Chandor Gardens Foundation

The focus of the Chandor Gardens Foundation is to preserve the heritage of the Gardens and work with the City of Weatherford to further develop the Chandor property, in keeping with Douglas Chandor's artistic vision.

Douglas Chandor was one of the great portrait artists of the 20th Century.  Five of his paintings are on display in the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery.  His portrait of Eleanor Roosevelt is displayed in the White House, and his coronation portrait of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, graces the British Embassy in Washington, DC.

His passion for gardening and his artistry intertwined to be beautifully expressed in the gardens he created and named White Shadows. After the untimely death of Douglas in 1953, his wife, Ina, paid tribute to him by changing the name to Chandor Gardens.

Today, Chandor Gardens is a destination unto itself. It is the location of joyous events, memory-making occasions, and pleasant wanderings.

FEATURED SPECIAL PROJECTS

Steinway & Sons Model M Chippendale Style Walnut Piano for Chandor Gardens 

We are excited to announce that we are now the proud owners of an exquisite 1979 Steinway & Sons Model M Chippendale style walnut piano, just like Ina Chandor's piano. 

The piano arrived at Chandor Gardens on Feb 1, 2024, and now has a permanent home in the Great Room.

The fundraising goal for this project was $45,000 which included; the 1979 Steinway & Sons Model M Chippendale piano, matching Chippendale piano bench, spider dolly, as well as delivery and set up at Chandor Gardens.

We are pleased to announce that, as of June 5, 2024, we have now paid off the bank loan for the piano. 

Thank you so much to; all those who personally donated to this fundraising project, Parker County Historical Society for a $5,000 grant, Weatherford College sponsored concert by Dr Song & Mr Sanders, and the two very successfull Secret Gardens of Parker County Tours put on by the Friends of Chandor Gardens members. 

For more details about this project: CLICK HERE

Bronze Portrait Bust of Douglas Chandor

We are thrilled that, as of April 1, 2023, the required funds have been raised for this project, and we have commissioned Fort Worth sculptor Michael Pavlovsky to undertake this life-sized bronze portrait bust of the famed portrait artist and gardener Douglas Chandor (1897– 1953). 

This bronze portrait bust has been completed and installation at Chandor Gardens.The public unveiling and dedication event was held the afternoon of October 5, 2024.

Thank you so very much to all those who donated to this project and have made this bronze bust a reality.  

For More Details About This Project - CLICK HERE

UPCOMING FEATURED FOUNDATION & FRIENDS EVENTS:       

Friends of Chandor Gardens Members Activity/Tour - Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 10:00 AM

The next Friends of Chandor Gardens Members activity is a two-part tour celebrating a couple of the little-known historical sites of Parker County on Wednesday, April 16 2025:

First Location:  Pioneer Cabin Park, located at The Doss Heritage & Cultural Center, at 10:00 A.M.
About This Activity: We will have a docent lead tour of the log cabins which make up Pioneer Cabin Park. The tour will be about one hour in length, and has ADA accessible walkways. Afterwards, there will be a short time to explore the open, free museum at The Doss.
Location: 1400 Texas Dr., Weatherford TX
Docent Fee: $5

Second Location: “The French Stable” - Compte Paul de Bresson Stable, at 12:00 noon
About This Activity: Bill Warren will meet us at the stable to unlock the gate and provide us with a walk around, as well as showing us the newly installed Historic Marker. This is a follow up from his presentation at the January, Friends of Chandor Gardens meeting.
Location: 2608 S. Main St., Weatherford, TX. To get there, turn immediately after Chick-Fil-A, at 2608 S. Main.  There is an almost hidden driveway, so Bill suggests turn on your blinker early, slow down, and be ready to turn in.

After the tour, for those who want to, we will meet for lunch at Oaxaca Mexican Cuisine, 216 Interstate 20 Frontage Rd, Weatherford, TX.

It’s sure to be a fun morning!

**IMPORTANT ** - Members please register for this tour by April 9, 2025 with Nancy Wester - 972-746-6078 (call or text)

Danny Wright in Concert at Chandor Gardens: "From Stage to Screen"

Chandor Gardens Foundation is thrilled to be hosting "piano sensation" Danny Wright in concert on Saturday May 10, 2025 at 7:00 P.M in the Great Room of Chandor Gardens, Weatherford, TX. Concert tickets include complimentary pre-concert wine and lite hors d’oeuvres from 6:30 PM to 7:00 PM.

For this concert Danny Wright will be showcasing songs from his latest album,” From Stage to Screen”, which is a collection of 13 songs from beloved movie and Broadway songs, The album, which was released on February 1st, 2025, showcases Wright's signature style of blending classical and contemporary elements to create a mesmerizing listening experience. This new album includes renditions of iconic songs from popular movies such as "The Sound of Music," "Born Free" and "The Muppet Movie " as well as Broadway favorites including an Andrew Lloyd Weber medley, "Corner Of The Sky" from Pippin and "Try To Remember" from the Fantasticks. Wright will also be performing music from his previous albums.

Trained as a classical pianist, Wright composes and performs original compositions that are blended with various influences including contemporary jazz, classical and neo-classical. He has released more than 55 Piano Music Albums, and has sold over 15 million albums since his debut in 1986.

Tickets $55 (includes wine/beer and lite lite hors d’oeuvres)

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS

Friends of Chandor Gardens Meeting - Wednesday, May 21, 2025 at 11:00 AM at Chandor Gardens

Mark your calendar, and plan to attend the Friends of Chandor Gardens meeting on Wednesday, May 21 from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM in the Great Room at Chandor Gardens.

"Mix and Mingle" visiting time will be from 11:00-11:30, an opportunity to visit with current Friends and to meet new Friends. During this time samples of Piamonte Coffee will be available for tasting. The room will be set up with round tables so you can bring your lunch if you like.

The guest speakers for this meeting are Richard & Nelly Hill owners of Piamonte Coffee. They will be sharing details about their La Lucia coffee which integrates more than 50 years of family tradition, and how they grow and process 100% Castillo bean variety in a climate over 4.920 feet above sea level in Columbia. Their beans are 100% handpicked.

Richard & Nelly are also going to show and share tips on how to make their specialty La Lucia coffee with its delicate fruit and harmonic balance that stands out with the first sip, that has luscious sweet aromatic notes reminiscent of citric, honey, malt, barley and cream. Their presentation will start at 11:30 A.M.

Note: Packages of Piamonte Coffee (whole bean & ground) will be available for purchase following the meeting

This is a FREE event and everyone is WELCOME!

Secret Gardens of Parker County Tour - Saturday, June 7, 2025 from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM

Enjoy a self-guided journey through unique gardens in Parker County. Discover what lies behind the hedges, fences, and gates!

The Friends of Chandor Gardens are pleased to present the 4th Annual Secret Gardens of Parker County Tour , which showcases stunning views, landscaping ideas, fascinating plants and garden art.

This is a self-guided tour, so you can make your own itinerary and go at your own pace between the hours of 10:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. on Saturday, June 7, 2025. [NOTE: In case of cancellation, due to significant inclement weather, the tour will be held Saturday, June 14, 2025, instead.]

Garden Locations: TBA closer to the event date

Tickets:

• $15/person - online in advance
• $20/person - day of the event at 1st garden visited.

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS

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For more information about any of our featured events please call 682-268-0102.