Last Friday we went to the Morris Arboretum and Chanticleer garden. The Morris was a nice surprise – I have to admit that I wasn’t expecting much going there, but I really like that garden. They had a skywalk through the trees with a very cool open netted seating area about 50′ up in the air. Great trees, nice follies, formal rose garden and an outdoor train set that was actually pretty fun. I’m definitely heading back in the fall to look at (and smell) the Katsura and Nissa (Tupelo) trees there. We had a really informative private tour, ending with an amazing American Beech colony that shows how they grow. Their horrible URL: http://www.business-services.upenn.edu/arboretum/gardens.shtml
Chanticleer garden is just amazing. It’s one of the most interesting gardens I’ve ever seen – the plantings are amazing, the paths, the woodworking on the bridges, the folly with “water table.” Their gardeners are not just excellent horticulturists, they are artists too who create art pieces throughout their areas. Each gardener is responsible for a fairly large area, and they mentioned they have spent a lot of time working on transitions from garden to garden. I have to say it worked – each area is unique, but really holds together well. Highly recommended, even on a 95 degree day with horrid humidity.
Sea Goats Garden 