When downsizing means turning your plants over to science
Plus: Charlotte's top news of the week; Links to good reads on Bill Spoon's BBQ, two parents' quest to see their son play football, the state's saltiest congressional race; Teen Talk
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Wesley Mancini offloads an enormous plant collection from his $100,000 greenhouse; Discovery Place calls in a bigger truck
Wesley Mancini stands in front of a giant bromeliad, which he bought as a small plant and now stands more than 7 feet wide. It’s one of hundreds of plants Mancini has cultivated over decades. Now he’s downsizing, and he’s donating the content of his backyard greenhouse to Discovery Place science museums and local universities.
by Cristina Bolling
Downsizing means something different for everyone. For some, it’s selling off a grand piano or giving away a dining room set or a collection of dishes.
But for Wesley Mancini, moving out of his Myers Park home comes with a massive and most unusual dilemma: What do you do with the hundreds of plants in your $100,000 backyard greenhouse, which you’ve cultivated over decades?
Mancini, 67, a widely acclaimed textile designer and LGBTQ activist, knew he needed to move into smaller quarters than the 5,000 s.f. home he’s had near the Duke Mansion for the last 13 years.
But he knew his plants, which tether him to important people and memories from throughout his life, couldn’t come with him. Giving them piecemeal to friends wasn’t an option, because some are so huge and require knowledgeable hands, regular care and greenhouse conditions.
So he’s turning them over to big Charlotte institutions that can give them a new legacy.
Discovery Place will put many in its rainforest in the uptown flagship museum, and some will go into the butterfly garden in Discovery Place Nature.
Queens University and UNC Charlotte will put his specimens in their greenhouses for students and professors to study. Mancini is hoping Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden will take some, too.
“I just couldn’t let them die,” Mancini said, passing his fingers over a waxy jade his mom plucked 35 years ago as a tiny clipping in the gardens of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. “If someone respects plants and knows anything about horticulture, they would treasure these. Now they’re going to have the best chance of living forever.”
Palatial greenhouse: Inside Mancini’s greenhouse, tiny button quail patter underfoot and tropical plants tower above. Some arrived in the mail as dead-looking sticks. Others started out as tiny clippings Mancini tucked into his suitcase during trips and became towering giants.
Mancini says he still isn’t sure where he’s moving, but whether it’s a condo uptown or a small house somewhere between uptown and his Mint Hill studio, he knows it won’t have the soaring greenhouse that’s become somewhat legendary among people who know plants in Charlotte.
The greenhouse is stunning and blends in seamlessly with Mancini’s stately white house and expansive patio.
“But nobody wants it,” he sighs. “Everyone sees it as work.”
Haley Hibbert-Frey, greenhouse operations manager at Queens, says she’d heard about Mancini’s greenhouse for years, so she was elated when Mancini invited her over to see what plants Queens might want to take.
She picked out 14 plants, including seven begonias and two trees that are known to be used for medicinal purposes which will be studied by the university’s biochemistry department. She’ll likely go back for more.
The greenhouse “was everything I had hoped it would be — it was perfect,” Hibbert-Frey said. “Birds were flying around, there were chandeliers soaring high. The stories he has behind his plants are all so personal. Plants are ‘in’ these days, but for him, it’s not just about having a plant collection … his plants all have stories.”
Indeed, they do. One was culled from a little shoot he took from a potted plant in front of Bechtler Museum founders Andreas and Regine Bechtler’s home years ago.
There’s a philodendron he grew from a little piece he plucked during a visit to Ernest Hemingway’s Key West home in 1992, and a Christmas cactus he nurtured to a robust size from a snippet he found on the floor of the Robert E. Lee house in Arlington National Cemetery in 1995.
Three distinctive plants in Mancini’s greenhouse (l-r): a betel leaf plant known for medicinal properties will be studied by Queens; a rare caudiciform in the shape of Medusa’s head and a ylang ylang tree so fragrant it is used in Hermès fragrances.
Plants as donations: Eliott Provence, director of collections for Discovery Place, says it’s not uncommon for people who are moving or have a plant that’s grown too big for their home to offer it to the museums.
But even he was shocked when he pulled up to Mancini’s house earlier this week and found plants so huge that he’ll have to return with a rented truck to get them to the museums.
“We brought the biggest van we had, and that was not big enough,” he laughed. “Some of those plants are reaching their full size potential that they would in the wild.”
Provence said he expects Mancini’s donation to Discovery Place could be the biggest plant donation he’s seen in the 16 years he’s been at the museum.
Intersection between plants and fabric: There’s overlap, Mancini says, in what he does in his studio and what happens in his greenhouse.
His textile design clients have included big-name companies like Drexel, Henredon, Duralee and Kravet. A chenille jacquard he designed was used for tablecloths at a 2016 White House state dinner.
“I think there’s an esthetic overlap” between plants and fabric, he says.
“Some people might think caudiciforms (plants that have woody bases that grow above soil) are ugly,” he said. But appreciating plants is about “seeing beauty in a place where others might not.”
“Fabric is very minute, it’s very esthetic as well. It’s all about the details that make the whole.”
There are plenty of plants he’s keeping — smaller ones he can fit on a patio or in a small yard.
And for the ones he can’t bring with him, it’s nice to know there are places he can go to stop in and visit.
“It’s like home,” he says of being among his plants. “It’s comforting. It’s my family. Sometimes I relate to plants better than I relate to people.”
Reach managing editor Cristina Bolling: cristina@cltledger.com
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Teen talk: Build your vocabulary
Impress and delight the young people in your life by using the words they use. The Ledger shows you how in this occasional Saturday feature.
Today’s word: BET
Pronunciation: Beht
Definition: A phrase of affirmation used to express understanding, confirmation or acknowledgement; can be substituted with “for sure” or “sounds good.”
Used in a sentence:
“Hey dude, you should come to the party tonight, it’s gonna be lit!” “Alright, bet!”
“Let’s go to Scarowinds next weekend, and we can visit all of the haunted houses!” “Bet!”
“Mom said we can get a new cat if we stop interrupting her Zoom calls.” “Bet!"
Ledger analysis: Seems as though it could be overused — and probably misused — if you try to say it after everything your teenager says, so use it judiciously for maximum effect.
— Caroline Mecia, age 17
This week in Charlotte: CMS announces back-to-school plan, 5 CMPD officers recommended for dismissal, big buy for Red Ventures, divorces rise
On Saturdays, The Ledger sifts through the local news of the week and links to the top articles — even if they appeared somewhere else. We’ll help you get caught up. That’s what Saturdays are for.
Politics
Remembering Ruth Bader Ginsburg: (WBTV) State and local leaders mourned the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who passed away Friday at age 87 from complications linked to pancreatic cancer. With the election less than seven weeks away, her death is likely to set off a huge political brawl on whether her replacement will be named by President Trump now or will wait until after the election.
Tillis and Cunningham trade jabs: (AP, WRAL) N.C. Sen. Thom Tillis and challenger Cal Cunningham engaged in a back-and-forth during a debate Monday. Tillis accused Cunningham and Democrats of blocking and undermining Covid relief efforts, while Cunningham countered that Republicans weren’t taking enough steps in their proposed bills and sat on critical information for too long. Summer polls showed Cunningham with a slight lead for the Senate seat.
Some voters got two ballots: (Observer, WSOC) Mecklenburg County accidentally sent two absentee ballots to about 500 voters in Matthews this week, but officials say there is no chance someone can vote twice. Each ballot has a unique identifier barcode on the return application, so only one ballot would be counted per voter.
Education
CMS heading back to school: (Ledger) The Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board voted Wednesday to start phasing students into classrooms starting Nov. 2. The district plans a hybrid of online and in-person classes. Grades K-5 report on Nov. 2, followed by grades 6-8 on Nov. 23, then grades 9-12 on Dec. 14 for testing and January for instruction.
CMS sticks to reopening plan despite state options: (Observer) N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper announced this week that elementary schools can reopen with no capacity limits starting Oct. 5, but Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools officials said they’ll keep the current plan to phase students in using a hybrid model.
Charlotte Catholic goes all virtual: (Ledger) Charlotte Catholic High School switched from in-person to virtual learning Tuesday after four people tested positive for Covid. It’s the first instance where a local private school has closed after reopening its campus. The school will resume hybrid classes on Sept. 21 and in-person classes Sept. 28.
Why the long wait for seniors?: (Ledger, subscriber-only) Many CMS parents are confused about why high school students don’t go back to classrooms for regular instruction until Jan. 5, so The Ledger asked CMS board Chair Elyse Dashew to weigh in on why.
Local news
Officers recommended for dismissal: (WSOC) A review board recommended that four Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officers and a sergeant be fired following the death of a man in police custody in January. The officers left Harold Easter alone in an interview room for 20 minutes following a drug arrest even though they knew he had swallowed cocaine, Chief Johnny Jennings said. A civil service board will determine if the officers will be let go.
Museums reopening: (WSOC) As North Carolina moves into Phase 2.5 of its reopening plan, museums are allowed to reopen at 50% capacity. WSOC compiled a list of Charlotte-area museums, what date they will reopen and their safety protocols.
More couples calling it quits: (Ledger, subscriber-only) Local divorce attorneys and marriage therapists say business is booming as couples strain under the weight of the pandemic. The Charlotte Ledger analyzed court records and found that custody, domestic abuse and divorce filings have all risen since the spring.
State says Halloween is on: (WSOC) N.C. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen said Halloween will be “able to happen” this year, but with safety protocols. Mecklenburg County is expected to release its recommendations soon.
Business
Red Ventures deal: (Ledger, subscriber-only) Red Ventures announced this week it is buying tech-review site CNET from ViacomCBS for $500M. What does Red Ventures actually do? We broke down how it makes money, in plain English. The company has about 2,000 local employees and is based in Indian Land, S.C.
Flyover Friday: (Ledger) This week’s Flyover Friday takes us to South End with Clayton Sealey, widely known on social media as CLT Development, to guide us through where South End has been … and where it’s going.
Mixed-income housing: (QCityMetro) Laurel Street and the Little Rock Community Development Corporation are partnering on a mixed-income apartment community at the corner of East 7th and North Alexander streets. Little Rock A.M.E. Zion Church will contribute land in order to reduce the need for new parking.
Birthday parties out at Sports Connection: (Ledger) Sports Connection owner Allan Haseley told the Ledger its unlikely his family entertainment centers in Northlake and Ballantyne will reopen for birthday parties and drop-in play. The centers have been closed since March.
Sports
49ers cancel game: (WBTV) UNC Charlotte canceled its game against UNC Chapel Hill after members of UNCC’s offensive line were placed in quarantine. The team has had three positive cases in the past two weeks.
PJ Washington makes all-rookie: (ESPN) Charlotte Hornets forward PJ Washington was picked for the NBA’s All-Rookie 2nd Team. Washington became an immediate starter for the team, averaging 12.2 points and 5.4 rebounds in the shortened 2019-20 season.
CMS athletes could start training soon: (Ledger) High-school athletes in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools could return to training with their teams by the end of October, under a recommendation from athletic directors presented to the school board on last week. The schedule staggers the return of training based on the state athletic association’s start dates for practices.
Voter guides
The Charlotte Observer’s voter guide allows you to type in your address and view your ballot, with links to information about the candidates and races.
Charlotte Agenda’s guide is an easy-to-read tour of the races, with context about why they matter.
Good reads
Goodbye, Bill Spoon’s: (Agenda) Kathleen Purvis writes a heartfelt tribute to one of her favorite restaurants, Bill Spoon’s Barbecue, which closed for good on Wednesday after 57 years. “There was the family feel of the place, with Bill Spoon himself perched behind the glass counter at the cash register, the walls around him fluttering with notes, cartoons, and the shame of a publicly bounced check,” Purvis writes.
The adventures of a Nextdoor enthusiast: (Ledger) Colleen Brannan takes us on her journey from Nextdoor skeptic to fan. “Where else can I unload a birdhouse made of branches, boxes of FLOR carpet tiles found in the garage and my husband’s outgrown shorts, all in one week?”
A journey to see their QB son: (Observer) Charlotte Observer columnist Scott Fowler rode along with Dan and Beth Reynolds to Boone to try to catch a glimpse of their son, Chris, playing quarterback for UNCC against Appalachian State, despite no fans being allowed.
NC’s saltiest political race: (Observer) The Charlotte Observer’s Jim Morrill takes us inside the state’s ugliest congressional race, in which Democrat Moe Davis, 62, faces 25-year-old Republican Madison Cawthorn for the 11th District seat vacated by White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. The district includes all or part of 17 western North Carolina counties. “Screw they go low, we go high bullsh*t,” Davis tweeted. “When @NCGOP extremists go low, we stomp their scrawny pasty necks with our heels and once you hear the sound of a crisp snap you grind your heel hard and twist it slowly side to side for good measure.” Cawthorn drew criticism for tweeting that a trip to Adolf Hitler’s mountain retreat “has been on my bucket list for years. And it did not disappoint.”
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