Chanticleer Readies For Winter

By Phran Novelli

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - As lots of us are putting plants to bed for the winter, so are some area gardens getting ready to sleep until spring. Last week I stopped at Chanticleer in Wayne, PA, which is one that closes its gates for winter, and since I've mostly seen it in the spring and summer when it's a constantly-changing canvas of horticultural color and texture, it was fun to see how their gardeners nurture Nature's habits into such artful designs in the fall.

There are weeping evergreens masquerading as witches or scarecrows - just by the way they grow - against dramatic backdrops of dried grasses. And browning water lotus remains standing around like guests at a Halloween party in the pond.

Then there are bright blue asters standing seven feet high, dynamic dahlias in shocking pinks, trees turning colors, leaves letting go, and simple, unique ideas you can try at home - such as treating oak tree seedlings as annuals and even training one to wind around a column.

Chanticleer is open Wednesday to Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm, but closes this year for the season on November 3rd.