Flower July/August 2018

THERE ARE SOME who cross our path, and our lives are changed for the better, forever. Jane Sloan was such a person in my life. When we introduced Flower in Nashville, I was given her name by in-the-know locals as someone who would be interested and enthusiastic and who could help in all kinds of ways. From the inception of our friendship, Jane and I were simpatico, sharing a love of flowers, gardens, beauty, laughter, and all things French. I knew immediately that we would be friends for life, and I quickly invited her to join our advisory board. Of course, she accepted and proceeded to contribute to the growth of Flower like it was her job. Jane was an early and enduring force for the Antiques and Garden Show…

ASPEN, COLORADO Aspen Antiques and Fine Arts Fair July 7–15 aspenartfairs.com ATLANTA, GEORGIA ADAC in Bloom July 18 flowermag.com/adac HIGHLANDS, NORTH CAROLINA Mountains in Bloom July 20 thebascom.org SEQUIM, WASHINGTON Sequim Lavender Festival July 20–22 lavenderfestival.com FLAT ROCK, NORTH CAROLINA 50th Anniversary Tour of Historic Homes July 21 historicflatrockinc.com NANTUCKET, MASSACHUSETTS Nantucket Summer Antiques Show August 10–13 nantucketsummerantiquesshow.com MACKINAC ISLAND, MICHIGAN The Grand Garden Show August 26–28 grandgardenshow.com BALTIMORE, MARYLAND Art, Antique & Jewelry Show August 30–September 2 baltimoresummershow.com Indicates Flower is sponsoring or attending the event. For more events, visit flowermag.com.…

STYLE IT PRETTY A tea party is always fun, no matter your age. We loved the soft pastel tones of the macarons and chose to continue the look with coordinating shades of pink. PATTERN PLAY Mixing china patterns can be like creating a great floral arrangement. Choose your palette, and then vary the shapes and textures to produce an unexpected but lively table. For more tabletop picks, see Sources, page 84…

THE FOUR SEASONS HOTEL FIRENZE features historic architecture dating from the late 1400s with superb Renaissance detailing—the frescoes alone are a visual feast. But what makes it stand out even more is its surprising setting. It is a metropolitan oasis and the largest private garden in central Florence. The hotel occupies the grand Palazzo della Gherardesca, originally built for Bartolomeo Scala, chancellor to Florence’s fabled Medici family. Its 11-acre garden boasts majestic trees, such as the evergreen thuja, or tree of life (arborvitae); umbrella pine; yew; weeping beech; ginkgo; and even a sequoia redwood. Like the mandarin orange tree—an Asian import also found in the garden—this California native reflects the garden’s historical role as a botanical preserve. The prevailing style of the garden is 19th-century romantic, marked by hedge-lined lawns,…

SO MUCH INK HAS BEEN SPILLED chronicling the now ubiquitous farm-to-table movement that even a kinder gartener may demand to know where her kale came from. This decade-long course correction toward greater integrity in our channels of consumption begs the question: Is there anything new to say? Greg Campbell and Erick New, the intrepid owners of the Memphis floral design shop Garden District, say yes. In their new book, Florists to the Field (Southerly, 2018), Campbell and New make pilgrimages to 12 specialty farms to pay tribute to the families, growers, and colleagues whose floral bounty keeps Garden District humming. At each destination, the pair traverses field and forest, wielding clippers, gathering blooms and materials to use for a grand alfresco meal on the property. It’s farm-to-table back at the…

MATERIALS: ■ Dahlias■ ‘Distant Drums’ garden roses■ Koko Loko garden roses■ Anthurium■ Ranunculus■ Pieris■ Bunny tail■ Smoke bush■ Heuchera foliage■ Mountain ash■ Various wild grasses MATERIALS: ■ Dahlias■ ‘Distant Drums’ garden roses■ Queen Anne’s lace■ Pieris■ Bunny tail■ Heuchera foliage MATERIALS: ■ Dahlias■ ‘Distant Drums’ garden roses■ Koko Loko garden roses■ Echinacea (coneflower)■ Smoke bush■ Euphorbia■ Leucothoe foliage■ Various wild grasses Natalie’s inspiration I wanted to create an arrangement that can be made for any day of the week. The colors and the shape make this one very “me.” I lean toward neutrals and textures, and I think its overall soft and airy nature makes it fit perfectly anywhere in my home. See opposite page for step-by-step instructions for this arrangement. 1 Use cosmos, dahlias, pieris, ‘Distant Drums’ garden roses,…