Filed under: Gardening, News & Trends
At 101, Bunny Mellon, a high-society philanthropist and (constant) gardener is under investigation.Check out this inside scoop from our friends at The Daily Beast.
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On the eve of her 101st birthday, reclusive philanthropist Bunny Mellon, the wealthy zelig who cavorted with Kennedys and stood by John Edwards, talks exclusively to Meryl Gordon about life with Paul, her famous friends, and the secrets buried in her gardens.
via The Daily Beast
The voice on the phone was frail but clear, with a hint of Southern gentility. "I have to tell you, my dear, I hate publicity," said Rachel "Bunny" Mellon. "I don't know what I've done that has made people so interested in me, more than anyone else." Mellon, now blind, lives in luxurious seclusion on her 2,000-acre Virginia farm, cosseted by a staff of 120 loyal retainers. She had not given an extended interview in more than a quarter century.
Until recently the philanthropist, whose net worth exceeds $400 million, was primarily known as a passionate gardener and discreet woman with a discerning eye. As Jackie Kennedy's closest confidante, she helped decorate the White House, redesigned the Rose Garden, presided over the floral arrangements for JFK's bier, and remained an intimate to the first lady until Jackie's death. As the second wife of financier Paul Mellon, she helped him amass a renowned art collection, hundreds of works ranging from Cézannes to Rothkos, either donated to the National Gallery in Washington or still hanging on her walls.
Yet now the private Mellon, who turns 101 on Aug. 9, has become front-page news for her unwitting involvement in two unrelated criminal cases.
To read the rest of the story, head on over to The Daily Beast.
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