FLOWER: Flowers evoke memories and emotions, and holidays do too. What were your childhood Christmases like, and how did they inform the way you flower, decorate, and celebrate today?
Laura Dowling: I grew up in the Pacific Northwest—an idyllic place to celebrate Christmas with its natural beauty. My grandparents lived in a big Edwardian house in Southwest Washington, and the season would start in my grandmother’s kitchen in October when she’d begin baking and freezing things. We would craft ornaments and cut paper snowflakes at the table. Everything was homespun, and the tree was probably more of a hodgepodge than my current ones, but it was always so magical. My other grandmother was originally from Baton Rouge. She celebrated with splendor, panache, and lots of parties. Both of my grandmothers…
