A Walk to Remember: an echanting stroll through the ages at Longue Vue Gardens
The American Renaissance is a lost age, one characterized by a nationalistic fervor and expressed by inspired artists and architects, among others. Americans embraced modernism, technology, and classicism, creating a widespread sensibility of the country as the ideal modern heir of the age-old classic ideals. The 1940s home and garden design at Longue Vue Estate reflects the design themes so popular in the American Renaissance, fusing the novelty of modern style with the neoclassical nostalgia for timeless European design.
The potential of this grand estate was realized by well-known and loved New Orleans philanthropists, the late Edgar and Edith Stern. Working with architects Geoffery and William Platt and landscape architect Ellen Biddle Shipman, the Longue Vue house and surrounding gardens were created. The Classic Revival estate that stands there today features eight acres of gardens, architectural wonders, antiques, tours, and a museum store.
The house is an extraordinary example of the Classical Revival architectural style, containing unsurpassed examples of textiles, tile, and brick craftsmanship. One of the most notable features is the exceptional custom millwork created from mahogany, Brazilian rosewood, Norwegian spruce, and pine. The elegantly furnished home contains an assemblage of 18th- and 19th-century antiques, including wall coverings, furnishings, artwork, and creamware that the Sterns accumulated over the years. An art gallery on the first floor features a fine collection, assembled by the Platt brothers, of modern and contemporary art. In addition to designing the gardens, Shipman was also responsible for the interior design of the home. The collection includes American and English antiques, needlework, French and Oriental carpets, and a fine British and Continental creamware pottery collection.
Shipman's landscaping softens the harsh lines and angles of the geometric architecture with planting designs that speak for themselves, exuding a lyrical organic energy. She once said, "Remember that the design of your place is its skeleton upon which you will later plant to make your picture. Keep that skeleton as simple as possible."
Each garden compartment has a different theme. The entrance drive to the property is lined with ancient oaks, their massive gnarled limbs twisting about each other to weave a majestic arching canopy. Oak Alley, designed by Shipman in 1942, is one of the most famous and widely photographed vistas at Longue Vue. The limbs of the oaks were trained with cables to grow into an arch, framing the Stern's colossal home at the end of the walk. One of the most prominent garden spaces is the grand Spanish Court garden, designed by Platt and Mrs. Stern. It was modeled after the 14th-century Generalife Gardens of Alahambra in Granada, Spain, one of the oldest surviving Moorish gardens. The walkways are paved in pebble mosaics done in the traditional Granadian style, and the central focal point of the space is a long rectangular fountain with an enchanting water display.
Another garden, designed in remembrance of the Sterns' trips to Europe, is the lyrical Canal Garden, which Mrs. Stern modeled after a garden she was drawn to near Lisbon, Portugal. The Yellow Garden references an English garden style that Mrs. Stern remembered, with box parterres and yellow roses. In the Wild Garden, Shipman created a whimsical fairyland of wildflowers and plants indigenous to Louisiana, including native irises and camellias. A new feature at Longue Vue is an exciting, interactive garden for children dubbed the Discovery Garden. This playland features a fun bamboo maze, a worm dig, and a human sundial; these areas allow children to explore and learn about the world of nature.
The grounds of Longue Vue are an enlightening experience for all ages, lovingly maintained year round. When you stroll through the winding walkways beneath the arms of the oaks, the serenity of the atmosphere slowly envelops you. Now away from the hectic cacophony of civilization, you realize how noisy city life really is, and wonder how you don't even notice most of the time. You meander through avenues splashed with colorful foliage, accented by bubbling fountains and shaded by towering trees. Expanses of soft grass are spread between the gardens, inviting you to recline for a bit of daydreaming, or maybe a quick picnic.
The Sterns' property is now a public garden, allowing everyone to enjoy the environment they created. The couple's sincere commitment to civic responsibility is fondly remembered by the New Orleans community. They are the only couple to have been separately awarded the Times-Picayune Loving Cup, one of the highest civic honors in New Orleans. Among other deeds, the Sterns founded Dillard University and the Flint-Goodridge teaching hospital for African-Americans, fought for voter registration reform, and provided civic leadership in New Orleans.
Longue Vue's mission fosters the tradition begun by the Sterns, promising to "preserve and use the historical and artistic legacy of Longue Vue and its creators to educate and inspire people to pursue beauty and civic responsibility in their lives." The mission is realized through a wide variety of educational programs targeted to diverse secondary school, academic, and professional audiences. The civic pioneers participating in the community efforts follow in the Sterns' footsteps, striving to improve New Orleans communities, one step at a time. In a way, it is another Renaissance. Citizens are embracing a reinvention or rebirth of society, fueled by their determination to improve the community. In this time of recovery and growth, volunteers like those at Longue Vue are eager to spread knowledge, creativity, and wisdom to anyone who cares to listen. ✦
