Monday, July 21, 2014

Patterns and Textures: Chanticleer Redux


Kali doesn't have to work on summer Fridays (though she has to make up the time by working long hours Monday-Thursday).  Last Friday's weather was forecast to be tolerable for outdoor activities, with broken clouds, highs in the mid-80s, and low humidity.  So, I took a vacation day and Kali and I made our annual pilgrimage to Chanticleer Gardens outside Philadelphia.

I've posted images of Chanticleer before - and Kali chided me for taking more photographs on this trip ("Do you know many pictures you have of this place?"), so I tried to concentrate mostly on textures and patterns during this visit. 
"Chanticleer" adorning the former estate house
In the Courtyard Garden
In the Courtyard Garden

Pitcher plants in the Bog Garden (the hapless leafhopper was still alive)
In the Water Garden
These blooms were very fragrant, but Kali and I couldn't agree on what they smelled like.  I got a distinct odor of licorice or anise, but she disagreed.

Spring run
Bumblebee on teasel bloom

Walkway detail (stone and brick)
In the Ruins Garden
Kali on a whimsical bench in the Vegetable Garden
Chanticleer never fails to captivate us, and it was no different this time.

10 comments:

packrat said...

Excellent images, Scott. I particularly like #1, but the bee on the flower is right up there. Earlier today I heard Thom Hartmann talking about having "Vermont" weather in Washington D.C. Are you benefiting from the cold air dipping south?

Carolyn H said...

Looks like a neat place. Have you ever visited Grey Towers, the home of Gifford Pinchot in upstate PA? I think you'd enjoy the gardens there, too.

John "By Stargoose And Hanglands" said...

I can see why you keep going back - and take more photos. It seems to me that you are taking your photography more seriously these days, or maybe you're just slowing down and looking more closely. Whatever - there are some great shots here.

Scott said...

Packrat: I liked the first image too (which is why I led with it), and I liked how the bumblebee image turned out--definitely the best of four I took.

The temperatures last week were below normal for summer, with highs in the low 80s and relatively low humidity; normal high temperature now is 87 degrees. But, the Vermont weather is gone, replaced with normal or above normal temperatures and humidity. One of my board members said yesterday that we "really haven't had a summer yet," to which I thought: (1) I disagree--we've had plenty of unpleasantly hot and humid days, and (2) thank goodness if that's the case.

Scott said...

Carolyn: I have not visited Grey Towers but would like to. It's interesting that you bring up Grey Towers because Kali and I actually visited Chanticleer with two friends, and while we ere wandering the gardens, one of our friends brought-up Grey Towers, too.

Scott said...

John: Thank you very much. In reality, no matter what Kali says to me , I can't help myself and I will follow your admonition to take more pictures. I'll also try to slow down, too, and concentrate on the details.

Mark P said...

I agree -- great shots. I wish we had something like this nearby. There are the botanical gardens in Atlanta and Callaway Gardens about two hours south, both of which end up being too much of a hassle for a quick trip.

Scott said...

Thanks, Mark. Chanticleer is about 45 minutes from home (if traffic isn't too bad), so we could visit several times a season if we wanted to. Longwood Gardens, the most famous gardens in this area located on a former DuPont Chemical heir estate, is about 1:30 from us, but we don't visit Longwood often because (1) the price of admission is very steep and (2) the garden design is super-formal--too stiff even for my "anal" personality.

Anonymous said...

The photos are really quite beautiful. Really well done.

Scott said...

Thanks you, Robin Andrea. Chanticleer is such a special place, it's "easy" to take good images.