Chanticleer, the pleasure is all ours

A Pleasure Garden, the tag line leaves many first timers scratching their heads as they enter. Some get it almost immediately, some a bit later when it sneaks up on them, a few never will.
The garden to which I have the pleasure of being employed by for the past now fourteen years resides just west of Philadelphia, in the rural countryside of Delaware County, Pennsylvania.
The property, originally some 17 acres, was purchased as the summer home of the Rosengartens, Adolph, and his wife Christine. Mr. Rosengarten was head of the pharmaceutical company Rosengarten and Sons. Their son Adolph, Jr., left the property to be enjoyed as a public garden.














The garden has become a destination for those who appreciate the art of horticulture. It is a garden that appeals to keen plants people, It delights novices and inspires those with reasonable experience in the garden. It provides an intangible yet positive experience for those who know nothing of the art, yet “liked something about this”.














I have had the privilege to work with quite a few dedicated horticulturists in my tenure at Chanticleer. The staff of which I am a part of today is playing at the top of their game. My seasonal goal is just to keep up with the energy, enthusiasm and creativity of those that I work with. Strong aesthetic principals and creative vision instilled by Christopher Woods, Chanticleers’ first executive director, resound with me daily. Bill Thomas, our current executive director, continues a legacy of staff development, support of travel and creative growth. Bolstered by the support of a non intrusive yet keenly interested board of directors, the horticulture staff as well as the administrative team work to constantly to build maintain and refine this garden of pleasure.














Chanticleer is not collections based, as are many gardens and arboreta. Yet the landscape is bursting with color, texture and diversity. Nor are we education based, as are other gardens in the area, yet the lessons and experience we provide carry the visitor thru the seasons.














We pride ourselves on being aesthetics based. No labeled plants, few and subtle signs guide you gently through our garden performance, make no mistake, this is not real life, it something much more.
I encourage you to follow the link to the Chanticleer website where much more information will be provided. Lastly, I ask you to experience the garden, and see why for me it is and long has been so much more than just my job.