2019 Longhouse Reserve Landscape Awards Luncheon
The LongHouse Reserve in East Hampton, New York, continues to recognize horticultural leaders in landscape design, garden direction, and publication.
Not long ago, I attended the 2019 Longhouse Reserve Landscape Awards Luncheon. LongHouse Reserve is a not-for-profit art museum, sculpture garden, and art education organization. It was founded by Jack Lenor Larsen, internationally known textile designer, collector, and author, whose works are displayed in museum collections around the world. This year, I was asked to present the Garden Direction Award to Charles and Kathleen Marder - owners of Marders located in nearby Bridgehampton - a fabulous nursery specializing in rare and unusual plant material and one of the few national companies with the ability to successfully transport giant trees. I’ve been buying from Kathleen and Charlie for many years and was delighted to present them with such a wonderful award. The biennial ceremony also honored author, gardener, and seed saving advocate Amy Goldman Fowler, garden designer Lynden Miller, and landscape architect Thomas Woltz.
Enjoy these photos.
- The LongHouse Landscape Awards weekend is always lots of fun. Some of the past award recipients include plantsman and garden writer Dan Hinkley, landscape designer Deborah Nevins and founder and president of the Battery Conservancy, Warrie Price. (Photo by ©Philippe Cheng)
- For lunch, we started with this delicious melon and faro salad with feta, toasted pumpkin seeds and lemon vinaigrette. Our meal was prepared by Distinctive Catering, Cynthia Battaglia and inspired by a recipe in the book, “The Melon” by Honoree, Amy Goldman Fowler.
- The tables were dressed in bright summer foliage green. Nearly 100-guests were in attendance. (Photo by ©Philippe Cheng)
- The luncheon was held on the Second Lawn – such a beautiful day for the event. (Photo by ©Philippe Cheng)
- The table runners were made from Sunbrella fabric by LongHouse curator Wendy Van Deusen. The floral arrangements and centerpieces were from Kathleen and Charlie Marder. (Photo by ©Philippe Cheng)
- Charlie, in his signature suspenders, and his team from Marders nursery listen from their table as I talk about Charlie and his wife, Kathleen, just before welcoming them to the stage for their award. (Photo by ©Philippe Cheng)
- The ceremony took place next to Fly’s Eye Dome designed by Buckminster Fuller in 1998. It is made of fiberglass. (Photo by ©Philippe Cheng)
- I took a photo as Charlie approached the stage, stopping first to pet the huge watermelon grown by Honoree Amy Goldman Fowler. (Photo by ©Philippe Cheng)
- Here is the photo I took – the watermelon is a Carolina Cross variety. There were two on the stage – one on each front corner.
- Each of the watermelons weighs about 124-pounds!
- Charlie and Kathleen addressed the audience and thanked everyone for the prestigious award.
- Barbara P. Robinson presented the Landscape Award to Lynden Miller. Barbara is on the Board of Directors of Wave Hill, the public garden in Riverdale, New York and is director emeritus and a past Vice President of The Garden Conservancy.
- Here is Landscape Award Honoree, Thomas Woltz, a principal of Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects. His firm recently worked on New York’s City’s Hudson Yards development.
- And here is a view from inside Buckminster Fuller’s Fly’s Eye Dome. The Fly’s Eye Dome. It features circular openings, called “oculi,” in a pattern similar to the lenses of a fly’s eye, which would allow light and air to enter without compromising the integrity of the structure. (Photo by ©Philippe Cheng)
- LongHouse Executive Director Matko Tomicic and Honoree Amy Goldman Fowler, gardener and heirloom seed saving advocate posed with her watermelon for this quick snapshot. (Photo by ©Philippe Cheng)
- The Marders stopped for this photo in the garden. (Photo by ©Philippe Cheng)
- This is LongHouse founder Jack Lenor Larsen. Jack’s home, LongHouse, was originally built to exemplify life with art and to encourage visitors to expand their imagination and appreciation for art in all forms.
- Here, Jack is joined by all the Honorees – Kathleen, Charles, Lynden Miller, Amy, and Thomas. (Photo by ©Philippe Cheng)
- And here I am with Thomas and Lynden. (Photo by ©Philippe Cheng)
- And here’s a nice photo of Kathleen, Jack, myself and Charlie. I always enjoy this event and seeing the gorgeous gardens of LongHouse Reserve. Please visit their web site for more information on how you can visit the next time you’re in this area. (Photo by ©Philippe Cheng)