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Secrets from the Garden
Chandor Gardens Newsletter - June 2020
June has arrived and with it, so has summer!! These 90+ degree days are hard to get used to, after our lovely rainy spring, but we are here and open for visitors, and the Gardens is a perfect respite from the heat. The breezy shade and bubbling fountains are also an emotional balm that can have a rejuvenating effect on the soul and mind. Bring a lunch, take a stroll in the Gardens, and feed your spirit in our quiet oasis.
We are booking weddings, parties, and private group tours once again, so give us a call at 817-613-1700 to reserve your special time in the Gardens.
See you soon, Chandor Gardens Staff
To ensure you stay up to date on happenings in the Garden, follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
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The Tiered Fountain is looking quite resplendent as of late. In a stroke of brilliance, Garden staff cultivated these purple and cream Water Lilies in our private greenhouse to add to this demure fountain. Douglas Chandor was an English gentleman, and he showcased his English gardening expertise in the areas immediately surrounding his home. These Lilies add the perfect finishing touch to that lovely English aesthetic. It is the epitome of taking advantage of one's resources to branch out into aquatic gardening when we have such fine water features to utilize!
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Does this red Banana Tree (Musa acuminata) look like it is glowing? A staff member caught this tree just as it was illuminated by the sun's rays at the perfect angle. These trees make an attractive ornamental addition to any garden and can reach heights of 15 feet! While they do well in zones 7-10 and take full sun, be warned that they do require a lot of water. To see our specimens in person, look no further than the southernmost entrance to the Garden from the Courtyard.
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We mean it when we say our water features are peaceful and relaxing. The Dragon Fountain looks so serene in what Douglas Chandor referred to as the "Sunken Garden" located in the southern portion of the property. This fountain was restored in 2019 by renowned artist and sculptor Michael Pavlovsky, as the original had fallen into disrepair due to its age. We think he did a fantastic job creating this piece that will stand the test of time. As for the old and worn parts of the original, fret not! Our staff made use of them in a small garden to the east of the main fountain to pay homage to its history. We love the creative way they utilized the pieces in their installation, and the way they honor Douglas's drive to reuse and recycle. In many places throughout the Garden, he used broken things to create new art and new life.
Want a chance to win free passes to the Garden? Simply come up to the Garden and find the installation Douglas Chandor created out of old tractor gears, and your next visit will be on us.
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Here are the pieces of the original fountain base. Even the old 7-Up labels are still visible! This is a perfect example of how Douglas found art and beauty in the everyday items most other people would have tossed without a second thought. The man was indeed an artist and an innovator.
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Yoga Classes
Tuesdays & Thursdays 5:30 to 6:30 pm Class Sizes Limited Call to Make Reservation: 817-597-1503 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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Lighting is an essential part of art, gardening, and photography, and these worlds often collide here at Chandor Gardens. Douglas Chandor was enamored with light and its ability to highlight and elevate art. In fact, that is why he installed the water canals where and how he did. He loved the light and the reflection it provided, and that shows in his portraits as well. Here in this photo, the perfect lighting of this enormous Bromeliad is highlighted by the nearly black background of dark and shady Bamboo. Want to recreate this natural-feeling effect in your own backyard? It is as simple as painting a brown wooden fence black! While this may sound strange, in a landscaped backyard, it turns the background from a ubiquitous fence that, typically does little to enhance the view, into natural shadows that add depth and texture to a lush landscape.
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The Platecerium bifurcatem (Staghorn Ferns) are back! We shelter these enormous specimens in our greenhouse all winter as they cannot survive the cold temperatures here, and as soon as it is warm and humid enough, they make their grand entrance! It is a bit difficult to hang these gigantic epiphytic ferns as it requires the use of tractors and chains. Come check out these magnificently odd plants hanging from the large Cedar Elm in the Labyrinth.
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Weddings
Your "happily ever after" begins here.
Reserve your special day. Dates are filling up fast for 2021 & 2022. 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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Coleus - All of them We could not pick a specific subspecies of Coleus as our favorite, so we are including them all! Coleus is an excellent and easy way to add bright color in the heat of summer, even in a shady garden! They come in all sorts of colors, sizes, and variegations, so it is easy to mix and match to create color and depth in areas where growing flowers can be difficult. They can range from bright greens to deep reds and purples and require only regular watering along with your other shaded plants. Even more interesting is that when it gets cold, rather than treating them as an annual, they can be dug up and kept as vibrant and unique houseplants, provided they are kept near a sunlit window. Coleus is planted throughout the Garden in beds and containers, so come see a sampling of a few of the different varieties available on the market!
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Please note that the Garden will be closed on Saturday, July 4th, in celebration of Independence Day. We hope that everyone has a safe and happy holiday!
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In the Roger Grizzard Memorial Garden, there sits a little birdbath with a simple and beautiful bowl of stark white Impatiens inside. This simple set up is breathtakingly beautiful and is a good example of how a slight reimagining of something can make a huge impact. That is what we do here at Chandor Gardens; we reimagine. We change plants as the zones and climate change, but we stay true to the legacy of Douglas Chandor's past. We could not be prouder of our Garden staff in their upkeep of the Garden, and of their ideas, innovations, and artistic touches that we believe Douglas would have admired himself.
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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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