DAVID FOSTER
DAVID FOSTER
GARDENS OF THE BRANDYWINE
I had the good fortune of spending 10 weeks as the Artist in Residence at Pendle Hill in Spring 2015 . Pendle Hill is a Quaker conference and retreat center , as well as a spiritual sanctuary , an arboretum , and a place of numerous gardens . In the course of my residency from early April to mid June , I had the privilege of repeatedly visiting and exploring the many wonderful gardens in the region west of Philadelphia ( Pennsylvania , USA ), commonly known as the Brandywine Valley .
I was like a kid in a candy store with a serious sweet tooth .
The images in this photo essay were all taken while enjoying my emersion in these amazing gardens . In addition to the joy of the first-hand experiences and the recurring pleasures in revisiting the images , I also learned new things about the world of botanical gardens and arboreta . I came to appreciate the sometimes subtle and other times not so subtle difference among the gardens , in their characters , their presentations , their audience appeals , etc . I found that I deeply enjoyed each of them , while having quite different visual and emotional experiences .
Variations on a Theme I found that some of the gardens focused on preserving a sense of wildness , with a strong presence of wildflowers and other native plants . Others had a more formal style that was sculpted , with choreographed beds of annuals or decorative perennials and an array of exotic plants , such as orchids or cacti . There were also differences in the presence and management of water . In the wild / native gardens , there were often small streams flowing through them , perhaps with a small pond , in which native aquatic plants found habitat . In the more formal gardens , there are more often water features – pools and fountains – that fit the style of the gardens and are planted with water lilies or lotus or irises .
I felt very much at home in the wildness and loved working there , often having to search out particular flowers as I do when I just go out in the woods . Yet , I found so much to love in the more formal settings , as well , with the extraordinary variety of plants that were so readily accessible to enjoy and photograph .
The Tyler Arboretum offered up special collections of magnolia , crabapple , lilacs , azaleas and rhododendrons . I was mesmerized by an abundance of really old , large ‘ champion ’ trees across the grounds that seemed a magical mix of strength and grace . This same feel came from the crabapples – these gnarly old trees graced with such delicate pink and white blossoms . One set of blossoms reminded me of a bride surrounded by bridesmaids – I had to smile .
While the Mount Cuba Center had retained the formal gardens created around the stately main house , I was drawn to the local wildflowers and other native plants that for me were the central feature of this naturalistic botanical garden . The stream that ran through the gardens supported an abundance of water-loving plants / flowers that I was drawn to over and over . Each time I was there I would notice a few plants that were starting to bud out and I knew that I would be back soon to enjoy them is full bloom . On one visit , I struck by the elegant beauty of a yellow ladyslipper as it had begun to fade .
On my first visit to Winterthur in early April , the weather was gray and damp , with light misty rain . The most striking color I saw was the winterhazel . I found a lovely bush and walked around it exploring the interaction between the creamy yellow blossoms and the many-sized water drops . I was enthralled . Then I found a small cluster that for all the world looked like aliens playing in the rain . I found the image I was most drawn to and it has become a favorite because of its beauty and playfulness .
More so than in most of the gardens , I found myself submerged in the world of color here . That color came in many hues and forms – particularly in the azalea and magnolia groves and wildflower carpets . It was easy to just let go and get lost in the glory of it all .
Chanticleer is a repurposed estate with its original gardens expanded and new ones developed over recent decades . I fell in love with its charms during my first visit and went back numerous times , always to find new things and to experience its features anew with each visit . It seemed to invite me to go slow , to soak in its graceful design and its wonderful variety of native plantings . On one visit I was particularly captivated by a delicate white flower growing on a shady hillside . I enjoyed watching it for a while and noticing how it interacted with the changing light .
Longwood Gardens is a garden of a different sort , a ‘ destination ’ garden if you will . It is open 364 days a year , has a million visitors per year from the four corners of the globe , has a massive
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