One of Sagaponack’s gems is the Madoo Conservancy, the garden and home of internationally renowned painter Robert Dash. Until his passing in 2013 he painted and gardened at the 1.9 acre property, creating a unique world unto itself, where art and gardens combine in surprising and captivating ways that inspire the imagination.
Today the gardens at Madoo remain faithful to Dash’s vision, which embraces the use of color on architectural elements of the property – a purple gazebo, a yellow door framed in chartreuse. The property included an 18th century barn and several outbuildings, and today hosts a welcome center, a library and a small shop in addition to the barn and artist’s studio.
The gardens have historic and geographic themes – together they are a living encyclopedia of garden design. What drew Mr. Dash to the place, he said, was the light and the rich soil. The gardens grew gradually – they weren’t planned out.
Alejandro Saralegui has served as the Executive Director at Madoo for 12 years and he recently took some time to talk with Hamptons.com and give us a tour.
We began in the barn, where a winter show of Dash works was in place in March. “All the works here, except for one, have been purchased since Robert Dash’s death,” explained Alejandro. The conservancy is refining their collection of Dash artworks, buying and selling pieces.
In addition to being open to the public, currently via reserving a time on their website, madoo.org, with visits beginning April 29 on Fridays and Saturdays (Wednesdays will be added in mid-June), Madoo hosts a variety of events. A 3-hour class, The Way We Garden, which includes a tour and instruction on how to garden at home, will be introduced this spring. “Post- Covid we’ve seen increased interest in classes,” says Alejandro. Mornings at Madoo is a story time for children. And Much Ado about Madoo, their annual cocktail party fundraiser, is planned for June 18 this year.
This year Madoo also plans to bring back live lectures, beginning with topiaries. Darren Lerigo – a master of the art of topiary – will present a Zoom lecture for International Topiary Day on May 12, followed by two workshops.
A gardening company that has been with Madoo for 25 years reworks the gardens as needed to keep them healthy, along with help from volunteers. Since Mr. Dash’s passing the garden has continued to evolve, as he wished. “We have to periodically open up overgrown plantings to open the garden to the sky,” explains Alejandro. “Otherwise it would become a shade garden, and Bob would not have wanted that.” Changes occur here, as in any garden. Plants die, things happen. “It’s not preserved in amber,” as Mr. Dash once observed. Since Mr. Dash’s passing, Madoo engages in “forensic gardening,” trying to figure out what Robert would have wanted when changes have to be made. And so Madoo continues as a living testament to the vision of Robert Dash, and a wonderful, inspirational place for us to visit.
For more info, visit madoo.org
