Flower January/February 2018

“The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.” –ECCLESIASTES 1:9 I HEAR SOME ITERATION OF THIS VERSE from the book of Ecclesiastes from time to time, most often referencing a floral, interior, fashion, or garden design element, as in: “This new asymmetrical, garden-y arrangement style is not really new. Constance Spry was doing it almost a hundred years ago—you know there’s really nothing new under the sun.” The writer of the original phrase was filled with ennui and hopelessness. He must not have been a creative. While I might allow that most successful designs are a mix of things that have gone before and an artist’s personal…

ATLANTA, GEORGIA The Cathedral Antiques Show January 24–27 cathedralantiques.org VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA Virginia Flower & Garden Expo January 26–28 vafgs.org NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE Antiques & Garden Show Nashville February 2–4 antiquesandgardenshow.com SEATTLE, WASHINGTON Northwest Flower & Garden Festival February 7–11 gardenshow.com WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA Palm Beach Jewelry, Art & Antique Show February 14–20 palmbeachshow.com HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT Flower & Garden Show February 22–25 ctflowershow.com ATLANTA, GEORGIA Atlanta Botanical Garden Flower Show February 23–25 atlantabg.org THOMASVILLE, GEORGIA Thomasville Antiques Show February 23–25 thomasvilleantiquesshow.com LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY The Blue Grass Trust Antiques & Garden Show March 2–4 bluegrasstrust.org PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA Philadelphia Flower Show March 3-11 theflowershow.com Indicates Flower is attending or sponsoring the event. For more events, visit flowermag.com.…

“When looking at one of my paintings in reverse, I like to imagine someone discovering the history and patina under each layer.”–DEBORAH WHITLAW LLEWELLYN AFTER WORKING AS an interiors, lifestyle, and food photographer for more than two decades, Deborah Whitlaw Llewellyn has honed a keen eye for detail. Whether shooting in someone’s home, working with a model, or capturing the grains in a single spoonful of sugar, she knows it’s the little things that make the biggest difference when framing the perfect shot. Scale and balance are key, the light has to be just right, and the model has to look just so. Sometimes a single image is the result of a momentous team effort requiring lots of planning and hours. When Llewellyn turns her focus to her photographic encaustic…

WHEN NEW YORK–BASED ARTISTS Brice and Helen Marden first stayed at the Golden Rock Inn on the island of Nevis, they were smitten and, impulsively, bought it. The inn, on a former sugar plantation, had seen better days, but the couple saw tiny Nevis (only 36 square miles) as an unspoiled gem, and the inn as a diamond in the rough. They hired Miami landscape architect Raymond Jungles to maximize the potential of the property. The aptly named Jungles was happy to accommodate Helen’s affinity for barely tamed nature—what she describes as “nature almost winning.” Working with local nursery owners, landscapers, and stonemasons, he deployed a mix of native and imported plant materials. The artful mix of subtropical species from near and far evokes an exuberance of exotic color and…

Smoked Old-Fashioned The merest sniff of a single malt whiskey takes me straight to the Highlands of Scotland. To me, a single malt evokes peat, heather, crystal-clear streams, and the purest fresh air. A cocktail that employs both 15-year-old Laphroaig single malt and Maker’s Mark bourbon can only be a roaring success. This smoky version of the classic old-fashioned is a robust drink and intended to be drunk slowly. As the ice melts, the flavor develops. —William Yeoward 1 brown sugar cube6 drops Angostura bitters1 oz. Laphroaig 15-year-old single malt whiskey2 oz. Maker’s Mark bourbon whiskeyTo garnish: a large orange twist and a black cherry Place the sugar cube on a napkin, and drip the Angostura onto the cube. (It is all too easy to drip too much bitters onto…

Listen to the Land: Creating a Southern Woodland Garde READING LOUISE AGEE WRINKLE’S BOOK about her garden in Mountain Brook, Alabama, one is struck by her devotion, perseverance, and unfailing curiosity. Gardening is not for the faint of heart, as this book relays so well, and its success depends on many factors. Wrinkle and “The Committee,” as she has dubbed her advisers, have taken up the challenge beautifully over the years. Her affection for the property took root during her childhood, and she returned after her parents died to take over and to make the garden her own. As the title informs, her focus is on listening to the land, not trying to dictate. “My lifelong connection with this piece of Alabama woodland has taught me how to hear its…