It’s hard to believe that living twenty minutes (or less) from Wayne, PA my entire life I’ve never taken the opportunity to visit Chanticleer, until now. Nestled on the back streets of Wayne, the garden is a far cry from the hectic, traffic-laden downtown center. En route I found myself navigating through a detoured road, several construction workers, and the most impatient of Main Line housewives heading to the grocery store in their Mercedes SUVs before entering through the wrought-iron gates which house Chanticleer. Speaking of gates, I arrived at them an hour before the gardens were due to open, having not previously done the proper research on the site (read: always verify operating hours). Luckily this error resulted in a rather tasty detour to Minella’s Diner for an early ham-and-cheese omelet ($10.00 may seem steep for an omelet, but it is the Main Line).

Enough with the pleasantries, let’s get down to business. Upon returning to Chanticleer at the proper time, I found the gates thankfully unlocked, and I made my way in. After paying a nominal fee of $10.00 I was eager to explore the magnificently maintained gardens. The estate, built in 1913 by the Rosengarten family and left to the public in 1990, is composed of two houses located on 27 acres of land, most of which is taken up by the beautifully manicured landscape.

The beauty of Chanticleer is the freedom it offers the visitor to explore the gardens at his or her own pace, in any direction they choose. A true horticulturalist could find themselves lost on the grounds for hours, delighting in the myriad of flowers, shrubs, and trees.

Not being a horticulturalist myself, but rather someone who is generally interested in the beauty of nature, in any form, I was able to complete my self-guided tour in a little over an hour. I may have stayed longer, had it not been for the 90 degree temperature at the time. Luckily, the Wonderland-esque grounds are delineated by shadowy, winding paths dotted with vibrant blooms and whimsical arbors, allowing the visitor to lose themselves inside the estate.

Literally translated, “chanticleer” means to sing clear, in French. That being said, Chanticleer is also the appropriately-named rooster from Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, and his likeness can be spotted in several locations throughout the property. This is just one of the many examples of the Rosengarten family’s sense of humor.

The homes built on the estate by the family are equally stunning, especially when surrounded by the panoramic garden backdrop. More than once I found myself sitting on one of the many rustic benches provided by the estate to enhance the visitor’s viewing pleasure, simply staring at the homes themselves. The homes have since been converted into offices and classrooms used to educate the public, but they’ve still managed to retain their early-century charm.

After making my final ascent up the winding stone path my time at Chanticleer had come to an end. I feel lucky to have been able to spend even an hour in this garden getaway, and at such a short distance from my current home I will definitely be making a return visit. The expenses for this excursion fit well into my unemployed budget. In fact the only expenses this time around were: gas from King of Prussia to Wayne (negligible), admission to the garden ($10.00), and my random ham-and-cheese omelet ($10.00). A day trip on a dime if ever there was one. Until next time Chanticleer!

Thanks for reading, and I’ll see everybody soon!

-Devin