The first weekend in May, I made a photo foray with a classmate and our instructor to Mt Cuba, Winterthur, and Chanticleer., which are outside of Wilmington, DE, and Philadelphia, PA, respectively. I'd never seen Chanticleer in the spring. It was overcast, but, blissfully, no rain. There was an amazing convergence of bloom at all of the gardens given the slow, cool spring we had in the mid-Atlantic. But for us, coming from the Washington DC area, it was also like going back in time and experiencing some of spring all over again.
Below are views of the Ruin Garden, which is a folly built by the previous director, who hoped to use an old house on the property as the basis for his ruin, but had to resort to a 'new' ruin instead.
The face and fountain are in the back right corner below.
The 'pool table' is modeled after a sarcaphogous.
There were a lot of tulips in purple tones throughout the garden.
Here are purple alliums, and more tulips in the gravel garden. The touch of orange is just right; I think they are more tulips. I think the ruin is especially effective when viewed from a distance.
Chanticleer is a magical and inventive place. I wish I could visit every week!
