Saturday, 30 May 2009
Open Garden Days: Twin Silo Farm
Today's Garden Conservancy's Open DaysOpen Days has four gardens open in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Three, I decided, was a goodly number for me to visit. Like balancing a meal, you don't want to begin with the richest dish, but rather, follow a sensible progression. When logistics allow and there are multiple gardens to be visited, I set up my route so it will end with the most elaborate property. At 100 acrea with stands of speciman trees, Roman marbles, antique sarcophagi, and two limestone sphinxes, a privet maze, lake with swansboth white and black, a rose garden, and more, Twin Silo Farm seems to fit the bill, grandly. Off I go to aptly named Gardenville, Pennsylvania.
The geometry of the landscape is pleasing, with greensward and trees, and billowing white clouds in the sky.
Well tended lawn and clipped hedges announce "garden", compared to hayfield and hedgerow.
Beautifully shaped, the ground rises in a gentle slope that invites a saunter from hither to yon.
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I took far more pictures than can reasonably be posted.
I've selected two themes, and think you'll enjoy them.
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Roses are red. This year, it is the color of painted wood.
How the palm trees, new this year, will be wintered over
I haven't a clue. Lay them down and mulch well?
That's months away, and at the moment they march
in stately line, arising from soldier-red wooden tubs.
Charming wooden trellises. Look closely. They're not
support for vines. Instead, they disguise the risers for
water pipes that will provide a rain-like benediction for
the garden should Mother Nature slacken her efforts.
A fabulous marble urn (one of a pair in this garden) with
boxwood hedging at it feet. Dahlias in the ground, canna 'Tropicana'
and other plants in the urn. All set off by the rich tomato red
of a section of fence and a gate, grace notes in a green landscape.
Nearby, an inviting shady nook ('twould be a bower, were it formed
from living branches, but the word sounds appropriate.) Nicely done,
with red roses, a glimpse of the fence & gate, and purple-hued leaves.
Magnificent! An arching, Monet-style bridge in almost
Heian red. It serves as peek-a-boo embellishment to the
supersize leaves of butterbur, Petasites japonica, and a
scrim of see-through leaves on pendulous willow branches.
Nearby, a stone-paved watercourse, mostly dry at the moment,
and a waterfall of willow branches. Elegantly accentuated with
a strong and simple arch of wood that deliniates here, from there.
Pause.
Recall the inviting red bower / bench with its white cushions.
Inviting seating is very much a part of Twin Silo Farm's landscape.
Two umbrella-ed tables offer an inviting, shady, resting place
for two quartets. Lemonade, iced tea, casual conversation. Nice.
With 100 acres, even if only half is garden there is still
a lot of territory to be covered. Two teak chairs suggest
a resting place from which to view the landscape.
Elsewhere, a bench and pair of chairs invite a group discussion.
Al fresco, an airy arbor walled with vines. Two enormous
pre-war Italian clay pots add decorative accents to the small terrace
set with light and airy furniture. A suitable resting place for a brief stop
as you pass through to the vivid green lawn on the other side.
The koi pond may have a rather small footprint, but the water
is deep. Water music as it descends from the stately fountain.
Recline on a nearby chaise, a pause as you work your way
over to the romantic fabric-draped pavillion in the not-far distance.
Romance is alive and well at Twin Silo Farm.
And upgrade to Scherezade and Arabian nights. I can envision candles
and fireflies and strolling musicians to provide a little night music . . . .
By now I think you'll agree Twin Silo Farm exemplifies estate gardening on an uncommon level. Think of Longwood, before it went public. I'm fortunate that this is my second visit, and at a slightly different season too. In 2008 the Perennial Plant Association held its annual meeting in Philadelphia, in July. Of course I gave the event a thorough write-up here on BelleWood Gardens, especially focusing on gardens both public and private that we visited. If you click over to PPA in Philadelphia please notice that there's an internal link toTwin Silo Farm.