Flower May/June 2024

AT PRESENT, WE’VE JUST come off International Women’s Day. I don’t always trumpet these commemorative moments on my social media scaffolding, and it can be for any number of reasons. In this case, I refrained because I felt that the topic had been duly acknowledged in the zeitgeist, which allowed me to simply appreciate the messages of others. But as I read through our content for this issue, I can’t help but remark on the exclusively feminine makeup of the stories—not only the subjects whose houses, gardens, art, textiles, and games populate the pages, but even the writers. I am an editor, a business owner, and a woman. However, I’ve never really highlighted the fact of my being a woman in business, or in the publishing business specifically. I simply…

Petal Pushers Drawing from nature’s most timeless shapes, these pieces will bloom eternally. On the Sunny Side Welcome warm-weather rays indoors and out with garden-themed décor and accessories. “The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just the body, but the soul.”—ALFRED AUSTIN Leafing Through Every one of these new garden books will become a perennial favorite. For more information, see Sources, page 78…

The very things that draw one to New Orleans are quirkiness and individual expression and elegant eccentricity. An exotic difference that is locally called “culture” invites one on a magical exploration. It delights visitors, and some are so ensnared that they never leave. Locals remain lifelong residents; even if something takes them away, they often return years later. There are several good illustrated books with the word “bohemian” in their titles. I have them all, yet even as I linger over those pages, my thought is that there is nothing like the homes in New Orleans. However, as the owners of those homes move on, either by passing from this world or being forced to leave the city for one reason or another, these great houses become a thing of…

With the idea of welcoming aspiring floral students, renowned floral designer Holly Heider Chapple and husband Evan purchased Hope Flower Farm in Waterford, Virginia, in 2015. The 25-acre farm, including an 1820s main house and a large barn, became a bucolic teaching facility, as well as a place for Holly to continue growing flowers for weddings and other special events. Since that time, it has expanded to include multiple venues available for celebrations or retreats, as well as a winery, a gift shop, and even a cozy cottage that can accommodate up to six guests. However, the farm’s most important purpose is one of healing—something that evolved from Holly’s own experience with loss and grief. A parent to seven children, Holly has long been known as “the flower mama,” and…

Most people best remember Fleur Cowles as the creator of one of the most innovative—and financially extravagant—magazines ever published. Flair, which launched in 1950 and lasted only one year, featured editorial contributions from esteemed individuals such as Winston Churchill, Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, and Jean Cocteau. Boasting covers with artistic cutouts, along with varying paper stocks for its special foldout features, the magazine was a visual feast. Its intent was to spark the intellect in a way that no other publication ever had. Flair cost $2.50 per issue to produce, yet it sold for only 50 cents on the newsstand. A financial disaster with a short lifespan, the publication remained one of Cowles’s proudest achievements. I first met Cowles in 2005 at her Albany apartment in London. At the time,…

Let’s Step Outside Late spring and early summer days draw us outside to entertain or just relax with a drink and a copy of FLOWER magazine. We’ve gathered more than two dozen idyllic porches and verandas featured in our pages to inspire your outdoor space refresh—or maybe just your daydreams. See them all at flowermag.com/stepoutside Designers’ Guide to Gallery Walls A curated display of art or objects not only allows you to share a collection but also to create a “wow” moment and conversation starter in any space. We look at several styles of gallery walls and talk to gallerists and interior designers about considerations for planning your own art wall. Find it at flowermag.com/gallerywalls HITTING THE HIGH NOTES For more than three decades, New Orleans bons vivants and musicians…