (on your recommendation!). It was so beautiful, Julie, more than I could have imagined. I want to go again and again and again. A true dream.

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So glad you made it to Chanticleer for a visit :) I do not think I have ever visited without feeling that I was being rushed and that there just wasn't enough time to take it all in. It is like reading a favorite book that always gets to the last page too soon. Their investment in their gardeners really is the key, I think. It is what enables them to lavishly plant with such detail and creativity.

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Chanticleer - I think it's such a great concept - having different parts of the garden under the care of individuals. It makes it more like our own gardens. And, indeed, all the very best gardens, which are personal gardens.

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I quite agree! There is definitely something different about Chanticleer and I think the "personal" nature of their plantings is key. Each lead gardener has been empowered to care for their own space, and it makes a whole which could not be achieved by committee.

Also whomever holds the purse strings does not mind the gardeners spending on quality and unusual plants! A rare thing in public gardens.

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We could do with more of this in our institutional gardens in the UK. It's all very well employing a major designer like Piet Oudolf to add a bit but it's the day to day care of a dedicated gardener/designer which can make a garden unique and really special.

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Yes, it is so important to de-center designers and allow the humble gardener inside that inner circle. Roy Diblik has been talking about this in the US. The gardening done by the gardeners is certainly what shapes a space long term.

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No matter where I see it, I just love tulips in a meadow-style planting.

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Me too :)

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May 7Liked by Julie Witmer

Such lovely gardens and landscapes displaying the verdant beauty of our lush Pennsylvania countryside. Thank you for sharing. ❤️

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It is a really magical garden. So glad you enjoyed a quick look! Looking forward to talking about it more this month. :)

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