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Secrets from the Garden
Chandor Gardens Newsletter - January 2020
At the closing of a decade, and the beginning of another, it seems prudent to reflect on all the changes and growth the Gardens have undergone. The last decade brought many restorative projects: the Dragon Fountain saw a complete restoration by renowned sculptor Michael Pavlovsky, the Cave Grotto and the Chinese Lake Diorama underwent professional cleanings and restorations as well, and the Chinese Bridge was rebuilt according to Douglas Chandor's blueprints and specifications. The Pergola on the west side of the Courtyard was rebuilt after years of wear and tear, and the Children's Door was cleaned and painted in an apropos fashion. Even our outside restrooms were remodeled to better accommodate the many events the Garden hosts! The Courtyard was restored, and the Cedar Elm tree replaced due to a massive ice storm in 2018, which was one of the worst natural disasters the Garden has ever seen.
Additionally, we installed some items of interest, both old and new. Douglas's original Fu Dog statues and work desk made their way home by way of generous donations, and we even received two original Chandor portraits. We also erected not one, but TWO commercial-sized greenhouses and installed artificial turf on the bowling green to better accommodate wedding ceremonies. Our landscape lighting has also been completely revamped and upgraded throughout the Garden for perfect mood lighting for those evening and nighttime events!
The Gardens also saw the formation of the Chandor Gardens Foundation six years ago and, more recently, the Friends of the Chandor Garden, a supportive group essential to ensuring that Foundation events go off without a hitch. Together, the Foundation and its Friends provide much-appreciated support to the Garden and are working towards a very exciting expansion project.
Truly, the Gardens has had an extremely busy decade of growth and restoration and we hope you continue to travel this journey with us to see what the next decade has in store!
To ensure you stay up to date on events and happenings in the Garden, follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
We wish you and yours a healthy and happy New Year,
Chandor Gardens Staff
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A Decade of Growth & Change
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Ice Storm Damage & Repair
In February of 2018, Parker County endured a massive ice storm and suffered a lot of damage, and the Garden was no exception. Due to freezing rains soaking the ground and weighing down tree limbs, entire trees were uprooted, and our historic 200-year-old Cedar Elm in our Courtyard was essentially shattered to bits, tearing up the bricked Courtyard and fountain with it. It was undoubtedly one of the worst catastrophes the estate has ever had the misfortune to experience, but just like the hardiest of native plant species in the Garden, we survived and thrived. It did require a large amount of cleanup and repairs. Still, between Chandor Staff, the City of Weatherford, and the Chandor Gardens Foundation, we were able to remove the tree, rip out the roots, crane in a large Cedar Elm replacement, and re-brick the Courtyard, getting us back into operating condition in no time.
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above: Historic 200-year-old Cedar Elm in our Courtyard
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above: 200-year-old Cedar Elm shattered by February 2018 ice storm
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Cedar Elm replacement and re-bricked Courtyard
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Dragon Fountain Restoration
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Fort Worth artist, Michael Pavlovsky, completed the painstaking restoration of one of the Garden's most iconic features, the Dragon Fountain. Michael used old photographs and original Chandor sketches along with vintage Coke and 7Up bottles, antique marbles, and glass bricks, sourced from around the world to recreate the piece from the ground up. The beautiful, finished product from this talented artist is located at the southern end of the property in the sunken Garden, and we strongly encourage everyone to take a moment to view this beautiful work of art.
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Chandor Gardens is home to two fully finished Portraits painted by Douglas Chandor himself. Both are always on display in the mansion. The first is that of Aileen Westbrook at age seventeen (1934), standing in a grand staircase with an expression on her face that captures a wide, yet subtle, array of emotions, truly showcasing Chandor's immeasurable talent. The second is Mrs. Roy Brownell and her sweet little boy. Mrs. Brownell is holding her cherubic child in her lap while he looks through an alphabet book. The portrait may date to 1928, yet this image stands the test of time for parents everywhere.
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Yoga Classes
Tuesdays & Thursdays
5:30 to 6:30 pm
Fee: Donation based
Led by: Loretta Benham
Instructor Loretta Benham offers yoga classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Chandor Gardens. Loretta's mix of energetic sequences incorporated with stillness through breath work and meditation to quiet the mind will provide a healthy addition to any workout regimen.
Bring your mat and wear comfortable clothing. In inclement weather, classes will be held in the Great Room.
For more information call 817-597-1503 or 817-613-1700.
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Spring Fling at Chandor Gardens
Sunday, March 29, 2020
12:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Admission: $1 per person
Help us celebrate the arrival of a long-awaited spring season in the Gardens at our annual "Spring Fling!" This popular event features music, food, area artists and craftsmen.
Every year, our list of talented participating artists and vendors grows, and this year will be no exception. The Gardens will be loaded with talented people displaying, demonstrating and selling their unique arts and crafts.
So, come on out and see the Gardens in full bloom and bring your camera for a special family photo or two!
CALLING ALL VENDORS!
As we grow and expand this popular event every year, we're always looking for new and talented artists and craftsmen to come join in on the celebration and display/sell your goods to the public.
In order to become a vendor, please fill out and submit a vendor application form along with the vendor booth space fee. For more information please call 817-613-1700 or email
* In the event of inclement weather, a rain date of Sunday, April 5, 2020 is scheduled.
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Fancy Feathered Friend Paint Party
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January 24, 2020
6:00 to 9:00 pm
Tickets: $40
Purchase Tickets Online
Come out to Chandor Gardens Mansion, 711 W Lee Ave., Weatherford, TX, Friday, January 24, 2020, from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM for our "Fancy Feathered Friend" Paint Party! Discover your inner artist in the studio that the renowned portrait artist Douglas Chandor painted in. A pre-sketched canvas of a whimsical rooster and all materials will be provided (fancy frame not included), as well as step by step instructions to walk you through the process of painting your very own masterpiece.
Bring a friend or two and have some fun. Wine and snacks will be provided.
Ticket price: $40 (includes painting materials and wine & snacks)
Reservations and pre-payment are REQUIRED for this event as space and materials are limited.
To reserve your spot in this class,
please Purchase Tickets Online
For more information call:
Kelli Hamilton with RubyGypsy Paint Parties at 817-374-2697
or
Chandor Gardens 817-613-1700
This event is presented by the Chandor Gardens Foundation, Inc. For more information visit ChandorGardensFoundation.org. Check out all the upcoming Chandor Gardens Foundation Events.
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Friday, February 7, 2020
Doors open at 6:30 pm for wine and hors d'oeuvres
Talk starts at 7:00 pm
Tickets: $35
Stephen P. Haydon, Horticulturist for the City of Weatherford, shares his photos and the captivating story of 'Las Pozas,' the remarkable surrealist sculpture garden in the remote jungles of Mexico.
Purchase Tickets Online
Las Pozas: Our Extraordinary Adventure to a Bizarre Surrealist Garden
Edward James, an eccentric British aristocrat and poet, spent much of his life building a surrealist sculpture garden, called Las Pozas (meaning 'the pools'), in the remote mountains of Mexico. This bizarre surrealist garden, filled with soaring fantastical concrete sculptures set among natural water features, was Edward James' version of the 'Garden of Eden.'
Four friends traveled to find this hidden gem. Stephen Haydon, Horticulturist for the City of Weatherford, will share his personal photographs from the friends' adventure to Las Pozas. He will also tell about the fascinating life and journey of Edward James - from the hamlets of Chichester in West Sussex, England, to the exotic valley of Xilitla, Mexico, where orchids grow wild.
Join us at Chandor Gardens Mansion for a glass of wine and the captivating story of Edward and his Garden of Eden in the jungle.
A little about our presenter Stephen P. Haydon:
Stephen has had a diverse and well-traveled career as a professional horticulturist. Even though his passion for plants and gardens took root at an early age, he never dreamed that a life of gardening would take him around the world. Stephen started as a trainee at RHS Garden Wisely, which at that time was the only Royal Horticultural Society Garden in England. Later, he was an international student at Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania and interned at the Pacific Tropical Botanical Garden in Hawaii. He then oversaw the landscapes of two hotels and a golf course in Bermuda, where he lived for many years. Stephen came to Fort Worth in 1994 as the horticulturist for a private estate. In 2003, he started his own company, Haydon Horticulture, specializing in the care of fine gardens. Stephen is now the horticulturist for the City of Weatherford.
Purchase Tickets Online
This Wine & Words series event is presented by the Chandor Gardens Foundation, Inc. For more information visit ChandorGardensFoundation.org or call 817-613-1700 Check out all the upcoming Chandor Gardens Foundation Events.
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Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia maritima)
This adorable little annual is a dainty plant, oddly in the same family as cabbage and mustard, Brassicaceae. This delicate flowering species is native to the Macaronesia region (Canary Islands, Madeira, Cape Verde) and in France in the Bay of Biscay. The subspecies name of maritima is a clue to its preferred coastal habitat. While the DFW area is nowhere near the coast, this annual does well in colder seasons but will do fine in the heat of summer provided it's planted in shadier gardens and receives regular watering. Here we see it planted underneath the Pergola in the pedestrian entrance to the Garden. It's delicate and lacey inflorescence is such a lovely texture and contributes greatly to the overall feel of a planted bed.
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Weddings
Your "happily ever after" begins here.
Reserve your special day.
Dates are filling up fast for 2020 & 2021.
Contact us to schedule a tour.
Call 817-613-1700 or
email
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Gift Shop
Take the Gardens home with you. There are postcards, note cards, prints, and t-shirts sporting fabulous images of Chandor Gardens in our gift shop. We feature unique handmade items by a variety of local artisans specializing in textiles, stained and fused glass, jewelry, painting, photography and much more.
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If you're planning a wedding or just dreaming of your special day, come join us at the 360West Magazine 2020 Bridal Show on Sunday, January 26th. The show will be held at the beautiful Palm Wood Event & Conference Center, 640 Taylor St., Ste. 1300, Fort Worth, 76102 from noon to 3:30p.m.
A variety of wedding vendors will be attending, including us! The fashion presentation begins at 12:15 so come early and don't miss it. Last years fashion show was spectacular!
We have a limited number of VIP Bride Passes available for complimentary admission to the event. The admission charge is $15 for those without a pass. Please give us a call if you would like one and you can come by before the 26th and pick it up 817-613-1700.
We look forward to seeing you at the show!
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Lush beds of cool-hued Pansies are clustered throughout the Garden during this cooler season bringing the impression of warmth and brightness to a garden lit by the wan winter light. They bring heavy swaths of color to an otherwise green winter garden as most flowering plants are dormant during this time of year. Our staff worked very hard at planting these clusters of blooms late this last fall, anticipating the need for winter color ahead of time.
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While wandering the Garden, something caught my eye, and I found myself looking at the Garden from a new perspective. I noticed an interesting phenomenon, only recently scientifically studied, occurring in our tall Muscogee Crape Myrtles. "Crown Shyness" is when the canopies of grouped trees grow very close, but do not directly touch one another. It is an odd-looking occurrence, but there are several leading theories as to why it occurs. One theory is that it helps with light penetration to the ground under the tree canopy. Another is that it helps prevent diseases and insects from moving from tree to tree too easily. The last theory is an interesting one, especially when considering this species of tree. Some scientists suspect that the spacing between the canopies helps to avoid damaging the branches and leaves when striking each other during storms or windy weather. This is intriguing because, having been in the Garden during particularly windy days, I can confirm how loud the Muscogee Crape Myrtles are when the branches clack against each other.
Perhaps people are like trees in this way. When given space to breathe and grow, people do amazing things. Douglas Chandor had space, and just look what he did with it! We have tried to continue his legacy over the years, and we will continue to do so in the future. We hope you enjoyed going on this decade recap with us, and we look forward to the next ten years in this beautiful Garden.
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Contact Information
Chandor Gardens
711 W Lee Avenue
Weatherford, TX 76086
Karen Nantz
Manager
Phone: 817-613-1700
Fax: 817-598-4354
email:
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Public Hours
Monday-Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Saturday, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Sunday, noon to 4:00 pm
Closed all City Observed Holidays
Admission
Adults: $5
Children 12 and under: Free
(Children must be accompanied by an adult.)
Private Tours and Events
Available year-round by appointment.
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