Chanticleer ~ Bell's Run Creek in April

Fothergilla gardenii in Bell's Run Creek planting for April

Chanticleer's spring show includes formal tulips displays, but it also extends to every stretch of their woodland. Here near Bell's Run Creek, spring gets its color from woodland Phlox, Fothergilla, Primula, Camassia, and pretty shade plants and trees of every kind.

The stone walls of Bell's Creek wind through this naturalistic garden area which is part woodland, part meadow. Pink flowers of our native redbud, Cercis canadensis, can be seen across the path. Chanticleer has planted three varieties of redbud in this area: the species, Cercis canadensis, C. canadensis 'Alba' and C. canadensis 'Forest Pansy'. Five additional cultivars of native redbud can be seen elsewhere at Chanticleer.

Pink Primula at the base of a tree. Blue Quamash (varieties Camassia leichtlinii 'Blue Danube' and Camassia esculenta) are planted by the thousands near the creek. They make their own river! At the end of April, they are just starting to come into bloom.

A circular pool in this area is home to a water fairy. Cinnamon ferns (Osmunda cinnamomea) mark the place of the Camassias during their off season, and their ruddy colored plumes echos the red paint on the simple bridge railing beyond.

Purple Redbuds, blue phlox, white Tiarella and Viburnum light up this woodland path.

A small sitting area off the right of Bell's Run Creek is beautifully paved with half-bricks turned on edge. Primula, Brunnera macrophylla and Royal ferns (Osmunda regalis) fill out the planting.

Blue-flowering Brunnera macrophylla and Royal ferns (Osmunda regalis) near the brickwork circle.

At the far end of the creek is a more naturalized section, where the plants tumble down the slope to meet the water. Many water-loving plants relish these spaces.

Fothergilla gardenii planted along the creek edge.

Smaller woodland treasures crowding each other on the bank: purple Phlox stolonifera, blue Mertensia virginica, ruffled-foliage of Alchemilla mollis, yellow upturned-blooms of Trillium luteum, and the yellow pendulous flowers of bell-wort (Uvularia grandiflora).

Yellow pendulous flowers of bell-wort (Uvularia grandiflora). Chanticleer also has plantings of the perforated bell-wort
(Uvularia perfoliata) in this garden area.

View down the path to the small bridge that crosses the creek.

A large patch of Dwarf Crested Iris (Iris cristata) caught our eye on the way up the hill. Chanticleer has several different varieties of I. cristata in the creek garden including I. 'Abbey's Violet' and I. 'Power Blue Giant'. A large stand of red trillium (Trillium recurvatum) are behind the Irises.

Fothergilla gardenii and Phlox stolonifera 'Sherwood Purple'

More Phlox stolonifera 'Sherwood Purple' and Fothergilla gardenii along the wooded path, along with Tiarella cordifolia 'Running Tapestry'. Up on the right are the flowering branches of Doublefile Viburnum (Viburnum plicatum var. tomentosum 'Mariesii').

White flowers of Doublefile Viburnum (Viburnum plicatum var. tomentosum 'Mariesii') over purple Phlox stolonifera 'Sherwood Purple'.

More Iris cristata with white Trillium grandiflora. They have eight varieties of Trillium listed for this garden.

Path by Bell's Run Creek in April

For a thorough planting list of this area, see Chanticleer's Master List PDF for 2013, and search for "Creek Garden." All plant lists for Chanticleer may be found here.


See more of the Chanticleer Series on WMG!