Horticultural Society of New York Lecture with Maggie Lidz, author of "The du Ponts: Houses and Gardens in the Brandywine"

The Horticultural Society of New York hosted a lecture to mark the release of Maggie Lidz’s epic book, “The du Ponts: Houses and Gardens in the Brandywine.”

The subject material recalibrates the concept of “Curb Appeal.” 

The speaker was author and Estate Historian Maggie Lidz (That’s what it says on her business card. How glamorous is that job?!)

Author and Estate Historian Maggie Lidz

Lidz demonstrated her thoughtfully researched, and from the sounds of it, well-curated approach to the book. 
“We decided we’d concentrate on the du Ponts’ Brandywine estates only,” Lidz explained.  While she has the world of du Ponts at her own click and Google, she nevertheless had to determine which of the houses and estates to feature in the book. 

See, the du Ponts may have been simple folk of French descent but they did have multiple dwellings that could be the envy of any self-respecting hedge fund director or the Jolie Pitts.  From South Hampton to Montecito to New York City to Palm Beach, the du Ponts had all the right addresses on their stationary.  No frets.  The Brandywine zip codes offer more than enough for any garden enthusiast to get lost in for a long, long time.

Clearly at ease with the subject matter and obsessed about her protagonists -- in a very good way, Lidz offered a lively and informed talk, accompanied by expository images: most rare and some never before seen, that are included in the book.

This gave me pause to reflect how lectures offer a rare opportunity to learn so much about a passion. 

Why is it that so few attend live events – whether it is music or lectures or demonstrations?  That is another story but I can offer that seeing and meeting experts like Ms. Lidz enrich our lives and our culture.

How else to describe how Lidz’s years of dedication and knowledge and research culminate in a story about American immigrants who did good for their community, who changed the course of commerce, business, and through their ensuing wealth; elevated horticulture.

Lidz’s talk led us through the history of the family – from the 1800’s gunpowder making and the Italians brought to Delaware to work in the factories through the du Pont’s business diversification to synthetics, General Motors and “science-based services and products.” 

The resulting, outsized wealth enabled the du Ponts to design and create gardens of unimaganable grandeur and fantasy and sophistication.  “Horticulture itself was extraordinary in Delaware,” said Lidz.

The du Ponts took it up a notch or ten. 

It is somewhat difficult to imagine in this day and age in terms of present landscape design aesthetics, and therein lies the discovery – the inspiration and magic of what gardens can be and how they are enduring if yet ephemeral cultural art.

The generations of du Ponts and their gardens represent all the allure of great country houses from the Gilded Age through post World War II wealthy America.  After all, how many country homes could boast such a large staff that they could host their own baseball team – as we discovered the du Pont families did?! 

Clearly, it was the gardens that made du Ponts unique and part of the country estate movement, according to Lidz.

We learned how the du Pont family cultivated acres of single-species gardens and perennial borders that might make Vita Sackville West blush.

For example, Lidz described how the iris gardens could be one to two acres, designed in an Iris Bowl style that became very popular with a certain swanky garden set.

The Iris Bowl is/was a tiered garden planting designed so that one could be standing in the center of a stadium of blossoms -- surrounded by fragrance.  For the approximately eight days a year the iris bloom.

Personally, I applaud the pursuit of this garden style. 

While clearly those of us without the means to practice this kind of unrestricted, high horticulture would find it impossible to plant gardens of this scope, I do think we should practice the more seasonal, sustainable and successive plantings embodied in the Iris Bowl design concept, rather than make so many of the plants in the garden workhorses that perform from Pasadena to Palm Beach.

I was struck by another keen point Lidz cited in a news report of the day in 1942: “Gardening is considered part of the national war effort.”

We should certainly be making more of the same claim today…

Given their legacy of community support -- and long before the Garden Conservancy –(www.gardenconservancy.org) the du Ponts opened their private gardens to public visitation.  Lidz showed a classic traffic jam of motorists in their Model T’s in line to get into the garden. 

See—our lust for enjoying and experiencing gardens has a legacy.

In particular, Lidz described the different “mindsets” that informed the garden styles of the three du Pont cousins that characterize much of the book, all of which are museums or public institutions – sort of brining it full circle.

Today, there is Longwood Gardens  (www.longwoodgardens.org)  and Owl’s Nest Wilmington gardens designed by two of my favorite landscape architects – and women! -- Ellen Biddle Shipman and with later work by Marian Cruger Coffin. http://tiny.cc/pqbfi  FDR Jr married into the du Pont clan and the news was TIME magazine worthy:  

More from the Cultural Landscape Foundation:

http://tclf.org/landscapes/greenville-country-club

The lecture fuels a discovery to learn more about the du Pont’s unparalleled contribution to America’s horticulturical legacy.  There are many stories here to explore from the du Pont family to very intense garden design and landscape architects, as well as interior design – many of the du Pont homes are decorative arts museums today run as non-profit cultural institutions. Especially noteworthy is Winterthur, the du Pont estate named for a family homestead in Switzerland.  It’s spring garden is breathtaking.  (www.winterthur.org)  

Lidz pointed out an odd strategy the du Ponts employed: they used local garden architects for their homes and nationally-recognized landscape architects and garden designers.  This was the opposite of what was generally done in their day.

I say they got it just right.

Published by Acanthus Press (www.acanthuspress.com) 228 pages, filled with photos, Lidz’s book is must have for any garden-inspired library – and coffee table.

http://www.amazon.com/Ponts-Houses-Gardens-Brandywine/

New York Botanical Garden Landscape Design Portfolio 2010 Features West 8:Lead Designers for NYC’s Governor Island Park

November 1^st launched the new month – and autumn in New York.  After what had been an extended Indian Summer, Monday was as crisp as a just-picked fall apple. 

The evening’s New York Botanical Garden lecture was the third in the series.

One more to go.

And I was meeting my horticulture and garden friends there.  Afterwards we planned on dinner at Daniel Boulud’s sexy new db Bistro Moderne restaurant, located across the street.

But first, there was the city’s sexy new park to learn about!

Jamie Maslyn Larson from West 8, was the featured speaker.  

Billed as (new speaker) there was that “uh, oh – understudy moment.” 

But not to worry.  Larson was a happy and proud guest lecturer, keen to share the work of the Dutch-based firm she represents.

She even told a cute anecdote about interviewing with the firm's principal in 2008 and after she got the job he sent a drawing with the words “Kiss me scale girl!” scribbled on the top.  What does he mean? she shrieked to herself.  After some back and forth, he explained he was trying to say  “mermaid.”

It is a water project, after all….

She declared she is Dutch.  Her cats are named are aptly named.  

I am Dutch too.  My mother’s maiden name is Van Voorhees. 

It was a nice lay up to talk about how the Dutch had originally settled New Amsterdam – now New York.  Not to mention their savvy real estate acumen, scooping up the island for a mere $24 that has got to make Donald Trump scratch his furry do-lap of a hair do!

We just marked the Quadra centennial of the Dutch “discovering” New York and Breukelen, New Jersey and the Hudson River. 

I loved all the “going Dutch synergy!

And then I remembered that the first speaker in the series, Bridget Baines, from GROSS MAX talked about the firm’s Dutch connections, revealing the name of the firm was inspired by the ship containers in Rotterdam seaport, stamped Gross Maximum on the side of the containers, explaining it stood for “maximum content.”

After the lecture I leaned over to ask Susan Cohen, Coordinator of the NYBG Landscape Design Program and organizer of the series, if she had a Dutch theme in mind for this year, as I saw a Netherlands thread running throughout.  I wondered if it was purposeful.  She said that GROSS MAX is based in Edinburgh, but chuckled at the unconscious connection.

The speaker, Jamie Larson is the project manager for West 8 in America’s work on Governors Island.  www.west8.nl/ny/

She dutifully took the audience through a few of the firm’s noteworthy projects – from waterfront landscapes in Holland to Lincoln Park in Miami Beach.

Larson described the parasol-like structures planted with bougainvillea there at the Gehry-designed structure.

I couldn’t help think they look all too much like the parasol-bougainvillea structures at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles designed by landscaper architect Robert Irwin.  The bougainvillea arbors at the Getty hug the plaza in the rear of the Richard Meier-designed museum.  Loved them there (wrote about them too) and guess I’ll love them in Miami. But too close in design style for my aesthetic…

Larson took the audience through the winning landscape design for New York City’s Governors Island landscape design look.

I am able to ferry past Governors Island twice a week on my way to and from Manhattan and the Garden State. And no matter how many countless times I’ve made the trip, it’s a rare one that I don’t gaze with adoring love at the nearby Statue of Liberty and the charming jewel that is Governors Island.  Like the remnants of the military at Sandy Hook near us in the Garden State, Governors Island has a rich and well-known history.

Therefore, I was surprised – but delighted – to learn that much of Governors Island was made from landfill brought in from the construction of the Lexington Avenue subway line!

I read about public events in the Sunday New York Times that appear both aristocratic (polo and croquet) and plebeian (concerts and well – everything else.) 

The city also encourages artists to use the island to create for which I think they deserve a round of applause for. 

Larson merrily demonstrated the research and the designs that garnered West 8 in America the job.

She pointed out the shared history of New York and the Dutch of course. She also showed how the Dutch landscape architects are imbued with the sense of water and light and sustainability, because of the challenges and opportunities of their native landscape.  27% of their land is under sea level; the relationship of the horizon to the land. All those Ruebens and Rembrandts and the poetic lighting filtering the senses is no accident is the take-away.

Larson points out that while she is here managing the collaboration with other firms and city agencies in New York, the global strength of West 8 is always there as they communicate constantly via Skype and other digital devices so in effect, Governors Island has the talent of the entire team on the job.

West 8 not only channeled the Dutch masters but also the exuberance of another American of Dutch heritage, Teddy Roosevelt and his work on majestic National Parks, along with his cousin, FDR and the WPA work on parks and landscapes.  The firm also studied the brilliance of Olmstead and Calvert Vaux who designed Central Park and Prospect Park.  In both these masterful designs, they brought order and designed space to a wilderness. 

I know, I know, most people think the parks are the native areas that have been left alone and everything else has been built.  But no, the parks are built places too.

Larson explained how their designed parks offer a natural character within the structure of the town, and allow for change.

They are changing Governors Island from a military installation set up more or less as a college campus to a multi-level, multi access park filled with native plants, comfort and safety areas, lots of promenades to exercise on and to view the incredible waterfronts of NYC and Hoboken and Jersey City and Bayonne and Staten Island beyond.

Some of the ideas that impressed me as having great merit for the 87 acres whose tips she described as “prows of a ship” are the Free Bikes! Available to explore the island, especially using the to be developed promenades. By the say, she says the bikes float!

I thought there was going to be another Dutch link, by way of the bikes, but I guess she’d connected all those dots by this time in the talk…

She did show a project they did for Toronto’s waterfront.  One of the profound yet whimsical sculptures there is made from the stolen bikes never retrieved.  On a practical note, Toronto’s waterfront is a lesson in citizens and commerce and traffic all coexisting to great success.

On Governors Island the landscape design must embrace not only beautiful spaces for people to enjoy as individuals or families but also to serve as spaces for the hundreds of public programs on both the North and South parts of the island. The South part of the park is comprised of 40 acres of public space and 2.2 miles of what will be a double height promenade to allow for more activity and viewing space of the iconic Lady in the Harbor.

The North side will have historical landscapes and require areas in which to be “concealed” vs. exposed while waiting for the ferry, for example.  And that unmatched view of Manhattan’s glittering, glamorous skyline.

It is hoped the ferry ride itself will allow visitors to literally “leave their cares behind” generating anticipation for the beauty and adventure that lies on the shores of the park.

There is to be enhanced designs for the two areas of arrival and departure: from the Manhattan and Brooklyn sides.

They will provide cafes, amphitheater, play lawns, seated wall areas and a Bryant Park of Governors Island area complete with video features

To prevent skateboarders and homeless from using the benches the firm will recreate a successful design which is to put cast “pebbles” on the seat benches. 

It’s a barrier – and an armrest!

The landscape architects have designed hills in the middle of the island, and altered the topography to allow the two ends of the island to unite also through the planting and topsoil plan. There is the interaction of light and shadow and borrowed landscapes.  Visitors will be able to glimpse the emerging sights from across the river views as they emerge, creating a sense of mystery and excitement.

West 8 is also working on one of my most favorite public gardens: Longwood Gardens.  Larson explained the Garden is working on a Master Plan for the first time.  “We are thrilled to be working with Longwood Gardens on their 40-year Master Plan,” said Larson. “They are a great group of people.”

Indeed they are.    Don’t forget to mark your calendars for Longwood Gardens’ 2011 Rare Plant Auction weekend.  It’s going to be spectacular.  www.longwoodgardens.org

Larson spoke about the genuine love of the Brandywine River Valley where Longwood is located.  She explained the on site research undertaken by the firm (tough assignment but they had to do it!)

The visited the area in order to discover what clues existed about the history and cultural landscape.  They fell in love with the Wyeth’s cultural references—their tone of their art suggested a somber yet striking connection. “There is that power of landscape expression,” emphasized Larson.

Longwood Gardens, former home of the du Pont family, “was cited high on the ridge and positioned strongly there,” Larson explained.  “So we thought, well, if Pierre positioned the estate this way, this is Site DNA!”

The big idea will be to make the Garden more accessible – it needs to be shared with the public but keep it intimate.

After the presentation, my friends and I walked across the street to Daniel Boulud’s db Moderne restaurant. www.danielnyc.com/dbbistro.com

It is a very pretty space with red walls and BIG red flower wall designs. 

The Db bistro offers French American cuisine in a cozy casual setting.  The service was very friendly and attentive too.

Soon, the NYBG team of Susan Cohen, Jeff Downing, VP of Education at NYBG and the speaker, Jamie Larson were seated at a table nearby.

The presentation of the food was very elegant from the entrée to the sculpted dessert.

It was a perfectly delightful, glamorous evening.  We talked about the lecture, gardens and interior decorating -- as Donna just bought a New York City apartment - complete with a garden!  This will be fun.

Next week’s final lecture in the NYBG Landscape Design Portfolio series features Kate Orff, founder of SCAPE studio and she will talk about Living Cities.

Delaware Center for Horticulture's Rare Plant Auction at Longwood Gardens

Our doorman handed me that day’s mail and right away my eye caught the hand-written envelope with the sublime return address of Delaware Center for Horticulture (DCH) and its rather scrolly graphic below, noting: “Pearl Anniversary of the Rare Plant Auction”

No one would argue that this post required immediate attention.

I got to thinking -- what’s more special than gently gliding the letter opener along the spine of an envelope to discover you’d been “cordially invited,” “asked to commemorate,” or read that the sender pleads with courtesy,  “won’t you please join us?”

Oh, the anticipation! 

For this extraordinary event – one could look at the The Pearl Anniversary milestone notation and mentally check off  “ There’ll be the buffet dinner, open bar, and the PLANTS!” 

It doesn’t get much better, does it?   J 

If you ever even considered that plants are not the undeniable horticultural artistic expression of garden art, the invitation from the Delaware Center for Horticulture heralds plants as not only a treasured work of art but the inspiration for other, fine art. 

Suitable for framing, the grey and white formal invitation palette features a Cattleya ‘Alice B. du Pont’ orchid – art by Anna Anisko, and the heading: “2010 Thirtieth Annual Rare Plant AuctionÒ  A Benefit for the Delaware Center for Horticulture’s Greening Program.” 

As if that wasn’t enough, attendees for the Rare Plant Auction were admitted free to Longwood Gardens for the day – and the glamorous site of the annual auction.

Registration Options included Pearl at $500 per person ($250 tax-deductible). 

Attendees at this level received valet parking, auction preview, gift plant, gift bag, cocktail party and mini auction at the home of Linda and Steve Boyden (this was on the Thursday preceding the Auction). 

A Benefactor ticket at $250 per person ($100 tax-deductible);

Subscriber at $175 per person ($75 tax-deductible);

and as I noted in previous blogs and Tweets, for those 40 and younger or Auction first-timers a Seed Pearl ticket, ($100 per person).

From Abelia to Zenobia – the DCH (www.dehort.org) offered more than 500 plants at what is billed as the world’s one and only official Rare Plant AuctionÒ to raise funds for their local greening programs. 

Christie’s Fine Art Auctioneers conduct a Live Auction of a select group of rare and unusual specimens.

An additional 500 prize plants were up for bid during a Silent Auction.

Last year’s event raised more than $100,000 for community greening and education programs in Delaware and this year they raised more funds than that.

The day of the Auction was glorious; sunny skies and warm.

Following a family bridal shower, my mother Virginia accompanied me to the event. 

We boarded the Amtrak train at Metro Park, in the Garden State – and in just three stops – arrived in Wilmington. 

Attention all New Yorkers – you can visit Longwood Gardens very easy.

Just get to 34^th St/Penn Station!

I’d arranged for car service to pick us up and transport us to the Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square.  (Well, that was all a bit dodgy as the Delaware car company created what could have been a big problem but a second car service, Eagle Transportation Services was able to skillfully get us a driver.)

So after a few crazy calls, we were on our way. 

It’s a short, 20-minute drive through some beautiful countryside, too.

Upon arrival at Longwood Gardens, we took the option of walking through the magical, wonderfully curated Conservatory. 

We were captivated by the plant displays and kept stopping to take photos and revel in hearing the delighted gasps, oohs, and ahhs, of the soon-to-be-departing Garden visitors. 

The Garden was closing for the evening and they couldn’t get enough of the color, shapes, and texture all around them.

                Neither could we for that matter. 

Look at these exotic orchids

cool silver and blues and shapes in the desert or succulent displays.

We soon made our way to the event area.  And from the coat check to registration check in, everyone was so very friendly and welcoming.   

Later we learned DCH aims to make this a fun party where attendees can see beautiful plants. 

They knock it out of the park!

You can’t help but tingle with excitement and awe, surrounded by towering specimens; curious plants-as-architecture, with lights and stars both bouncing off the glass archways and domed roof. 

You could sense the anticipation from the increasing cluster  or “bouquets” of attendees greeting one another, enjoying a cocktail, and the ambience.

But there is no question the night belongs to the plants. 

In homage, the plants for the auction are displayed in the already too-good-to-be-true Conservatory at Longwood Gardens.

Horticulture enthusiasts wear their heart on the sleeve and can readily attest to the jewel-like quality of favorite trees, shrubs and flowering plants. 

And not unlike the late-day Garden visitors, true enthusiasts can never get enough of plants – especially rare and newly introduced ones. 

This night could not be considered the cure for what ails you, but rather a major player in enabling a passion! 

Not coincidentally, I recalled a Zen master, Lao Tzu’s admonishment: “There is no greater sin than desire…”

But to borrow from Michael Pollan, this was a dearly, doozy of a “botany of desire” and ground zero for any plant lover worth his or her seeds. J

The wow factor is huge, as are some of the specimen trees!

We were soon met by Wendy Scott, DCH’s charming and oh so professional and gracious Communications manager. 

And we must take a moment for Applause, Applause here! 

Wendy was recently named by The Garden Writers Association (GWA) as a 2010 Silver Award of Achievement for her writing “Our Urban Forest,” in the Writing - Newsletter/Bulletin/Brochure category.

(www.gardenwriters.org)

I told you she was good!

Wendy secured a Rare Plant Auction event program for me.

The catalog itself is worth the price of a ticket.

It is chock a bloc with information on all the auction plants – and special notation about the “Rarest of the Rare” and “Hard to Find” supporting nurseries, plant donors, and the bios of the evening’s Plant Experts who were there to explain the plant’s provenance, growing needs and care. 

Displaying a measured depth of knowledge, Wendy provided an overview of the evening’s schedule-from Auction Preview to Silent Auction, to Live Auction to Dinner, Payment, and Plant Pick up.

She briefed me on the procedures and also offered interesting historical notes, including the story about Mrs. du Pont declining her husband Pierre S. du Pont (and Longwood Gardens’ founder) birthday necklace of fine-jewelry pearls; preferring instead ten-miles of elm, sycamore, and oak trees to be planted along Kennett Pike that she referred to as her “String of Pearls.”  

Mrs. Alice du Pont inspired this year’s Pearl theme. 

According to DCH:

In memory of Alice’s “pearls,” two special offerings highlight the auction – a collection of plants named for Alice du Pont and a real string of pearls. Longwood Gardens is donating five different plants that have been bred at Longwood and named in Alice’s honor. For our live auction, a Mikimoto 18-inch strand of fine quality cultured pearls hand-knotted on silk was donated from within the du Pont family to mark this special anniversary. A variety of plants in the silent auction also have a pearl theme such as Rosa ‘Pearly Gates’, Clematis ‘Perle d’Azur,’ Deutzia gracilis ‘Chardonnay Pearls,’ Rhododendron ‘Ebony Pearls,’ and Thalictrum ‘Pink Pearl.’

I think the piece of “Delaware folklore” and the link that drove the thoughtful plant selection provided an elegant intimacy and sense of history and sense of place to the event. 

Too often, a theme is chosen for these kinds of events that is merely a base for graphics display or as a vanity element to attract a donor or sponsor.

The Pearl Anniversary was lovely and permeated the event organically.  Kudos.

The Rare Plant Auction^® gives attendees an opportunity to meet and speak with horticultural experts. 

My former Brooklyn Botanic colleague, Patrick Cullina returned this year to lend his expertise – and playful charm.  Patrick is presently the Vice President of Horticulture & Park Operations for Friends of the Highline – New York City’s sexy new park.  (www.thehighline.org)

Here is Patrick gamely posing with Mother!  

I also caught up with Chanticleer’s enormously talented horticultural treasure, Bill Thomas.  (far left)

Bill generously provided a garden tour for my extended family last year after a wedding in nearby Villanova. 

We learned so much about this drop dead gorgeous “pleasure garden.” 

Chanticleer is a bijou of a garden and shouldn’t be missed.  Their curated plant displays and collections are breathtaking.  (www.chanticleergarden.org)

I saw Fred Bland, Chairman of the Board for BBG too, but I couldn’t get over to him…

I met Paul B. Redman, Director of Longwood Gardens while covering the live auction.  Mr. Redman served as this year’s Honorary Chair.

According to DCH press advisory, previously Mr. Redman was Executive Director of Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Garden in Columbus, Ohio and Volunteer Coordinator at National Tropical Botanical Garden in Lawai, Kauai, Hawaii.

The bidding at this year’s Live Auction was spirited, competitive and successful. 

More than a few people noted that because the economy was better this year, there was more and greater bidding.

Urged on by Christie’s volunteer auctioneer, Dean Failey -- who has conducted the auction for 17 years -- opening bids were driven up fast in most cases. 

Some bidding started at $500 or $800 and rose progressively upwards – some to $3,600. Some more.

I noted bidders furiously taking notes or consulting with a partner. 

Every plant and plant collection up for auction was introduced.

The Plant Experts were often asked to explain a bit more detail about a plant’s rare qualities or the elements of the plants in a specific collection.  So Patrick Cullina and Angela Treadwell-Palmer would provide “play-action commentary.”  

I wanted to know what kind of motivation spurred such a “botany of desire” and so when the Live Auction concluded, I approached the couple that held the winning bid on a very coveted collection that benefited from a protracted bidding war among several attendees. 

Asking that his name not be used, he and his wife explained that his mother was an extraordinary gardener with a green thumb – kind of a famous or well-known gardener in their community (people come from all over the country to attend the Rare Plant Auction). 

Therefore, it was his mother’s love of plants and her role model status that inspired a life-long love affair with plants.  Wow! Yeah for Mothers…

I bid my measly budget on some silent auction gems but didn’t bring home anything. But the plant display compositions were terrific just to view.

And some of the attendees were sporting colorful fashions of their own! 

My mother couldn’t resist the Community Gardening outreach and bought a letter to support the program.

According to DCH:

A special feature of this year’s event was the Greening Neighborhoods Map, a large interactive exhibit illustrating DCH programs in Wilmington relating to trees, parks, traffic islands, and community gardens. Guests were invited to “purchase” pieces of the picture as it is assembled throughout the evening.

Here is Mother with Anne Maddingly, Community Garden Manager

DCH worked with neighborhood citizens to produce the first urban farm in Delaware. 

I will write more about this important gardening and food project for my other blog:

http://celebritychefsandtheirgardens.blogspot.com/

Following the letter donation, Mother and I went into the dazzling dining area in the Conservatory. 

It was otherworldly and so magical it took your breath away walking into the room.

Soon after we enjoyed our meal and an interesting dinner conversation with our new-found friends at the table, Wendy stopped by to let us know she’d found an escort to drive us back to the train station. 

Like two Cinderella’s, we quickly but reluctantly prepared to depart the Garden’s intoxication and hop into our carriage.

In fact, our delightful escorts were Felise and Michael Cressmsan. 

The drive back only extended our appreciation for the work of the Garden and DCH.

Michael is with AstraZeneca, “a proud supporter of the Rare Plant Auction.” 

Felise is a Master Gardener and a leader of the Wilmington Garden Club. 

She has also been a dedicated volunteer for many years at the Garden and is on the Rare Plant Auction’s Steering Committee. 

And she wore the sweetest dress that evening!

Felise added to the evening’s narrative by sharing stories of all the talent and hard work behind the scenes that goes into producing such a spectacular event: from identifying appropriate plants, assembling them at the Garden in a timely manner, arranging the plant vignettes and compositions for viewing, and producing plant labels and ID’s.

(Call out here to Moira Sheridan who is also noted in the catalog for writing the plant descriptions) 

Here are some of the Garden's interns - enjoying the fruits of their labor:

We bid farewell and thanked Michael and Felise and dreamed of dramatic, glamorous plants as our train swooshed us home.

The Rare Plant Auction at Longwood Gardens is an amazing and special event that you shouldn’t miss. 

So be sure to mark your calendars for next year. 

Plus, guess what?  You can double your pleasure in 2011! 

Wendy was smart and kind enough to point out that next year the Rare Plant Auction is April 30^th and Point to Point at Winterthur is May 1^st.

http://www.winterthur.org/calendar/point_to_point.asp

All the festivities will take place on the same weekend.  Quelle chance! 

The Brandywine area is captivating, the Rare Plant Auction is a special opportunity to enjoy the Garden and take home some one-of-a-kind plants that will make all your friends and family pea green with envy and Point to Point is an exciting day of steeplechase horse racing on the Winterthur Estate. (I think that’s three things that will make you smile, but who’s counting?)

But for certain, this will be THE place to be for anyone who loves art, beauty, tradition, horses and plants.  

How Glamorous!

The Delaware Center for Horticulture (DCH) cultivates greener communities by inspiring appreciation and improvement of the environment through horticulture, education and conservation. Founded in 1977, the Center’s site in Wilmington, Delaware includes a 1.5 acre educational demonstration garden, a 3,000 volume lending library, lecture hall and a greenhouse. DCH supports 16 active community gardens throughout the city of Wilmington; beautifies Delaware’s roadsides with native vegetation; maintains the landscaping of many urban gateways, corridors, and streetscapes; leads regional conservation projects to enhance Delaware’s urban forest; and provides educational programs for children, teens, and adults.  For more information, visit www.dehort.org

Longwood Gardens is one of the world’s great horticultural displays, offering 1,050 acres of gardens, woodlands, and meadows, including 20 outdoor gardens and 20 indoor gardens within 4 acres of heated greenhouses. Featuring 11,000 different types of plants, spectacular fountains, stunning seasonal displays, extensive educational programs, and 800 horticultural and performing arts events each year, the Gardens are open every day, including holidays. Longwood is located on US Route 1 near Kennett Square, PA.  For more information, visit www.longwoodgardens.org.