Chanticleer ~ The Tea Cup & Lower Courtyard Gardens

Chanticleer gardens in Wayne, PA

I found one of my favorite scenes of Chanticleer's spring show in the entrance garden. Just past the pots in the courtyard (which is the first post in this series) you pass behind the smaller house on the estate, which was gifted by Adolf and Christine Rosengarten to their daughter, Emily, in 1935. You enter the Tea Cup garden, which is home to tropical fare during the summer months. For spring, it was filled with some bedding flowers: Icelandic poppies, African daisies, etc. 

Visit to Chanticleer Gardens in Wayne, PA: The Entrance

Bold container plantings at the entrance to Chanticleer Gardens.

Last spring I had the pleasure of visiting one of the most beautiful gardens in North America with some wonderful blogging friends.  Chanticleer, in Wayne, PA, is an excellent example of a public garden that still revels in being made by real gardeners.

Color for the Weekend

Orange and purple-flamed Tulipa 'Prinses Irene' and blue forget-me-nots (Myosotis) in our Front Walk last spring.

Remembering April... I am looking forward to seeing some more of Tulip 'Prinses Irene' in our Front Walk this year!

Good Gardeners take Notes...

Time to dust off your garden journal or start a new one!

In much of my reading this winter, I keep running into this: good gardeners keep a garden journal.

They take notes on what blooms when, what the weather is like, what plant combinations they like and which ones they do not.  They makes lists of what they need to remember to change in the spring, in the summer, or the fall. And then they read them, do what they recorded, and cross them off!

And this is the moment to start: as flowers begin to bloom!

The Tropical Nature of Phipps Conservatory Orchid Room

Oncidium Group Orchid in Phipps Orchid Room this February

One thing that I love about Phipps Conservatory's Orchid room is the natural setting full of tropical foliage and rock that is then covered in pretty orchid blooms. There is real substance to the overall garden design, which helps to support such exuberant color. I wanted to help you get a better idea of the setting as a whole of this Orchid Room, so I have included several room shots mixed in with the orchid close-ups. I hope this will give you more of a sense of what it is like to walk around such a room, though you may have to turn on your tea pot for a while to simulate the warm, moist heat! Just be sure not to steam your iPad in the process.

I hope that you enjoy a few more colorful orchids from Phipps Conservatory!

Flowers in the Cold! ~ GBBD February 2013

Hellebores orientalis in the Shade Path Garden

February is here at Gilmore Gardens in Pennsylvania! There are a few early signs of spring today, though they are shivering at the moment in 32 F (0 C) and will be even colder tonight as it is supposed to get down to 17 F (-8 C). We had snow flurries for Valentine's Day yesterday instead of the 40 F that was predicted. But it is warmer inside with all of the heart garlands hanging about thanks to my daughter Grace.

Phipps Conservatory Orchid & Bonsai Show 2013

My family's visit to Phipps' winter Orchid Show.

Hi all! I fell off the blogging band wagon last week (mostly due to my migraine issues), but I am back again with the more orchid and bonsai photos from our trip to Phipps Conservatory.

If you are ever near the Pittsburgh, PA area during the bleak months of January or February, the Orchid & Bonsai Show at Phipps is definitely worth a stop! This year it is showcased from January 12 - February 24, 2013. It has been my favorite of their flowers shows over the past three years, with their Spring Show as a close second. And as my friend from Florida pointed out, it is the cheapest way to soak up some Floridian heat and humidity in the midst of our cold, dry Pennsylvania winter!

Color for the Weekend

Remembering June... Our pink climbing rose on a trellis (that hides our trash cans!)

See more of June at our gardens to help you make it through the cold weather!
Have a restful weekend!
~Julie