Innholdsfortegnelse for January/February 2026 i Flower

The way a crow Shook down on me The dust of snow From a hemlock tree Has given my heart A change of mood And saved some part Of a day I had rued.—“DUST OF SNOW” BY ROBERT FROST IN WINTER, WE OFTEN DISMISS NATURE and outdoors as a source of wonder while lingering in the indoor cozy with a fire, a cup of tea, and a book (or magazine). But this oh-so-concise poem—eight lines, to be exact—paints the most beautiful and magical picture of the natural world and its playful surprises. Things we might see as bothersome—a crow with its loud, abrasive caw and its association with scavenging; the cold wet surprise of snow dropping on us, or in this case, being shaken on us by said crow—can, upon closer…

“I really can’t live without Fire Light Hydrangea, especially in the back of my border where it has great presence as a real star.MARSHALL WATSON, Interior Designer” “This bloom is a surprise garden element that adds drama, drawing attention throughout the season. It’s durable with a colorway that is amazingly rich for a hydrangea.”GAVIN DUKE Landscape Architect, Principal, Duke Design Group “The Fire Light Hydrangea is a strong flower that can stand alone as a focal point, yet when paired with other blooms, it naturally anchors the composition.”RACHEL CHO Founder, Creative Director, and Content Creator of Rachel Cho Floral Design “AS A FLOWER FARMER, I APPRECIATE THAT THE FIRE LIGHT HYDRANGEA IS EASY TO GROW AND IS A GENEROUS PRODUCER. AS A FLORAL DESIGNER, I LOVE THAT IT BRINGS WARMTH…

Trending Now at FlowerMag.com A Bouquet of Orchids In the winter when little else is blooming, what could be more wonderful than to lose yourself in an orchid blossom? They’re so intricately created they could be jewelry. Orchids almost blur the distinction between artifice and nature. At flowermag.com/orchids, find tips for growing these beauties at home, plus more than a dozen arrangements with orchids. READING ROOM Winter days call for an escape. Grab your book and a warm throw to curl up in a favorite reading space. We’ve gathered more than two dozen dreamy home libraries, studies, and book nooks to inspire your reading retreat. Explore at flowermag.com/libraries. MORE FLOWER OF THE YEAR! Can’t get enough of our Flower of the Year (page 24)? Tovah Martin’s feature delves deeper into…

“There’s a fine balance between practical and beautiful and form and function—but above all, a home is meant to be lived in,” says Elizabeth Miles, who along with Janie Jones, helms Hundley Hilton Interiors, a Birmingham-based design firm that leans into pretty interiors filled with thoughtful layers meant to evoke Southern sentiments. When approached to team up with architect Anna Evans on a new build for Hannah and Mathieu Nader, the design duo worked to fulfill the couple’s wish list for a home that would suit their large family of five children—and another due in April. Hannah and Mathieu had long admired other projects by Anna and the Hundley Hilton team, so they were already off to a great start. But the design professionals knew that to make this new…

First Impressions “Entries serve as the vein of the house, connecting rooms and spaces. They set the tone for what’s to come and provide a great opportunity for bold, visual impact.”—DESIGNER MARK D. SIKES FROM THE FIELD | ENTRYWAYS Mark D. Sikes “I recommend having a surface, like a console or table, for keys and mail. Benches are nice for putting on shoes or for guests to set down their handbags. I also think an entry is the perfect place for a really exceptional light fixture.”—DESIGNER MARK D. SIKES “The entry should be a sensory experience—the aesthetics of the space working together to create a welcoming balance and harmony.”—DESIGNER JAMES FARMER James Farmer FROM THE FIELD | ENTRYWAY FINISHES Strong Finish Designer James Farmer shares how he addresses the walls…

FLOWER: Who first influenced your creative ethos? Lulie Wallace: My grandmothers, for sure. They did everything with so much care. Whether it was hosting people, planning holidays, or putting together the smallest details, they really took their time and made everything—and everyone—feel special. That thoughtfulness has definitely influenced how I approach my art. While studying art at the College of Charleston, what style or period were you most drawn toward? Abstract Expressionism. Whenever I’m in a museum, that’s where you’ll find me. I love the color combinations and the freedom in how those artists painted. It was such a cool moment in art when things shifted from being super realistic to more about feeling and magical interpretations. When I was first finding my footing as an artist, I thought my goal…

WHEN LONGTIME CLIENTS OF DALLAS DESIGNER Cathy Kincaid decided to indulge in a pied-à-terre in New York City, they did so with characteristic grace. “They bought in a beautiful, iconic building on Fifth Avenue that faces Central Park,” Cathy says. The prewar residence, with its towering ceilings and enviable pedigree, offered just the kind of storied bones that could sustain the couple’s refined sensibility. Cathy had already guided her clients through homes in Dallas, the South of France, East Texas, and East Hampton. For this Manhattan purchase, they were drawn to its leafy views, as well as its resonance with the husband’s early years working in the city. Cathy teamed up with architect John B. Murray to “take the apartment down to the bones.” The kitchen was refreshed, windows were…

“My style is colorful, joyful, and a little unruly.”—ZOE VAN BAAREN Portland, OR In Portland, Oregon, Zoe van Baaren created a series of “secret garden” rooms along both sides of an 84-step historic, public staircase that bisects her property. Framed in boxwood and hornbeam and connected with more steps, the terraced garden rooms include a rose garden around a firepit; a silver garden with an arched bench; and a white-themed gravel garden with a seating area, potted plants, and perennial borders. “I saw all these opportunities to create new little worlds,” she says. Step by step and garden room by garden room, Zoe has developed a bold, maximalist style that’s grown into a flourishing landscape design business she named Garden Riot. How this gardener takes it to the MAX: Exuberant…

“In the same way that light from a fire offers a variety of warm tones, Fire Light Hydrangea, our Flower of the Year, runs the gamut from tender cream to an arresting pinkish red as she unfolds. This flower—a pleasing, hardy shrub—can function as a hedge, a border, or my personal favorite, a splendid and cooperative cut flower.”—MARGOT SHAW, FLOWER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF What better way to ring in 2026 than with our Flower of the Year? We gathered our team of experts—from floral designers and event planners to stylists and landscape professionals—to help us choose this vibrant bloom. Though many differing opinions swirled, one thing was clear: This panel cared most about selecting a flower they have grown—or could grow—in their own backyards. Accessibility was key, and they zealously clung to…

Rising to a challenge is what Craig Reynolds does best. Give him a tight lot with privacy-screening issues, and he’s in his comfort zone. Add in the necessity of accessibility for children, and he finds a matrix of answers in a web of easily traversed pathways while figuring in lounging spaces where adults can keep an eye on kids’ activities. But going above and beyond that brief is what really sparks Craig. In addition to answering the unique specs for site design in this Key West garden, he created a richly complex tropical paradise using a lush palette of palms, bromeliads, ferns, and other tropicals. While the property originally had a few plants in residence, it also had some challenges. “There were piles of stacked limestone rocks—probably added as a…

There’s nothing quite like masses of spring flowers in the garden to wow your retina and rev your engine for the growing season. But what if you are longing for those blooms while cooped up indoors during the dead of winter? Never fear—a few premature potted varieties are sure to save your sanity. For centuries, gardeners have practiced the little trick called forcing bulbs to weaken winter’s bite. The scene outside might still be blanketed in white, but with a window full of forced bulbs, you can bring colorful life inside your home. Growing bulbs indoors allows you to become acquainted with their beauty, charms, and secrets up close. And while their fragrance might be diluted outside, a few blooms exhaling their aroma inside your home can hit your nose…