Garden Visit: Chanticleer in Spring

One of our favorite parts of living and working in Philadelphia is the proximity to so many lush, gorgeous gardens. From Fairmount Park to Tyler Arboretum, the Brandywine River Museum to Longwood Gardens, there are over 30 public gardens within 30 miles of the city - which translates to many inspiration trips for our photo team. And Chanticleer, a 19th century estate known for its sprawling gardens and imaginative design, is one we keep coming back to. While you can take a peek at our first trip here, the photo team made another visit recently and came back with so many stunning photos, we just had to share.

Laura T., terrain art director, says she loves “seeing the unusual and unexpected combinations created in each space - around every turn is a new surprise. It's fun to go back every few weeks because it looks totally different throughout the season.” And while she admits it's hard to choose a favorite, Laura says that during this visit, she “was drawn to the spring container combinations because those can be especially difficult to put together with the limited flowering plants that tolerate cold. I love how they use edible varieties of mustards, kale and lettuces as ornamentals.”

terrain junior photographer, Mac K. says of his experience, “I yearn for adventure, to experience new places, and to find beauty to inspire my photography. Despite the easy drive out there, it still feels like an adventure.” "There was an old crumbling stone building frame that was covered in flowers and plants with water features and gorgeous light pouring through it,” Mac says of his favorite moment of the trip. “I think making something beautiful from the ruins of something else speaks to me. I also love the idea of the vines and other growth reclaiming the stone to the earth.”

Adelyn, our web stylist, remembers a particularly poignant moment while getting lost within the garden, explaining, “I stumbled upon this little hidden part, all the way at the bottom of the hill. When I turned the corner, the light was just perfectly golden and the whole section of this garden was illuminated. It’s not full of extravagant plantings by any means, but everything felt so perfect and quaint. It was like this secret little spot.”
 

Katie H., terrain photographer, explains that “visiting the grounds helps me to understand the bigger picture of how certain containers and plantings can look in an environment outside of our studio. And she also “loved standing underneath the massive magnolia trees and looking up to be surrounded by nothing but beautiful blooms. As I took in the smells and listened to the humming of the bees around me I noticed a little girl and her fire engine red hair also completely enchanted by its beauty. It reminded me of being young again.”

Our team was so enchanted by the Chanticleer grounds, Mac even thinks it cured his cold, explaining “when I arrived I was feeling under the weather but the sun, the smell of the gardens, and the falling blooms energized me, and kept me feeling great while I was there.”