LONGWOOD CHIMES 297 - Longwood Gardens
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LONGWOOD
Summer
2018
CHIMES 297
1 1
2
No. 297 Sharing is something of an art form here. For
generations, our staff, students, and volunteers
have sharpened their skills by sharing them
with colleagues in our Gardens, in the larger
community, and around the globe—who share
with us in turn. Our culture of sharing shines
in this issue of Chimes as we spotlight our new
course that spreads orchid knowledge worldwide,
our innovative program to preserve horticulture
expertise, and a combined effort to share land
stewardship techniques with fellow organizations.
Across time, technologies, and cultures, we’ve
shared not only the experience of years, but the
magic of moments. Enjoy this issue …we all have
so much to give.
In Brief 6 8 10
To Protect and Preserve Window to the World Sensing Singapore
Documenting and conserving Longwood’s first free online A Longwood Fellow shares
our intellectual capital for the open course paves the way planning (and life) lessons
next generation. for unprecedented learning. from a generous host garden
By Rebecca Ralston By Katie Mobley in Singapore.
By Julia Thomé
12
Pipe Dreams
Open Organ Console Day
invites guests to try their hand
at playing The Longwood Organ.
By Patricia Evans
Features 16 28 40
Making (and Breaking) Fountains of Knowledge Quest for Fire
the Glass Ceiling Designing a spectacular fountain The use of prescribed fire
Part two in our women in performance requires artistry, exemplifies a natural progression
horticulture series focuses on patience, and collaboration. in our land stewardship principles
the efforts of those who followed By Katie Mobley and practice.
in Alice du Pont’s footsteps. By Tom Brightman and
By Lynn Schuessler Erik Stefferud
End Notes 52
All in the Family
Commemorating the Johnson
family’s 100-year legacy of
service and commitment.
By David Sleasman
3
In Brief Yoko Arakawa demonstrates chrysanthemum pruning technique. Photo by Daniel Traub. 4
5
Legacy
Documenting and
To Protect conserving our
intellectual capital
and Preserve for the next generation.
By Rebecca Ralston
In a small office at Longwood Gardens, succession planning in the past decade. in the Gardens’ succession planning efforts,
a ring of desks sits with chairs tucked in Last spring Longwood reached out helping to preserve Longwood’s knowledge
tightly beneath them. On the wall, a to the University of Delaware to create an and the operation of public gardens as a
cardboard sign reads “Where in the world interdisciplinary team of students to whole.
is Yoko?” referring to Yoko Arakawa, a support the larger succession planning “For a pilot program we got to learn
recently retired Longwood grower. effort. These students—Joy McCusker, a lot,” says Tim Jennings, a Longwood
The board marks several places with Max Gold, and myself—focused on senior horticulturist who helped create
pins—Washington, Japan, and China among documenting and preserving Longwood’s the succession planning project. He hopes
them—but with Arakawa’s retirement in intellectual capital. In the summer of 2017, the project will continue to evolve this
May 2017, it also reveals something else: the we began working on a program to capture summer and that students will refine the
need to continue functioning without a the knowledge of Longwood staff and add topics first covered in 2017. With the
person who, before her retirement, had to its toolbox of succession planning. continuation of the knowledge video
played a vital role in the creation of the fall Throughout the summer, McCusker, program, future generations can “take
Chrysanthemum Festival. Gold, and I gathered and documented [the knowledge captured] and expand upon
This absence isn’t a challenge unique expertise on a series of topics from growers it…it all revolves around legacy.”
to Longwood, but rather a theme echoed each week, then converted that knowledge To Loving, the focus of the succession
across many public gardens. It’s rooted in into eight videos about Longwood Gardens’ program is “the uniqueness of what we do—
the falling number of young people entering chrysanthemums. These films range from capturing that process, that intellectual
horticulture, a field projected to decrease 3 to 10 minutes in length and cover capital, that spark of creativity and handing
by 9% between 2014 and 2024, according to such topics as grafting Longwood’s pagoda it off to the next generation so they can run
the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. display, creating cascades, and caring for with it.”
“A lot of people were taking all their the Thousand Bloom Chrysanthemum. The declining rate of people entering
knowledge with them [when they retired],” McCusker, whose landscape architecture horticulture careers and the realities
says Vice President of Horticulture Sharon major made her similar to Longwood’s of funding challenges will continue to
Loving, reflecting on the past. “We would target audience—current and future affect public gardens in the future. While
sometimes go a little backwards.” Longwood staff—focused on the project’s instructional videos could never replace
Loving first noticed the declining horticulture aspects while learning directly hands-on learning from one gardener to
numbers of qualified applicants for open from the growers and acting as the another, such formal methods of preservation
positions 15 years ago. “If we don’t have “audience.” As a wildlife ecology major, will help protect what could otherwise be lost.
people interested [in horticulture], it could my role was to write the scripts and narrate “We’re really here—stewarding this
be the end of public gardens as we know the videos. Gold, who majors in visual garden—for a short time in its history,” says
it,” she says. communications, took photos and filmed Loving. “We can say this is how we did it,
To combat this decline, Longwood and edited the footage to create the final and then they can go from there. It propels
has implemented more comprehensive videos. These final videos are another tool people forward.”
Throughout the summer, McCusker, Gold,
and I gathered and documented expertise on
a series of topics from growers each week, then
converted that knowledge into eight videos
about Longwood Gardens’ chrysanthemums.
6
7
Education
Longwood’s first,
Window free online open
course paves the way
to the for unprecedented
learning.
World By Katie Mobley
Since 2009, Longwood Gardens has delivered meaningfully and, hopefully, successfully
Top 5 States by Percentage dynamic online learning offerings to expand into our display collection.”
of Participants in Everything
our reach, connect with learners from It’s poetic that such a groundbreaking
About Orchids
around the globe, and keep with founder Longwood course focuses on orchids,
NY Pierre S. du Pont’s desire to continue as an considering Longwood’s remarkable
3.79% institution committed to both education orchid collection history, established by
MD and instruction. A commitment to excellence a grower who at first knew nothing about
7.84%
in education is not only integral to our orchids. Louis H. Jacoby worked at
mission—it’s in the air we breathe. Longwood from 1924 until his death in
With the launch of our first, free online 1956 and was originally hired as Longwood’s
DE
8.36% open course, Everything About Orchids, we rose grower. In 1926, Alice du Pont asked
PA have further expanded our global impact. Jacoby if he was interested in growing
38.29%
Designed to complement our onsite display orchids, as she intended to start a Longwood
and leverage the function and flexibility orchid collection. While Jacoby was indeed
NJ
10.75% of the online classroom, Everything About interested, he expressed to Mrs. du Pont
Orchids granted students free, exceptional that he was not a trained orchid grower and
access to our orchid experts and collection. therefore not entirely confident in the task.
Available January 20 through May 6, 2018, Alice and Pierre du Pont found a
the course transported Longwood’s solution—they supplied Jacoby with all
renowned orchid collection to participants the books and materials available to learn
ranging from novice enthusiasts to expert the art of growing orchids. Jacoby taught
Top 5 Countries with Participants
growers residing in areas from South Africa himself by reading all he could, collaborating
in Everything About Orchids
to South Dakota, offering detailed content with orchid growers in the Wilmington
on orchid care and culture, floral designs, and Philadelphia region, and by pure
1. United States breeding and conservation, and much experimentation and passion. From an
2. Canada more. Taught by Longwood experts absence of orchid knowledge—yet a wish
3. India through such diverse media as videos,
photo stories, discussion forums, and
to learn—sprang one of our most notable
core collections.
4. United Kingdom interaction with the instructors themselves, Which brings us to today. Greg Griffis,
5. South Africa this self-paced learning experience has senior horticulturist and Longwood’s
been met with resounding success. A total current orchid grower, along with Peter
of 5,626 participants enrolled in the course, Zale, Longwood’s associate director of
representing 48 states, as well as 58 countries conservation, plant breeding, and
in all corners of the world. collections, served as the knowledgeable
Beyond the course’s impressive statistics guides of the course. They were also among
and results are stories of accomplishment the many behind-the-scenes content
and enrichment. Brian Addison, a senior curators, demonstrating the exemplary
gardener at Walmer Castle and Gardens breadth of collaboration across various
in Kent, England, who manages its display Longwood departments required to create
glasshouses, shares, “we have not previously and implement the course.
used orchids much in our display, so the “The course has allowed us to offer a
course looked like a good way to get an new level of realism and education about
insight from real experts…. The course was our Orchid Display and how specialty groups
excellent and very helpful. We now have a like orchids work,” says Griffis. “It’s
small collection of plants and are using the wonderful to think that so many people
course information to help us integrate them have encountered this vast course content
8
Illustration by Rebecca Clarke
“We’re taking our
platform to the globe
and leading the way in
knowledge sharing for
cultural institutions…”
—Matthew Ross, Director of Continuing
Education, Longwood Gardens
and that I can have this kind of dialogue
with them,” he continues. “The dynamic way
participants can engage with this content is
very exciting.”
Everything About Orchids was a mostly
in-house and cross-departmental endeavor—
an impressive feat given that it was our first
such course. Longwood’s Education
Department spearheaded the two-year
journey to develop and implement the
course—an endeavor that took thousands
of hours. “In the case of this course, our
own in-house experts themselves are the
content providers, as opposed to having to
hire outside content experts,” says Susan
Caldwell, Longwood’s instructional designer
and learning techniques manager.
Matthew Ross, Longwood’s director
of continuing education, describes the
level of coordination and cooperation for
the course’s success as extremely detailed,
right down to ensuring orchids were
photographed at their perfect bloom
time when preparing course content.
“Imagine trying to find a two-inch,
summer-blooming native orchid in our
86-acre Meadow Garden, making sure the
environmental conditions were perfect
to shoot footage of the orchid,” says Ross.
“The course acts as a bridge. It provides a
deeper experience for those who visit us
here at the Gardens, as well as engages
those who have never been here. It has
opened up a dialogue between the two.”
Right on the heels of our Everything
About Orchids success, Longwood’s
second free online open course, Everything
About Aquatics, is now available. Just like
Everything About Orchids, Everything
About Aquatics complements our seasons
and collection, enables a flexible learning
approach, and provides a pathway to future
learning—much like Mr. and Mrs. du Pont’s
encouragement for Jacoby to create an
outstanding orchid collection, now shared
with the world in a truly unique way.
9
10
Education
A Longwood Fellow
Sensing shares planning (and life)
lessons from a generous
Singapore host garden in Singapore.
By Julia Thomé
As any keen traveler knows, the subject the famously pungent durian. I liked it! performing arts, recreation, social interaction,
matter learning of a trip doesn’t stand Food is a universal human connection point. cultural sharing, preservation, and new
alone. It is inextricably linked with the As I explored the city, through work technologies are all important in bringing
unique sensory experience of colors, smells, and on my own, I saw that, in this densely people on board, retaining interest, and
tastes, and sounds. Together, these travel urban city, biodiversity is getting a boost ultimately improving and expanding green
experiences transform who we are as global from the very deliberate proliferation of spaces. For all of this to be effective, research
citizens and stay in our memories. lush green walls and roofs, hundreds of and dissemination of best practices are key
In February and March of this year, I kilometers of streetscape greeneries, and to their planning strategy.
found myself on the other side of the world, growing interest in plant cultivation, After all the sharing that had come my
in Singapore. I had the opportunity as indoors and out. The city boasts 424 public way, I did my best to chime in and share
a Longwood Fellow to become immersed parks and more than 1,300 community my ideas with the team. I surmised that
in the work of the National Parks Board gardens in neighborhoods, schools, with the strong desire to continue to build
(NParks), continuing a legacy of exchange religious institutions, and businesses. You the gardening movement and to continue
between Longwood Gardens and this can see and smell gardens everywhere you enriching the city-in-a-garden concept;
famous city-in-a-garden’s parks department. go, which become exceptionally vibrant with the team’s holistic approach to people
I chose Singapore, and NParks in particular, right after the rain. Gardens and green and the environment and continued
given my interest in the management moments not only improve environmental innovation; and with a willingness to invest
practices of urban public gardens. I was conditions but make every day better for in the future of the city, HortPark and
honored to be offered a spot, or “attachment” Singaporeans. Singapore will be something to watch
as they called it, with the Horticulture and I learned that the HortPark campus (and smell, hear, touch and taste!) in the
Community Gardening division to assist in Singapore serves as a hub for the years ahead. Imagination, creativity, and
with master planning. For two months, Horticulture and Community Gardening collaboration happen when you fill your
the people there opened up their world to division and its programs—an education senses with the power of plants and the
me, sharing not only their hospitality but center and an incubator of new methods energy of passionate people.
their knowledge, experiences, and culture. for expanding the benefits of Singapore’s What I learned through my field
What follows are a few of my lessons learned gardens. Their vision that “everyone can placement in Singapore is invaluable.
from the vivid sensory experience that is garden” gave me hope that if this bustling, And that learning will, without a doubt,
Singapore. densely-populated city can garden with stick with me for many years to come,
This diverse city is home to six million such vigor, so can other cities and towns accompanied by the memories of pink
people with roots in China, Malaysia, India, around the world. bougainvillea, fragrant pandan plants,
Europe, and many other places around the My subject learning involved observing spicy noodles, and multilingual chatter.
world. I later learned the extent to which what basic tenets NParks prescribes as
Singaporeans value cultural preservation, integral to success. Charged with maximizing
and practice cultural cross-learning and the ecological benefits of gardens while also
tolerance. Language, food, dress, art, and prioritizing people and community-building,
music reflect the diversity of residents, and NParks integrates concepts of biodiversity,
at times become blended and indiscernible native plantings, pollinators, composting
in this model global community. methods, and energy- and water-saving
Right from the beginning, I embarked practices. The team focuses on education,
on a food adventure, pledging to eat practical training, and peer support for
something new each day. My Singaporean home gardeners and community gardeners,
co-workers often ate lunch together at one volunteer programs, and attracting younger
of the hawker centers populated with small generations to the gardening movement.
food stalls. They eagerly introduced me to They are finding that linking gardening to Opposite:
Photo gallery culled from Julia’s
one new food after another. By the end of good physical and mental health, nutrition, Longwood Fellows immersion
the two months, they deemed it time I try culinary arts, craftsmanship, visual and in Singapore.
11The Arts
Open Organ Console
Pipe Day invites guests to try
their hand at playing
Dreams The Longwood Organ.
By Patricia Evans
“This isn’t about performance, it’s about Julien said with a huge smile, before heading of the parts of the organ when I saw it,” he
experience,“ explained Performance off to 1906 for a celebratory birthday lunch enthused. “I want to play everything.
Supervisor Dwight Weaver as he welcomed with his family. There are endless possibilities to make
the eager—and perhaps a little nervous— Bill Callaway journeyed the farthest— interesting music.” Danny has not ruled out
participants to Open Organ Console Day from Atlanta, Georgia—for the event. A the possibility of pursuing music as a career,
on April 7. Since 2015, Longwood has invited church organist for more than 40 years, and judging by the audience’s response to
guests twice a year (in April and October) Callaway was not exactly new to The his performance, he is already garnering fans.
to sign up for a five-minute time slot to take Longwood Organ, having performed a Isaac Zerbey, who was proud to share
The Longwood Organ on a test drive, so to concert on the instrument in 1999. He he was “almost seven,” was the youngest
speak, and see what it’s like to have the recalled first hearing the organ in 1973 when participant of the day. He and brother
organ’s 10,010 powerful pipes at their he was a student at the Eastman School of Westen (8 years old) were both getting their
fingertips. It has become a popular tradition, Music, and then again on occasional visits first introduction to the organ, as neither
with available slots filling up quickly and over the years. “The organ has such a had any previous musical experience. But
attracting a diverse group of participants. romantic and full-bodied sound,” Callaway what they lacked in experience, they made
On this day, they came from as far away enthused. To showcase that romantic sound up for in enthusiasm. It was a bittersweet
as Atlanta, Georgia; ranged in age from six Callaway selected a piece he knew would moment for the family, as father Jason shared
years to well over 60; and possessed no “work well”: Edward Lemare’s transcription that the boys’ mother had signed them up
musical training to more than 40 years of of Camille Saint-Saens’ My Heart at My Sweet for the experience in early winter before
playing experience. Organist Rudy Lucente, Voice from the opera Samson and Delilah. passing away unexpectedly in February
a frequent performer on The Longwood Judging by the audience’s reaction, it from complications from the flu. “This
Organ and Assistant Organist at the Grand certainly did work well. was one of the last things she signed them
Court Organ at Macy’s in Philadelphia, was Callaway was not the only one inspired up for,” he said. Lucente created a magical
on hand to assist the performers, suggesting by an early visit to Longwood. Savannah moment for each of the boys, taking the
which organ stops might sound best for Jeffery, a 13-year-old from Kennett Square, lead in an impromptu and poignant duet
their selected piece, setting those stops, and Pennsylvania, remembers her first visit to of Over the Rainbow.
answering any questions the guest organists the organ museum sparking a desire to Westen declared the experience “really
may have about the instrument to ensure learn to play the King of Instruments. Now cool” and wondered if lessons might be in
they can make the most of their five minutes five years into her piano studies (as well his future. Isaac, too, was thrilled with the
of fun. as percussion for her school orchestra and experience. “It sounded like fun, but it was
Gus Goodwin, a self-described organ band), Savannah’s organ journey will so much more fun than I thought,” he
“hobbyist,” picked perhaps the perfect piece continue this summer when she plans to gushed. He also gave this advice to other
to start the day: Selections from The Sound attend the Pipe Organ Experience Camp potential players: “It looks very hard if you
of Music. As strains of Do-Re-Mi filled the in Philadelphia. As for playing The want to do it yourself.” But gave kudos to his
Ballroom, the audience, which included Longwood Organ? “I’ll be back next year,” playing partner, adding, “Mr. Lucente was
fellow participants, supportive family and she said with a grin. very good.”
friends, and curious guests, settled in for a If there was an award for the most The day certainly was about experience—
parade of musical moments to remember. frequent Open Organ Console Day alum, very good experiences indeed.
There was the Serbinenko family, it would go to 13-year-old Danny Murphy
including father Andrey, and brothers Julien from Kennett Square, who has participated
and Remy, who all took a turn at the console. every year since the program began.
Julien was celebrating his 8th birthday and Murphy delighted the crowd with a rousing
happily fulfilling his birthday wish—to play performance of his own organ transcription
The Longwood Organ. A piano student for of Abe Holzmann’s Blaze Away. While
two years, Julien played Domenico Zipoli’s Murphy studies piano, he was bitten by the
Minuet. Was it the worth the trip from organ bug after a trip to the Gardens with
Morganville, New Jersey? “It was so great,” his grandmother. “I was just amazed with all
12Right:
Rudy Lucente shows Westen
Zerbey (age 8) the finer points
of organ performance.
Below:
It was a family affair for the
Serbinenko family. Father
Andrey and sons Remy (left)
and Julien (right) all took a
turn on The Longwood Organ.
It was Julien’s wish to play
the organ for his 8th birthday.
Above:
Organist Bill Callaway journeyed
from Atlanta, Georgia, for the chance
to play The Longwood Organ.
Above:
Jason Zerbey captures son
Isaac (age 6) performing his
first musical duet with Rudy
Lucente.
Left:
Savannah Jeffery (age 13) of
Kennett Square performs
Pachelbel’s Canon in D during
Open Organ Console Day.
Right:
Danny Murphy (age 13) played
the organ for the first time at
Longwood and has returned
every year to play in Open
Organ Console Day.
Photography by Becca Mathias
13Features Bonsai pruning, a slide scanned for Mary Allinson for her Bonsai pruning techniques class. Longwood Gardens Library & Archives. 14
15
16
Legacy
In this second installment in
our women in horticulture series,
we focus on the efforts and
leadership of those who followed
in Alice du Pont’s footsteps.
By Lynn Schuessler
Making
(and Breaking)
the Glass Ceiling
Opposite:
The Garden Path, which
debuted in 1986, is a year-
round tapestry of color,
texture, form, and fragrance.
Landon Scarlett came up
with the original design
for the Garden Path, and
graduate student Rob Halpern
researched plants. Longwood
Gardener Mary Allinson,
photographed here in June
2018, tended the space for
27 years. Photo by Carlos
Alejandro.
17Among the 125 staff horticulturists who dig Scarlett returned to Longwood in 1972 Opposite:
Staff photo of new
in the dirt and delight with their designs amid great change and challenge. On her Horticulture Department/
at Longwood Gardens today, 56 are women. first day in her new position as Design Experimental Greenhouse
In the age of Pierre S. du Pont (1870–1954) Coordinator, she remembers standing in employee Lucy Landon
the “huge, empty void” of the newly rebuilt Scarlett, September 15, 1969.
and in Longwood’s early years as a public
Photo by Gottlieb Hampfler.
garden, all the gardeners were men. East Conservatory. Hampfler’s makeshift studio
Then came Lucy Landon Scarlett, who, “Plants had been dug from the old Azalea background can be seen in
after earning a master’s in art history at House and stored in a cool holding house lower portion of the image;
this would have been cropped
Columbia University, longed to work while the new structure was being built, so out of the final headshot.
with her hands amid the beauty and open there were plants available for me ‘to arrange’ Original in Longwood Gardens
space that inspired her as a child growing and a crew of willing guys standing around Library & Archives.
up by the Chesapeake Bay. She got her waiting for me to tell them where to place
start at Bluemount Nursery in Maryland them. This was not at all like being a student
for $1.50/hour, crediting the “social open- at Hilliers! It was terrifying! But we survived.”
mindedness” of her Quaker employers Not only did Landon Scarlett survive, she
for hiring a woman, and for putting her thrived—as did the Gardens—during her 20
in touch with Richard Lighty—then years at Longwood, largely in planning and
Program Coordinator of the Longwood design. She is most proud of solving “the
Graduate Program. It was 1969 and, with puzzle” that led to the creation of the Silver
the Vietnam War calling many young men Garden and Cascade Garden.
to the military, Scarlett landed a job in “It began with the Advisory Committee’s
Longwood’s Experimental Greenhouse. request to bring the Acacia Passage back
“I believe I was the second woman to its former glory,” says Scarlett. The acacias
hired into one of these ‘non-traditional for suffered from both the heat and shade of
women’ jobs at Longwood,” says Scarlett. the tropical plants in the neighboring
“I never gave much thought to the fact that Geographic House. Meanwhile, the view down
I, as a woman, was an oddity among my the Acacia Passage—its “borrowed scenery”—
peers. What we shared was an almost was of a utilitarian door in the Desert House,
universal enthusiasm for Longwood and which itself had an uninspired “one of this and
what it stands for. Gradually and together one of that” planting design and a “clumsy,
we managed to create beautiful and exposed” roof.
interesting things through our efforts. In 1986, Scarlett had traveled to South
And also gradually, more women were Africa with Rick Darke, Curator of Plants.
hired, which I took as a compliment.” “The visual impact of silver-foliaged plants
Energy and curiosity fueled Landon in mountain passes and gardens made a
Scarlett’s early years at Longwood— huge impression.” Later, she saw many of
observing plant evaluations in the those same plants exquisitely displayed in
Experimental Greenhouse; quizzing a private California garden designed by
Longwood’s taxonomist, Dr. Donald Isabelle Greene, who in time was invited to
Huttleston; absorbing “the craft and design Longwood’s Silver Garden, replacing
aesthetics of gardening” from Karl the Geographic House in 1989.
Grieshaber in the Rock and Heather Scarlett also traveled to Brazil to encourage
Gardens; and spending a year at the Roberto Burle Marx to transform the Desert
100-acre arboretum at Hillier & Sons House into what would become the Cascade
Nursery in England. “Life was joyous!” Garden—a project completed after Scarlett
“I believe I was the second woman hired into
one of these ‘non-traditional for women’ jobs
at Longwood,” says Scarlett. “I never gave much
thought to the fact that I, as a woman, was an
oddity among my peers. What we shared was
an almost universal enthusiasm for Longwood
and what it stands for.”
1819
Not only did Landon Scarlett survive, she
thrived—as did the Gardens—during her
20 years at Longwood, largely in planning
and design. She is most proud of solving
“the puzzle” that led to the creation of the
Silver Garden and Cascade Garden.
The initial inspiration for the Silver
Garden came from a trip Landon
Scarlett made to South Africa in
1986 with Plant Curator Rick Darke.
There, they saw silver-foliaged
plants in mountain passes. California
designer Isabelle Greene—who
had done a similar silver-foliaged
garden in Santa Barbara that Landon
had admired while on a Garden
Club of America tour—was hired to
transform the existing Geographic
House into the Silver Garden, which
opened in 1989. It recalls a desert
stream bed with enormous boulders
and a river of slate. Its 150 types of
plants total several thousand blue,
gray, and silver specimens. Photo
by Larry Albee.
Above:
Section Head Dale Lauver (left) with Landscape Designer
Isabelle Greene during restoration phase of the Silver
Garden, 1988. Landon Scarlett noted recently that, at the
time, “Inviting in such design outsiders to work in the
conservatories was new for Longwood, and there was
particular impetus to do the best we possibly could to
have the project succeed.” Original in Longwood Gardens
Library & Archives. Photo by Larry Albee.
20Below:
Based on Landon Scarlett’s
analysis, a recommendation
was made to the Longwood
Advisory Committee to
transform the former Desert
House into the Cascade
Garden, which opened in
1992. Designed by the
world-famous artist Roberto
Burle Marx, who was assisted
by landscape architect
Conrad Hamerman, it is an
artistic expression of elements
found naturally in the tropics
of South America. Original
in Longwood Gardens Library
& Archives. Photo by Larry
Albee.
Right:
Landscape designer
Roberto Burle Marx
(pictured in background,
gesturing upwards) was
persuaded to design
the Cascade Garden by
Landon Scarlett, who
visited him in Brazil on
Longwood’s behalf.
Here, Burle Marx
discusses planting
installations in the
Cascade Garden with
landscape architect
Conrad Hamerman
(at Roberto’s left, face
partially obscured by
leaf) and indoor display
foreman Sharon Loving.
Sharon Loving recalls,
“It was fun watching
Roberto wave his arms
as he painted this new
house with plants. He
was amazing! I actually
communicated more
with Conrad on the
details of the project,
and he was just as
passionate about getting
everything right. It was
quite a team.” Original
in Longwood Gardens
Library & Archives.
Photo by Larry Albee.
21Left:
Mary Allinson readies plants
in the new Estate Fruit
House in preparation for
the October 18, 2002
opening. Allinson, a member
of the Estate Fruit House
Task Force, researched
greenhouse fruits grown
by Mr. du Pont to develop
the plant list for the display.
She assumed Section
Gardener responsibility for
the new display and directed
the initial plantings. Photo
by Larry Albee.
Opposite:
Mary Allinson interacting
with a guest in the Bonsai
Display, 2017. Photo by
Carlos Alejandro.
left Longwood in 1989 to become Director of
the Dallas Arboretum and Botanic Garden.
of only four women gardeners, but I never
really noticed. I always had guy friends. I
“I loved coming to work.
“And no one notices the ugly roof anymore, remember Bill Rigler and Curt Hawkins— I liked getting dirty.
or the utilitarian door, only the beautiful they were like neighbors guiding me in the
plant shapes, colors and waterfalls. And I Conservatory spaces where we worked.” Anyone can have a bad
believe the acacias have thrived.”
“At Longwood anything is possible,” says
As a gentle sign of the times, however,
Allinson remembers working in the fruit day anywhere, but
Scarlett, mentioning the massive boulders
that were scavenged (with permission) from
house when a guest directed a horticulture
question to one of the carpenters nearby,
guests, especially, always
a Pennsylvania field and lowered through assuming he would be the expert. “I’ll have remind you what a
the roof of the new Silver Garden. She reflects to refer that to Mary,” replied the carpenter,
on the culture of excellence that drives even much to the older gentleman’s surprise. wonderful place this
daily routine tasks. “We had a saying at
Longwood in my day—The Queen is coming
Bonsai combined Allinson’s love of art
and horticulture, but it would also require
is. Still, it’s a profession
today, everyday—which meant that we had
to be spruced up and ready for her arrival
her teaching skills to preserve this craft
at Longwood. Before she retired in 2017,
that takes knowledge
365 days a year. A fine goal.” Allinson instructed a pool of 15 staff and skill—and we try
For 35 years, Mary Allinson was one of members in techniques for training
the gardeners who made that goal a reality. chrysanthemum bonsai, which are displayed to convey that to people
She studied to be an art teacher, but her
first summer out of college found her
during Chrysanthemum Festival. “Bonsai
takes a little bit of time over time,” says
as well.”
working at Ashcombe Vegetable Garden —Mary Allinson
Mary of the exacting skill and patience
in Mechanicsburg and loving it. There she required. “The more you do something, the
met three alums of Longwood’s Professional better you get.”
Gardener Program, and in 1980 she became If bonsai is the collection that most bears
the first college graduate to enter the Allinson’s touch, Christmas is the season
program. “I thought it would be a dream that bears her “name.” Last November, just
to work here,” she says. before packing up her Longwood career,
That dream took shape in 1983, when Mary peeked into the Music Room to view
Allinson landed a full-time job at Longwood the progress of the upcoming display. “It’s
tending bonsai. “When I started I was one Mother Christmas!” came the familiar
2223
Below:
Sharon Loving watering the Nepenthes
collection in one of the estate growing
houses in 1984. ”I do miss taking care of
plants on a regular basis,” Sharon said.
“These early jobs I had were important in
learning the diversity of the plants, how
the greenhouses work, and how much time
certain jobs take.” Photo by Larry Clouser.
Above:
Sharon Loving and garden host Ralph
Snodsmith during a live interview on
Good Morning America, 1994. Original in
Longwood Gardens Library & Archives.
greeting—a testimony to her years of working with Longwood craftsmen.
festive creations in that iconic space, which “The art of gardening requires a feel for
she worked on with Ed Broadbent from color, texture, space—both negative and
1994 to 2010. positive—to arrange things in a display.
“Christmas has gotten so big, almost Maybe being left-handed helps,” she says
everyone works on it now. A few years ago with a smile. “Left-handed people tend
we started mentor teams—for succession to be creative and good at math. And the
planning, so you don’t leave a hole when world is mathematical.”
you’re gone. It’s like dipping your finger in Looking back on her career, Allinson
a bucket of water,” says Allinson, who is says, “I loved coming to work. I liked getting
remembered as much for the wisdom of dirty. Anyone can have a bad day anywhere,
her sayings as for the beauty of her displays. but guests, especially, always remind you
“When you remove your finger, the water what a wonderful place this is. Still, it’s a
fills in. Life (and Longwood) carry on.” profession that takes knowledge and
“You have to let new people do their skill—and we try to convey that to people
thing,” she says, crediting Landon Scarlett as well.”
for being that kind of mentor. “She was Mary Allinson set out to be an art
the one who gave me free rein and helped teacher. And for 35 years, that’s exactly what
me build confidence,” says Allinson, she did, teaching the art of horticulture—
who worked with Scarlett and graduate from plant science and home gardening
student Rob Halpern to create the East to the nitty-gritty of mini mums and the
Conservatory’s Garden Path in 1986. elegance of Christmas—to anyone willing
While Scarlett came up with the original to listen. She advises young gardeners to
design and Halpern researched plants, cultivate patience. “The opportunities are
Allinson tended this space —a task she here to learn,” she says. “You’ll get out
loved—for 27 years. “It felt like my own what you put in. A lot of things are worth
home garden.” waiting for.”
Allinson admits to being a designer Sharon Loving’s pivotal moment in
at heart. To this day she uses graph paper horticulture came as a not-so-subtle nudge
to get ideas down and to put things to from a mindful mom. As a senior in high
scale, a quality that served her well when school with plans to study business, Sharon
24Below:
Sharon Loving helped to lead
a major expansion of the
Meadow Garden in 2013–2014.
View of main entrance. Photo
by Sam Markey.
“When I started, there was engrossed in gardening around the
house when her mother said, “You know,
Vice President) of Horticulture in 2005.
“When I started, there were only a handful
were only a handful you could do this for a living.”
Those words pointed Loving to an
of women working as front-line gardeners.
I know they had it tough, but they smoothed
of women working as associate degree in horticulture at the the path for the rest of us.”
University of Maryland. She thought about Loving was reluctant, at first, to take on
front-line gardeners. building greenhouses with her father, but a management role. “I wanted to keep my
I know they had it the 1970s energy crisis thwarted that idea;
so she cultivated her skills at a Pennsylvania
hands on the plants, but it’s wonderful that
I was able to start part time and rise through
tough, but they garden center and a Maryland flower shop the ranks—it helps me understand the work
before gathering the courage to apply at of the front-line gardeners.”
smoothed the path Longwood. Memories of childhood visits to She advises new staff to be open to
for the rest of us.” the Gardens loomed so large that halfway
through the application she froze, attached
possibilities, and strongly believes in
professional development to retain top
—Sharon Loving, Vice President, a résumé, and walked out. talent. “We started a two-year mentorship
Horticulture, Longwood Gardens Despite her initial fears, Loving’s program within Horticulture that involves
dedication, enthusiasm, and attention to workshops and conversations about
detail prevailed. In 1982, she started as a empowerment, leadership, time management,
seasonal part-time Gardener; when winter or whatever the participants feel they need.”
came, Indoor Display Foreman Patrick Nutt Succession planning is also a top priority,
packed up her tools and boots in a box and to pass along the unique skill sets of the
marked it “Do Not Touch”, confident that horticulture team. Loving describes
Sharon would be back in the spring. Chrysanthemum Festival, for example, as
Loving did indeed return, becoming a “the epitome of art and science on display.
full-time Gardener in 1984. Working in It’s the most unique thing we do.”
each area taught her a broader palette of Through the years, Loving has led
plants and how to cultivate greenhouse nearly every department at Longwood,
displays under glass. She was promoted except Administration and Guest Services.
to Indoor Display Foreman in 1992, With her broad experience, longevity,
Floriculturist in 1998, and to her present and project leadership, including major
position as Department Head (now renovations of the Ballroom, Music Room,
25Children’s Garden, East Conservatory, and
Meadow Garden, it’s not surprising that
President & CEO Paul B. Redman initially
chose Loving to help him lead the Main
Fountain Garden revitalization project.
“I’m not sure I’m the right person,”
she told him. “Sharon, I think you are the
right person,” she remembers him saying.
“I need someone who understands the
significance of this garden and how we
can evolve it.” When the Main Fountain
Garden went into schematic design, Loving
was in charge of both the Horticulture and
Facilities departments. But she was never
happier than when Penny Person (Project
Manager) and Ken Grablewski (Vice
President, Facilities) came on board and
brought the project to completion.
What’s next? “We have to work on the
Conservatory complex, the western half
of it—preserving what’s best and evolving
the spaces to accommodate and engage
our guests in a more meaningful way.”
Loving reflects on the Longwood aesthetic,
passed down to her by Landon Scarlett and
epitomized by Advisory Committee chairs
Wilhelmina Ross and Peg Stabler.
“Longwood is the living legacy of Pierre S.
du Pont—he was always trialing and
testing and so should we. But when we’re
doing it well, the Longwood aesthetic is
timeless and elegant.”
Gazing further, Loving considers her
impact 50 or more years down the road.
“With the capital projects, I’m focused on
sustainability. We need to take a long-term
view considering climate change and
globalization. Many of our heritage trees
are coming to maturity at once, so
planning is key. We’re stewards of this
garden for a short time. But how will our
decisions today impact future generations
of leaders and guests?”
One thing is certain. Among those
leaders, there will be many capable
women. Their story at Longwood began
with Alice du Pont, and grew with each
woman whose passion and skill for
horticulture not only overshadowed
any fears she might have felt, but
ultimately forged an unbreakable bond
with equally passionate colleagues, no
matter the gender.
Sharon Loving looks out over
the 86-acre Meadow Garden.
Photo by Carlos Alejandro.
26“We’re stewards of this garden for a short time.
But how will our decisions today impact
future generations of leaders and guests?”
—Sharon Loving, Vice President, Horticulture, Longwood Gardens
27Legacy Fountains of Knowledge Designing a spectacular fountain performance requires artistry, patience, and collaboration. By Katie Mobley Photography by Daniel Traub 28
Longwood’s fountain
performance designers gather
for a group portrait at the
Main Fountain Garden’s
Lower Canal. Pictured from
left to right are: Brady
Gonsalves, associate director,
performing arts production;
Tim Martin, Main Fountain
Garden performance
manager; outside consultant
Greg McLenahan from
Manchester, UK, who is with
Entertainment Concepts, Ltd.;
Colvin Randall, P.S. du Pont
Fellow and fountain designer;
and independent consultant
Claire Kahn. Claire, who
currently works as a jewelry
designer and lives in Santa
Fe, NM, was previously a
designer at WET Design in
Los Angeles, CA, where she
collaborated on the creation
of the Bellagio fountains in
Las Vegas.
2930
Opposite: From one self-taught fountain designer who programming systems used, starting with
Spectacular view of Over
The Rainbow which debuted
worked by hand in 1980 to the many who the 1966 theatre board, then the 1984
on September 16, 2017, in now support one another to create cutting- computerized controls, and today’s cutting-
the revitalized Main Fountain edge performances, there’s no shortage edge Syncronorm computer program, a
Garden. The show was of innovation and artistic finesse when it sophisticated system with three-dimensional
designed by Colvin Randall.
comes to Longwood’s expressive fountain visualization that allows a designer to
Below: performances. Our three in-house fountain view the show as it’s designed in real time.
Longwood’s three in-house
fountain designers share a designers—Brady Gonsalves, Tim Martin, Reminiscent of du Pont’s fascination
relaxed moment on the and Colvin Randall—may each offer different with water, Randall’s lifelong captivation
Terrace of the Rectangular aesthetic styles and backgrounds, but all with fountains dates to his boyhood visits
Basin. Pictured from left to
right are Colvin Randall, Brady
work tirelessly and ingeniously to achieve to Wanamaker’s with his family, where
Gonsalves, and Tim Martin. a common design goal: to awe and inspire. he watched the Dancing Waters fountains
Longwood’s renown for exceptional rising and falling to music. Randall
fountains originates with our founder Pierre researched the story of Longwood’s fountains
S. du Pont. From installing his first fountain as a Longwood Graduate Fellow before
within a year of his purchase of Longwood to beginning his Longwood career in 1977
his 1931 opening of the Main Fountains—his as public relations manager. Starting his
crowning achievement of lighting colored work with the Longwood fountains in 1980,
water—du Pont’s fascination with water Randall devised a way to marry water, light,
stemmed from his travels as a young man. and music through a system of hand-drawn
Du Pont noted his wonder with such fountain diagrams, lighting charts, and cue sheets,
displays as the shimmering 1893 World often drawn with colored markers.
Columbian Exposition, which later inspired Randall followed his successful diagram
his own illuminated fountains that were system until Longwood implemented its
manipulated via a lever control board of first fountain computer system in 1984, which
226 toggle switches and 125 levers uniquely required Randall to lay out new symbols for
designed for Longwood by Phil Brewer, all the fountain features and effects. Randall
Longwood’s then head of maintenance. keyed in the information from his hand-
It can be argued that Randall, Longwood’s written diagrams and sheet music into the
P.S. du Pont Fellow and fountain designer, program, translating his commands into
was himself uniquely designed for lines of code. Along the way, he developed
Longwood. He is the only Longwood several theories for designing fountain shows,
fountain choreographer who has designed including his credo to always end a show
performances using three of the four with the largest display possible.
3132
Relics from
Fountains Past
From the hand-controlled
boards of Pierre du Pont’s
time to the wizardry of
today’s computers, the
fountains at Longwood have
responded to commands
using varied technologies.
The items pictured here were
used from 1980 until, in some
cases, 2014.
Clockwise from top left:
A black and white photocopy
of the evening fountains
was hand colored with
magic markers to help
design fountain color scenes
from 1980 to 1983; all the
commands from the
Windows-based “System i”
program used from 1984
to 2014 could be printed out
on computer paper; large
floppy disks were the storage
medium for the first fountain
computer from 1984 to
2001; a hand-rendered
schematic showing the jets
and color dimmers was
used to orchestrate fountain
colors from 1980 to 1983;
reel-to-reel tapes provided
music (starting in 1980) and
computer data (beginning
in 1984 through 2001) to
run shows automatically
after a technician pushed
the “start” button; cue sheets
were used from 1980 to 1983
by Longwood’s electricians
to synchronize a show in
real time to recorded music;
endless tape cartridges were
used from 1986 through 2001
to run Main Fountain Garden
and Open Air Theatre fountain
shows with total automation.
33“Collaboration comes in creating a larger concept for the fountain’s expression—a spirited, visual story—and implementing the concept through the collaboration of diverse disciplines,” shares Kahn. Creating the most comprehensive heights with the truly limitless possibilities and Randall in their design efforts. In fact, fountain display possible was certainly top afforded by their expertise and unique Whitney has started designing daytime of mind when Longwood unveiled the aesthetics, in tune with the vision of fountain show arrangements himself. revitalized Main Fountain Garden in May Longwood’s Performing Arts department. In addition to Longwood’s in-house 2017. With 1,719 jets; 1,467 LED lights; and Longwood’s fountain performances and team, consultants Claire Kahn, formerly other astounding new and legacy features, Fireworks & Fountains Shows, in addition of WET Design, and Greg McLenahan of today’s Main Fountain Garden features 8,676 to indoor and outdoor concerts and events, Entertainment Concepts, Ltd., have helped controllable design attributes that a fountain all fall under the Performing Arts umbrella. expand our ideas of what a fountain show choreographer must consider and address Together, these offerings showcase the can achieve. “Collaboration comes in when designing a show. What’s more, variety of styles and genres in Longwood’s creating a larger concept for the fountain’s Syncronorm allows for infinite light and performing arts repertoire and demonstrate expression—a spirited, visual story—and water combinations—a boundless number the “beauty of art in all its different forms implementing the concept through the that’s both exciting and daunting for even … showing there’s truly something here for collaboration of diverse disciplines,” shares the most seasoned fountain designer. everyone,” shares Director of Performing Kahn. “Everything must work together While Syncronorm supports the Main Arts Thomas Warner. seamlessly, from the larger conceptual Fountain Garden’s magnitude of attributes, Augmenting our three in-house vision to subtle details in timing and precise the system is nothing without a steady hand designers’ breadth of knowledge is a team movement.” and inquisitive mind to guide it. With so of Longwood electricians, plumbers, and While Gonsalves, Martin, and Randall many variables to consider, fountain design technicians who support and maintain each take unique approaches to their designs, demands unwavering dedication to detail show. Lead Performance Technician Joe they look to each other’s philosophies and when telling a story. Lucky for Longwood, we Whitney, for one, utilizes his extensive talents for inspiration and growth. have Gonsalves, Martin, and Randall, who technical and systems expertise while When approaching his designs, Randall take our fountain performances to new working closely with Gonsalves, Martin, flexes his self-taught practices and theories, 34
Fountain design consultants
Claire Kahn (opposite) and
Greg McLenahan (below)
visited Longwood in June,
2018, to refine and collaborate
on the Happy Birthday,
Leonard Bernstein Fireworks
& Fountains Show.
35Syncronorm:
A Magnitude of
Attributes
The Syncronorm Depence
fountain control system
uses two screens to help
the fountain designers
create a show. The
programming screen contains
all the pump, jet, and light
scenes shown to the left in
a vertical column that scrolls
up and down, listing hundreds
of effects. In the middle are
the show cues that scroll
horizontally like a piano roll.
Using a computer mouse,
the designer swipes the
horizontal bars onto the
screen; the length determines
duration. Double-clicking
on a bar permits adding
more commands, like fade-in
and fade-out times. Additional
information appears on the
right-hand side of the screen:
everything from graphs
showing motion effects to
pump values and nozzle
positions.
The visualizer is an adjoining
screen that shows a realistic
image of the garden with
fountain jets and colors
created by the cues on the
adjacent screen. The designer
can move the viewpoint up
close or far away, up high
or down low to give a realistic
reproduction of the show as
it is being created, including
a video rendering of the
complete show. Any
modification can be done
before the actual fountains
are turned on and the show
is tested. The visualizer is
a great help to the designer
in previewing what the show
will look like, although
additional tweaking is usually
required once the real
fountains are used.
Views of the Syncronorm
programming screen (left) and
visualizer screen (above), as
seen in the Control Tower of
the Main Fountain Garden.
36“I haven’t changed my theories with the
addition of Syncronorm,” shares Randall.
“There’s just a lot more you can do now.”
3738
using a “classic style closest to the original the Rainbow or putting a new spin on a
Anatomy of style du Pont had…building big contemporary song, such as Gonsalves’
a Fountain compositions using the maximum amount light chase effects through the round basins
Performance of water in more static displays.” When during his rousing Divas of Dance. All
Randall wrote his shows prior to the three designers note how the Main Fountain
Over The Rainbow debuted
as a fireworks show on installation of the Syncronorm platform, Garden’s sophisticated light saturation
September 16, 2017, and he was able to visualize what the show affords a phenomenal amount of detail, its
is periodically repeated would look like in his head while utilizing robotic nozzles create wonderful texture,
as a fountains-only show.
Designed by Colvin Randall, it his design theories. “I haven’t changed my and its show-stopper Titan Air Nozzles and
is the first Longwood fountain theories with the addition of Syncronorm,” flame jets elevate fountain design to a new
show that tells a complete shares Randall. “There’s just a lot more you level, ultimately taking the design ideas
story, albeit one that almost
everyone knows. It starts
can do now.” they’ve had emblazoned in their minds for
with all-white, tornado-like Martin, Longwood’s Main Fountain years and now making them a reality for all
fountains, which turn eye- Garden performance manager, builds upon to enjoy.
popping colors once Dorothy
his award-winning theater lighting and Syncronorm has introduced new
and Toto land in Oz. Although
the title song is never sung design career, as well as his college training technology to Longwood and has opened
directly, whenever the Over in the Eastern arts, when designing a new design doors for Longwood’s fountain
the Rainbow theme appears, fountain show. Martin credits his success choreographers—but by no means has
the fountains assume an
asymmetrical rainbow to “staying in the moment” and avoiding it made fountain design a simple feat.
spectrum that could never the temptation to “grasp too tightly to my Randall, Martin, and Gonsalves individually
be achieved with the former initial plan or design notions.” When spend up to 40 hours to design a single
lighting system; now, with
8000+ control channels, it’s
designing, he “starts gesturally and then show and an additional 40 nighttime hours
an easy task. Other thematic expands the gesture into the space of the in the field, running live practice shows
colors appear during The garden,” remaining flexible with his design, after Longwood has closed for the day,
Lullaby League and The
yet unyielding to his ability to “tell a and then making necessary adjustments.
Lollipop Guild. One large fan
turns red whenever the Ruby narrative in water and color when the music Syncronorm’s three-dimensional
Slippers are mentioned, and tells a narrative.” visualization capabilities are revolutionary
all green, with flames, is Gonsalves, Longwood’s associate but can’t replace the reality of watching
used for the Wicked Witch
and also for the Wizard. Once director of performing arts production, and reworking a four-dimensional, real-time
Dorothy and Toto make it employs his background in theatrical show in the Main Fountain Garden’s
home to Kansas, it’s back to production when designing a show. A breathtaking setting while the rest of the
wholesome white.
stage manager and show producer by trade, Gardens slumber.
detail-oriented Gonsalves first learned the Randall, Martin, and Gonsalves all
art of fountain design from Randall and credit a successful fountain show to many
follows his own love of the lyric to “create design characteristics, but perhaps none
a narrative that can flow through from start so much as transition. Whether it’s the
to finish, using the lyrics, the cadence, and transition of one color into another hue,
the rhythm to create an ebb and flow.” the closing of one song melding into
Gonsalves constantly works to “push the another’s opening verse, or seamlessly
envelope with lighting and play with water shifting from one narrative to the next,
in new ways” for maximum impact, every aspect of fountain design, every
especially when creating swell in the attribute, and every resulting performance
fountains at the exact moment the music must uphold a continual flow that is always
swells. Both Martin and Gonsalves build pleasing and never jarring. With this
a show narratively in a three-act structure, dedication to flawless flow, art imitates
with each third following its own arc and life here at Longwood. From du Pont’s
the entire show design following a larger, profound love of water, to the sharing of
all-encompassing arc. knowledge between our exceptional
Flexibility is paramount in fountain fountain designers, to our Main Fountain
design, as is the ability to tell a story Garden of infinite possibilities, Longwood
through the union of light, moving water, has adhered to one of Randall’s original
and music—whether it’s wowing the design theories along every act of our
audience with visuals to represent a classic fountain story: make a smooth transition
story like The Wizard of Oz in Randall’s Over from one piece to the next.
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