Once I knew I would be visiting Chanticleer Garden there were two parts I was most excited to see, the Teacup Garden, and the Ruin Garden. I find the idea of plants growing amongst the ruins of a built structure quite mysterious and alluring; nature taking over, our man-made world falling apart. Of course the fact the "ruins" at Chanticleer are not actual ruins, but purpose-built gave me pause. Would they have a Disneyland aura? ![]()
"The Ruin stands where Minder House, the residence of Janet and Adolph Rosengarten, Jr., was built in 1925 and remained until 1999 when it was razed to build the Ruin on the old foundation. The Ruin has three rooms: a "Great Hall" with a water table shaped like a large sarcophagus resting on a mosaic "rug" of tile, granite and slate; a "Library" where the books are sculpted of stone; and a "Pool Room,” where marble faces gaze up from the depths. Accenting the spaces are carved stone pieces sculpted by Marcia Donahue, including large stone acorns placed among oak saplings greet visitors entering from the nearby meadow."
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"The Ruin’s granite schist walls provide the perfect stage for climbing plants and espaliered trees. These living green walls demonstrate how greenery animates an otherwise forbidding place. Plantings in beds are deliberately restricted to calming silvers and greens from ferns, Hakone grass, and Siberian bugloss. They have sufficient textural contrast to stimulate, yet a restrained range of color to remain harmonious" (source)
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I first walked into the Great Hall with it's sarcophagus-shaped water table...
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Or maybe I should say the Great Hall with it's plant-adorned mantel piece, because that's what I was most excited to see in "real life" in this part of the ruin. I've seem many iterations of the mantle in photos over the years and this current version—a tillandsia covered branch—did not disappoint.
I've had this image (below) of a previous version saved in my files for so long I have no idea where I found it, apologies to the photographer that I can't credit the image...![]()
I will share more of my photos of the mantel shortly, but first I must address the tomb in the room.
I did not like it. Not one bit. It's a beautiful piece, the workmanship first rate and the reflective surface adds another dimension. However it felt completely out of place to me. Too heavy and dark. A black hole—it changed the entire feeling of the space. Maybe that was the intention? To me it was like a black leather sofa plopped down into a living room all done up in florals and pastels. Thankfully once I turned my back on it I found it easy to ignore, so my enjoyment of the Great Hall was not diminished.![]()
That wall and the plants is what really held my eye.
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Looking out through the windows was fun.
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The tillandsia work was fantastic.
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The fact the large T. xerographica were in bloom took the texture up a few notches.
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Turning to look in the opposite direction, with my back to the mantel wall.
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And now looking over the black hole towards the Library.
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I'm skipping over the Library for the moment and moving right to the Pool Room.
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I was captivated by this small container on chain display (there were two of these)...
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So well done!
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I eventually made my way to the corner and the "pool" with the Marcia Donahue carved faces. I wonder what I would have made of this had I not already known what I would see when I looked into the water?
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I was prepared to not like this installation at all, but I ended up thinking it was fantastic.
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Not at all awkward or a mismatch. Instead completely fitting and thought provoking.
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This is the only phone-photo I worked into the post. It managed a wide-angle shot that helps give an interesting sense of the space. The pool is behind me and looking forward the Library is on the left and the Great Room on the right.
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Turned around and facing back towards the Pool Room now.
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And the library wall...
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How can you not love a wall with Agave attenuata sticking out of it?![]()
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They're stunning.
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With the Library wall behind me...
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I finally spot some books!
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But I was quickly distracted by the plants...
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Time to head out to the patio...
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The Library visible looking thru the exterior wall...
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I wonder if Andrew would be okay with me stuffing an agave in the side of our house? Ya, probably not.
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Just a few more photos, looking at the containers on the patio wall out to the Gravel Garden, which will be the subject of next Friday's post.
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One more peek at the Library...
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With just the one exception I thought the Ruin garden pulled off the illusion quite well, I loved it! Here's how it fits into the whole...![]()
Previous Chanticleer posts: Kick-off | Teacup Garden | Tennis Court Garden | House and Terrace Gardens | Elevated Walkway, Serpentine and Bulb Meadow | Asian Woods | Pond Garden
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