Our Saturday visits during the recent Garden Fling were magical. We started by visiting two gardens west of Philadelphia.
At David Culp's Brandywine Cottage garden in Downingtown the landscaping and the props were warm and welcoming.
The branches in this display of potted Pitcher Plants (Saracenia spp.) appeared to be placed on purpose--natural, yet artistically arranged. If they were accidental, nature was wonderfully collaborating.
That gardening approach was repeated throughout the gardens in the arrangements and combinations of plants. Just lovely.
I imagined myself spending hours on this porch--observing nature, reading books, talking with friends...
Throughout the garden, there were lovely spots to sit, relax, celebrate, and enjoy.
John Lonsdale's Edgewood Gardens in Exton also was very cozy and welcoming.
So many fall-blooming Cyclamen plants were on display and for sale. It inspired me to think about planting some in my garden.
There were many blooming outdoors throughout the carpet of other ground covers, as well.
Like Brandywine Cottage, this garden, too, had beautiful displays of Pitcher Plants (Saracenia spp.).
Hillsides were artistically covered with distinct and fascinating species.
Next, we arrived at Wayne Guymon's WynEden in Chadds Ford.
Again, the plant combinations and placements were lovely and artfully arranged. I loved this garden shed!
Joseph's Coat (Amaranthus tricolor) really caught my eye--it was quite large and colorful!
Autumn Crocuses (Colchicum spp.) were abundant and lush.
They added magic to spots throughout the garden.
After lunch, we headed to Steve and Ann Hutton's private Owl Creek Farm in West Chester. The home, itself, and the grounds offered another unique style of gardening to explore.
These sunny border plantings were colorful and artfully arranged.
Their Dahlia collection was amazing! I might have to do a separate post about them, although I didn't take note of the hybrid names. They were huge and so healthy!
And the Oranges (Citrus spp.) were plump and ready for harvest.
Owl Creek Farm truly offered a beautiful blend of sunny and partial shade gardens--so colorful and bright.
Our final destination of the day was Stoneleigh, a free public garden in Villanova. The land is situated in the homelands of the indigenous Lenape people. Its history is fascinating, and the buildings and the gardens are impressive.
The shape of this weeping Redbud (Cercis canadensis) seemed perfect for this spot at the corner of the main house.
The cascading-edge water garden was really special--I hadn't seen one quite like this before.
Like several other gardens on Saturday, Stoneleigh's Pitcher Plants (Saracenia spp.) were numerous, varied, and fascinating.
The branches in this display of potted Pitcher Plants (Saracenia spp.) appeared to be placed on purpose--natural, yet artistically arranged. If they were accidental, nature was wonderfully collaborating.
That gardening approach was repeated throughout the gardens in the arrangements and combinations of plants. Just lovely.
I imagined myself spending hours on this porch--observing nature, reading books, talking with friends...
Throughout the garden, there were lovely spots to sit, relax, celebrate, and enjoy.
John Lonsdale's Edgewood Gardens in Exton also was very cozy and welcoming.
So many fall-blooming Cyclamen plants were on display and for sale. It inspired me to think about planting some in my garden.
There were many blooming outdoors throughout the carpet of other ground covers, as well.
Like Brandywine Cottage, this garden, too, had beautiful displays of Pitcher Plants (Saracenia spp.).
Hillsides were artistically covered with distinct and fascinating species.
Next, we arrived at Wayne Guymon's WynEden in Chadds Ford.
Again, the plant combinations and placements were lovely and artfully arranged. I loved this garden shed!
Joseph's Coat (Amaranthus tricolor) really caught my eye--it was quite large and colorful!
Autumn Crocuses (Colchicum spp.) were abundant and lush.
They added magic to spots throughout the garden.
After lunch, we headed to Steve and Ann Hutton's private Owl Creek Farm in West Chester. The home, itself, and the grounds offered another unique style of gardening to explore.
These sunny border plantings were colorful and artfully arranged.
Their Dahlia collection was amazing! I might have to do a separate post about them, although I didn't take note of the hybrid names. They were huge and so healthy!
And the Oranges (Citrus spp.) were plump and ready for harvest.
Owl Creek Farm truly offered a beautiful blend of sunny and partial shade gardens--so colorful and bright.
Our final destination of the day was Stoneleigh, a free public garden in Villanova. The land is situated in the homelands of the indigenous Lenape people. Its history is fascinating, and the buildings and the gardens are impressive.
The shape of this weeping Redbud (Cercis canadensis) seemed perfect for this spot at the corner of the main house.
The cascading-edge water garden was really special--I hadn't seen one quite like this before.
Like several other gardens on Saturday, Stoneleigh's Pitcher Plants (Saracenia spp.) were numerous, varied, and fascinating.
Who doesn't love an infinity view down a lush pergola walkway?
This was another fabulous day of garden tours with friends! Stay tuned for more coverage of the Philly Fling. And check out many more descriptions of our garden adventures at the Fling website.
