Flower November/December 2016

ALMOST 10 YEARS AGO, we held one of our flower launch parties in Atlanta at the botanical gardens. It was an exciting evening with people from all corners of the floral-and-garden-design world in attendance. There was, however, one garden aficionado who stood out—a man in a straw gardening hat, wearing a beautiful flower-patterned shawl, an oilcloth apron, horn-rimmed sunglasses, and a giant squash blossom turquoise necklace. We were introduced, and he never left my side the whole evening. It turned out that he wanted to write for this publication—new as it was—and I, of course, said, “YES.” I had heard of Ryan Gainey forever and knew his work to be brilliant, poetic, and possessing that elusive combination of classicism and whimsy. But I could never have dreamt the reality of…

NORTHAMPTON, MASSACHUSETTS Fall Chrysanthemum Show November 5 – 20 smith.edu/garden NEW YORK, NEW YORK Art, Antique & Jewelry Show November 9 – 13 nyfallshow.com WILMINGTON, DELAWARE Delaware Antiques Show November 11 – 13 winterthur.org HOUSTON, TEXAS Theta Charity Antiques Show November 11 – 13 thetacharityantiquesshow.org NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA Essence of Style Design Symposium November 17 – 18 longuevue.com OMAHA, NEBRASKA Holiday Poinsettia Show November 25 – January 4 lauritzengardens.org ATLANTA, GEORGIA Christmas at Callanwolde November 28 – December 13 callanwolde.org JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 40th Anniversary Art & Antiques Show December 1 – 4 womensboardwch.com SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA Holiday Flower Show December 3 – January 2 comozooconservatory.org indicates flower is attending or sponsoring the event. For more events, visit flowermag.com.…

MATERIALS & TOOLS ■ chestnut branches ■ evergreen branches ■ hellebores ■ weigela leaves ■ rose hips ■ fern ■ holly ■ croton leaves ■ dahlias ■ ranunculus ■ spray roses ■ milkweed ■ black-eyed Susans ■ gomphrena ■ coneflowers ■ pomegranates ■ unripe persimmons ■ figs ■ container ■ floral tape ■ floral foam ■ coated chicken wire my inspiration for this design is simply the Christmas season. I wanted to create a centerpiece with wintry blooms and fruit while also using materials that can be easily found around you and that grow locally. I think it’s an effortless way to incorporate the outdoors into your indoor environment during the colder months. I love clipping handfuls of materials from my own backyard, and for this arrangement I’m using several…

WHEN PLANNING A CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON at JoJo Home, Marjorie Johnston didn’t need to search long for inspiration. “We set the table using fabrics and furnishings from our inventory,” she explains. “The tablecloth—a Muriel Brandolini design with a metallic-gold floral motif—was the inspiration for the mix of china, crystal, and serving pieces.” The dining table shows off a masterful grouping of more contemporary elements such as the wooden charger plates and marble cheese board joined by formal china and elegant white linens trimmed or monogrammed in gold from Table Matters, one of the designer’s go-to shops. Petite vintage bottlebrush trees and little houses from Johnston’s personal collection add a charming, more humble note to the table sprinkled among the glittering pieces. A favorite beaded tabletop tree was reimagined for the centerpiece.…

FLOWER LIST: ■ ‘Tango’garden roses ■ ranunculus ■ anemones ■ quince branches ■ eucalyptus ■ pink peppercorns “We really played with scale and contrast using the large cecropia leaves paired with more delicate clusters of white flowers and olive, and spindly branches that jut out for a wintry look.” FLOWER LIST: ■spray roses ■ anemones ■ quince branches ■ olive branches ■ cecropia leaves FLOWER LIST: ■ ranunculus ■ anemones ■ hellebores ■ eucalyptus ■ seeded eucalyptus ■ tallow berries ■ cedar ■ miniature pinecones “This is perhaps the most traditional of the group because we started with a cedar base, but then played with the idea of asymmetry for a surprise. There’s a romantic grouping of flowers on the right side that’s in contrast to the more bare left…

It’s the week before Christmas, and creatures are definitely stirring all around Elway Hall. Dinah, a gregarious wire fox terrier, dashes along the upstairs corridor, looking for a game of fetch or, more than likely, her next treat. Down at the cutting garden, Dolly and Llama, a pair of friendly llamas (whose owner is always at the ready with a good pun) peer over the fence while floral designer Barbara Hamilton gathers armfuls of ilex branches to be used in arrangements. A veritable herd of sheep and Angora goats keeps a close watch as clearly they’re curious about the buzz of activity, too. Meanwhile, back at the house, Barry Dixon and Will Thomas are putting the final touches on a 13-foot tree in the music room, one of a dozen…