Innholdsfortegnelse for September/October 2025 i Flower

“I’ll light the fire You place the flowers in the vase That you bought today Staring at the fire… Such a cozy room The windows are illuminated By the evening sunshine through them Fiery gems for you, only for you”FROM “OUR HOUSE” BY GRAHAM NASH I HAVE A CONFESSION TO MAKE. One of my guilty pleasures is looking into windows of houses while riding or walking somewhere at dusk, just when inhabitants have returned home for the evening and lights have been lit—that in-between time, the gentle transition from day to night, work to rest. No, I’m not a voyeur, and I’m not casing the joints. I just love to imagine—maybe write a scene in my head (based on what little visual information the passing glimpse affords). I like to…

CoLLards PLANTING 101: Collards may be the most cold-hardy of all vegetables. Depending on your zone, they might harvest throughout the entire winter. Plant in rows that are 18 to 36 inches apart, and space plants 6 to 18 inches apart on the row. Give them sun and water, and take care of pests. Whiteflies tend to gravitate toward collards. Garlic is a smart option to not only deter whiteflies but also to act as a flavor enhancer for the collards. Companions: celery, garlic, onions, potatoes Avoid: grapes, mustard greens, pole beans, tomatoes, strawberries John’s favorites: Georgia Southern, Alabama Blue GarLic PLANTING 101: If you give garlic a jump start in fall, it will be one of the first things to come up in the garden next spring. It needs…

“People want to feel the real gift of hospitality. Birmingham is a gardening town filled with elegant hostesses who love to throw polished parties brimming with beautiful flowers. It’s fun to share that part of our city’s reputation.”—MARGOT SHAW October is one of the most magical months in Birmingham, Alabama. The days are still warm, and the nights are just chilly enough for a light sweater. Gardens are even more vibrant beneath aster blue skies—professing their love for the temperate season with their last blooms before the November frost. It’s the perfect time for outdoor entertaining—and an especially good time to share Southern hospitality with guests arriving to savor the Birmingham Botanical Gardens’ Antiques at the Gardens, an event that draws designers, tastemakers, and aficionados of style to the city.…

“Autumn has always been my favorite time of year. I love the crispness in the air and how the oranges, golds, and muted greens take center stage just as the garden is starting to slow down at our home in Virginia. It’s a palette I naturally gravitate toward in my design work.”—BARRY DIXON “Green is a universally loved color; it’s vibrant and fresh, neither feminine or masculine, nor young or old.”—MARK D. SIKES “I believe every room should have a touch of green. It quiets the noise in a space with many layers and patterns and also makes a neutral palette come alive. It’s the chameleon of the color wheel.”—AMANDA SMITH FOWLER “Green invites us to breathe deeply and feel at ease—it’s nature’s quiet confidence translated into color.”—COREY DAMEN JENKINS…

The list of those who have practiced pressing botanicals reads like a Who’s Who of civilization’s iconic figures. From the entombed pharaohs of ancient Egypt, who were adorned in flowers, to the 18th-century Swedish scientist Carl Linnaeus, who created the binomial system of naming and categorizing plants, to the 19th-century English naturalist Charles Darwin, who studied plants that contributed to his theory of natural selection, such leaders, scientists, and scholars have looked to flowers and plants for meaning and insight into the fundamental mechanics of our natural world. Called an herbarium when assembled for study or sentiment, pressed botanicals exist around the world at institutions such as the New York Botanical Garden, The Linnean Society and the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in London, and the National Museum of Natural…

It’s one thing to read and write about something you love; it’s entirely different to practice the craft. I’ve been writing and producing stories about interior design, architecture, gardens, and entertaining for over 30 years. You’d think by now I’d be very clear about how I wanted my own home to look and live, but the opposite was true. Being exposed to a variety of styles and talents only made it more challenging to make my own decisions. When my husband Liam and I found this 1925 Mediterranean Revival home in our favorite Birmingham neighborhood, Forest Park, we knew we wanted to buy it. The original house had been remodeled by the previous owner into a four-bedroom, four-bath while keeping the classic bones, original floors, and a wall of French…

CREEL AND GOW Orangerie gained the perfect next-door neighbor when this shop filled with findings from afar moved in. From framed botanicals to polished stones with tribal jewelry, the eclectic inventory is sourced around the world. Bon voyage is footsteps away. BABETTE’S KITCHEN Anthony and Chris make a beeline for the BLT with avocado, a coconut veggie curry hand pie, or leek and parmesan bistro pastry, depending on the daily menu and their moods—and they top it off with a generous serving of strawberry rhubarb crumb cake. REARDON BRIGGS HARDWARE Behind every great garden is a comprehensive hardware store. Not only does this homeware and farm store have the goods, the friendly staff enjoys discussing gardening triumphs and challenges with customers. MILLBROOK DINER Whether it’s Eggs Benedict for breakfast or…

“Autumn, to me, is the most beautiful season because it doesn’t just mark change, it embodies it.” “Spring brings growth. Summer invites celebration. Winter draws us inward. But fall is about transformation. It is a time when colors desaturate and deepen as they fade, textures become more pronounced, and the air takes on a sharper edge. Vines that once bore fruit begin to harden, conserving their strength for what lies ahead. There is a quiet clarity in this season, a moment to reflect, to reset, and to prepare. Autumn reminds us that change is not only inevitable, but also essential. It is the beginning of something new, disguised as an ending.” —SHEAN STRONG OF SHEAN STRONG DESIGN IN ATLANTA…

How did your love for entertaining and design transition into a full-fledged career? Mark Twain once said, “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” My job is parties. Imagine that! Truth be told, it’s hard work. But I’m honored that my clients allow me to create magical little worlds in which they celebrate and make memories. The title of your new book, A Screaming Blast, says it all. You definitely have a flair for the dramatic, and we love having a vicarious invitation to your parties in the pages of the book. How do you balance beauty with more fantastical elements? Parties should be beautiful, of course, but they MUST be fun. I like a party to have a…

Living Rooms In an excerpt from his latest book, Design Reimagined: A Fresh and Colorful Take on Timeless Rooms (Rizzoli, 2025), Corey Damen Jenkins shares his expertise in creating living rooms that serve as the heart of the home. Corey believes that versatility is key, especially in living spaces. “After all, it’s where you entertain guests, spend time with family, watch movies, and make memories.” See more at flowermag.com/design-reimagined. Relaxed and Refined Interior designer Jennifer Hunter sets an outdoor table layered with charm for a change-of-season gathering. Enlisting the help of her young daughters, Jennifer planned a laid-back meal under the open sky. Go to flowermag.com/hunter to find out more about her outdoor entertaining style. MARVELOUS MUMS A pot of chrysanthemums on the front porch makes a simple yet showy…

SET BACK FROM THE ROAD before the sheen of an emerald lawn stands a contemporary Italianate villa where every detail has meaning. The thin, tower-like chimney rises like a spire, and Boston ivy climbs the façade. While this updated masterpiece of a family home sits firmly rooted in Houston’s River Oaks District soil, its Mediterranean style echoes half a world away. “As grand as it is, it’s surprisingly unassuming,” says designer Kara Childress of Kara Childress—Interior Atelier in Houston. Owners Cindy and Stephan Kinsella tapped Kara to work a kind of alchemy on the interiors, creating comfortable, contemporary rooms built around antique and age-old elements, as well as natural materials like stone and marble. “I love working with reclaimed materials,” Kara says. Gina Elkins, with locally based Newberry Architecture at…

Any items not listed are unknown. FROM THE FIELD PAGES 24-36: Books: My Life in Colors by Martin Brudnizki, Rizzoli, rizzoliusa.com; Comforts of Home by Andrew Howard, Abrams, abramsbooks.com; Design Reimagined by Corey Damen Jenkins, Rizzoli, rizzoliusa.com; Still Decorating by Tom Scheerer, Vendome, vendomepress.com; A Welcome Home by Alexandra Kaehler, Monacelli, phaidon.com/monacelli/; The Essentials by Caitlin Flemming & Julie Goebel, Abrams, abramsbooks.com; Elegance and Comfort of Home by Dana Wolter, Gibbs Smith, gibbs-smith.com; Home Again by James Farmer, Gibbs Smith, gibbs-smith.com; The Glamorous House by Jan Showers, Abrams, abramsbooks.com; Homing Instinct by Nicola Harding, Rizzoli, rizzoliusa.com; The Expressive Home by Ray Booth, Rizzoli, rizzoliusa.com; The Refined Home by Sheldon Harte, Vendome, vendomepress.com; Beautifully British Interiors by Sims Hilditch, Rizzoli, rizzoliusa.com JOHN’S ALMANAC PAGES 38-42: Blackberry Farm, blackberryfarm.com PRESSED FOR TIME PAGES…