Chimes 302 by Longwood Gardens

LONGWOOD CHIMES 302

Winter 2021

No. 302

Peruse a dictionary and you will find no less than seven definitions of the word signature, from the well-understood act of signing one’s name, to the more obscure meanings from specific disciplines. In this issue of Chimes, we define signature as “serving to identify or distinguish a person, group, or thing.” We introduce you to a few of our signature plants and share why they are special to us; we look back on the creation of the Conservatory and an architect who vied to put his mark on its design; we celebrate the debut of our innovative production greenhouse; and we spotlight a new program for students that encourages them to put their own imaginative stamp on ways to use plants to solve problems.

In Brief

Meet Chloe and Lucinda The story behind our new Idea Garden residents is one of heart, of love, of togetherness. By Katie Mobley

Features

The Standouts A look at some of the iconic plants in our indoor display. By Patricia Evans

End Notes

Unearth It! The Great Debate Our new program challenges students to research and debate a real-life horticultural question. By Heather Drzal

Growing with Sprout A student reflects on a “never-ina-lifetime” experience and the journey that brought her here. By Mel Ciliberto with Katie Mobley

Growth by Design The unique structural design of our new nursery production greenhouse opens new worlds. By Katie Mobley

A Carousel of Architects Following the success of the Peirce House expansion, Pierre du Pont engages the first of several architects to begin work on a far grander undertaking. By Colvin Randall

Leaving a Mark Now under the Gardens’ purview, the Longwood Cemetery’s prolific history will be preserved and shared. By David Sleasman

In Brief

This closeup of Chloe and Lucinda—the life-size bronze sculpture now at home in our Idea Garden—shows the level of detail for which Brandywine Valley artist André Harvey is renowned. Photo by Becca Mathias.

The story behind our new Idea Garden residents is one of heart, of love, of togetherness. By Katie Mobley

The Arts

Meet Chloe and Lucinda Much to our delight, a new form of inspiration has found a home in our Idea Garden. Installed in late September, Chloe and Lucinda—an intricately detailed, beautifully realistic life-size bronze sculpture by celebrated Brandywine Valley artist André Harvey (1941–2018), and a gift of the artist’s wife, Roberta “Bobbie” Harvey, and André Harvey—now graces the garden and poignantly accentuates what this space is all about: creativity, growth, and heart. Looking at an André Harvey sculpture is like looking at the subject itself, thanks to Harvey’s trademark talent for creating breathtakingly realistic works. His attention to detail is extraordinary … and it’s perhaps even more extraordinary that Harvey was completely self-taught. Many of Harvey’s works were inspired by his childhood, growing up in rural Pocopson near Chadds Ford, and his appreciation for his natural world subjects was deepened by the influence of his father, a conservationist who founded Delaware Wild Lands, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the state’s land and water resources. That influence stayed with Harvey during his early career in writing and teaching. Harvey found his passion for sculpture in 1969 when the Harveys traveled through Scotland, England, France, and Morocco … specifically in Vallauris, France,

Chloe and Lucinda find their Idea Garden home, mounted on a slab of regionally sourced French creek granite purchased from Rotunno Stone Yard in Avondale, PA. The weight of the slab is an estimated 8,000 pounds. Photo by Becca Mathias.

a picturesque locale in the foothills of the Alps. Arriving in the evening, they walked and window-shopped through the town, when they came upon a gallery displaying welded sculpture and pottery. “That was when André stopped to look and said right then and there that that was what he wanted to do,” shares Bobbie. “Just by looking at that welded work, it all came together.” The next day, the Harveys met with the gallery owners, Michel Anasse (sculptor) and his wife Nicole (ceramist) … which became the first step in André’s art career, as he and Bobbie decided to stay in Vallauris so André could study with Anasse. A meeting, as described by Bobbie, “that started everything.” After the Harveys returned to the States in 1970, André continued his artistic pursuit as an apprentice for local sculptor Charles Parks. Within a year, André’s work found itself in the Gallery at Centreville, Delaware and then at the George B. Scarlett Gallery outside of Kennett Square. André’s work was selling well to such local mainstays as Betsy Wyeth, and word about his work was quickly spreading, leading to a display of his work in five windows at the Tiffany & Co. store in Manhattan … a delightfully full-circle moment, considering André had found his inspiration in a store window in France. By that time, Bobbie

had devoted herself full time to the business of André’s art … today, she runs the André Harvey Studio in Rockland, Delaware. By the mid-1970s, the Harveys had built a following as strong as their partnership. Which brings us to the creation of Chloe and Lucinda. André and Bobbie had been contacted by Chester County goat herd owner Peggy King, who was interested in André sculpting her goats … and when André and Bobbie went to the farm, they found themselves deeply inspired. To Bobbie, Chloe and Lucinda is about heart, like so much of her life with André. It speaks to togetherness. “The whole sculpture is about the relationship,” shares Bobbie. “They go together.” The idea of Chloe and Lucinda finding a home at Longwood was something André and Bobbie talked about often before his death in 2018. “Longwood was a very personal place for us,” she shares. “Either the goats were going to be at Longwood or they were going to stay with me. I wanted to be able to see them, and what would be better than having them nearby where I could see them and so many people would be able to appreciate them? When you walk around Longwood it’s such a personal experience as you take in the beauty of it all. I’d like to think that Chloe and Lucinda contributes to that personal experience.”

Chloe and Lucinda Commemoration October 6, 2020 Team members from a variety of departments played a role in bringing Chloe and Lucinda to Longwood. Many of those team members gathered with Bobbie Harvey to celebrate the sculpture’s arrival.

Above, left to right: President and Chief Executive Officer Paul B. Redman, Board of Trustees President Jane Pepper, and Bobbie Harvey at Chloe and Lucinda’s commemoration. Right: Bobbie Harvey with Horticulture team members (from left to right) Senior Horticulturist Michael Strengari; Associate Director, Landscape Architecture and Program Design Erin Feeney; and Vice President, Horticulture Sharon Loving.

Photos by Becca Mathias.

Left: Bobbie Harvey with the installation team including (from left to right) Senior Mason/Equipment Operator David Brightman; Masonry Lead Chris McComsey; and Senior Mechanic/Fabricator Dave Beck.

Below: Bobbie Harvey with Senior Marketing and Communications Specialist Katie Mobley; Director, Library and Information Services David Sleasman; and Director of Development Melissa Canoni.

Our new program challenges students to research and debate a real-life horticultural question. By Heather Drzal

Education

Unearth It! The Great Debate Education has always been a core component of our mission. From school students to adult learners, we strive to spark interest in, and a deeper appreciation of, horticulture and its related arts and sciences through a variety of engaging programs. Among our most important audiences are middle and high school students, who are at the critical juncture in their lives when they are beginning to think about future careers. Connecting students with the idea that they can grow a career based on plants is complicated by studies showing that students increasingly suffer from “plant blindness” … they are unaware of plants, their importance to the world, and the plethora of career opportunities that await. To tackle plant blindness and open students’ eyes to the value of horticultural careers, in 2014 we partnered with more than 150 universities, public gardens, and industry businesses to create Seed Your Future, a movement to promote horticulture and inspire students to pursue careers working with plants. (For more about Seed Your Future, see Chimes Issue 298). While Seed Your Future continues to make strides, we are committed to developing innovative programs to spark the imagination of students. The newest initiative in this effort is Unearth It!, an exciting series of learning projects for schools developed by our Engagement and Learning Department (formerly known as our Education Department) in collaboration with other partners. These projects aim to instigate curiosity and create memorable learning moments for students, especially those beginning to think about future careers. “Engaging young people in the importance of horticulture is key,” shares Sarah Masterton, Vice President of Engagement and Learning at Longwood

Gardens. “The Unearth It! series, through fun and informative projects, is designed to elevate students’ awareness of plants and the vital role they play in our world.” Kicking off this winter, The Great Debate is the first project in the Unearth It! series and uses the context of horticulture to pose a real-life question for eighth-grade students to research, develop, present, and then debate. In addition, this project offers teachers a new and different way to meet curriculum standards in their classrooms. During The Great Debate, eighth-grade students are tasked to find solutions to the question, “How can horticulturists help improve the quality of life in urban areas?” The students will explore solutions through the lens of air quality, food, water quality, or health and well-being. The program includes lesson plans that guide students through the content, and a mentoring component with their own high school speech and debate team. The project culminates with students participating in a mini Great Debate at their school. The winning team from each school will then participate in the regional Great Debate contest to be held virtually, or in person at Longwood as the pandemic allows. The winning team from the regional contest, slated to take place this spring, will receive $500 to help put their solution and ideas to work at their school. Through their participation, students will learn more about the world of horticulture and share that knowledge with others—and perhaps find a passion for the world of plants. The Great Debate was developed and piloted in conjunction with the UnionvilleChadds Ford School District in Chester County beginning in October 2019. With support from Superintendent Dr. John Sanville and Director of Curriculum and Instruction Tim Hoffman, we formed a

team that included Charles F. Patton Middle School Principal Steve Dissinger and eighthgrade teachers Hillary Brogan and Meg Basilio. Together, we developed Unearth It! The Great Debate to become an integrated part of the eighth-grade curriculum at Patton Middle School and a project that every eighth-grader had the opportunity to participate in. With the help of Unionville High School Speech and Debate Advisors Julie Krause and Ashley Murphy, the project also became a mentorship opportunity for high school students. Although the COVID pandemic required us to shift some of our initial plans for our pilot program, the results spoke for themselves. Instead of sharing their presentations at Longwood, two teams of students continued with their mentorships virtually, and on May 28, 2020, the students gave their presentations over Zoom to a panel of judges. Contest winner Milo Berghouwer gave a thoughtful presentation about the benefits of houseplants to one’s environment and health and well-being. He received a special behind-the-scenes tour of Longwood and, with the help of Longwood staff, chose houseplants that will be purchased and incorporated into Patton Middle School’s cafeteria. “Amid the COVID-19 school closings in spring of 2020, the Unearth It! program at Patton Middle School proved to be one of our school year’s highlights,” shares Principal Dissinger. “The program provides everything we desire as educators to do, but never seem to have the resources to pull off. It worked beautifully and created an experience for our middle school and high school students that they will never forget.” It was also an experience we will never forget, and one that will help inform us as we add more projects for different grade levels in the future.

The unique structural design of our new nursery production greenhouse opens new worlds. By Katie Mobley

Sustainability

Growth by Design Unprecedented flexibility is now at our fingertips. Thanks to the December 2020 opening of our new nursery production greenhouse, we can now accommodate a variety of plant materials, growing methods, and environments … all in one facility that boasts a unique design with two distinct roofs. Not only will we be able to grow more and different plants within our new facility —in addition to the 1,300 types we already grow each year for seasonal display in both the Conservatory and outdoor gardens—but we’ll be able to grow them more precisely and with less resource input … thereby elevating our display quality to an even higher level. Consisting of a 15,600-square-foot headhouse and 65,348-square-foot greenhouse —and set adjacent to our nursery property on Route 1— the new nursery production greenhouse greatly increases our level of environmental control, automation, and overall sustainability, enabling us to grow crops that we have not been able to grow before. “Our new facility is key to furthering our already amazing display capabilities,” shares Longwood President and Chief Executive Officer Paul B. Redman. “Not only does the new facility demonstrate our commitment to sustainability, but it also enables us to

Opposite: This view showcases our new nursery’s unique “venlo” roof design, which utilizes individual vents to allow for ventilation and temperature control from fall through spring. Photo by Hank Davis.

elevate and expand our plant collections for display and research. It, along with all the beauty that will come of it, is a physical representation of our innovative spirit.” Prior to the construction of our new facility, our newest production greenhouse on the property was 20 years old. At nearly 50 years old, our nursery greenhouse facilities located near the new site lacked energy efficiency, appropriate growing spaces, and computerized environmental controls. After careful assessment of our existing production greenhouses, we designed and built the new facility to improve the quality and volume of our crop production, introduce sustainable technologies, and elevate the work environment for our staff. Construction began in February 2019, with Bancroft Construction Company of Wilmington, Delaware, as construction manager; Heckendorn Shiles Architects of Wayne, Pennsylvania, as the headhouse architect; and Deforche Construct of Belgium as the greenhouse design/build firm. The headhouse portion of the new facility includes staff offices, as well as potting and transplanting areas complete with a mechanical gantry-crane system and conveyors for moving potting media. The headhouse also features receiving and

delivery spaces with a drive-through lane, which allows for protected, indoor plant loading during the winter months. Built of steel and tempered glass— which allows for the highest level of light transmission—the greenhouse portion houses a majority of our crop production … 60 percent to be exact, in comparison to our prior nursery, which grew 40 percent of our crops. The greenhouse is unique in that it is neither a commercial greenhouse nor a research greenhouse, but a bit of both. The vast majority of this portion is dedicated to custom-growing plants for our seasonal displays, with a staggering 17 distinct growing zones to best accommodate our diverse palette of plants, from cool orchids to vibrant summer annuals. “The new greenhouse facility advances the way Pierre S. du Pont embraced the use of technology to grow plants from all parts of the world in a greenhouse setting,” shares Director, Floriculture and Conservatories Jim Harbage. “It also allows, for the first time, our cascade chrysanthemums to be grown indoors, so our growers will no longer have to figure out where to move the mums when weather forecasts warn of hurricanes moving up the coast.” Growing our cascade chrysanthemums indoors allows us to protect them from

outdoor heat, humidity, and moisture levels that often lead to fungal disease. For the first time, we will be able to control light levels, temperature, and moisture levels … allowing us to further elevate our cascade chrysanthemum artistry, an integral part of our annual Chrysanthemum Festival. The greenhouse’s unique structural design is what allows us so many types of growing zones, and, in turn, so many different growing opportunities. Half of the greenhouse utilizes an open-roof “cabrio” design, a recent concept developed by Deforche Construct in which the roof can slide completely open to allow for optimal indoor climate. While most open-roof designs offer a hinge at the lowest point of the roof, so the sections of the roof separate at the peak, Deforche Construct’s cabrio approach places the hinge at the peak, so the roof sections open at the lowest point. With this unique design, opening the roof provides

passive cooling in summer, lowers energy costs, and allows the highest light levels possible … which is extremely helpful when acclimating plants to outdoor conditions before their transfer to garden spaces. The other half of the greenhouse is based on the proven “venlo” roof design. Developed in the Netherlands—known as the world’s leading greenhouse country— this design utilizes a roof with individual vents to allow for ventilation and temperature control from fall through spring; the vents are kept mostly closed in summer, when we can lower the temperatures via fans and evaporative cooling technology. Separate growing zones are distributed within the venlo and cabrio roof types. Each growing zone includes a curtain system to help with heat savings in winter, as well as a shade curtain to assist with cooling in summer. Sixty percent of the zones also have grow lights for times of the year when light is

limited, and blackout curtains to reduce daylength and thereby trigger flower formation. The new facility is also equipped with a particularly lofty feature … a 580-footlong custom conveyor with a built-in watering system for growing our hanging baskets. The system, which can handle up to 120 large baskets, replaces the labor-intensive task of raising, lowering, and watering baskets … a mainstay of our Conservatory displays. Equally exciting is the facility’s new soil transport system, which delivers soil mixes to the plant-potting and transporting areas, eliminating the need for manual soil transport. From its 580-foot-long custom conveyor system to its two unique roof designs to its 17 distinct growing zones, the capabilities afforded by our new nursery production greenhouse quickly add up … culminating in countless innovative growing and display opportunities in the seasons ahead.

Right: The new facility features a soil transport system, which allows direct delivery to the plant-potting and transporting areas, eliminating the need for manual soil transport. Photo by Hank Davis. Below: In November 2020, we began transporting existing crops to their new nursery production greenhouse home. Photos by Hank Davis.

Features

The commanding presence of the gigantic rabbit’s-foot fern (top, center) is on full display in this spring 2018 view of the Tropical Terrace. This specimen has since been relocated to the Camellia House in the East Conservatory in preparation for the Longwood Reimagined project. Photo by Daniel Traub.

Horticulture

A cascade chrysanthemum orb on display in the Conservatory, autumn 2019. Photo by Daniel Traub.

A look at some of the iconic plants in our indoor display. By Patricia Evans, with special thanks to Sharon Loving, Dr. Jim Harbage, and our Indoor Display Horticulturists for their invaluable insight and assistance.

The STAND OUTS With more than 5,000 different plants in our Conservatory, it is a daunting task to select which are of the most significance and why. Yet that was the challenge we gave to our indoor horticulture team—to select the plants they felt were the iconic, signature plants of our Conservatory display. As you can imagine, the responses were varied, but each insightful and thoughtful. Each horticulturist’s passion for the plants they regularly care for shone through. Other factors considered included rarity in the world, historical significance to Longwood, or the unique way in which we grow or display the plant 18

in question. And sometimes, a plant rose to the top of the heap just because in a display where there is eye-popping beauty every day at every turn, some just stand above the rest. While there was consensus around the selections below, there were certainly many plants in the running worthy of mention. The pomegranate bonsai that guests marvel at when its diminutive form produces a “normal-size” fruit that could seemingly topple the specimen over; the large Dendrobium speciosum that shines amid our historic orchid collection each March; the terrestrial and aquatic cannas

that have resulted from our breeding program, offering a broader range of colors and heights, and are a highlight of the summer garden; and finally, the show stoppers, such as the century-plant (Agave americana) and titan arum (Amorphophallus titanum), a spectacular specimen sometimes called the corpse flower, which may take years to produce a bloom … but when it does, the results are nothing short of spectacular. After much debate, elimination, consensus, and final selection, we share, in no particular order, the standouts of our Conservatory display.

Photo by David Ward

A True Blue Delight Meconopsis ‘Lingholm’ (Blue-Poppy)

Every March for just a few weeks, photographers flock to our Conservatory to try and capture the rare, brilliant blue hue of our Meconopsis ‘Lingholm’. Usually, to see masses of bluepoppies in bloom, you need to travel to cool environs, such as Scotland, Alaska, or the Himalayas. These spectacular flowers, which are native to the high elevations of the Himalayan Mountains, are infrequently cultivated outside their native habitat. Given the right cool and

moist conditions, they can thrive in gardens located in the northern regions of the US and Europe, but here we learned how to force them to flower every year in March, producing large flowers that are, on average, four inches in diameter. To our knowledge, we are the first garden to develop a greenhouse production forcing program for this species and the only in the US producing and displaying a crop indoors on a regular basis.

Photo by Hank Davis

Hangin’ with Euphorbia pulcherrima (Poinsettia)

While poinsettias of all colors, forms, and varieties are a mainstay of our holiday display, it’s the ones hanging overhead in the Conservatory that may be the most noteworthy. Creating hanging baskets of Euphorbia pulcherrima has been a longtime tradition of our holiday display and a feat few other gardens attempt. Why? What makes these baskets so special? First, poinsettias grow as an upright plant, so they are not suited to growing as hanging baskets. In most people’s hands, this growing habit would result in a basket that was not the even or well-rounded form desired for a hanging basket. We overcome this by using special “cradles” that allow us to tilt the

basket during production to get the plants to grow out at an angle, thereby creating the rounded form we desire. Secondly, poinsettias are most popular in the brief period after Thanksgiving leading up to the holiday season, when shorter days trigger their flowering. In many areas across the US, cooler temperatures are in place during this time, meaning that poinsettias are displayed as indoor plants and not conducive to hanging baskets, which are more popular outdoors in warmer months. In our 2020 holiday display, we added Dichondra argentea ‘Silver Falls’ to our baskets, resulting in an even more compelling display of this holiday favorite.

A Yellow Halo Acacia leprosa (Cinnamon Wattle)

The Acacia Passage is much more than a corridor leading to the Orchid House. In every season, the symmetry of its design makes it an indoor highlight. That is never truer than in February when its namesake plant, Acacia leprosa, bursts into brilliant yellow bloom. Also known as cinnamon wattle, Acacia leprosa is native to Australia and extremely rare in the US. It features small, yellow flowers with a unique fragrance, arranged on weeping stems to create an airy, feathery texture reminiscent of a yellow tunnel that entices all to enter. The corridor has housed acacia since Mr. du

Pont’s time, as historic photographs show acacia growing in the space and we know that Mr. du Pont acquired many plants in the Acacia genus. We have been propagating Acacia leprosa here at Longwood for decades because it is no longer available commercially, probably because it is very temperamental to grow, and the short-lived trees have to be replaced every few years. It is unclear whether Acacia leprosa was the original species in the Acacia Passage or if Mr. du Pont did a bit of experimentation before settling on Acacia leprosa, but the end result is undeniable.

Photo by William Hill

Setting the Standard Clerodendrum quadriloculare (Bronze-leaved Glorybower)

Photo by Hank Davis

Native to the Philippines, this plant can readily be seen in Florida and other semitropical locations, where it is often used in the landscape. Also referred to as starburst or shooting star, it’s easy to see why when it blooms—its huge flower clusters resemble fireworks and set off its rich gray-green leaves. Left to its own devices, it will grow tree-like with multiple lower branches. After receiving our first plants from a Florida nursery, we decided to see if we could elevate its display potential by training it into a standard form, and—to add even more challenge—forcing it to bloom for indoor display in January instead of its natural spring timeframe. We achieved both and the result is a spectacular floral show each year that begins in mid-January and lasts for about six weeks.

A Jewel of a Plant Echium wildpretii (Tower-of-Jewels)

Photo by Hank Davis

You cannot help but notice the Echium wildpretii when on display in spring. Its dramatic and unusual shape garners attention befitting its common name tower-of-jewels. Standing nearly seven feet tall, its multitude of tiny, salmon-colored flowers are what make it truly magnificent. As each tassel of flowers blooms in graceful curves along the plant, the stamens stick out as if dancing from the tiny flowers, transforming it into a whimsical display of beauty. Native to the Canary Islands, the first seeds of Echium came to Longwood in 1983; but it took years of extensive research on how to best grow this remarkable plant until it was

first displayed in Longwood’s Conservatory in 1991. Three decades later, the statuesque tower-of-jewels has become a favorite of our spring display. When compared to the plant’s native habitat—with rocky and volcanically soiled slopes, dry, cool summers, and wet, cold winters—our hot, humid summers and cold, dark winters pose quite a growing challenge. It takes about 15 to 16 months for this biennial Echium to flower for just a few weeks before it dies, so we begin growing the plants from seeds more than a year ahead of time. Our gardeners then carefully monitor the plants’ growth to ensure we have a gem of a display for the spring.

A True Rarity Encephalartos woodii (Wood’s Cycad)

You could call this huge plant the dinosaur of the East Conservatory. After all, its species existed during the age of the dinosaurs. Our Wood’s cycad (Encephalartos woodii) is truly a rare and treasured plant—in 1895, one specimen was found growing in its native habitat of South Africa by explorer J. Medley Wood. He collected two stems of the cycad and a few pups (smaller plants that grow off the base of the mother plant), which were taken to Durban Botanical Garden to preserve. All subsequent attempts to preserve the Encephalartos were unsuccessful, and by the early 1900s, Encephalartos woodii was believed to be extinct in nature and surviving only in gardens and private collections. As more pups formed off the original plants at Durban, they were removed and rooted to keep the genetic line alive. In the 1960s, Longwood’s first director, Dr. Russell Seibert, went on a plant exploration voyage to South Africa and convinced the

gardeners of Durban to send one of the Encephalartos pups to Longwood. In 1969, we were ecstatic to receive a rooted Encephalartos pup, which our Research Department carefully nurtured until it was ready to be displayed in the Conservatory. You can now find our beautiful Encephalartos woodii vigorously growing in the East Conservatory. In early winter, look for its orange cones, which release pollen and are the plant’s method of reproduction. However, only one Encephalartos plant—a male—was found in nature, so there are no female plants to receive the pollen and produce seeds. Since all Encephalartos plants remaining in the world are male, the only way to propagate them is to root the pups, which are genetic clones of the original plant. In recognition of its rarity and history, when we rebuilt our East Conservatory from 2003 to 2005, the Encephalartos woodii was the only plant we kept for future display.

Photo by Hank Davis

It’s All in the Technique Cascade Chrysanthemums

Cascade chrysanthemums have long been at the heart of our annual Chrysanthemum Festival. We grow specialty mums (Chrysanthemum × ‘morifolium’) that originated in China and Japan and are selected for their ability to be manipulated into beautiful and lasting shapes. Over the years, we have continued to expand and improve our techniques, including traveling to Japan to learn from the masters, to create new forms and modify and refine our traditional forms. From huge orbs, pagodas, and shields, to cloud forms, spirals, and our Thousand Bloom, guests marvel at the captivating shapes and ask us how we create these wonderful works of horticultural art. It’s the grower’s job to continually groom and train the mum according to its final desired shape, often starting months—and even up to 18 months—ahead

of the planned display time. In order to manipulate the mums as we do, we employ a number of methods. Foremost among these is pinching—a process by which certain growing tips are removed so that the plant sends out side shoots, increasing the number of branches. Tying is employed on a weekly basis to anchor all of the branches to specific areas on frames to ensure even distribution of the stems and make sure they grow where we want them. Another technique is disbudding or removing all flower buds except the terminal bud that we want to bloom, often done to achieve an especially large blossom. It is this painstakingly intense, hands-on work by our mum team that creates the colorful, dynamic, and truly artistic forms that are the stars of our Chrysanthemum Festival.

Photo by Hank Davis

A Cultivation Coup Plectranthus thyrsoideus (Blue Coleus)

Photo by Hank Davis

Native to central Africa, Plectranthus thyrsoideus boasts a rich, clear blue color, so rare in nature. But it can also turn even the most seasoned gardener blue because of its reputation as a notoriously difficult plant to grow. We first acquired the plant from New York Botanical Garden in 1957 and set about figuring out how to best cultivate it, with a goal of displaying it during the holiday season and into January. After some years of trial and error, we developed a method for growing the plant using a formula of precise steps involving greenhouse temperatures, plant nutrition, and artificially controlling daylength to trigger flowering at precise times of the year. Our success in cultivating and displaying it led other gardens to seek our expertise, which we readily shared in the 1980s and 1990s. To our knowledge, Plectranthus thyrsoideus is no longer commercially available in the US (we have continued to repropagate from the original stock we received in1957) and is on display at very few other gardens in the US.

Photo courtesy of Longwood Gardens Library & Archives

A Huge Presence Davallia fejeensis ’Major’ (Rabbit’s-foot Fern)

This quiet behemoth, measuring more than nine feet in diameter, has been a display stalwart since 1952, when it was started as a hanging basket with several small plants and some sphagnum moss. Davallia fejeensis is a tropical fern native to the Fiji Islands in the South Pacific, as its species name implies. Although not uncommon, one of this size and stature is quite unique. The conditions in our Tropical Terrace are similar to Fiji’s tropical climate, so the plant has thrived during its nearly 70-year residence. Senior Horticulturist Joyce Rondinella has been its caretaker in the Tropical Terrace since 2005. She describes

guests being in awe of the massive size of the Davallia and hears many people comment on its display longevity. To accommodate its growth, its basket has been enlarged and reinforced over the years with stainless steel. Structural engineers monitor not only its weight, which has grown to 1,400 pounds, but also the trusses from which it hangs. As you can imagine, a plant of this size needs unique care, so it is outfitted with permanent drip irrigation to supply the large quantity of water it requires. This amazing plant will now call our Camellia House home, where it will continue to thrive for years to come.

A Lesson in Patience Clivia miniata (Clivia)

Clivia is a key part of our indoor display, with beautiful, long-lasting blossoms that add sweeps of color to our Conservatory from late winter into spring. But perhaps more importantly, our clivia showcase the expertise of our breeding efforts. A member of the amaryllis family and native to South Africa, clivia is known today for its large umbels of orange, yellow, red, or even green flowers that stand above shiny, deep-green, or variegated foliage. But that was not always the case. When we first began breeding clivia in 1976, orange blooms dominated the market; yellow flowers were rare and those in existence had small flowers and poor forms. Our goal was to produce a robust and beautiful yellowflowering plant, which we accomplished 35 years later with the release of Clivia miniata ‘Longwood Debutante’. Why did it take so long? One factor was the extended period of time

that it takes for a clivia seedling to mature. Seedlings can take up to eight years to bloom from the time the seed is planted. In addition, when the plant does bloom and a selection can be made, it is slow to multiply. It can take years for the parent plant to produce offsets. But our patience has paid off. Since debuting ‘Longwood Debutante’ in 2011, we have released five additional clivia from the program: the buttery yellow ‘Longwood Fireworks’ in 2012; the radiant orange ‘Longwood Sunrise’ in 2014; the scarlet red ‘Longwood Chimes’ in 2016; the peachy-hued ‘Longwood Sunset’ in 2017; and the pale green ‘Longwood Winter Green’ in 2019. From our first yellow selection to our latest green release, each clivia is a testament to our skillful breeding, innovative growing techniques, and expert evaluation along the way.

Photo by David Ward

A Giant Among Us Victoria ‘Longwood Hybrid’ (Longwood Hybrid Water-platter)

In 1961 Victoria ‘Longwood Hybrid’ was developed by crossing two species of giant water-platters, Victoria cruziana and Victoria amazonica, from seeds collected during plant exploration trips to South America. It was Longwood’s first waterlily expert, Patrick Nutt, who made the successful cross using techniques described in a century-old Victoria text. The hybrid combines the best qualities of her South American parents, with larger and more plentiful leaves and flowers, higher leaf margins, greater hardiness in cool

temperatures, and resilience in wind and storms. For five decades since, Victoria ‘Longwood Hybrid’ has been a star of our Waterlily Display, delighting guests with her mammoth leaves, prickly underside, changing sexuality, and corresponding bloom. Perhaps one of our most far-reaching contributions to horticulture, we have shared Victoria ‘Longwood Hybrid’ seeds with more than 140 gardens around the world, ensuring this giant among waterlilies can be enjoyed around the world.

Photo by Hank Davis

Horticulture

Growing with Sprout A student reﬂects on a “never-in-a-lifetime” experience and the journey that brought her here. By Mel Ciliberto with Katie Mobley

Right: Professional Horticulture student Mel Ciliberto (left) and Senior Horticulturist (and mentor) Joyce Rondinella gather round their favorite titan arum, Sprout, after the plant’s rare bloom. Photo by Carol Gross. Opposite: Daily height measurements were recorded to track growth rate. A growth spurt of six inches in one 24-hour period was an indication that bloom time was nearing. Photo by Hank Davis.

Opposite: Senior Horticulturist Joyce Rondinella poses with Sprout in the lush setting of the Tropical Terrace. Photo by Hank Davis.

Working closely with a plant known as the corpse flower can certainly heighten one’s senses … and it can also make you realize just how fortunate you are. I’m proud to say that, alongside Senior Horticulturist Joyce Rondinella, I had the honor of caring for Longwood’s Amorphophallus titanum (titan arum), from the time it came out of dormancy in mid-May 2020. Affectionately called Sprout, our titan arum grew at a mind-boggling rate before it treated us all to a spectacularly rare, much-anticipated July 2020 bloom that astounded us, excited us, and comforted us. Along with Joyce, I was there firsthand to not only witness the spectacle of Sprout, but to care for this rock star of the plant world, right down to our attempts to pollinate it after its bloom. It was an experience I never anticipated I would be a part of … and what made it even more special was sharing it alongside the rock star of a mentor I’ve found in Joyce. The truth is, I wouldn’t be here without the influence of two very inspiring women at Longwood—Joyce and Senior Horticulturist Pandora Young. My wish to be a part of the magic at Longwood started when I was a child. I remember visiting as a young girl, seeing the Student Exhibition Garden and wishing I could be a student here. Now, as I find myself at Longwood as a Professional Horticulture student, that dream has been realized. I have to admit I was reluctant to

apply for the Professional Horticulture Program in the first place; I didn’t want to ruin gardening by turning it into just work. Before coming here, the longest I ever worked anywhere else was a year … which felt like an eternity. Spring of 2021 will mark my fifth year working at Longwood and so far I feel like I have only gotten my toes wet. During my first season at Longwood I worked in Peirce’s Woods with Pandora, which turned out to be a very happy accident. I had wanted to work on the Flower Garden Walk but felt like I should take any position I was offered … and I’m so glad I did. I was obsessed with foraging and learning edible plants, which just so happened to be Pandora’s specialty. She signed me up for her edible ornamentals class and even paid for it, explaining that when she first started at Longwood someone else had paid for her to take a class … and she wanted to pay it forward. Over the years working with Pandora, she always took the time to teach moments, shared historical information about plants, quizzed me on Latin names, and even let me cross-train with other departments. She made my professional development a priority even though I wasn’t technically a student at the time. She also encouraged me to apply for the Professional Horticulture Program, wrote my recommendation letter, and prepared me for interview questions both times I applied.

A titan arum consists of both male and female flowers. These tiny flowers are enclosed by the spathe, which first appears like a pleated accordion (opposite) and plays a big role in letting spectators know when the plant is about to bloom—a rare thing to behold in the wild or in cultivation. The spathe turns maroon in color and begins to unfurl, a process that typically begins in mid-afternoon and lasts several hours. At the conclusion of the unfurling process (right), the spadix and hundreds of small female flowers at the base of the spadix are more exposed. Photo by Hank Davis.

Before my second attempt at joining the Professional Horticulture Program, I ran into Joyce while working on a project in the Conservatory. After talking for a bit she said, bluntly, “you need to reapply.” At that time, I barely knew Joyce, but I most definitely know her, and her passion for horticulture, very well now. Working directly with Joyce and Sprout has been a major highlight in so many ways. I had no idea I would end up working in the West Conservatory for five months straight after the onset of COVID-19, but I couldn’t be happier about it. To be quite honest, I didn’t have much interest in tropical plants before then. Not that I didn’t like them, I had just never worked with them. Getting to climb up on a ladder and peer down into a titan arum, let alone pollinate it, is a never-in-a lifetime experience for most horticulturists … let alone a young student like myself. It felt like I was in a nature documentary. As someone who loves learning, but not necessarily school, this style of education offered by the Professional Horticulture

Program works extremely well, as a large part of the curriculum is actually working with a bunch of different horticulturists and we’re always doing something different … but I can’t think of anything else as unique as working with Sprout. Together with Joyce, I watched Sprout grow from the size of a Hershey’s Kiss, first measuring its growth every week, then eventually daily. We stayed awake for 48 hours at a time thinking Sprout was about to bloom … before Sprout decided to bloom the following week instead. Given the fact that we didn’t know if Sprout was going to bloom at all this year, its bloom felt especially poignant considering the times. Needless to say, my opinion of tropical plants has changed a bit. I was also fortunate to watch the impact Sprout had on so many who followed its journey, either seeing it here in person at Longwood, following its growth on social media, or watching its progress on our Sprout livestream. I saw firsthand the socially-distanced, hours-long line of guests form the evening of its bloom.

I watched as guests posed for pictures in front of Sprout, and even though I couldn’t see their smiles behind the masks they wore, I could feel in the air a spirit of hope … a notion that against all odds, beauty always prevails. I was used to knowing just how important public horticulture is in my life, but I was astounded to see just how important our work is to so many. What has been even more moving than working with Sprout and seeing such an overwhelming reaction to Sprout’s story is witnessing Joyce’s passion to not only teach, but to share meaningful experiences that will last a lifetime. Joyce has placed so much trust in me, giving me special plants to work with and connecting me with valuable learning opportunities … paying it forward, explaining that the same had been done for her while she herself was a student here. It’s hard to express how grateful I am to be able to work in horticulture and how lucky I feel to have found mentors so generous in knowledge and wisdom. That, to me, is even more rare than a titan arum in bloom.

“Getting to climb up on a ladder and peer down into a titan arum, let alone pollinate it, is a neverin-a-lifetime experience for most horticulturists.” —Mel Ciliberto, Professional Horticulture Student

Left: A view from above allows a special look into Sprout’s remarkable maroon spathe during the delicate pollination process. Photo by Hank Davis.

Sprout Pollination Professional Horticulture Student Mel Ciliberto worked late into the night on July 13, 2020, alongside Senior Horticulturist Joyce Rondinella in an attempt to pollinate Sprout. The pollination process was ultimately unsuccessful, but nonetheless was an important part of our conservation efforts to ensure this threatened species continues. This process will be attempted again the next time Sprout decides to bloom.

Above: Senior Horticulturist Joyce Rondinella assembles the tools and items necessary for the pollination process. Photo by Hank Davis. Above and below: Senior Horticulturist Joyce Rondinella cut a small window in Sprout’s base to access the flowers visible inside. She dusted the female flowers (the darker spikes shown in the photo below; the male flowers are those that look like white dots) with pollen collected from two fellow titan arums. Photos by Hank Davis.

Right: Senior Horticulturist Joyce Rondinella had Professional Horticulture Student Mel Ciliberto duplicate the fertilization process so she could experience it firsthand. Photo by Hank Davis.

A Century of Floral Sun Parlors: Part Three

A Carousel of Architects Following the success of the Peirce House expansion, Pierre du Pont engages the ﬁrst of several architects to begin design work on a far grander glasshouse undertaking. By Colvin Randall Above, left to right: Aerial photograph of John J. Raskob’s “Patio” palazzo and garage/service building (connected by an underground tunnel) at his Archmere estate in Claymont, DE, 1927; Portrait of Ferruccio Vitale, c.1920; The dusty, unrestored “Theatre” (Exhibition Hall) model, probably dating from 1917. View looking SW, with the stage proscenium backed by a small “casino” which later would be redesigned and added as the Music Room. Photomontage by Steve Fenton.

Pierre du Pont must have been pleased with his new 1914 indoor garden at the Peirce House because he soon contemplated a much larger complex, both for show and for producing flowers, fruit, and vegetables. John Jacob Raskob (1879–1950), who began as Pierre’s secretary and became a financial wizard of DuPont and General Motors and the father of the Empire State Building, had hired the newly formed Wilmington architectural firm of McClure & Harper to design his Archmere mansion, named “The Patio,” in Claymont, Delaware, in 1915. Alexander Harper (1877–1940) had previously worked in New York for McKim, Mead & White and then J. G. Rogers. Perhaps on Harper’s recommendation or of his own initiative, Raskob met with New York-based landscape architect Ferruccio Vitale (1875–1933) at Archmere on January 22, 1916, to discuss surveying the grounds and moving four trees. Vitale came from a distinguished and artistic Italian family and eventually moved to New York in 1902 to practice landscape architecture, focusing on Country Place Era estates. For the Archmere transplanting, he used the services of Lewis & Valentine, nurserymen from Roslyn, New York. Vitale worked at Archmere for two and a half years, supervising everything from planting a park-like landscape enriched with 3,000 tons

of humus to constructing a 1,250-foot sea wall bordering the adjacent Delaware River. He also planned elaborate formal gardens that were never built, but he sold Raskob on the idea of having two models built, costing $691 and $800, to illustrate his concepts. Vitale was paid handsomely for his supervision and for his plans and drawings. But some problems with paving and with dead trees in 1918 annoyed Raskob, who in 1919 turned instead to landscape architect Charles Leavitt for design advice, much to Vitale’s chagrin. Vitale’s association with Archmere ceased by November 1919. John Raskob was not only Pierre du Pont’s closest business partner, he was a close friend. It would have been impossible for them not to share their aspirations for building and landscaping. Probably through Raskob’s introduction, Vitale on March 31, 1916, submitted to Pierre a bid for moving a huge bald-cypress ($800) from the First Presbyterian Church cemetery at Tenth and Market Streets (where Wilmington’s new library was to be built) to Bessie Gardner du Pont’s house in Wilmington, plus moving two large boxwood ($315 each) to Longwood. The transplanting would be done by Lewis & Valentine. Pierre met with Frederick Lewis to inspect another tree, a purple

beech, also to be moved ($600) under Vitale’s supervision, who received a generous 10% commission. Thus began Pierre’s long-running relationship with Lewis & Valentine, although his relationship with Vitale would be much shorter. Pierre then chose Vitale to design a huge conservatory in an expansive field at Longwood, west of the public Doe Run Road onto which the lane from the Peirce House opened. It is interesting to speculate why Pierre selected Vitale, a landscape architect and not a building designer. Was Pierre impressed with Vitale’s management of the tree moving project? Was he aware of other Country Place projects Vitale had designed? Or could Vitale have told him about a huge new greenhouse complex he was working on in Great Barrington, Massachusetts? One of Vitale’s clients was William Hall Walker, a top-tier executive at Eastman Kodak and a successful camera inventor, who in 1912 commissioned Vitale to design an elaborate Italianate garden and openair loggia at Brookside, his estate in the Berkshires in Great Barrington. On May 24, 1915, The New York Times mentioned that Walker “has let contracts for twelve large greenhouses and fruithouses at Brookside, to cost $100,000.” Two days

later, the Berkshire County Eagle of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, ran a much longer article stating that the improvements would cost $200,000 “to make the flower, fruit and vegetable growing possibilities under glass an even more elaborate and interesting feature on the estate than it is at present…. The plans call for two orchid houses…one palm house…of unique and elaborate design; a fern house…and early grapery… a late grapery…and orangery…two melon houses…an early peach house…and a late peach house…. This is not all, for already on the estate is a propagation house…a rose house…a carnation house…a melon house; a grapery; a mushroom cellar, and a root cellar…. In the forcing houses are ripe tomatoes, lima and string beans, the latter one foot high, cauliflower, lettuce, cucumbers and 300 chrysanthemum plants, all sturdy promising specimens. In the melon house are many varieties of melons, early cucumbers and tomatoes. The carnation house has produced many many excellent blooms the past season, some of them prize winners of the Lenox Horticultural show…. The rose house has many varieties of excellent growth and rare perfume and beauty.” In 1913, Walker had hired Thomas Page as head gardener, and the newspaper 39

Above: Vitale prepared color renderings of proposed gardens for Archmere that were never constructed. This handsome pastel was presumably one of six exhibited (with one or both models) at the 1917 Architectural League of New York fine arts show. (Collection of Archmere Academy). Right: A photo in a Lewis & Valentine promotion book mistakenly says that the beech shown (circled) at left was moved to Longwood. In fact it was moved, at Pierre’s expense, to Bessie Gardner du Pont’s rented Wilmington home at 901 Broome Street, a property owned by Pierre’s sister Louisa. Vitale thought the tree “the most perfect specimen that I have ever seen transplanted.”

Right: 1940 aerial view of the Walker greenhouses. The view shown in the ad is from the loggia at upper left across to the large greenhouse at upper right. Courtesy Gary Leveille Collection c/o Great Barrington Historical Society. Below: The greenhouses have since been converted into educational and recreational facilities, with a solid roof. Colored glass has replaced much of the original clear greenhouse glass. Photo by Nathan Hayward, III.

Above: This rendered view through the Vitale-designed loggia in Brookside’s Italian Garden shows the new greenhouses beyond. The text says “Orangery and fruit houses part of an extensive group of Lord and Burnham Glass Gardens, planned and executed by Vitale and Geiffert for W. H. Walker, Great Barrington, Mass. Pencil sketch by J. A. Geiffert, Jr.”

identified him as the horticultural expert behind the expansion, but the architectural design was done by Vitale’s firm, as stated in a Lord & Burnham ad and in the surviving blueprints archived at the New York Botanical Garden. On May 15, 1916, Pierre sent Vitale a profile of the site for the proposed Longwood conservatory, noting that although on a ridge, it was practically level in an east-west direction. Vitale replied four days later that he was already “working on the preliminary plans and sketches for your greenhouse,” although no formal design contract had been signed. Very little happened that summer, but in October 1916, Pierre asked Vitale how to contact William Walker, and over the weekend of October 6–7 the du Ponts visited Brookside. Pierre wrote to Walker on January 4, 1917, asking if Longwood’s head gardener could visit to inspect the operation. William Mulliss (1880–1945) had started at Longwood

on February 19, 1916, after having been employed at the Hill School in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. Mulliss arrived at Brookside on February 23, 1917. Thomas Page’s son, John, recalled in 1979 that Mulliss indeed did live with them for a time. He also remembered that Mulliss told him in 1936 that his father Thomas had advised Mulliss to “change architects.” On December 8, 1916, Vitale sent Pierre the plans for the Walker greenhouses in Massachusetts and for the new James Duke greenhouses near Somerville, New Jersey, also built by Lord & Burnham. He also sent the plan and elevations of Longwood’s range of houses as studied to date. “You will notice that we have considerably reduced the frontage of the range, and that we have readjusted all the houses so as to allow for the theatre, and to insure a continuous circulation.” Three days later, Pierre telegrammed Vitale to “Discontinue work on plans. Not satisfactory.”

On December 28, Pierre wrote to Vitale: “After studying with more care your plans for the greenhouses I begin to realize more fully that it will be a long time before the final plans are ready.” Vitale assured him that he was proceeding very slowly and taking every care to study the problem. They had two or three meetings in January 1917, just before Pierre took a cross-country vacation from January 25 to February 20. Pierre rented an entire Pullman railroad car to take Alice and three other couples on a grand train trip from Philadelphia to California. Arriving in San Francisco, they motored to Santa Cruz and did the garden maze in Monterey’s Del Monte Hotel. Then to Santa Barbara where they toured some grand estates, notably El Fureidis and Arcady; visited some nurseries that would supply Longwood’s conservatory; traveled to San Diego and Pasadena, visiting more nurseries; then back home via the 41

Grand Canyon. It was a glorious 6,000-mile adventure. It was perhaps on February 7, 1917, at Arcady, the Montecito estate of George Owen Knapp, that Pierre had an architectural revelation. Knapp was an Easterner and one of the founders of Union Carbide. In 1911 he purchased Arcady and greatly expanded the existing house, adding a 19-stop Aeolian pipe organ, and buying neighboring properties until he owned 148 acres in Montecito. It is said that during organ concerts, a large, carefully controlled outdoor fan made the trees sway in time with the music! Arcady’s gardens encompassed 50 acres, richly planted. The upper gardens were designed by Carleton Winslow, and the lower gardens were designed by Francis Underhill. Of probable interest was the pool house by Underhill. On January 26, Vitale sent a sketch elevation of the main southern group of Longwood’s greenhouses to show how the two end buildings could be treated. Some details, he noted, could be better decided by making a model. Vitale was a firm believer in models. He had commissioned two for the Raskob project, and he had them built for other clients, too. For Longwood, he proposed a 1/8-inch-equals-1-foot scale, which the Architectural Modeling Company estimated would cost $4,000 (about $80,000 today). It would include “the interiors as well as the exteriors, lighting, etc., and would be so arranged as to remove a portion of the terrace to show the reception room and the other arrangements of the basement floor.” Pierre responded the day after he returned from California with a detailed, three-page letter to Vitale on February 21 noting what he had learned on his travels: “While in California I saw a structure

planned for a swimming pool and bath, with front very much of the style we are contemplating. Plate glass was used in the windows. While the appearance was everything that could be desired in the California structure it was unsatisfactory in one respect for our purposes, namely that the appearance of the glass was most noticeable from the outside due to the reflection of light. Of course the bath house was not well illuminated from the rear so that the plate glass acted as a mirror. This may not be true of a greenhouse structure where the light on either side of the house is equal. However I am inclined to make a test of this point because it is an important one.” He also noted that he had “made comparison of our plans with various structures which I have seen.” He was concerned that the interior colonnade was too narrow with insufficient planting space if the radiators were to be in underground tunnels. Pierre was at odds with Vitale over the main roof trusses. As to the model, “the expenditure of $4000 for a model seems to me inadvisable as the same amount would put up a full size sample on the ground and enable us to get a very much better idea of the effect…. I hope to spend some time on this greenhouse question from now on in order that our ideas may be crystalized. It seems somewhat hopeless to proceed much further until I have made up my mind on some important points.” Finally, on March 5, 1917, Pierre realized he had nothing on record about what Vitale was to do or how much he would be paid. So he summarized the project: “You are to prepare the plans and specifications for the entire greenhouse structure, including foundations, steel work, greenhouse proper, potting house, heating plant, plumbing and electric wiring. These plans and specifications are to be finally approved The 1917 conservatory and greenhouse ranges at Duke Farms, Somerville, New Jersey, 1950. Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Historical Archives, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina.

by me and bids are to be taken for doing the work. The decision as to the successful bidder is to remain with me. I am to have the option of doing all or part of the work myself. You are to render the usual architect’s services in supervising the proper construction of the work. Your compensation for the above is to be ten percent of the cost. You will note that the above does not include lighting fixtures, furniture, or any kind of plants, or materials to be used in the operation of the house, not does it include any of the landscape gardening. Concerning these items, I am not prepared to make commitment until the building proper has been further advanced.” Pierre included a second letter plus a copy of notes made while reviewing the latest drawings. “I must again call your attention to our failure to understand each other. A number of the points I have made I had thought already settled, such as location of radiators beneath flooring, the reverse of the direction of stairway leading to the lower floor, the absence of architectural decoration, etc. It was my understanding that the changes suggested by me should be made where practical; if considered impractical we shall go over the pros and cons and make final decision.” There are 24 pages of Pierre’s undated, handwritten notes that have survived, most of them retyped onto 17 half-filled pages. It seems plausible that many of these are the comments sent to Vitale because they go into great detail about the points raised in Pierre’s letter, especially one note, “No carving, statuary, fountains, marble seats, niches or ornamental lighting fixtures to be used anywhere.” They show how critical Pierre’s concepts and contributions were to what eventually would evolve into the final design. Pierre and Vitale met on March 13, and the next day Vitale wrote to confirm Pierre’s

“While in California I saw a structure planned for a swimming pool and bath, with front very much of the style we are contemplating. Plate glass was used in the windows. While the appearance was everything that could be desired in the California structure it was unsatisfactory in one respect for our purposes, namely that the appearance of the glass was most noticeable from the outside due to the reﬂection of light.” —Pierre du Pont in a letter to his architect Ferruccio Vitale, February 21, 1917

Above: The colonnade around Arcady’s interior pool probably caught Pierre du Pont’s attention—he was particularly interested in the spacing of columns at that time. The pool had a retractable roof that closed at the touch of a button. The similarity to Longwood’s Exhibition Hall is noteworthy. 1917 photo by Frances Benjamin Johnston. Library of Congress.

Right: The Roman pool house at Arcady had an interior pool (left wing) and dressing rooms (right wing). After World War II, a new owner converted the building into a residence; today the left wing holds three bedrooms and no pool. Modern photos of the structure may be available online by searching for “866 Knapp Drive, Santa Barbara.” 1917 photo by Frances Benjamin Johnston. Library of Congress.

“I have had erected on the ground a full size model of the front of the orangerie … On seeing the…model I am impressed with the necessity of arranging that at least part of these openings can be freed of glass in the summer time.” — Pierre du Pont in a letter to his architect Ferruccio Vitale, March 19, 1917

wishes regarding the grading and steps needed between the connecting greenhouses. Vitale suggested having as few steps as possible. On March 19, Pierre noted that the houses running north and south, containing the graperies and houses for cut flowers and potted plants, would be sited higher. “This will make a 7-foot difference in level between the front range containing the orangery, peach houses and orchid house and theatre [Exhibition Hall] as against the remaining houses which are of conventional greenhouse construction… . I am not clear as to the advantages of having ‘as few steps as possible in the different houses.’ Is there any inconvenience other than the physical effort of men in climbing steps that is to be considered? There seems to be no necessity for interchange of plants, soil or anything else between the houses which I propose for the lower level and those on the upper level. I am not sure that I have thought of all possible points.” Pierre asked that Vitale return the marked-up blueprints so he could “further continue my studies” which had taken on a new dimension: “I have had erected on the ground a full size model of the front of the orangerie [constructed from 214 feet of “barn boards” worth $9.63], making the openings of the orangeries 8-feet 6-inches which, if I remember rightly, is the 44

dimension shown by you. Three of the arches I had made 9' but there seems to be no advantage in appearance. On seeing the full-sized model I am impressed with the necessity of arranging that at least part of these openings can be freed of glass in the summer time. I have two suggestions: One to make these sash sliding as there will be space in the plenum below to accommodate them when lowered. However, I am not so certain that so large sash can be made stiff enough to raise and lower with certainty, which arrangement is not to be thought of unless hydraulic lifts are arranged for working the sash. My experience in the [house] conservatory has convinced me that hanging by weights and chains would not be practical. Another alternative is to arrange that the center panes only of these sash be arranged on hinges so that they will fold back like doors leaving the openings entirely free. They cannot be pivoted as such arrangement would interfere with netting [screens] which will be necessary when glasses are open….Will you also give further thought to the ventilation at the top of the house? I fear that ventilators as proposed will be insufficient. It may be necessary to provide a lantern in order to obtain the necessary area of opening.” A week later, Vitale sent plans showing the floor levels of the various houses, the

connection between the orchid houses on the west side with the same arrangement proposed for the east side, and a sketch of the south elevation of the entire range “which will give Mrs. du Pont and yourself a better idea of the new design of the terrace” [in front of the building]. A month later, Vitale had not heard from Pierre and wrote on April 18, asking if he wished him to finish the working drawings or suspend the project altogether. He noted that almost all of the studies needed to get construction estimates had been made, so very little additional work was required. He had in fact gotten bids on two additional greenhouses Pierre was contemplating for either side of the work room [Potting Shed]. Vitale hoped Pierre would continue with the designing so Vitale would not have to lay off staff. Pierre responded, “My dear Mr. Vitale: I fear that I shall not have time to go further into the greenhouse plans. Were it not for that I should be glad to have them finished, to be ready in the event of deciding to go ahead later. At present I do not think that I can do anything more. I should be glad to hear from you if I have not paid you a fair amount [$5,000, which included the transplanting supervision] for the work done in the event of failure to proceed in the future.”

Opposite: Standing to the right of the vegetable garden greenhouse is a full-size mock-up of one of the Conservatory windows, put there presumably for storage or for further study. Photo by Isaac Evans, c. 1920.

Additional views of the dusty, unrestored “Theatre” (Exhibition Hall) model. Left: View looking north from the south side that today

Vitale noted that he was in a somewhat “embarrassed position” in settling up, due to the high price of engineers and draftsmen, and would practically receive no compensation for his personal work out of the $5,000 already received. Would Pierre agree to an additional $5,000 charge? However, “any other arrangement that you might think fair will be acceptable to me.” Pierre was “much surprised” at the additional amount and asked if he might send a representative to go over the work accomplished. But nothing had been settled by mid-July, when Vitale again asked for a resolution. Pierre apologized for his tardiness and explained the situation to A. W. Tissell of DuPont Engineering, noting “Quite a little work had been done on these plans but nothing finally submitted when War was declared by the United States. Owing to that event I decided to abandon the greenhouse project and requested Mr. Vitale to render an account for services done without any commitment as to future work…. I understand that it is agreed that all plans, etc., already prepared are to be turned over to me.” On July 30, 1917, Tissell reported that he had examined the plans in New York and summarized what Vitale had done. First, there were preliminary sketches for a location later abandoned; then new plans

for the new location; then revisions and new plans finally approved; and final drawings to obtain bids were partly finished when Pierre suspended the work. Vitale showed Tissell a hundred or more sketches that had been retained; many more had been discarded. The final drawings were not yet complete and the specifications had to be prepared. Tissell estimated a construction cost of $300,000 (about $6,000,000 today) so 10% would be $30,000 for Vitale if constructed, or $18,000 if just the plans were finished. Vitale estimated his workers had been paid about $4,600 and was willing to accept $10,000 to discontinue all work in its current state. Tissell thought that amount a fair settlement and told Pierre’s secretary that “Mr. Vitale depended upon his work from friends and would rather sacrifice some of the charges than lose your [Pierre’s] friendship.” On August 1, Pierre wrote that he would send the additional $5,000 to add to the $5,000 already paid, with interest, for which he would receive “drawings as far as completed and the whole project will be abandoned without further obligation upon you or upon me in regard to its renewal.” Vitale responded that he was having “blue prints made of the drawings as far as completed for your greenhouses and your payment will settle everything….” Finally

adjoins the Orangery (note the ventilator atop the roof). Above: View looking SE portrays the smaller “casino” room in relation to the larger “Theatre”space.

on September 1, Pierre sent $5,111.67, with apologies for the delay. Vitale thanked him “for the generous way in which you have settled my account.” The ledger shows that this preliminary design process cost $10,139.68, including Longwood labor and supplies (about $206,000 today). There are two major mysteries concerning Vitale’s work at Longwood. First, what happened to the sketches and blueprints? Most likely Pierre turned them over to Alexander Harper, who succeeded Vitale as the next architect, and the drawings were never returned. In 1939, Longwood’s construction head Roland Taylor noted that he knew of no such prints at Longwood. Second is the existence of an elaborate scale model of part of the Conservatory, identifiable as the Exhibition Hall, which Pierre originally called the Theatre. Pierre rejected Vitale’s suggestion for a $4,000 model, which would have had interiors, exteriors, lighting, and a removable portion to show the lower Reception Suite. The origin of the existing model has yet to be discovered (Roland Taylor wrote in 1939 that Vitale made the model of the “proposed casino”), but Vitale may have had it constructed for his own use, then gave it to Pierre when turning over the drawings after settlement. Although in serious disrepair, it gives clues as to the 45

initial concept. Most obvious is the great number of columns, apparently 12 (northsouth) by eight (east-west along the south side) around the central court, whereas the building as constructed has eight by four. Pierre criticized the closeness of the original columns, which supports the assumption that the model reflects Vitale’s design. The one end with the prominent opening is probably the proscenium for the stage on the north side, and the small disconnected building behind is likely the “Casino.” One can only speculate, without surviving drawings, as to the overall concept developed by Vitale and du Pont. Pierre loved the neoclassical architecture of world’s fairs, had experienced huge glass-roofed exhibition halls, had an outdoor theatre and wanted an indoor one, and relaxed at his weekend home in a glassed atrium of graceful arches and elegant pilasters. Vitale practiced the classical style, especially in the Walker greenhouses, but underestimated Pierre’s attention to detail, although the pressure of Pierre’s wartime work at DuPont probably was more to blame. They apparently had a friendly working relationship, and the only negative comment came from Pierre’s brother-in-law, H. Rodney Sharp, who wrote from Italy in 1922, “I saw some haughty old statues and I immediately thought of Vitale’s sketches and his ambitions for you to have clipped hedges and statues, etc.—and also your horror of the latter.” This supports the assumption that Vitale had nothing to do with developing Longwood’s outdoor gardens or fountains, as some have otherwise theorized, although it would be interesting to see if in the original sketches Vitale had proposed some type of formal garden with allées stretching in front of the Conservatory to the south. It is likely that the grand plans appearing as blueprints in 1919 and 1920 by Alexander Harper are based on what Pierre and Vitale developed: an Orangery with fruit house extensions and end pavilions, Exhibition Hall theatre, Music Room casino, downstairs Reception Suite, extensive growing houses, but also a never-built formal garden where the waterlily pools now are, enclosed by tropical and orchid houses on the north side. It is hard to imagine that Pierre would discard $10,000 worth of plans and start over from scratch. But we can only wonder until more information comes to light.

A Century of Floral Sun Parlors: Part Four will appear in the next issue of Longwood Chimes.

This c.1919 plan by Alexander Harper of the proposed Conservatory complex is probably based on what Vitale and Pierre developed. Note the outdoor garden

where the Waterlily Display is today, the Orchid House where the current Palm House resides, and the Tropical House enclosing the north side of the outdoor garden.

End Notes

Leaving a Mark

Photos by Hank Davis

Now under the Gardens’ purview, the Longwood Cemetery’s proliﬁc history will be preserved and shared. By David Sleasman

Adjacent to the entrance of our Gardens lies a quaint, picturesque cemetery whose rich history is intrinsically linked to our region and our Gardens. Honoring the history of the cemetery and its place in Brandywine Valley culture, Longwood acquired the Longwood Cemetery from its volunteer-run Board in 2018. Now this historical treasure will be preserved and its stories will live on. The cemetery was chartered in 1855 and established on a few acres carved from John and Hannah Cox’s then-nearby farm. Both the cemetery and the nearby Meeting House were created by a social reformer circle of local Quakers that worked toward the “service to God through service to man” mission, embedding their progressive ideals into the new organization from the start. In accordance with its founders’ philosophy, the cemetery’s bylaws allowed no distinction on account of color in its burial plot

assignments. As a result, black Civil War soldiers, doctors, and nurses who died tending to the Civil War wounded; ordinary Kennett area citizens of multiple races; and many former staff of Longwood are among those laid to rest aside Quaker abolitionists and station masters of the Underground Railroad. Perhaps the cemetery’s most famous citizen is Bayard Taylor, a Kennett Square native and well-known 19th-century author and diplomat. Taylor’s travel writing from around the world enthralled thousands, first in regular articles in the Tribune, The Saturday Evening Post, and The United States Gazette; and then through books, such as Views A-foot, or, Europe Seen with a Knapsack and Staff; and novels, including The Story of Kennett. In fact, The Story of Kennett was performed as a play three times at Longwood’s Open Air Theatre—in 1933,

1940, and 1976—and our founder Pierre S. du Pont had at least 21 books written by Taylor in his personal collection, even though Taylor had died in 1878 when du Pont was just eight years old. Mr. du Pont acquired the Meeting House, home to the historic Pennsylvania Yearly Meeting of Progressive Friends, after it closed in 1940. With Longwood’s acquisition of the cemetery, the two historic properties at long last are reunited. While sales of cemetery plots has ceased, Longwood will honor the commitments made to current plot owners for future burials. In the future, we hope to share more of the rich history of the cemetery and the notable stories of those interred there. Glimpses of these extraordinary people and their influence—woven into the fabric of our region—are not only read on their grave markers, but also felt in this place of reflection.

Longwood Chimes

No. 302 Winter 2021

Front Cover A close look at Sprout’s accordion-like spathe, biding its time before it unfurls, pictured on July 7, 2020. Photo by Hank Davis. Back Cover Interior view of one of 17 distinct growing rooms in the new nursery production greenhouse, photographed as the space was nearing completion, October 2020. Photo by Hank Davis.

Inside Front Cover Steamy windows provide a rain-like backdrop for weeping stems of Acacia leprosa (cinnamon wattle), the signature namesake of the Acacia Passage. Photo by David Ward. Inside Back Cover Tropical plants on display in the North Passage create a layered silhouette as viewed through the windows of the historic Potting Shed, March 2019. Photo by Daniel Traub.

Editorial Board Marnie Conley Patricia Evans Steve Fenton Julie Landgrebe Sarah Masterton Katie Mobley Colvin Randall Judy Stevenson James S. Sutton Matt Taylor, Ph.D.

Contributors This Issue Longwood Staff and Volunteer Contributors Kristina Aguilar Plant Records Manager Hank Davis Volunteer Photographer Heather Drzal Director, School and Youth Programs Jim Harbage, Ph.D Director, Floriculture and Conservatories William Hill Volunteer Photographer Sharon Loving Vice President, Horticulture Becca Mathias Volunteer Photographer Maureen McCadden Digital Resource Manager Joyce Rondinella Senior Horticulturist David Sleasman Director, Library and Information Services David Ward Volunteer Photographer Other Contributors Mel Ciliberto Professional Horticulture Student Lynn Schuessler Copyeditor Daniel Traub Photographer

Distribution Longwood Chimes is mailed to Longwood Gardens Staff, Pensioners, Volunteers, and Gardens Preferred and Premium Level Members, and is available electronically to all Longwood Gardens Members via longwoodgardens.org. Longwood Chimes is produced twice annually by and for Longwood Gardens, Inc.

Contact As we went to print, every effort was made to ensure the accuracy of all information contained within this publication. Contact us at chimes@longwoodgardens.org. © 2021 Longwood Gardens. All rights reserved.

“The new greenhouse facility advances the way Pierre S. du Pont embraced the use of technology to grow plants from all parts of the world in a greenhouse setting.” —Jim Harbage, Director, Floriculture and Conservatories

Longwood Gardens is the living legacy of Pierre S. du Pont, inspiring people through excellence in garden design, horticulture, education, and the arts.

Longwood Gardens P.O. Box 501 Kennett Square, PA 19348 longwoodgardens.org