I went to Chanticleer yesterday, claimed my rooster cookie (yum) and had a wonderful time despite the cold. About 100 people showed up on opening day (Saturday) and about 20 had visited by mid-morning yesterday when I arrived.
There was no sun, but in the chill gray light, whatever was blooming looked especially bright: hillsides of daffodils and scilla, coy hellebores, tiny seedlings in the vegetable garden and everywhere, things just about to burst. I peeked into the cold frames and saw all manner of interesting greenery ... snowflake pea pods, French baby leeks, troutback lettuce. How delicious do they sound?
About halfway through my visit, I stopped taking notes. My fingers were freezing, true, but the point of this garden, after all, is to experience and enjoy, letting your mind (and feet) wander. I walked up the grassy hill, through the ruin garden, which was amazing, around the Asian Woods, through the dry garden. I sat on some of the many fanciful chairs and benches and felt the only peace and quiet of my entire weekend! And was it nice to sit down.
Much of the rest of my weekend was spent in the garden at home. It's looking much better (still nothing like Chanticleer), after two days of raking and mulching and getting the raised vegetable bed in shape. It was very nice to escape to Chanticleer, and, as promised, I checked out the flower arrangements in the ladies rooms.
One gent, emerging from the men's room in the Asian Woods, remarked, "This is nicer than the bathrooms in five-star hotels!"
It doesn't feel quite like the beginning of the gardening season yet. But with last night's rain, and this week's warmth, we're on our way.
