| In This Issue |
| Mother Nature Recreates Anew |
| Upcoming Events |
| Irrigation Situation |
| Plant of the Month |
| Bulb Donation |
| Monarch Waystation |
| Parting Shot |
| Chandor Gardens Memberships |
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Weddings at Chandor Gardens
"Your happily ever after begins here."
Reserve your special day. Dates are filling up fast for 2014 and 2015.
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| In The Gift Shop |
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Take the Gardens Home with you.
There are postcards, note cards, prints, and even t-shirts sporting The 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. |
| Contact Information |
Chandor Gardens
711 W Lee Avenue
Weatherford, TX
76086
Karen Nantz
Manager
Phone:
817-613-1700
Fax: 817-598-4354
Steven Chamblee
Horticulturist
Public Hours
Monday-Friday
9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Saturdays
9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Sundays
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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Secrets from the Garden
Chandor Gardens Newsletter - February 2014
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Mother Nature Recreates Anew
Mid-winter in the garden can be bleak some days, particularly when the damage from ice storms is still obvious. Yet, Mother Nature miraculously recreates herself anew every spring... and there's no place better to witness this phenomenon than in the garden.
We know that spring will arrive soon... Grab your calendar and set a date to visit your Mother this spring!
-The Chandor Gardens Staff |
Upcoming Events
"Say Yes to Romance" Bridal Event
Sunday, March 23, 2014  1:00 pm to 5:00 pm (Rain date: March 30th) Free Parking & Admission Please join us for our annual Chandor Gardens Bridal Event, "Say Yes to Romance."
- Door prizes
- Fashion Show
- Florists
- Photographers
- Caterers
- Cake Competition
- And much more!
If you are recently engaged or already planning your dream wedding, this is a great opportunity to visit with many vendors in one location. Come see the bridal fashion show and find your perfect dress then help judge the "Cake Off" competition and sample confections from the area's best bakers. Vendor booths are going quickly so reserve your spots as soon as possible. Vendor spaces are limited and available on a first come first served basis! For more information or to reserve your spot as a vendor call 817-613-1700 or email . The "Say Yes to Romance" Bridal Event is sponsored by Parker County Today and the Weatherford Democrat.
Yoga Classes
Every Tuesday & Thursday
5:30 to 6:30 pm
Instructor Loretta Benham offers yoga classes twice a week 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.
- Drop-in classes - $15 each
Four classes, prepaid - $48
Eight classes, prepaid - $80
- For more information call 817-597-1503 or 817-613-1700
"Spring Fling" Coming in April
The "Spring Fling" will take place the first weekend in April. Check next months newsletter for details.
Hall Ensemble - "Melody and Poetry"
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
- String Trio, Bassoon and Actors
- Tickets: $60.00 per person
- Includes wine and refreshments
- Doors open at 6:45 pm for socializing
- Concert begins at 7:30 pm
Music tells stories and poetry adds rhythm to language. Hall Ensemble will weave exquisite music around poetry selections performed by actors from Amphibian Stage Productions. The program includes a World Premier for bassoon and strings by music critic Gregory Sullivan Issacs. Tickets for this very special evening are on sale now at www.hallensemble.org. Or, you may email for additional information or to purchase tickets.
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Irrigation Situation
Even on its best days, the irrigation system at Chandor Gardens has always been pretty "iffy." The years have taken their toll on thousands of feet of underground pipe and wires. Tree roots have pushed some lines; shifting soils have severed others. Gardeners' shovels have unknowingly nicked pipe and clipped wires while freeze/thaw cycles have split pipe near the surface.
Like a knight in shining armor, Parks and Recreation Irrigation Technician Brent Matlock came to the rescue about two months ago. After an initial assessment, he set about systematically replacing 48 irrigation valves throughout the garden. This was no small task, especially when you consider we could not even locate eight of them. Using a little high tech equipment, some old-fashioned know how, and a lot of elbow grease, Brent is rapidly approaching his goal of a fully-functioning irrigation system for Chandor Gardens. And while this may not sound exciting to everyone, to those of us who try to keep this garden green, it is music to our ears.
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| One of the many non-functioning valves being replaced. |
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| Repairing irrigation wiring can be a daunting task. |
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| A hero to us, Brent Matlock sees the complex repair work at Chandor Gardens simply as "a challenge." |
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Plant of the Month
Blue Atlas Cedar (Cedrus atlantica 'Glauca')
There are only four species of true cedar trees, and they are all native to the Old World. (The local Texas "cedar trees" are really junipers.) The Atlas Cedar is actually an endangered species in its natural range; the Atlas Mountains of northern Africa. Cultivated since at least 1840, Atlas Cedars are now grown in temperate gardens worldwide.
The specimen at Chandor Gardens was planted in the early 1960's, as evidenced by a photograph taken in 1963, which shows the newly planted tree on the canal island. It not only endured the sixteen year period the garden went untended (1978-1994), but it also survived a limb drop from a neighboring tree that broke its main trunk off at about six feet. Luckily, the tree regrew another leader, but will forever have a strange "zig-zag" in its trunk.
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| Atlas Cedar's blue spheres of short, clustered needles are intriguing. |
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| Atlas Cedar's blue spheres of short, clustered needles are beautiful, particularly when frosted with snow. |
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| Chandor Gardens' cedar tree as it appeared in May of 1963. |
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Bulb Donation
Dallas-based flower bulb wholesaler Abbott-IPCO has done it again! We recently received a donation of over 5,000 bulbs from these fine folks, including tulips, grape hyacinth, paperwhites, and amaryllis. This act of kindness will result in magnificent splashes of color throughout the garden this spring.
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| Tulips are just a part of the 15 crate donation from Abbott IPCO. |
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| Fragrant Paperwhites will soon fill the garden with the scent of spring. |
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| A 1940's vintage photograph of tulips at Chandor Gardens. |
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Monarch Waystation
Master Gardener and longtime Chandor Gardens supporter Lee Ann Nave has proposed a new Monarch Butterfly Waystation for Chandor Gardens. Monarch populations have plummeted in recent years, primarily due to habitat loss and pesticide use. Our waystation will be one of hundreds designed to assist the Monarchs on their annual migrations to and from Mexico.
Since the extreme winter has decimated many of the plantings in the Cottage Garden, plans have been made to revamp this area specifically to accommodate Monarchs. Spring and fall-blooming perennials will provide nectar for a wide range of butterflies, including the Monarchs. An assortment of milkweeds (Asclepias sp.) will serve as host plants upon which female Monarchs will lay their eggs, and the caterpillars can safely develop into adults.
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| Monarch adult on mistflower. |
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| Monarch caterpillar on milkweed. |
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| A baseball-sized Milkweed inflorescence. |
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Parting Shot
A recent dusting of powdery snow brought beauty and a little mystery to the garden. Look closely and you can see the brickwork pattern beneath this gossamer layer of snow.
Bonus Parting Shot
Just as I was putting the finishing touches on this newsletter, our resident roadrunner appeared outside the window. Seems she wanted to be a part of this edition as well. |
Chandor Gardens Memberships
A membership to Chandor Gardens is the gift that gives all year long. Annual memberships are available at individual ($20), family ($60), contributor ($100) and corporate ($500) levels. For more information give us a call at 817-613-1700 or email |
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We look forward to seeing you in the Gardens.
-The Chandor Gardens Staff
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