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You could spend quite a few hours roaming these gardens, so bringing a lunch to eat at their picnic tables wouldn’t be a bad idea . Age 12 and under is free, Adults are $10, and Access holders are $2, so it is worth the price for a few hours of peace. You can start by going through the entrance courtyard to the left, but I didn’t realize this and we wound up going through that last as we went to exit. To be honest, I couldn’t tell which side was the front or back to anything there, but the main house has a beautiful view of open hills and trees, and a gorgeous sea of daffodils is located between the pool and fountain next to it.

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Built in 1912 as the summer cottage for the Rosengarten’s, it eventually became their permanent residence before their son Adolph established the Chanticleer Foundation to ensure the grounds would become a public garden when he died. There are plenty of whimsical settings sprinkled along the the trails, and I loved coming across small bridges, ponds, and statues of rooster’s (chanticleer is the French word for rooster) on our walk. What initially made me want to come here though was The Ruin, a wonderful display of the beautiful remains of the home built in 1925 for Adolph Rosengarten Jr., with cool water displays and photo ops.

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Smaller children would probably be o.k. running around on the open lawns, exploring the elevated path, metal tree trunk or nest home, but I thought it was more for an older crowd. My teenager didn’t mind taking a stroll with his mama, but I could tell he was ready to go by the end of it. It is very peaceful and you could lose track of time if you are there to enjoy a beautiful day surrounded by nature, making it great for a first date, catching up, or if you just love flowers. I’m sure it also provides an opportunity to learn about various plant life and their ecosystems if that’s your thing. The grounds can seem extensive your first time there, though not nearly as large as Longwood Gardens, and there aren’t any options for grabbing a drink or bite to eat, but it did not lack in a beautiful setting for spending much needed time with my son

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