Cherries Jubilee

It's that special week at Chanticleer. This is the week that the flowering cherries are either at peak or just passing. Just passing you say, why is that special?
A ring of Prunus ‘Accolade’ defines the entrance courtyard to the main house, Chanticleer proper, an upright pink flowering cherry. Within the ring is the area that once served as the driveway and parking area for the house, it too is circular.



Several years ago, the asphalt was taken up, as this "driveway" is now part of the main strolling path at the garden. Replacing the asphalt was crushed red gravel defined by a cobble and bluestone surround. During the season, each morning before the garden open the garden gnome that tends to this area painstakingly rakes the gravel. Using a rake that not only smoothes but also strikes lines in the gravel. This detail meets the visitor at the entrance to the courtyard, and those that arrive early in the day are made to feel that the gravel was raked for them. Others are less appreciative and stroll or walk through the gravel and break the spell for those that follow. Just like in the real world. Every attempt is made to mend or heal the footsteps during the day, but spring is a busy time and it doesn't always happen as soon as it should. Even when it does though, it still a patch, a mend, a fix.



Why is this week special? The cherries are shedding their petals. Breezes caught in this circular courtyard swirl to escape, dislodging the petals and forming at times a pink whirlpool. Quite a special moment if you should happen through during the event. Working in this area for quite a few years you might expect I’m numb to this, but it still delights me.
But alas, when the petals settle, they lodge themselves into the many little valleys created in the raking process, defining both the efforts of the gnome as well as the footsteps of the unappreciative.

Spicebush Update 4/20/08

Looking back to a December 2007 post, "Spicing up your fall landscape", I extolled the virtues of the Linderas. Spicebushes as they are known collectively, both native and asian species grow in the US.The two Asian species that I discussed were the Lindera obtusiloba and the Lindera salicifolia.

This post is simply an update to show the two plants at this time of year, so that you may consider them for inclusion in your landscape.

Lindera obtusiloba has begun to leaf out after its coarse yellow flower has past, Its odd mitten shaped leaves, still in their infancy are a refreshing color in the landscape. Each with a slight webbing or hairiness to the newly emerging leaves.


The Willow-Leaved Spicebush, Lindera salicifolia is still clad in its foliage from last year. Still performing a screening task for me, double duty for this deciduous shrub. This is the week that the subtle flowers are blooming and the new leaf buds are swelling. Very soon now the old leaves will be disloged at their bases by the new foliage, a very quick leaf drop will follow and in the course of just a few days a new spring outfit will adorn this plant.

Marching into April

The March Bank, Winterthur

A cool almost cold morning in April, grey and sullen, damp.




The March Bank at Winterthur in northern Delaware, one of the 'Diamond States' little known jems. At its peak before most venture into gardens, when the Magnolias and Dogwoods say "It's OK to come out".



Its better this way, one usually has the garden to yourself. Tens of thousands of spring ephemeral bulbs, Chionadoxa, Scilla, Muscari along with a host of native and non-native perennials such as Mertensia and Erythronium, form a tapestry of color carpeting the forest floor.




The canopy comprised of mainly native Oaks, Tulip Poplar, Hickory and the tell tale late season foliage of the Beech.
Moments like this are for sharing. Enjoy the images, plan the visit.