Innholdsfortegnelse for May/June 2016 i Flower

“Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul alike.” So posited John Muir, the 19th-century Scottish-American naturalist and author, to whom I say, “Amen.” Recently I’ve been remembering my visit several years ago to the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s exhibition for the late Alexander McQueen. Deftly and artfully composed elements (including the soundtrack) evoked and unveiled his tragically brilliant life and work. It haunted me, challenged me, inspired me, but its darkness clung to me like a shroud. Immediately on my departure from the exhibit, without even stopping to buy the T-shirt, I made a beeline to find the Impressionists. “Monet, Monet, I must find some Monet,” was my mantra as I strode…

TIMING MATTERS. Cut flowers either early in the morning or late in the afternoon when they’ve had the opportunity to cool down from harsh midday sun. Also, clipping from more established plants means that they will hold longer in an arrangement. For example, hydrangeas or dahlias harvested early in their blooming season will not last as long as those cut later. TEXTURE TELLS THE TALE. If the flower feels soft, damp, or sticky, it generally will not hold very long when cut. If it feels leathery, papery, and dry, it will usually last longer. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF A PLANT’S ENTIRE LIFE CYCLE. Use the foliage even after the flowers are gone. I love hellebores, forsythia, and peonies, for instance, but after their blooming seasons are over, I still use the…

FLOWER LIST: ■ Harlequin’ hydrangeas■ glorybower■ hyacinth beans■ redbud leaves FLOWER LIST: ■ ‘Emerald Classic’ hydrangeas■ Queen Anne’s lace■ pokeweed berries■ buckeye pods■ wild strawberry leaves FLOWER LIST: ■‘Hortmabrid’ hydrangeas■ cup-plant rosinweed■ coralberries■ arrowgrass “I remember the huge hydrangea hedge we had when I was a little girl, and cutting armloads to bring inside. Today they’re still my go-to flower, but I’ve since discovered so many different varieties. I love the saturated color and weight they bring to an arrangement.”–BONNIE GARRISON FLOWER LIST: ■‘Nikko Blue’ hydrangeas■ trumpet vines■ evergreen clematis foliage…

ALNWICK CASTLE Northumberland alnwickcastle.com BELVOIR CASTLE Leicestershire belvoircastle.com BLENHEIM PALACE Oxfordshire blenheimpalace.com CHATSWORTH HOUSE Derbyshire chatsworth.org CROOME COURT Worcestershire nationaltrust.org.uk HAMPTON COURT Herefordshire hamptoncourt.org.uk HIGHCLERE CASTLE West Berkshire highclerecastle.co.uk PETWORTH HOUSE West Sussex nationaltrust.org.uk STOWE HOUSE Buckinghamshire stowe.co.uk For more information, see Sources, page 84.…

DESIGN SCHOOL PAGES 25-28 Floral Design: Kelly Perry, Philosophy Flowers, 434.515.1499, philosophyflowers.com, teamflower.org. Container: Accent Décor Ravini compote, $25, 800.385.5114, accentdecor.com. PAGE 28 Joyce Chen Unlimited garden scissors, $36, 800.503.9624, whiteflowerfarm.com. Flora Life Quick Dip 100, 800.323.3689, floralife.com. HOUSE PARTY PAGES 31-36 Book: Julia Reed’s South: Spirited Entertaining and High-Style Fun All Year Long by Julia Reed (Rizzoli New York, 2016), $50, rizzoliusa.com. Garden Design: Ben Page, Page Duke Landscape Architects, 615.320.0220, pageduke.com. TO HAVE AND TO HOLD PAGES 39-42 Floral Design: Kelly Lenard, Intertwine, 219.242.2648, kellylenard.com. Venue: Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art, 615.356.8000, cheekwood.org. Photography: Cassidy Carson, 318.623.3474, cassidycarsonphotography.com. Cake: Leland Riggins, Dessert Designs, 615.354.9555, dessert-designsbyleland.com. Catering: Chef’s Market, 615.851.2433, chefsmarket.com. Calligraphy: Jenny Sanders, Graceline, gracelineart.com. Bridal Gown: YolanCris, yolancris.com. Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Jenny Yoo, jennyyoo.com. Hair: Trumps Salon & Spa,…

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA Historic Garden Week April 23 – 30 vagardenweek.org MONKTON, MARYLAND Garden Festival May 7 ladewgardens.com NEW YORK, NEW YORK Kips Bay Decorator Show House May 12 – June 9 kipsbaydecoratorshowhouse.org GLENCOE, ILLINOIS Outdoor Living Extravaganza May 14 provenwinners.com BRONX, NEW YORK Impressionism: American Gardens on Canvas May 14 – September 11 nybg.org SHARON, CONNECTICUT Trade Secrets May 14 – 15 tradesecretsct.com LONDON, ENGLAND RHS Chelsea Flower Show May 24 – 28 rhs.org.uk NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND Newport Flower Show June 24 – 26 newportmansions.org indicates flower is attending or sponsoring the event. For more events, visit flowermag.com.…

“Surround children with beauty at an early age, and they will pursue it the rest of their lives.” –Charlotte Moss no • 1 SIGHT “There is no spot of ground, however arid, bare, or ugly, that cannot be tamed into such a state as may give an impression of beauty and delight.” –Gertrude Jekyll MUST-SEE AMERICAN ESTATE GARDENS: AFTON VILLA ST. FRANCISVILLE, LOUISIANA FILOLI WOODSIDE, CALIFORNIA HILLWOOD WASHINGTON, D.C. HORTULUS FARM WRIGHTSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA MIDDLETON PLACE CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA THE MOUNT LENOX, MASSACHUSETTS OLD WESTBURY OLD WESTBURY, NEW YORK VIZCAYA MIAMI, FLORIDA no • 2 SOUND “The hum of bees is the voice of the garden.” –Elizabeth Lawrence MUSIC WE LISTEN FOR IN THE GARDEN: WATER GURGLING FROM AN ANTIQUE FOUNTAIN SONGBIRDS CALLING FROM THE TREES WIND RUSTLING THROUGH ORNAMENTAL GRASSES PEA GRAVEL CRUNCHING BENEATH…

WHEN BROOKE AND STEVE GIANNETTI PULLED UP TO A five-acre parcel of land tucked within California’s Ojai Valley, they felt an immediate connection—the kind, like the first rush of true love, that just won’t be denied. Although they were living in Santa Monica and both had grown up in urban environments (she in Los Angeles, and he near Washington, D.C.), the idea of transitioning to a rural lifestyle was a seed that had been germinating in their collective minds for quite awhile. Now, captivated by the picturesque landscape before them with its meandering pasture, stately oak trees, glorious mountain views, and abundant sunlight, they knew they’d found the path toward home. It was time to plant those pastoral roots, nurture them carefully, and allow them to grow. “I more or…

KELLY PERRY BELIEVES IN THE transformative power of small, exquisite moments. “Once I really started noticing the beautiful little things, like poppies blooming along the side of the road, a life shift began to happen,” she says. Although Perry had always engaged in creative endeavors, from baking wedding cakes (a business she started while in middle school) to event planning, she found her true calling in flowers. Today, Perry shares her love for making arrangements that are uninhibited, artistic, and freshly picked from the garden. Perry’s approach to designing an arrangement involves three layers, each with a specific purpose. 1 The first layer establishes the shape and size of the arrangement, covers the rim and base of the container, and adds support for other flowers to come. Perry uses a…

Perhaps it’s the verdant backdrop for the exchange of vows or the way the surrounding landscape influences reception décor, but glorious gardens and wedding celebrations are a natural combination. For their special day, McKenna and Kevin chose Nashville’s Cheekwood Botanical Garden, using bountiful arrangements and a soft color palette of pinks, creams, and greens to accentuate the beauty of the setting. For more information, see Sources, page 84.…

If dreamlike vistas of grass and woodlands mirrored in glassy lakes fit your established definition of a natural, untouched English landscape, you might be surprised to discover that hundreds of these sweeping tableaux were actually contrived by one man—the iconic visionary Lancelot “Capability” Brown, whose 300th anniversary is being celebrated in every corner of England this year. Brown’s designs boasted utmost simplicity balanced on three important components: gently rolling ground that could evoke the ideal of an immense landscape; extensive watercourses often reworked into graceful artificial lakes; and artful arrangements of trees, filled with swooning willows, dark cedars of Lebanon, towering beeches, and, above all, English oaks. The groupings within dense woodlands were like green belts that offered tempting views through them at panoramic points, cleverly highlighted by contrasting greens…

CARSON McELHENEY ATLANTA, GA With a love of history and deep connection to both land and architecture, McElheney is a devoted traditionalist who coaxes as much beauty out of a kitchen garden as from a clipped parterre. Design influences: George Washington and Thomas Jefferson both loved and respected the natural landscape, and they’ve each made deep impressions on me. Washington was a skilled surveyor who assessed a particular piece of ground and sited buildings on it for the best vantage and value. Jefferson’s meticulous planting and landscaping enhanced his architectural artistry and vice versa. When I was very young, my grandparents took me to visit Mount Vernon and Monticello, and the history drew me in. Advice to new clients: Begin with a good foundation of plantings. Establish a plant palette…