Remembering Bunny Mellon
Emily Ellis
The memory of Bunny Mellon is always strong at Oak Spring, but never more so than in August, when sunflowers blaze from the garden beds and the apples are just beginning to ripen on her carefully pruned trees.
Rachel “Bunny” Mellon was born 110 years ago on August 9th in New York, NY. She passed away at her home in Upperville, VA at the age of 103, leaving the world a more beautiful place than she had found it through her philanthropy, her passion for art and horticulture, her kindness to others, and the lasting impressions she made on those who knew her.
Although her life was a glamorous one, marked by relationships with some the most influential figures of the 20th century, Mrs. Mellon’s own tastes sometimes belied her wealth - particularly when it came to her birthday celebrations at Oak Spring in Upperville.
Mrs. Mellon listening to Oak Spring Farm staff sing “Happy Birthday” under her window. Photo credit Oak Spring Garden Foundation.
While Mrs. Mellon would plan elaborate parties for her loved ones, she kept her own celebrations small and simple during her later years, inviting only family and close friends. The festivities usually included luncheon at a beautifully set table featuring simple, in-season dishes such as mushroom sandwiches and sliced tomatoes and cucumbers, a white cake with blue icing decorated with fresh daisies, and her “family” from Oak Spring Farm singing beneath her window.
“She didn’t fuss over herself like she liked to fuss over other people,” said Nancy Collins, assistant librarian and former nurse to the Mellons.
“She liked a card, or just a happy birthday wish, and the support and love from all of us.”
Mrs. Mellon’s cake from her 102nd birthday - almost every year in her later years, she had a white cake with blue icing. Photo credit Oak Spring Garden Foundation.
Turning 100 was a particularly momentous birthday for Mrs. Mellon. Head Librarian Tony Willis recalls talking with her during a quiet moment prior to the festivities, as she reflected back on all that she had lived through in a century. He had asked her what advice she would give after reaching 100, and said that her answer would have a big influence on his life.
“She said, “whatever dreams you have, stick with them, pursue them. There will bumps up and down, but you can do it,” said Tony. “And always, but most importantly, have that positive attitude, but also instill kindness along the way. Because it's the nice, down to earth sort of disposition that will lead you further along in life.””
“It's important that people realize that she was a deep person, she had a great mind, and she was very interested intellectually in things,” he said. “She cared a great deal, and she was very compassionate.”
Mrs. Mellon’s kindness to others and her positive outlook on life - despite the hardships she had experienced, including the death of her daughter, Eliza Moore - always stuck with Nancy as well, she said.
“She was an incredibly wonderful person, and highly creative,” said Nancy. “She was just a really great woman, and she did a lot for a lot of people.”
Bunny Mellon through the years. Photographers are unknown, and all photos are from the Oak Spring Garden Foundation archives.
Reflecting on their conversation on her 100th birthday, Tony said that Mrs. Mellon had a clear sense of what was the most important to her.
Mrs. Mellon on her 101st Birthday. Photo credit Oak Spring Garden Foundation.
“Despite all of this grandeur and this richness that she was exposed to, what was really the most important was the fact that she had the farm, that she had the land, she had the garden, she had books. All of that meant the most to her,” he said.
“It was the land, the flowers, the gardens - those really wonderful, pure things in nature that we don't take the time to appreciate everyday. And she did.”
Even as she neared the end of her life, Mrs. Mellon had a forward-thinking attitude and spoke of hope for the future, he continued.
“When you think about the foundation now - we're still somewhat of a green foundation, but she still had that attitude of moving forward,” he said. “And here we are, and we're doing that, and we're utilizing what we have.”
At the Oak Spring Garden Foundation, we have the privilege of carrying on Mrs. Mellon’s legacy of compassion, creativity, intellectual curiosity, and her love of the natural world everyday through developing programs for artists and scholars, caring for her land, library and garden, and supporting our community - all of which we strive to do, as she did, with an eye on a brighter future.
To honor Mrs. Mellon on her birthday this year, we’ve compiled a list of simple ways that you can take a leaf out of her book and bring a little kindness and brightness to both your life and those of others, as well as appreciate our beautiful world. Scroll down to read more.
Happy birthday, Mrs. Mellon, from all of us at Oak Spring!
10 Ways to Celebrate Mrs. Mellon’s 110th Birthday
Mrs. Mellon’s Daiquiri
Have a daiquiri. What better way to celebrate someone’s birthday than to toast them with their favorite drink? Mrs. Mellon often enjoyed a simple lemon daiquiri in the evening, a particularly refreshing cocktail for a late-summer birthday. Head of Hospitality Ronnie Caison showed us how to prepare the drink in this recent video. To enjoy your daiquiri as Mrs. Mellon did, arrange your favorite small dishes on a tray so that you can add ice, lemon, and sugar to taste!
Support a cause you believe in. Mrs. Mellon was a passionate supporter of social justice and civil rights throughout her long life. A believer in the “common good for everybody,” said Tony, she supported and spoke out for numerous causes both nationally and in her own community. To honor her memory, make a donation to a charity or organization, attend a march, volunteer, or speak out to help educate others, whether it has to do with food security, racial injustice, environmental conservation, or any other area where change needs to happen – and make sure you are registered to vote for representatives who will also support such causes.
Sunflowers blooming in Oak Spring’s cut flower garden.
Plant a sunflower (or any flower!) Aside from being emblematic of August gardens, cheery golden sunflowers literally follow the movement of the sun, representing the Mrs. Mellon’s positive, forward-thinking attitude. Of course, Mrs. Mellon loved and appreciated many different types of flowers, so if sunflowers aren’t your cup of tea, you can honor her memory by planting any bloom that you find beautiful.
Start a project. Mrs. Mellon always had an eye on the future, and even in her later years, she kept herself occupied by overseeing construction and remodeling projects at Oak Spring, including the construction of the Oak Spring Gallery (or “Memory House”), which she built to honor her family and her late daughter, Eliza Moore. Starting a project of your own can be a wonderful way to keep yourself occupied and support your own passions and interests. Try starting a writing or art project, redecorate a space in your home, or build a new section in your garden. If you’re interested in project suggestions and guides from Oak Spring staff, check out our videos on making a new raised vegetable bed, starting a woodland garden, and embarking on chicken-raising!
Mrs. Mellon pruning at Oak Spring, c. 1987. Photo credit the Oak Spring Garden Foundation.
Prune your plants. Mrs. Mellon was a true artist when it came to shaping the plants at Oak Spring, carefully trimming them into living sculptures. While pruning is a practice in patience, it can also be a soothing activity that draws out your artistic side and lets you spend a lot of one-on-one time with your plants (and even if you’re not interested into manipulating apple trees into spectacular espaliers, pruning still improves the health of your plants.) For pruning beginners, The Spruce has a useful guide to getting started.
Go for a wildflower drive. Even as her mobility declined in her old age, Mrs. Mellon loved to go for drives through the countryside in search of wildflowers, recalls Nancy. Some of the most beautiful native flowers thrive in open areas such as roadsides, so you likely won’t have to go far to appreciate the beauty growing right under your nose! Wildflower hunters in Virginia can head to virginiawildflowers.org for a great list of the flora you’re likely to encounter throughout the state.
Handwrite a note. Mrs. Mellon made others feel welcomed and appreciated in a number of different ways, and one of them was by handwriting notes (often accompanied by a little drawing.) If you need to thank someone for a gift or favor, send your congratulations, or simply let them know that you are thinking of them, skip the text or email and handwrite a note on your favorite notecard or stationary. You’re sure to brighten their day!
Support an artist. Both Mrs. Mellon and her husband, Paul, were patrons of the arts. They commissioned and purchased artwork from a number of different artists, and had close relationships with some of the sculptors, painters, and jewelers they worked with - some of whom were well-known, and some who were not. As many artists continue to struggle to make end’s meet due to the COVID-19 pandemic, consider purchasing or commissioning a piece of art from someone whose work speaks to you.
Take a walk at sunset. Although she was surrounded by grandeur and material wealth, Mrs. Mellon took the time to appreciate and find inspiration in simple things in nature, such as wildflowers or the colors of a sunset. To celebrate her birthday this year, go for a short stroll as the sun is setting, and take a moment to appreciate the everyday - but no less spectacular - beauty in our world.
Thank you to Tony Willis, Nancy Collins, and Ronnie Caison for their help with this blogpost!
Banner image: Unknown Photographer. Photo credit: Oak Spring Garden Foundation.