A Double Feature -- In The Garden

The New York Botanical Garden’s Landscape Design Alumni enjoyed a very enriching and pleasant day recently, marked by two lectures.

It was a double feature! 

The morning’s talk was provided by photographer Betsy Pinover Schiff  http://www.betsysphotos.com/index.html talking about her newest book, “New York City Gardens“  

And with that as the gold standard, she offered her tips and techniques about how best to photograph gardens- particularly our own garden designs. 

I brought my “Homegrown Long Island” book photographer, Jennifer Calais Smith, to the talk.  While Jennifer is a professional photographer – not like the rest of us who are garden designers first, I thought she’d enjoy the photography discussion and maybe even learn something J especially because Betsy is so good with such a body of garden work to share, having produced a library shelf’s worth of breathtaking garden books.

Instructor and author, Magda Salvesen, whose latest book is “Exploring Gardens and Green Spaces From Connecticut to the Delaware Valley,” hosted the afternoon garden talk. 

Betsy Pinover Schiff is a soft-spoken, dedicated and confident artist. 

She and I know each other from the year-long botanic garden project to produce the annual photographic wall calendar.  Every month featured an iconic seasonal image that helped tell the story of the garden. 

Her many visits to the garden to capture just the right mood and photo attest to the disciplined approach to her art that helps make it so special – and personal.

Betsy had copies of her books on display for the group to peruse. 

Accompanied by the PowerPoint presentation that was naturally chock a block with garden photos,

Betsy launched her talk with a bit of her background, saying photography is in fact, her third career. 

Previously, she worked as head of a school’s foreign language department and doing the public relations at Sotheby’s and the New York Public Library – which is where she first met Gregory Long, president of NYBG, where he then worked as the Director of Development

She explained it was at Sotheby’s where she learned invaluable and enduring art lessons, including composition and light.

“Looking, looking, looking” is how she remembers learning the art of good garden photography.

“Composition is a question of one’s eye. What to include or not.” 

She suggested we do a lot of looking and training of the eye by going to the library or bookstore to view fine art and photographs. “Ask why you like the photo.” She said.

The combination of her French language skills and art history, along with the chance to discover the art all around her, provided a trajectory art lesson that was not lost on her for a second. She told how she’d make certain to take advantage of Sotheby’s lunchtime talks with the experts about how to buy and sell at auction. She recounted how lucky she was to see what was on exhibit to be auctioned.  The next day, with the catalog firmly in hand, she could study the art.  It was her way of learning.  “There were art opportunities everywhere,” she recalled.

The latest NYC Garden book is a follow up of sorts, to her 1999 book "Garden in the City: New York in Bloom" which was the first book about public and private New York gardens, according to Betsy.  Text by Mary Jane Pool and Foreword by David Rockefeller it featured 120 gardens. She worked with Paul Gottleib, former editor with House & Gardens for 25 years and he excitedly provided entrée to gardeners for the Gardens in the City: NY in Bloom book.   “I knew gardens were hot and I could had total confidence I could market the book.  I had less confidence then about my emerging photography!” she confided.

Success was hers in the end. In fact, Hirmer Verlag, the German publishers of her new book, were captivated by her first foray and approached her for the NYC Gardens book.  The publisher even secured the Austrian-based text author, Veronika Hofer.

Was she interested? 

You bet. 

She explained how she “did it all” for this book – from identifying the gardeners and their gardens to securing permission and schedule access to photograph the gardens. No small feat.

Needing spring and summer images in the gardens, she had a mere three months to go from ‘what gardens?” to finished photos. 

Click, Click, Click. 

Time was of the essence.

Define Your Goal

Advice like this could be applied to most anything worth having. 

Here, Betsy repeated how critical it is in photography to confront the question constantly: “What’s your goal?”

She went on to describe her three key goals for this book.

She knew she had to set her guidelines for this book, particularly as the publisher wasn’t local. And the audience was primarily European.  “I wanted the book to scream, New York!”

The book had to have a “sense of place” so that even if a reader has never been to Gotham, the photo narrative will tell him where he is.  That means composing photos that would showcase the gardens with New York landmarks. The trick was to do it ever so artfully so that it didn’t end up as NY City postcards ‘cut and pasted’ next to the garden and parks! 

She said there is not a shot in the entire book that didn’t have purpose.  So there.

For example, one homeowner (The Lauders) love roses.  Their 4,000 square foot terrace includes several garden “rooms” but the artist in Betsy was compelled to showcase a photo narrative that spoke to the homeowner’s passion.  She wanted to evoke that personal, unique characteristic – to share the homeowner’s sensibility and the thing they cared about. Betsy showed us images of the roses reflected in the window of the “rose garden.” 

In much the same way, she made a great effort to capture the magic that characterizes Lynden Miller’s public garden perennial borders. Lynden is my idol, by the way J

Those who’ve had the pleasure and privilege to bask in the glory of Lynden’s sensual garden designs, you know the challenges Betsy faced in attempting to capture the these gardens.  Lynden was originally a painter.  Not surprisingly, she possesses an otherworldly ability to weave color, hue, shadow, texture – and yes – utility and art – into a garden tapestry that’s always astonishing – just like any fine art rendering.

Visit Lynden’s garden designs – NYBG, Battery Park City, Red Hook, Central Park – in any season – and you will experience a seminal connection to nature and art.  Later Magda cited Lynden’s “codes of seclusion” (sense of mystery walking through the garden designs) and strong palette in every season.”  

Is it obvious we LOVE Lynden?!

To better capture the essence of this garden design pallet, Betsy said she took “close-ups” to show depth and plant variety highlighted in the “Magic Miller” beds. 

There were plenty of oohs and ahhs and also lots of questions about these familiar-to-the-members garden.

When asked how she got the angle for the photo, Betsy revealed she usually has a stepladder with her to get the perfect perspective.

“Planting designs convey a lot,” said Betsy.  “That’s why I take shots from above to show what it’s like for homeowners.”  She takes high and low shots to show Bluestone paving, for instance, or statues – to show how they inform the garden paths and the garden beds.

She said she spends time walking the gardens to best determine if she should do more close ups or longer shots to best capture the angle or perspective in order to fulfill her stated goal or objective.

It all about Light, Perspective, Composition. (It’s that pesky, pertinent “goal thing.”)

“So much of composition has to do with ‘exclusion’ she explained.

And further, “Light and quality of light is so much of what photography is all about…”

Light is what allows for garden “mood.”

Saturation of color says one thing. Shadow says another that can communicate other garden “ideas.” 

Sometimes it’s best to combine light and lack of light.

Clouds can create “ceilings.”

And night says something else entirely. (Not as part of this talk but another author/photographer I worked with in the garden was Linda Rutenberg, “The Garden at Night: Private Views of Public Edens” produces the rare experience of a night in the botanical or public garden.  

Light variances were perhaps shown best by a Topher Delaney garden design to appreciative gasps. http://www.tdelaney.com/

It is indeed very special. There is a wall of mirrors with vines growing up on the lattice fronting the mirrors. Betsy had the challenge to photograph this “hall of mirrors” and not seeing herself reflected 20x! 

She also pointed out the inspiring Braille circles of poems imbedded in the sparse, clean patio garden.  (She also offered a funny aside about photographing them.)

Be sure to check out the Metropolitan Museum of Art roof garden photos – made all the more astonishing when you learn she had the “luxury of moments” to shoot the seven images that reflect the dynamic energy of Jeff Koons’ art and Central Park.  “I wanted to take the shot at an angle to show the art and the context of the Park as background.”

The Rockefeller Center and the Ken Smith-designed MoMA roof garden photos are worth the price of the book alone.  No one is allowed on the gardens and Betsy used her plucky New York artistic charm to capture a peak and a view of these inspiring gardens.  The gardens may be located in the heavens but you and me can’t beg the key from St. Peter – or the gardener.  Betsy did it for us. 

Betsy added a few of her tips:

She never “crops” photos. 

She uses film.

She uses digital for some landscape architecture for web sites or marketing work.

After Lunch

Magda Salvesen is too perfect in so many ways.  The online chatter among the alumni is that she is hands-down one of the most favorite and influential instructors at NYBG. 

She was a stimulating speaker with great content and advice. And that is always welcome after a longish morning – and lunch.

And her British accent is so charming and her sense of humor so acute, you don’t want to miss a nuance.

Magda skibbled through existing public parks and spent good time talking about the possibility of new parks. 

“There is much contaminated land in New York,” she said, and given the present administration’s (Bloomberg) advocacy of green space of all kinds – from median spaces to pocket parks, and community gardens -- she believes we could see a renaissance in producing new parks. Maybe not as sexy as the High Line Park.  But much-needed, new parks, nestling nicely in heretofore blighted urban areas.

“The Parks Department needs to encourage landscape designers to part of the process.” Magda said.  “Parks is not about just picking up litter.” The Parks staff should and needs to be about the Horticulture.”

Too many botanic and public gardens are too much about the public program (i.e. entertainment) according to Magda.  “Ornamentation becomes the lesser of priorities.”

She likes the public/private scenario as bested by New York’s Central Park success. 

She also recommends the Parks Departments work more closely, embracing landscape designers as part of the process.

Magda cited the city of Newark, New Jersey’s Branchburg Park Foundation example of how horticulture is a priority. http://www.branchbrookpark.org/about1.htm

The mayor of Newark recognized the longstanding and inherent value of the city’s Cherry Blossom Festival in Branchburg Park. 

The Park was originally designed by the firm of John Bogart and Nathan F. Barrett in a romantic style.  Barrett is my favorite.  I have written about him frequently and will post a blog dedicated to him, I think.  He designed so many of the train stations in New Jersey, by and large due to not only his talent, but his relationship to George Pullman, inventor of the railroad sleeping car: The Pullman.  Pullman’s favorite estate, Castle Rest, was located in Elberon, NJ.  He also designed many residential gardens. I was elated to learn of one his extant gardens in Rumson, in the Garden State, while on a recent garden tour in the Two Rivers area. I was further gobsmacked to learn one of my most favorite garden design clients once lived there, and helped bring the garden back to its full grandeur, not surprisingly, as she loves all things beautiful and artful…

I shared my researched Barrett content and photo material with Arthur Melville Pearson who in turn, was helping the Barrett chapter contributors.  The request went out for information to be used as part of the first book to document the biographies and work of American landscape designers and architects: “Pioneers of American Landscape Design.”  

The Pioneer book chapter on Barrett documents his work for the planned town of Pullman, Ohio.

Interestingly, remember too, that research done at that time was pre-internet and pre-Google! Somehow, through passion and networking, contacts and links were made.  I was honored to send my painstaking research work to Mr. Pearson. 

The Pioneers project has been expanded – http://tclf.org/pioneer/about. 

By the way, the work of Charles A. Birnbaum is nothing short of extraordinary.  Check out the fascinating initiative driven by the Cultural Landscape Foundation.

The Branchburg park design was completed five years after Barrett’s design, by the Olmstead design firm.

The post-industrial Ruhr Valley garden and park design has infused the High Line Park landscape design, as well as other European and American parks, Magda explained. 

When describing the contaminated landscapes, “It used to be ‘Take it away’” said Magda.  But increasingly, she is hearing, “Splendid sites.  And “what have we done to nature?”

Regardless, she says it is our responsibility to clearly use and refurbish precious open spaces.  She showcased a number of very successful and artfully designed public spaces – particularly waterfronts.

The Hudson River Waterfront 18-miles of public walks run from Newport, NJ, Hoboken,  - and provide unparalled views of the New York skyline and the Statue of Liberty. 

There is a continuous, thematic line connecting the parks, yet each has their own style using industrial artifacts and local style.

She joked that she sees use of rocks and berms here, there and everywhere!  However, she noted that berms do block urban noise, as they have successfully demonstrated in Chelsea as part of the Hudson River Park in NYC.

Magda concluded the garden talk with her list of top trends, followed by a lively Q&A.

Trends:

Public/Private Alliances - cooperatives to build and maintain parks and public spaces

Sensible Tree Management

Car Parking – Magda cited Frelinghuysen Arboretum in Morris Township and their brilliant parking solution that serves as a green introduction to the arboretum. 

Memorial Gardens – Discussed the annual outpouring of these special gardens… “Every era has its wars, disasters and we must have a public display and place to mourn,” Magda said.  Citing Princeton’s September 11^th tastefully designed garden memorial, British Memorial Garden in Manhattan, Union City Memorial for victims of September 11^th.  “These gardens tranquility leads to rumination and thoughts.“ 

Pier or Waterfront Gardens

Healing Gardens

Lighting of public parks – “We have extended ideas about hours of access and lights are an extremely urban concept that allows us to enjoy our parks anytime – for sports, walking and enjoyment. Even if it’s night – lighting makes it possible.”

Green Roofs – everywhere from Chicago leadership to Queens, NY to Lincoln Center

Native plants – showed Mt. Cuba garden as a “most spectacular” example use of native plants 

Interest in Cemetery Landscapes (landscapes of remembrances) Cedar Hill Cemetery, Hartford, Connecticut (1864) http://www.cedarhillcemetery.org/

and Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia (1836) http://tiny.cc/era4a

were shown as models.  Cedar Hill was designed by Joseph Weidenmann who turned the wet areas at the Cemetery’s entrance into a park, leading visitors through its more than 250 acres. I would add the 400 acres of Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx (1863) http://www.thewoodlawncemetery.org/

and Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, NY (1838) as other amazing examples of a cultural destination and horticultural wonder place to visit. http://www.green-wood.com/ According to Green-Wood’s website, by 1860 it rivaled Niagara Falls as America’s premiere tourist attraction!

Magda pointed out the older, 19^th Century Cemeteries most often have very good trees for us to admire.  These special places have sculpture, artwork, lawns, wildlife and rural landscape designs – one of the first to utilize the graveyard design that today rivals arboretums. Here families loved ones and garden lovers can enjoy picnics, moonlight walks, bird watching.  Many cemeteries offer guided tours as the two models do, offering history, art, culture and horticultural natural beauty.  Laurel Hill’s nearly 80 acres is one of the few cemetery’s to have been designated a National Historic Landmark.  Magda suggests that as a society we will come to appreciate and use graveyards even more due to lack of space issues.  I can add that in my travels – to Paris and Cuba, in particular, the cemeteries are indeed a place to meet family and friends. In Havana, we had a memorable bicycle tour throughout the cemetery.  We were amazed at the spectacular statuary, use of plants, and the sense of loving care of this place as a garden destination to be enjoyed.  I couldn’t help but think there was such a sense of life that permeated what many Americans only think of as a final resting place, only visited after the funeral.

Garden History and Historic Gardens interest

Environmental Education

New Lawn Technologies

Food and the Garden – organic, food is more a part of gardening. Food safety.

Plant Introductions

Artists in the Designed Landscape

Children and Gardens

Broader interpretations of House and Garden and Estates

Vertical gardens – she doesn’t think they work. “Too much maintenance. The ones outside of buildings ‘don’t work’ according to Magda.

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.

A Glamorous and Exuberant Book on Gardens and Floral Design

“Garden Bouquets and Beyond”

Creating Wreaths, Garlands, And More In Every Garden Season

 

Suzy Bales’ latest book is exhibit A in the case to be made why coffee table books need to be renamed. 

True, the book’s gorgeous, jaw-dropping color images hypnotically capture your imagination and render you motionless. 

You are under its charmed spell. 

So there you sit – presumably with that cup of coffee at your “coffee table” -- not wanting to turn the page, but like a good dream, you are led to the next unexpected adventure.

On the other hand, “Garden Bouquets and Beyond” is a How -To book – a veritable pocket book of seasonal design tips and ideas and care instructions you can use every day. 

You’ll look at your garden in a whole new way, too. 

Suzy introduces you to the idea to view the garden as a treasure-trove of unlimited cutting garden gathering opportunities. 

“Why stop at the blooms when there is foliage?” She posits.  Or bird baths to fill with spring blossoms or a “posy topping a gift-wrapped package.” (Source: afloral.com)

The creations are all the more exciting because Suzy helps us, the reader, discover plants and blooms commonly found in most gardens, including honeysuckle, blueberry, witch hazel, sage, allium, yarrow, hosta (as a table cloth ^:^), ivy, nandina, seedpods, ornamental grasses. swamp maple, dogwood, viburnum, and azalea blossoms.  Betcha’ never thought of these candidates for glamorous floral arrangements!

 

What Suzy designs with floral foam confirms her reign as Eden’s sorceress. 

Her creativity sparkles with suggestions that range from wet and dry wreaths to candelabra confections and joyful runners and Anais Nin headbands, eye candy garlands, and mock topiaries – she literally “paints with nature’s palette” to borrow a heading from the book.

There are tips on color, texture, proportion, balance. 

Then she throws it all to the wind and claims “there are no rules.” And in the same breath, admonishes us to have fun! 

Then there are the words – the text!  This is a book, after all J

Who couldn’t love chapter titles such as “Naked Ladies,”  “Belting Out The Blues,” “Dahlia Daze” “Berry Madness” and “Get the Joint A-Jumpin?”

So much of the book reads like a best girlfriend’s diary she lets you peek at. 

She refers to the morning glory’s flowers as a “perpetual wink.”  

Amassing flowers for a vase she says is akin to a “group hug.”  

These cute as a button, down-home sparklers reflect the conversational style and wit Suzy “gifts” to the reader.

You just know she’s a dame you want to share a cocktail with.  Over an irresistible and eye-catching arrangement that is…

But for all the charm, the book offers a very serious, well-researched series of conditioning flower guidelines, an entire section devoted to how long a cut flower’s Vase Life is, seasonal favorites “at a glance,” and tips on water quality and extending blooms.  There is a source page too. (www.michaels.com, www.save-on-crafts.com, www.potterybarn.com)

And it seems every other page has an easy to understand highlight box explaining things we were too self conscious about asking, including “bugs,” debunking myths or old wives tales. 

Buy this exuberant book for its fun and charm. 

Refer to it and use it for its garden and floral design inspiration and expertise. 

I love the book jacket blurbs from some of my favorite garden journalists.  They say it best.  Here’s what Valerie Easton wrote:  “We’ve learned that fresh, local organic food is best, so why are we still buying hothouse flowers, shipped halfway around the world for our home?” (Why indeed?)  … “Only Suzy could transform pachysandra into a showpiece of a wreath?”

Mario Bosquez, host of “Living Today” on Martha Stewart Living Radio, says “Suzy Bales always strikes the right note in making gardening and arranging accessible and educational, and, most of all, the ultimate in all things fabulous and floral.”

And be sure to check out how to dress up the ice “bucket” for a magnum of champagne. How glamorous!

The Horticultural Society of New York (www.hsny.org) hosted author Suzy Bales’ launch of  “Garden Bouquets and Beyond” as part of their Important Books and Author’s Series.  Suzy’s has authored 14 books.

The evening was a fundraiser held at the swanky Sherry-Netherland Hotel in New York City.

Friends and supporters mingled.

Cocktails and hors d’ouevres passed while Suzy autographed her book. 

Me and Suzy:

The lecture was the main event, with an introduction by the Hort Society’s executive director, Sara Hobel, who also noted that the evening’s fundraising would go to help support HSNY’s varied programs including the Rikers Island program.

With great humor and self-effacing wit, Suzy led us through the research, writing, and production of her delightful new book, accompanied by seductive images from the book.  The oohs and ahhs from the guests confirmed the designs' drama and appeal. 

The lecture was followed by a robust Q&A.

Check out author Suzy Bales’ web site for a calendar listing of her upcoming national lecture and book signing schedule, including the New York Botanical Garden (www.nybg.org), April 15^th, Shepard Pratt Conference Center in Baltimore, The Hampton Garden Club, and The Cosmopolitan Club, NYC, November 15^th.  (we love your namesake cocktail, the Cosmo!)

www.suzybalesgarden.com

  

Annual Rare Plant Auction @ Longwood Gardens Benefits Delaware Center for Horticulture

The Delaware Center for Horticulture’s Communications Manager Wendy Scott (what a pro!) recently wrote to inform me that this year’s Rare Plant Auction will be held on Saturday, April 24, 2010 at Longwood Gardens.  Located in the beautiful Brandywine Valley, this event is one that every plant lover should attend.  And aren’t all gardeners curious about the “next big thing?” 

Just like no one wants to miss out on the latest in fashions from Paris, Milan or New York’s couture runways, so too, plant-loving enthusiasts (and that’s just about all of us!) won’t want to miss the premiere of what’s Hot in Plants for 2010. 

I’ll be there to blog about it. You should be there to enjoy the beauty of Longwood Gardens while sipping champagne (that combination alone is worth the price of admission :) )

There are options for admission (see below) with Auction newbies and the under 40-year-old tribe gaining entrance for just $100 (or dinner in New York City!)  

It is the 30th anniversary of this gala event that raises more than $100,000 each year for the Delaware Center for Horticulture. Help celebrate and mark the occasion by attending the Auction.

http://www.dehort.org/events_education/auction.php

You can register for the Auction and purchase tickets here

Join us as we celebrate the Pearl Anniversary of the Rare Plant Auction® on Saturday, April 24, 2010. 

Buffet Dinner &
Open Bar

Auction Preview for Pearl and Benefactor attendees at 5:30 p.m., Ballroom

6:30 p.m. Silent Auction and General Admission
7:00 to 7:30 p.m. Champagne Live Auction
7:30 to 9:00 p.m. Dinner

All registration levels include admittance to the General Rare Plant Auction®, and to Longwood Gardens for the day.

Pearl: $500 per person

Benefactor: $250 per person 
  


Subscriber: $175 per person 
  


Seed Pearl: $100 per person for those 40 and younger, or Auction first-timers, by pre-registration only.

Invitations will be mailed in late February. For information about the Auction, please contact Joe Matassino, Director of Development, at (302) 658-6262 ext. 103 or email him at jmatassino@dehort.org.

The monies raised go to fund the Delaware Center for Horticulture whose excellent reputation and work extends far beyond their geographic region. So know you will be supporting a superior organization with a track record of success.

The Delaware Center for Horticulture (DCH) is a non-profit community resource organization dedicated to promoting knowledge and appreciation of gardening, horticulture, and conservation. DCH’s two community program areas–Educational Programs and Greening Initiatives– focus on the greening of our urban environment and include educational programs for children, teens, and adults. Our work includes community gardens, public landscaping, roadside beautification, tree programs, and community events.

Mission Statement

The Delaware Center for Horticulture cultivates a greener community; inspiring appreciation and improvement of our environment through horticulture, education and conservation.

Longwood Gardens

Get to Longwood early – or spend the weekend. There’s plenty to do and see. Especially in the spring.  Glorious!

and this year’s signature program is “Making Sense: The Art and Passion of Fragrance.”   Ahhhh.

http://www.longwoodgardens.org/

(And I love this about Longwood’s start.  Mr. duPont was a “tree hugger:” 


"In 1906, Pierre S. du Pont purchased the Pierce Arboretum to save its trees from being cut for lumber.  Over the next nearly half century, Mr. du Pont developed Longwood Garens into what it is today, a magnificent horticultural showplace." 

Thank you, sir.