Flower November/December 2017

As I leaf through this issue one last time before press, I’m transported by the warm, lustrous imagery of the season—the season of goodwill toward all men (and women). But in the midst of the peaceful beauty, I experience a jarring disconnect while contemplating the culture. I find I must speak of my heartbreak at the switches and ashes I witness in public discourse today. There has been a jettisoning of simple, common courtesy and an adopting of vitriol and blame-casting that borders on barbarism. There’s no willingness to hear differing viewpoints or feelings—only an immediate rush to judge, harangue, label, and condemn. I know there are terrible things happening in America today—worthy of condemnation—and I don’t presume to have solutions. But I do know that inflammatory and hateful words…

NORTHAMPTON, MASSACHUSETTS Fall Chrysanthemum Show November 4–19 smith.edu/garden THOMASVILLE, GEORGIA Plantation Wildlife Arts Festival November 9–19 pwaf.org WILMINGTON, DELAWARE Delaware Antiques Show November 10–12 winterthur.org HOUSTON, TEXAS Theta Design Weekend December 1–3 thetadesignweekend.com OMAHA, NEBRASKA Holiday Poinsettia Show November 24–January 4 lauritzengardens.org ATLANTA, GEORGIA Christmas at Callanwolde November 24–December 12 callanwolde.org JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA Art & Antiques Show December 1–3 womensboardwch.com…

AS THE REST OF THE WORLD slowly builds up to the winter season, one family is already knee-deep in the holiday spirit. Starting the first of November each year, Joseph and Shannon Hillenmeyer set up camp in an open-air barn and carefully transform it into their namesake Christmas shop. Surrounded by the sights and sounds of 1950s holiday nostalgia, customers of the Hillenmeyer Christmas Shop are transported as soon as they walk through the red-and-white barn door. “We want to convey what the season used to be instead of today’s bustle and insanity,” says Joseph. “We try to slow the pace of the season down.” The Hillenmeyers work around the clock to ensure that every detail is perfect. There’s a roaring fire for guests to roast marshmallows; hot apple cider;…

WHEN IS A MATERIAL THING more than just a thing? The question was posed, pondered, and wept over in millions of homes throughout Texas, Florida, and Puerto Rico during the late summer, when massive hurricanes washed away the contents of entire houses and damaged personal items later piled on the curb. A New York Times reporter told the story of Shirley Hines, a Houston flood victim devastated by the loss of six Fitz & Floyd red and white coffee cups, which had been passed down from her mother. Touched by Hines’s story, a stranger in Maryland tracked down a replacement set and sent it to Hines, who cradled the new cups, fighting back tears, her treasure restored. In this context, reading Wedgwood: A Story of Creation and Innovation by Gaye…

AFTER THUMBING THROUGH the slim, pocket-sized volume Hot Drinks (Ryland Peters & Small, 2017), I half-expected to look in the mirror and find a frothy milk mustache, so bewitched was I by the images of steaming, whipped concoctions on every page. I could go on waxing poetic about the allure of these drinks—a mix of kid-friendly and adults-only beverages good for serving a Christmas party crowd or a fireside party of two. But the best way to convey the promise and pleasures of this little gem of a book (which slides easily into the back of bar) is to let the drinks speak for themselves. Here is a sampling: Gingerbread Hot Chocolate, Turkish Delight Frothy, Hot Toddy Studded with Cloves, Saffron Milk, Peanut Butter Crunch, Hot Rum and Cider Punch,…

MATERIALS: ▪ chicken wire ▪ floral tape▪ three complementary containers▪ sumac foliage▪ leucothoe branches▪ Christmas bush▪ hellebore▪ ‘Amnesia’ garden roses▪ pink garden roses▪ Allium canadense▪ lisianthus▪ ranunculus Kaylyn’s inspiration for this design was the changing of the seasons. I think this is a transitional arrangement—we’ve just left fall and are getting ready for the holidays. It’s also time for entertaining, so I created a long tablescape by making three arrangements and grouping them together with other elements on the table. I used a mix of complementary tones like rust, cranberry, white, and blush to create a new interpretation of the traditional holiday color scheme. Because this was created for a dessert party with friends, I wanted it to feel light and feminine, so I added brass, fruit, and white ceramic bud…