MAY•JUNE 2023

HOUSE l GARDEN l LIFESTYLE

Summer’s
Here!
 Contents
MAY• JUNE 2023

FEATURES
42
Grey Gardens
Rich with provenance
and personality, this
East Hampton property
lands in the capable
hands of style maven
Liz Lange for a thoughtful,
sophisticated makeover.

56
Glamour in
the Garden
Wearable art made from
precious metals and stones
reflects the diverse colors
and compositions of some of
the world’s great gardens.

64
Beauty in Bloom
Interior designer
Lindsey Herod let floral
textiles lead the way for
the design scheme of her
clients’ Houston home.

70
The Pull of
Palm Beach
Designers of every genre
are migrating south to
this burgeoning mecca of
talent and style.

ON THE COVER:
This cheerful flower
room—part of a glamorous
redo of Grey Gardens, the
legendary East Hampton
summer home to many

70
PHOTO BY CARMEL BRANTLEY

intriguing personalities in
the past—signals a bright
future. Photographed by
Michael Mundy

“Just living isn’t enough,” said the butterfly. “One must also have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.” –HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

f l o w e r m a g .c o m | 7 |
Contents
DEPARTMENTS

SCENE

16
We’ve got our eyes on...
New book releases to
keep you inspired with the
latest in decorating, floral
design, and entertaining.

IN BLOOM

19
Floral Design
Tattie Isles and her team at
Tattie Rose Studio create
immersive experiences with an
abundance of foliage, florals, and
all manner of foraged materials.

25
Garden

19
At the Delaware Botanic
Gardens, a bouquet of
committed volunteers
combined with superstar
designer Piet Oudolf and
his vision to transform this

PHOTOS (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP) COURTEESY OF TATTIE ROSE STUDIO; PROVIDED BY VENDOME PRESS; BY ERIKA DUFOUR
creekside former farmland.

30
Decorate: Flowers
16
Floral designer
Kelly Marie Thompson of
Chicago’s Fleur Inc. finds
inspiration under the Tuscan
sun for her colorful, fragrant,
and flavorful arrangements.

34
Market: Beach Club Vibes
Whether you are lounging on
the sand, swimming in the surf,
or exploring on a catamaran,
these seaside essentials will

30
have you sunning in style.

38
Women in the Garden
Best known for serving IN EVERY ISSUE
as empress of France while Watering Can 10
married to Napoleon Bonaparte, What’s Online? 14
Joséphine also created her own
legacy in the gardens Sources 84
of Château de Malmaison. At the Table 88

| 8 | FLOWER May•June 2023

Watering
A Note from the Editor

can

“How will we know it’s us

without our past?”
—John Steinbeck,
The Grapes of Wrath

AS I TYPE THIS LETTER, I’m hearing the soft stew of the
Delta Air Lines Sky Club playlist, periodic flight update
announcements, the PSA of the Atlanta mayor urging us to
play our part in the fight against human trafficking, and the low
hum of human conversation. This is the soundtrack of my travel
life. I’m not complaining. I’m cataloguing and rejoicing, for it
signals I’m going someplace wonderful or am returning home
from someplace wonderful. Both are good.
As it happens, I’ve just had the pleasure of visiting, for the
first time, St. Petersburg, Florida, where I attended the glorious
Art in Bloom at the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA). But really
the whole trip was glorious. The city is sophisticated yet has
a small-town feel. There’s a real pride of ownership in its
residents—from the chairman of the board of the MFA to the
guard at The James (of Raymond James fame) Museum of
Western and Wildlife Art, where I lingered so long they had to
kindly tell me to leave.
Paired with my recent visit to Dallas and the Harlan Crow
Library, which is filled with extraordinary treasures of the art
world past and present, as well as my trip to Wilmington,
Delaware, to tour Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library
(Henry Francis du Pont’s house of American decorative art and
antiques), I find my heart full of wonder at and gratitude for the
generosity of private collectors. They give new meaning to
the term “share the wealth.”
As I recall my visit to the once rescued and recently restored
and redecorated Grey Gardens, I’m struck with the same sense
of appreciation. Liz Lange, like the great aforementioned
collectors, was determined to preserve, enhance, and encourage
others to enjoy a piece of history—in her case, an iconic
American house and garden. She references its museum-like
quality as the home of the legendary Beales, as well as her
desire to preserve what she deems essential while maintaining
her personality and privacy. She’s succeeded, splendidly.
See what you think.
Wishing all our FLOWER friends a summer replete with
beauty and generosity.
Love and SDG,
Margot Shaw
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
PORTRAIT BY BETH HONTZAS

Please send your comments, triumphs, challenges & questions to: wateringcan@flowermag.com
OR: Letters to the Editor
Flower magazine I P.O. Box 530645 I Birmingham, AL 35253
Get the Flower email newsletter! Sign up at flowermag.com/news

| 10 | FLOWER May•June 2023

 VOLUME 17, ISSUE 3

Margot Shaw FOUNDER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Julie Gillis MANAGING EDITOR
Nicole Gerrity Haas ART DIRECTOR

DIGITAL
Jason Burnett DIGITAL GENERAL MANAGER
Carrie Orteza ASSISTANT EDITOR

EDITOR-AT-LARGE
Karen Carroll

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Missie Neville Crawford Robert Martin
Alice Welsh Doyle Tovah Martin
James Farmer Cathy Still McGowin
Kirk Reed Forrester Charlotte Moss
Amanda Smith Fowler Ellen S. Padgett
Marion Laffey Fox Matthew Robbins
Elaine Griffin Margaret Zainey Roux
Tara Guérard Frances Schultz
Sallie Lewis Lydia Somerville
Frances MacDougall Sybil Sylvester

For editorial inquiries:

editorial@flowermag.com

Julie Durkee PUBLISHER

Jennel O’Brien ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER, SALES & MARKETING
Marlee Ledbetter MARKETING COORDINATOR

ADVERTISING SALES

Suzanne Cooper NATIONAL DIRECTOR, HOME FURNISHINGS

Wendy Ellis REGIONAL ACCOUNT MANAGER
Sara D. Taylor REGIONAL ACCOUNT DIRECTOR

For sales inquiries:

sales@flowermag.com

BUSINESS OFFICE
Mercy Lloyd CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
Patrick Toomey ACCOUNTANT
Lisa Mitchell SENIOR MANAGER

CUSTOMER SERVICE
For change of address and subscription
inquiries: 877.400.3074 or
CustomerService@FlowerMag.info

ADVISORY BOARD

Paula Crockard Angèle Parlange

Winn Crockard Renny Reynolds
Gavin Duke Scott Shepherd
Gay Estes Mish Tworkowski
Katie Baker Lasker Remco van Vliet
Mary Evelyn McKee Evie Vare
Michael Mundy Louise Wrinkle
Ben Page
What’s Trending Now at FlowerMag.com

Online?
Attention to Details:
Lighting
Whether you are building from the ground
up or giving your home a decorative
refresh, the right lighting can make all the
difference in every space. Lighting fixtures
punctuate a space, and the quality of the
lighting can change the mood of a room.
We’ve asked designers to—dare we say—
illuminate us on lighting, both stylish and
practical. Learn about layering lighting for
a relaxing bedroom, and get the latest
trends and tips for kitchen luminescence.
Find our guide to selecting beautiful
lampshades and navigating the light bulb
aisle to choose the options best suited for
each space and fixture. Find the features
at flowermag.com/lighting

PHOTOS (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP) BY ADAM KUEHL; GAP PHOTOS/HIGHGROVE/ROBERT SMITH; BY BECKY LUIGART-STAYNER
RECIPES FOR SUMMER GATHERINGS
British Gardens
As all eyes turn to London and Westminster
In May and June, we fire Abbey for the coronation of King Charles III
up the grill and invite on May 6, we’re revisiting beloved English
friends over for casual
gardens in Yorkshire and Derbyshire, as well
fare, alfresco meals, and
relaxed get-togethers. as landscapes designed by Capability Brown,
Over the years, we the beautiful gardens shaped by Nancy
have gathered recipes Lancaster, and even the king’s Highgrove
for spring and summer Gardens in the Cotswolds countryside. Find
entertaining from some
them at flowermag.com/englishgardens
of our favorite hosts,
starting with chef Frank
Stitt and his Summer
Peach, Fig, and Prosciutto
Salad. Each dish serves
up the season’s bounty of
ingredients in summery
salads, soups, entrées,
and desserts, plus the
perfect chocolate sauce
for your homemade ice
cream! Add them to your
summer party and potluck
rotation. Find the recipes
and more at flowermag.
com/summergatherings

| 14 | FLOWER May•June 2023

Scene
WHAT WE’VE GOT
OUR EYES ON ...

READING LIST

Volumes of Inspiration
OUR ROUNDUP OF NEW RELEASES OFFERS
THE LATEST IN DECORATING, FLORAL DESIGN, AND ENTERTAINING.
By Julie Gillis

AN ENTERTAINING LIFE:
DESIGNING TOWN AND COUNTRY

Charm School award-winning floral designer Sandra Sigman

by Emma Bazilian and Stephanie Diaz
(The Monacelli Press, 2023), $55
Everyone loves a good comeback story, and
there’s one happening right now in the
decorating world. Schumacher Books, a
division of FSCO Media, has teamed up
with Monacelli to explore the old-school
techniques that are showing up in fresh ways.
Discover how to execute traditional design for
discovered that the French view each floral
arrangement as a work of art. Here, she shares
the design principles she learned and offers
tutorials for creating French-inspired arrange-
ments. Topics include how to choose the right
containers, the correct way to care for various
flowers, and the tools needed for each project.
Stunning photographs, many taken in Paris,
Provence, and Normandy, add authenticity and
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY PUBLISHERS

the next generation while exploring timeless
rooms by talents such as Celerie Kemble,
Markham Roberts, and Ashley Whittaker.
French Blooms: Floral Arrangements
Inspired by Paris and Beyond
by Sandra Sigman (Rizzoli, 2023), $40
While living in Paris in her twenties,
inspiration throughout the book.
An Entertaining Life: Designing
Town and Country
by Paolo Moschino and Philip Vergeylen
(Vendome Press, 2023), $60
After 30 years together, both professionally
and personally, design gurus Paolo Moschino

| 16 | FLOWER May•June 2023

and Philip Vergeylen have created countless projects around
the world. In this book, they feature their own houses in
London and Sussex, as well as many client projects, such as a
Balinese-style home in the Caribbean and a luxurious villa in
Sicily. Readers are treated to several chapters focused on the
design duo’s collections, home office, and formal gardens that
they use for entertaining. In addition, the two talents share
personal anecdotes, tips about their design philosophy, and
delicious recipes from their favorite dinners.

Think Like a Decorator: To Create a

Comfortable, Original, and Stylish Home
by Leslie Banker (Rizzoli, 2023), $45
Leslie Banker, daughter of legendary designer Pamela Banker,
has been surrounded by decorating experts her whole life. Her
mother taught her that in order to think like a decorator, you
have to focus on developing the story of the space and of those
who live in it. Now Leslie is showing readers how to use that
advice to give a room style, depth, and a personalized look. She
also includes Q&As from celebrated designers such as Amanda
Nisbet, Christopher Spitzmiller, and Alexa Hampton.

FRENCH BLOOMS:
FLORAL ARRANGEMENTS
INSPIRED BY PARIS
AND BEYOND
 Floral Design • Garden • Decorate: Flowers
Market • Women in the Garden
in
Bloom
Dream
Weavers
TATTIE ISLES AND HER
TEAM AT TATTIE ROSE
STUDIO CREATE IMMERSIVE
EXPERIENCES WITH AN
ABUNDANCE OF FOLIAGE,
FLORALS, AND ALL
MANNER OF FORAGED
MATERIALS.
By Alice Welsh Doyle

D
orset- and London-
based floral talent
Tattie Isles thinks
way beyond the petal.
The designer focuses on the
mood more than anything—what
she wants guests to experience
as they enter and engage with
the setting. “It’s decidedly
about surprise,” she says. “I
like people to be transported
and to question whether they
imagined something or whether
it really happened,” she says.
Tattie focuses on the effects
of light, movement, scale,
fabrics, and even the music
when executing her vision.
While flower arranging is
a vital part of her creative
ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF TATTIE ROSE STUDIO

process, she really relishes the

theatricality of putting together

Held at the peak of summer, this

event included foxgloves, peonies,
sweet peas, Alchemilla, willow
lanterns, trailing greenery, and
floating candles. “It took place in
a wildlife park, so we added hints
toward the color and vibrancy of
the location,” says Tattie.

f l o w e r m a g .c o m | 19 |
in Bloom
FLORAL DESIGN

an event and making it come to life.

Tattie ignores trends and doesn’t really
take notice of what others in the industry
are doing. Her jumping-off place also
doesn’t involve the palette or the
constraints of the location. “I start
by meeting clients in person because
I believe the best collaborations are
when you have good chemistry,” she
says. “I try to read someone and work out
what they are like and how to tell their
story through the flowers. I usually ask
people what they want the event to feel
like and what they want their guests to
feel rather than the aesthetic itself.”
Tattie first discovered her love for
flowers while looking for a holiday job.
“I was introduced to a floral designer
in the area, and I basically started
carrying buckets around for her,” she
says. She soon realized that she had a
true passion for the business. “It’s one of
the most creative things that you can
possibly do! You are constantly making

ABOVE: Tattie’s favorite time of year for flowers is late September.

This exuberant table setting sings with garden roses, Japanese
anemones, artichokes, hydrangeas, and fallen apples. LEFT: This
setting evokes midsummer joy with scabious, foxgloves, delphinium,
and Sanguisorba in a wire urn lined with block-printed fabric. “The
fabric adds a layer to the design,” says Tattie.

new things and then moving on to the next, which I love.”

While Tattie didn’t find her calling for flowers until she was
an adult, she always had an imaginative side, even as a child.
“I did not like being stuck inside four walls,” she says. “I
found the classroom challenging unless I was doing art or
playing an instrument.” A lot of her talent also was fostered
by her artistic mother, who now works with her in the
business alongside Tattie’s husband, aunt, and close friends.
“My father was in the military, and we moved around a lot
and often lived in these funny little buildings that were very
plain,” says Tattie. “My mom made them into remarkable

| 20 | FLOWER May•June 2023

in Bloom
FLORAL DESIGN

CLOCKWISE FROM
TOP LEFT: An
abundance of sweet
peas and alchemilla
with apricots and rose
petals brings summer
joy to the south of
France. ”The touch
of red turns it from
twee to amazing,”
Tattie says. • The floral
designer lights
candles for a finishing
touch. “I like my florals
and all the other
materials I use to be
big, wild, untamed,
and free,” she says.
• For an autumn event
in England’s County
Durham, huge
branches of beech,
spindleberry, and
the last of the garden
roses are part of
the mix. “Scale was
of great importance
in this vast castle,”
says Tattie.

homes and settings for me and my
siblings, and I experienced firsthand
how our surroundings affect us and how,
with a little ingenuity, you can make
things lovely wherever you are.”
For her designs, Tattie enjoys using
unconventional materials. “Anything
in the natural world is up for grabs,”
she says. “However, I do test everything
first.” The team tries out floral designs
at different temperatures and with
different lighting to measure longevity
and durability. “We’ve fashioned a
science lab of sorts,” Tattie says.
With three boys ages 2, 4, and 6, the
designer now finds herself wanting to
balance her work and home life more
than ever. Because of that, the team is
focusing on fewer but larger commissions
going forward to allow more time for
refreshing their pools of inspiration
and tending the home fires. “I find the
creative breaks make me look forward
to doing it again,” says Tattie. “It’s like
missing someone. If you see them all the
time, you don’t have an opportunity to
miss them and have that excitement of
seeing them again. I think this approach
will keep my creativity going for many
more years.”

| 22 | FLOWER May•June 2023 For more information, see Sources, page 84

 in Bloom
GARDEN

A Dream Realized
AT THE DELAWARE BOTANIC GARDENS, A BOUQUET OF COMMITTED VOLUNTEERS COMBINED WITH
SUPERSTAR DESIGNER PIET OUDOLF AND HIS VISION TO TRANSFORM THIS CREEKSIDE FORMER FARMLAND.
By Amy Brecount White

Stephen Pryce Lea, director of horticulture and educational programming at the Delaware Botanic Gardens, leads one of his
frequent tours through “Piet’s Meadow,” a highlight of any visit.

W
hen you think of impres-
sive mid-Atlantic gardens,
estates such as the du Pont’s
Winterthur and Longwood
spring to mind. However, there’s a newer
PHOTO BY RAY BOJARSKI
in a rural area about 30 minutes from
Bethany Beach is not far from where
many skilled retirees looking for “a
give-back project” have settled. A band
of these visionary volunteers came
The next step was to find some land,
so Sheryl, who had served 25 years in
the U.S. government, and some of the
other volunteers contacted the Sussex
County Land Trust with their idea. They

garden on the block that is making a
name for itself, particularly because of
its improbable story.
The Delaware Botanic Gardens at
Pepper Creek sprouted without inherited
acreage or a wealthy donor. Its locale
up with the idea of creating a lovely,
sustainable garden nearby. To jumpstart
the project, Executive Director Sheryl
Swed and President Ray Sander, who are
married, put “a little something in the
kitty,” as Sheryl says.
toured a 37-acre farm that had wood-
land so overgrown with greenbrier they
couldn’t even access the creek from the
property. A supporter advised them
“to find those people who can look
at a property and squint and see the

f l o w e r m a g .c o m | 25 |
in Bloom
GARDEN

RIGHT: Scores of commit-

ted volunteers, including
many retirees, generously
donate their energy and
time to plant, weed, and
maintain these expanding
gardens. BELOW: More
than 185,000 species of
tulips, crocuses, and
daffodils illuminate the
spring months and
provide needed nectar
for early pollinators.

potential,” says Ray, who has a financial
management background. Undeterred,
the group formed a nonprofit, and in 2014
the trust leased them the land at $1 for 99
years in a twice-renewable contract.
Needing more funding and a designer,
they reached for the stars and contacted
Piet Oudolf, the renowned designer of
The High Line Garden in New York City
the land drew Oudolf’s admiration, and
he agreed to design 2 acres, now known
as the Piet Oudolf Meadow.
Then came a $750,000 grant from the
Longwood Foundation. That grant
combined with Oudolf’s design and
the renewable lease
were “the three
rocket boosters that
that matched the beauty of the garden,”
says Sheryl. “We didn’t want to have
some utilitarian shack.”
Carol McCloud, vice president and
former human resources guru, oversees
the volunteer program. She says those
people who gener-
ously give of their
time are what set this

TOP RIGHT PHOTO PROVIDED BY DELAWARE BOTANIC GARDENS; BOTTOM LEFT PHOTO BY STEPHEN PRYCE LEA
and the Lurie Garden in Chicago. Known allowed the project
“Other foundations garden apart. “We
for his emphasis on perennials and to lift off and achieve and donors viewed come together from
native plants, Oudolf seemed the ideal orbit,” says Ray. different areas and
choice to help create beautiful, educa- “Other foundations
the Longwood walks of life and
tional gardens that also support local and donors viewed Foundation grant backgrounds, but we
ecosystems. The unusual origin story of the Longwood all have a passion for
Foundation grant as as validation of the the gardens.”
validation of the project’s worthiness On her tours,
project’s worthiness Carol loves to share
and sustainability.” and sustainability.” anecdotes about
With additional —RAY SANDER, PRESIDENT Oudolf’s visits and
support from local OF THE DELAWARE his hands-on
businesses, the BOTANIC GARDENS involvement. When
gardens grew from a he saw the first
vision on paper iteration of a grassy
to a public garden by 2019. The slew of mound in his design, he “put his hands on
donations ranged from engineers who his hips and was shaking his head,” she
tackled zoning changes pro bono says. “Then he asked for a shovel. He
to nursery owners who added extra worked with the volunteers the entire
plants to orders. Sheryl even found day, getting that mound to the circumfer-
the architect for the nature-inspired ence and height he wanted.” After grasses
building that houses restrooms while had grown over it and they had installed
talking to her Pilates teacher, who “keep off” signs to maintain its beauty,
happens to be married to one. “We Oudolf again shook his head. Ignoring
needed to design a public bathroom the signs, “he ran up on the mound and

| 26 | FLOWER May•June 2023 See Piet Oudolf’s private garden, Hummelo, at flowermag.com/oudolf
put his hands up in
the air—this big,
wonderful man,”
Carol continues.
“Then he welcomed
everybody to come
up. He wanted
people to have the
opportunity to feel
the grass and to sit
on the grass. And
he wanted kids to
roll down the hill!”
Piet’s Meadow, TOP TO BOTTOM: The award-winning, eco-friendly

PHOTOS (TOP TO BOTTOM): PROVIDED BY SEA STUDIO ARCHITECTS; PROVIDED BY DELAWARE BOTANIC GARDENS
as it’s commonly restrooms include rain chains that feed a living wall, as well
called, includes as several rain gardens to follow stormwater management
prairie dropseed practices. • Abundant native perennials, shrubs, and
trees—like coneflowers, asters, winterberry, and oaks—
as a matrix plant,
create a welcoming habitat and ample food for swallowtail
says Stephen Pryce
butterflies, as well as bees and a variety of birds.
Lea, the garden’s
director of horticul-
ture and educational
programming. Stephen and his team Another big undertaking involves
offer programs that emphasize the more than 100 volunteers who
wildlife benefits of using native return to the garden early each year
plants, such as a workshop on which to cut back the seedheads and leave
perennials will attract and support them through the winter to support
butterflies. The native plants appear the habitat. While some might view
in all of the gardens, including a this style of gardening as messy, “that
woodland garden, an education mess is so valuable,” says Stephen. He
garden, and the Rhyne Garden, often shares advice on how to have a
which filters the parking-lot runoff. wildlife habitat and “still keep it tidy.”
But native species aren’t the only As the gardens expand, fundraising
things growing. Over the last two has exceeded $8 million. In 2021, the
years, 50-plus volunteers have Delaware Botanic Garden stewards
planted more than 185,000 bulbs, earned the Governor’s Outstanding
including crocuses, daffodils, and Volunteer Service Award for trans-
species tulips. Chosen with Oudolf’s forming this now thriving corner of
approval, these early bloomers add their state. Proof that the improbable
bright splashes of color and nectar. is probable.

For more information, see Sources, page 84

in Bloom
DECORATE: FLOWERS

Fleur Inc.
FLORAL DESIGNER KELLY MARIE THOMPSON OF CHICAGO’S FLEUR INC. FINDS INSPIRATION
UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN FOR HER COLORFUL, FRAGRANT, AND FLAVORFUL ARRANGEMENTS.
By Margaret Zainey Roux • Photography by Erika Dufour

Behind the Scenes

As a child, Kelly Marie Thompson used to sneak behind the peony bushes
while playing hide-and-seek in the backyard of her family’s Chicago bungalow.
“Every inch of that yard brimmed with rose bushes and snapdragons and was
shaded by a big apple tree,” says the floral designer. “I honestly can’t think of a
time when I wasn’t surrounded by flowers. They’ve always been a part of my
life and my memories. It’s hard to know if I found them or if they found me!”
Although her training is in painting and printmaking, Kelly Marie followed
her heart and ventured into floral design after working in the floral depart-
ment of a local store. In 2002, she founded Fleur Inc., a floral design studio
and boutique in Chicago’s eclectic Logan Square neighborhood.
“In fine art and floral art, I love the challenge of creating unique and
unexpected color combinations,” she says. “Currently, I’m drawn to
the combination of sky blue and neon orange as representations of the
sky at dawn and at dusk. It reminds me that flowers are a beautiful way
to start and end my day.”

Inspiration
“The sunsets in Tuscany seem to last for
hours and never fail to take my breath away,”
Kelly Marie says. “This arrangement recalls the
way the light hits the landscape. It’s so textural,
and the different shapes in the arrangement
nod to the land.”
This June, the designer will return to the idyllic
Tuscan town of Città della Pieve to host her second
pilgrimage aptly named My Tuscan Gathering.
With a private villa as home base, Kelly Marie will
lead a small group as they forage at a local flower
farm for their own designs. They will also make
pasta, enjoy wine tastings, and explore the town’s
vibrant markets, cafes, and live music scene.
“When I visit Città della Pieve, I find the scent
of linden trees that lingers in the streets pleasantly
intoxicating, along with the chimes from the bell
tower and the scuffle of footsteps on the old
cobblestones,” Kelly Marie says. “Gathering there
is extremely special because it celebrates so much
of what’s important to me—flowers, food, and
connecting with others.”

| 30 | FLOWER May•June 2023 Turn to page 32 for step-by-step instructions

in Bloom
DECORATE: FLOWERS

MATERIALS
Clippers Olive Peach
branches ranunculus
Scissors
Rosemary Geum
Compote branches
Wheat
Chicken wire Toffee roses
Poppy pods
Waterproof Juliette
floral tape roses

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

STEP 1 Form a ball of chicken

1 2
wire so that it fits snuggly
inside the bowl of the
compote. Secure the ball with
waterproof tape by making an
“X” across the top; then fill
with water up to 1 inch from
the top.
STEP 2 Start with the olive
branches, and let them rest
and curve on their own while
securing them into the wire
ball. Continue with the
rosemary branches to create
a base that is full and lush.
STEP 3 Add your focal blooms.
Start with the roses to help
form a nice shape; then scale
down one size and add in the
ranunculus to fill any gaps.
STEP 4 Pepper the little
blooms of geum, wheat, and
poppy pods throughout the
arrangement, making sure
to let some reach out long
and strong to create negative
space and allow for the
arrangement to breathe.

3 4 TIP: Step back a few times while

designing to see the whole picture.

| 32 | FLOWER May•June 2023 For more information, see Sources, page 84

in Bloom
MARKET

Beach Club 1 3

Vibes 2

WHETHER YOU ARE LOUNGING ON

THE SAND, SWIMMING IN THE SURF, 5
4
OR EXPLORING ON A CATAMARAN,
THESE SEASIDE ESSENTIALS
WILL HAVE YOU SUNNING IN STYLE.
Produced and styled by
Missie Neville Crawford and Sutton Ward
Photography by David Hillegas

1 High Performance Sunscreen ($22)

in “Coconut” from Soléo Organics;
soleoorganics.com 2 & 3 Zebra Palm
Beach Towels ($95/each) in “Pool Blue” and
“Canary” from Matouk/Schumacher;
matouk.com 4 N°12 Bronzing Face Drops
($42) from Lux Unfiltered; luxunfiltered.
com 5 Jackie OHH II Sunglasses ($178) 6
in “Black” from Ray-Ban; ray-ban.com
6 Terry Travel Lounger Chair ($100) in
“Le Med” from Sunnylife; sunnylife.com
7 & 8 Baldwin Stripe fabric by Sarah
Bartholomew (pricing to the trade) in
“Blue” and “Poppy” for Lee Jofa; kravet.com 7
9 10 Cane White Rum ($24.99); whiskeymix.
com 10 The Towelling Bucket Hat ($59) in
“Dusty Pink” from Business & Pleasure Co.;
businessandpleasureco.com 11 Herbal 8
Beauty Tea ($45) in “Flourish Like
a Flower” from Tata Harper;
tataharperskincare.com 12 The Holiday
Beach Umbrella ($199) in “Vintage Gold” 9
from Business & Pleasure Co.;
businessandpleasureco.com 13 Blaise
Natural Raffia Platform Sandals ($295)
from Loeffler Randall; loefflerrandall.com
14 Charm School: The Schumacher Guide
to Traditional Decorating for Today book
($55) published by Phaidon; phaidon.com 10
15 Cabana Stripe Travel Pouch ($59) in
“White-Light Blue” from Mark & Graham;
markandgraham.com 16 Round Woven
Tote ($55) from Bella Cucina; bellacucina.
com 17 Garza Marfa Desert Blanket
($225) in “Yellow” from Bella Cucina;
bellacucina.com 18 Glow Oil ($38) from
Supergoop!; supergoop.com

| 34 | FLOWER May•June 2023

 11

13
14

12

18
15

17

16

f l o w e r m a g .c o m | 35 |
in Bloom
WOMEN IN THE GARDEN

With a lifelong love of gardening, designer Charlotte Moss has long been intrigued with what draws people—
especially women—into the world of horticulture. Some have made it their professions, while others have
become enthusiasts, patrons, philanthropists, or simply weekend hobbyists. And then there are those who
write about all things gardening. In her new column for FLOWER, Charlotte explores some of these women
and the journeys that led to their passions for plants and flowers. She also has a forthcoming book with
Rizzoli on the subject of gardening women set to release fall 2024.

Making Her Mark

BEST KNOWN FOR SERVING AS EMPRESS OF FRANCE WHILE MARRIED TO NAPOLEON BONAPARTE,
JOSÉPHINE ALSO CREATED HER OWN LEGACY IN THE GARDENS OF CHÂTEAU DE MALMAISON.
By Charlotte Moss

Y
ears ago, I read The
Man Who Painted
Roses by Antonia
Ridge. In this book
about the life of Pierre-Joseph
Redouté, often referred to as
the Raphael of flower painters,
I learned of a tree gifted to him
by Empress Joséphine—a cedar
of Lebanon that was planted at
his home in Meudon, close to
Paris. Intrigued, I sought out
the tree on a visit to France.
Located on private property
but visible from the hilltop
where I stood, this majestic
symbol of strength is now in its
200th-plus year.
Many believe this tree
embodies the strong bond
between the artist and his
patron. Redouté became
Joséphine’s most significant and steady advisor on matters of art and the
garden. His most famous work, “Les Roses,” a three-volume set with 170
hand-colored plates, was published after Joséphine’s death but was
originally inspired by the empress and her garden. While Joséphine did
not show much interest in roses during her early years of gardening, she
later became enamored with the flower. Thanks to her acquisitive nature,
250 new varieties of roses were introduced to France. In addition, André
Dupont, Joséphine’s horticulturalist, introduced 25 new cultivars through
PHOTOS BY CHARLOTTE MOSS

his pioneering method of controlled pollination.

ABOVE: Conical-shaped yews punctuate the beds of
roses on the approach to the chateau. TOP RIGHT:
A painting by Antoine-Jean Gros (1808) of Joséphine
in a dress made of Kashmiri paisley.
Prior to marrying Napoleon, Joséphine was married to Alexandre de
Beauharnais, a philanderer who was rarely at home. While she did have
two children with him, she never felt settled and content. In some way,
this may explain her dedication to creating a beautiful home and a
horticultural phenomenon at Malmaison, the chateau she shared with
Napoleon. The surrounding landscape park contained follies, pavilions,

| 38 | FLOWER May•June 2023

in Bloom
WOMEN IN THE GARDEN

and other greenhouses filled with plant
specimens. Exotic animals from around
the world roamed the park amidst this
botanical wonderland. Joséphine became
identified with her rare, red-beaked black
swans from Australia, the most exotic
animals in her menagerie. Later the swan
would become an emblem of the empress
and could be found adorning furniture,
engravings, and embroideries.
When Napoleon and Joséphine
married, everyone in Napoleon’s circle—
from sea captains to ambassadors
to foreign leaders—was encouraged to
send or bring botanical specimens
to Malmaison. The gift of plants earned
favor with the ruler of France while
simultaneously helping Joséphine build
her gardens and fill her greenhouses
with varieties from around the world,
many of which had never been cultivated
in Europe. The first seeds the empress
received were from her mother living
in Martinique, who sent mauve bougain-
villea, sugar cane, and the beautiful blue
myosotis. Joséphine’s Magnolia macro-
phylla came from the banks of the
Catawba River in North Carolina as a
result of the exploration of André
Michaux. The blue Lily of the Nile,
Agapanthus umbellatus, was brought to
her by botanists who accompanied
Napoleon on his Egyptian campaign.
Sir Joseph Banks gifted the empress
Nicotiana undulata. The German
naturalist and polymath Alexander von
Humboldt ventured on a five-year voyage
with Aimé Bonpland that brought
lobelias, mimosa, and heliotropes. And
even Napoleon, while on campaign, sent
over 800 specimens from Schönbrunn in
Austria, including eucalyptus, hibiscus,

The gift of plants earned favor with the

ruler of France while simultaneously
helping Joséphine build her gardens with
varieties from around the world.

dahlias, and rare tulips. And then
there were the two plants named for
Joséphine—Brunsvigia josephinae
(a coral amaryllis from South Africa)
and Lapageria rosea (the Chilean
bellflower). Her greenhouses also
featured fan palms, bananas, Indian
bean trees, lemons, and Seville oranges.
Between 1803 and 1805, Joséphine
built the Château de la Petite Malmaison,
which consisted of a reception pavilion
attached to a greenhouse. Measuring
approximately 164 by 62 feet, it was the
largest structure that had ever been built
of glass at that time in France. While the
pavilion no longer exists, it was without
a doubt the precursor of the glass-and-
steel structures that followed in the
19th century.
Joséphine was a romantic who
preferred le style anglais. Like the
philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau, she
believed in a naturalistic approach to
gardening with winding paths, ponds, and
mixed borders. In addition, Joséphine
adapted Humphry Repton’s idea of
locating flower gardens close to the
house. These maneuvers in the garden
garnered her a reputation of being a
radical. Thanks to her imagination and
determination, both reinforced by the
enormous resources of an empire, the
empress established a special place for
Malmaison in garden history.
After only five years of marriage,
Napoleon chose to divorce Joséphine
due to her inability to produce an heir.
However, his love for the empress never
waned. Joséphine was distraught over the
end of the marriage but eventually came
to terms with it and lived the remainder
of her life at her beloved Malmaison.

| 40 | FLOWER May•June 2023

 CLOCKWISE FROM BOTTOM,
FAR LEFT: The metal tent entry
at Malmaison was designed
by French architects Charles
Percier and Pierre Fontaine,
who together with Napoleon
created one of the best
examples of the Empire style
in France. • One of Redouté’s
hand-colored engravings from
“Les Roses.” • Joséphine’s bed
at Malmaison, made by the
renowned ébéniste François-
Honoré-Georges Jacob-
Desmalter, features the swan
which became an emblem of
the empress. • Malmaison at
the height of the season is
an homage to Joséphine’s
love of roses.

Perhaps author David Stacton best describes Joséphine’s

state of mind at that time in his book, The Bonapartes: “… she
accepted divorce, she accepted banishment, she accepted
everything, but she would not accept removal from Malmai-
son.” It was there that the empress unexpectedly died from
pneumonia on May 29, 1814, Aimé Bonpland at her side. Later,
Bonpland wrote to his sister, “… the death of the Empress …
came like lightning … (it) has altered my life completely.” Upon
hearing of Joséphine’s death, Napoleon, living in exile on Elba,
did not leave his room for two days.
 By MARGOT SHAW
Photography by MICHAEL MUNDY
Floral Design by MICHAEL GRIM

RIGHT: Welcoming beds of hydrangeas blanket

the approach to the house. ABOVE: The tent effect
inside the pavilion was achieved through trompe l’oeil
stripes by decorative painter Bob Christian and specified
by designer Mark D. Sikes. Liz, in one of her many
Figue caftans, becomes part of the symphony of stripes.

| 42 | FLOWER May•June 2023

Rich with provenance and personality, this East Hampton property lands in the
capable hands of style maven Liz Lange for a thoughtful, sophisticated makeover.

f l o w e r m a g .c o m | 43 |
IN THIS ERA
of buy old, tear down, build big, Liz Lange
has bucked the trend. While she did buy old
(a 100-year-old property in East Hampton,
New York), she chose to respectfully restore
and redecorate the home and its surround-
ings. Known as Grey Gardens, the storied
shingle-style “cottage” near the sea possesses
a unique and colorful past, having once been
owned by the campy, cat-collecting cult
figures “Big” and “Little” Edie Beale, Jackie
Kennedy Onassis’s aunt and first cousin.
The house was later bought and rescued by
editor Sally Quinn and her husband Ben
Bradlee, executive editor of The Washington
Post at the time.
With original plans drawn by Arts and
Crafts architect Joseph Greenleaf Thorpe,
the home was built for Mr. and Mrs. Fleming
Stanhope Philips in the early 20th century.
Robert Hill and his wife, Anna Gilman Hill, a
gifted garden writer and plants-person, then
purchased it and turned their attention to
adding a substantial garden component to the
property. Anna, taking the climate and locale
into consideration, imported ornate concrete
walls from Spain that would shield the garden
from the briny sea spray and punishing Long
Island winds. Then she and landscape
architect Ruth Dean designed the gardens
using a palette of pastel flowers, including
lavender, phlox, delphinium, and climbing
rose. “It was truly a grey garden,” Anna once
wrote. “The soft grey of the dunes, cement
walls, and sea mists gave us our color scheme,
as well as our name.”
The home was later bought by Phelan and
Edith Beale but eventually fell into disrepair
when the Beales divorced. Edith, known by
many as “Big Edie,” was left with no resources
for upkeep and a somewhat eccentric frame
of mind. She and her daughter, “Little Edie,”
lived in unimaginable squalor for many years
until the neglected property was acquired by
Sally Quinn and Ben Bradlee. The couple kept
all the original furniture, including heirloom
wicker pieces found in the attic, and com-
pletely restored and decorated the house for
their own weekend and holiday enjoyment.
In 2015, Liz and her husband, a corporate
lawyer, took the house as a summer rental. “It
was love at first sight!” Liz says. “I knew I
wanted to get my hands on it but didn’t think
it would ever be possible. I had the idea to
offer to rent it for the next 10 years—the
closest thing to buying it. But then Sally
decided to sell. Her husband had passed away,
and her heart just wasn’t in it.” Liz tells of

| 44 | FLOWER May•June 2023

 The cheerful vibe of the sunporch was
achieved through a finely tuned collabora-
tion. Architects Richard Bories and James
Shearron of Bories & Shearron drew the
plaster palm trees, and Mark Ferguson of
Ferguson & Shamamian helped with restor-
ing the diamond-patterned windows to the
original smaller size with restoration glass. “I
wanted the famous Marella Agnelli Bonacina
1889 rattan furniture, and Mark [Sikes]
combined it with a bit of Soane rattan,” says
Liz. Window treatments and pillows are
made from recently introduced Botanica
Trading floral fabric. The green seat cushions
and yellow accessories were contributed by
Jonathan Adler. Landscape architect
Deborah Nevins planted the garden borders
with dahlias and delphiniums and restored
the original pergola, visible in the distance.

f l o w e r m a g .c o m | 45 |
| 46 | FLOWER May•June 2023
 CLOCKWISE FROM
ABOVE: “The living
room is the pièce
de résistance.” says
designer Jonathan
Adler. “Inspired by Billy
Baldwin, we used Arbre
de Matisse upholstery
on the curtains and
sofas, juxtaposed with
a '70s Italian brass-
and-glass table. It’s an
eclectic mix, but every
piece in the room has
one thing in common—
they’re extra. Like Liz.”
• Liz relaxes in the
sunroom in a caftan
from her Figue fashion
brand. • Mark Sikes
designed the China
realtors trying to show her other bigger, dressed in unflattering, muumuu-type
hutch. The Arjumand’s
World wall covering newer houses on the beach while she batted maternity wear, she decided to draw
has an Asian feel them away with her knowing, confident form-fitting yet flattering clothes for
that relates to the “No, I want THIS one.” expectant women. The collection took
Ginori Oriente Italiano The house could not have landed in better off, and Liz Lange Maternity later sold
china pattern. hands. A comparative literature major for a tidy sum to a private equity group.
• A whimsical portrait from Brown, Liz also had a penchant for That instinct and imagination have
by Helen Downing of fashion. Raised by a stylish mother on been on display in Liz’s most recent, more
“Little Edie” hangs in
the Upper East Side of New York City, she bohemian, print-filled fashion venture,
the entrance hall on
a leopard-print wall developed a keen eye for chic. After college, Figue. “I design for myself,” she says.
covering—a subtle she worked at Vogue and then apprenticed “In the 90s and early 2000s, there was a
wink at the two Edies’ for a young designer. One day, while cleaner, somewhat urban aesthetic that
infamous cat obsession. observing some of her contemporaries fit my life. Now, I’m in a more resort-y

f l o w e r m a g .c o m | 47 |
THIS PAGE: Blue is a recurring theme outdoors, from the garden gates to Liz's table linens on the East terrace. Munder-Skiles chaise
longues, designed by Mark Sikes, accompany the round pool for a charming outdoor tableau. The pavilion beyond was drawn by
architects Bories & Shearron. OPPOSITE: For a summer luncheon, Liz pulled linens from her own tabletop collection, just vibrant
enough to hold their own in the dining room decorated by mid-century maestro Jonathan Adler. Rich turquoise silk on the walls
contrasts with the modern white brackets that hold Vladimir Kanevsky porcelain flowers above the mantel. The porcelains were
commissioned to mirror the garden flowers selected by landscape architect Deborah Nivens.

| 48 | FLOWER May•June 2023

phase. I laughingly say that I’ve entered my
caftan years.” She and everyone else.
This same bold vision has translated to
the restoration and redecoration of Grey
Gardens. Liz, though appreciative of the
history and legend of her home, acknowl-
edges that she also just loved the house itself.
Having grown up going to “the country,” as
the Hamptons were then dubbed in her
world, she had a soulful connection to the
neighborhood and was ecstatic to discover
she could return and rehab a house that
embodied everything she fondly remembered
of that vernacular. “I spent my childhood just
around the corner and knew the area like the
back of my hand,” she says. “But several of the
original, quintessential, shingle-style houses
had been torn down, so I was so happy to see
that Grey Gardens was still standing.”
When Liz took possession of the home, not
much had been changed in the 40 years since
Sally and Ben had renovated it. Armed with
a sophisticated aesthetic and an enviable
list of design and building contacts, she set
about restoring and redecorating her new
home. “I was a bit intimidated to begin with,”
says Liz. “Lots of people have opinions and
feelings about this house. It’s almost like a
public museum, and I get that. But it’s also
my house, so it’s been about the balance.”
She embarked on the project knowing she
wanted to retain the architecture and feel of
the original house. “No additions, no popping
out of windows, etc. We watched the ‘Grey
Gardens’ documentary over and over and
would pause it and say, ‘Wait, what’s that
behind her?’ We really tried to identify each
fixture and picture. Our architect also knew
many historical details, like the size of the
diamond windows. The original ones were
smaller and more expensive, but I wanted
that, so that’s what we used.”
Having witnessed the successful resto-
ration of the nearby Arts and Crafts manse,
Lasata, the childhood summer home of
Jackie Kennedy Onassis, Liz knew she
wanted the same architects to help in her
efforts. Ferguson & Shamamian were enlisted
to handle the larger, more mechanical
architectural duties, including adding an
entire subterranean level. Architects Bories &
Shearron then took on the more decorative
architectural details, such as the plaster
palms in the sunroom and the fantastical pool
pavilion, among other elements.
An unabashed lover of color and glamour,
Liz enlisted the help of potter and designer
Jonathan Adler, a dear friend of hers, to reflect
her personality in the public spaces. The

| 50 | FLOWER May•June 2023

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP, FAR LEFT:
Decorative painter Bob Christian
conceived a trompe l’oeuil triumph by
painting the doors, four-poster bed
frame, and molding in a near facsimile
of the Benison floral print on the
headboard, bed linens, and ceiling in
this guest room. Jason O’Malley
captured the Edies in whimsical
portraits over the bed. • Though
grown, Liz’s children still have their
own spaces when home. Son Gus’s
room is an interplay of stripes and
Provencal prints in shades of choco-
late and cream. Walls are covered in
Carolina Irving’s Patmos Stripe
Reverse, windows are draped in Les
Indiennes’ Helene, and the chair is
covered in Burmese fabric by Sister
Parish Design. The natural rush-and-
wood-frame bed from Hollywood at
Home plays nicely with the vintage
rattan furniture. • Liz’s bedroom is
awash in blue flowers in a Colefax and
Fowler fabric on the ceilings, walls, and
windows, as well as in the Porthault
blanket cover and the custom coverlet
from Chelsea Editions. The poster bed
came from John Rosselli. • Tucked
away on the third floor is a cozy sitting
room with a garden mural by decora-
tive painter Bob Christian, an inviting
striped sectional, an interesting
Anglo-Indian armchair, and poufs
perfect for board games or seating.

f l o w e r m a g .c o m | 51 |
 With so much
of summer in East
Hampton being
lived out of doors,
the design team
considered the
outside as much
as the interior.

designer is known for his use of bold color,

mid-century modern shapes, and graphic
pattern. “He just gets me,” Liz says. “But I also
really liked what Mark Sikes was doing. I
hired him to decorate the bedrooms.
I really wanted a few different voices that
reflected my taste—not a one-designer
interior. I wanted to have a big say in the
overall look.”
To honor the home’s past, Liz did incorpo-
rate a few quirky artistic references to the
Beales. And since Little Edie had once been
a stylish beauty and a debutante, she wanted
to acknowledge that with a nod to elegance.
Liz has always loved the sophisticated look
of film producer Bob Evans’s round swim-
ming pool, so she added one. Sikes then
designed blue-and-white striped chaise
longues to go along with it. He also envi-
sioned jaunty stripes in the pool pavilion to
further reflect Liz’s love of old Hollywood,
and he engaged legendary decorative painter
Bob Christian to paint the same stripes on
the walls and ceiling for a tent-like effect.
With so much of summer in East Hampton

Liz installed a grass tennis court, along with

a crisp white treillage from Accents of France
on the carport, to evoke the glamour and
leisure that she dreamt of for the outdoors.

| 52 | FLOWER May•June 2023

f l o w e r m a g .c o m | 53 |
Liz was inspired to create an Indian-style garden when she found the blue
Indian palace doors at John Derian. Landscape architect Deborah Nevins located
a source in India to fabricate the white marble furniture, fountain, and planters.

| 54 | FLOWER May•June 2023

 being lived out of doors, the design team
also considered the outside as much as the
interior—a hallmark of Sikes’s process.
Liz shares, “I’m not a gardener, but it was
important to me to honor the visions of
Anna Gilman Hill and others who had lived
here. At the same time, I wanted to incorpo-
rate my ideas of what I liked in the garden.
We saved as many trees as possible, restored
all the fountains, and even kept the little
ancient gravestone for a dog named ‘Spot’
flush in the ground near a hedge.”
New York-based landscape architect
Deborah Nevins worked with Liz to restore
Hill’s pergola, walled garden, and thatched
hut that had all grown a bit tired over
the years. She also laid out an extensive
kitchen garden and an overall wilder
English-style garden, both inspired by
Liz’s visit to Babington House in England,
as well as her particular fondness for
Vita Sackville-West’s Sissinghurst gardens.
But the new chapter in the garden story
is the Indian Garden on the east side of
the house just off the dining room.
A consummate and enthusiastic hostess,
Liz wanted the vista beyond the dining room
to be interesting and a bit exotic. The design
decision was inspired by a pair of Maya blue,
vintage, Indian palace doors discovered at
John Derian. “We decided to place them at
the entrance to the future Indian Garden at
the end of the Linden Walk,” says Liz. “Debby
(Nevins) knew of a company in India that
could fabricate the white marble planters,
fountain, and furniture that we thought
would pair beautifully with the doors, so
we commissioned them.” The pieces are
dramatic and unexpected for East Hampton,
yet they work and even seem to reflect Liz’s
recent foray into fashions with a more
international profile.
Another voice Liz incorporates into her
design scheme is that of the Bridgehampton
florist Michael Grim. Having known Liz
for years, starting with when he graced
Liz’s childhood home with flowers for her
mother, Michael understands and inter-
prets her floral preferences beautifully. “Liz
loves garden flowers and is never afraid of
color,” he says. This unfussy attitude is
representative of Liz’s overall ethos. “I don’t
take myself—or my homes—too seriously,”
she says. “I’m mostly barefoot, but that’s
‘cause I’m feral. People walk in and say, ‘Oh
my, should I take off my shoes?’ And I
always respond, ‘Only if you want to.’ ” One
might imagine the Edies somewhere
nodding in approval.

For more information, see Sources, page 84 f l o w e r m a g .c o m | 55 |

 Glamour
in the Garden
Wearable art made from precious metals and
stones reflects the diverse colors and compositions
of some of the world’s great gardens.
Produced by MARGARET ZAINEY ROUX AND MERCY LLOYD
Styled by MARGARET ZAINEY ROUX AND SUTTON WARD
Photography by DAVID HILLEGAS
Bellingrath
Gardens
Reflective of the flora that
blooms year-round at
Bellingrath Gardens in
Mobile, Alabama, these
timeless adornments epito-
mize Southern chic. Their
pastel palettes and feminine
forms recall the camellias,
azaleas, irises, and hydrangeas
that grace the property’s 900
acres. The estate, originally
known as “Belle Camp,” was
intended as a fishing camp
for Walter Bellingrath, one
of the first Coca-Cola bottlers
in the Southeast. The transfor-
mation from private retreat
to public garden is due to the
efforts of Bellingrath’s wife,
Bessie, who began developing
the grounds with architect
George Bigelow Rogers in the
late 1920s.

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT:

Multi-color topaz necklace in
14K yellow gold ($3,550) from
Bromberg’s; brombergs.com •
Amethyst carved pendant with
diamonds in 18K yellow gold
with oval Rolo chain in 18K
yellow gold (price upon request)
from Goshwara; goshwara.com
• Eva Legoura 18K gold
articulated ceramic and ruby
centipede brooch ($5,900)
from Tenenbaum Jewelers;
tenenbaumjewelers.com •
Paraiba flower ring in platinum
(price upon request) from
Goshwara; goshwara.com •
Opal butterfly necklace with
diamonds in 18K yellow gold
($7,800) from Bromberg’s;
brombergs.com • Pink
sapphire and diamond ring in
18K white and rose gold
($57,000) from Bromberg’s;
brombergs.com • Enchanted
Garden flower cluster band
ring in 18K green gold with
diamonds ($2,530) from Penny
Preville; pennypreville.com •
Backdrop: Normandy Grass
Cloth in “Blush” from Thibaut;
thibautdesign.com

f l o w e r m a g .c o m | 57 |
Hyakka’en
Garden
From butterflies and koi fish
to pagodas and lotus flowers,
these jewels express the spirit
and symbolism of ancient
Asian cultures as seen at
Tenryū-ji Temple near Kyoto,
Japan. Erected in 1339 in
memory of Emperor Go-Daigo,
the temple was officially
consecrated in 1345 and has
been designated first among
Kyoto’s “Five Mountains,” the
city’s five major Zen temples.
The grounds surrounding
Tenryū-ji feature some of
Japan’s most important
gardens, including Hyakka’en,
the Garden of a Hundred
Flowers. While other gardens
on the site date as far back as
700 years, Hyakka’en
is a mere 40 years old yet
overflows with flowering trees,
bushes, and herbs.

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT:

Gold, white topaz, ruby,
emerald, and amethyst Lotus
ring ($15,500) from Belperron;
belperron.com • Onyx and
multi-colored jade necklace
($750) from Rex Harris Fine
Jewelry; 205.871.3333 •
19th-century antique porcelain
button Pagodas pendant
($4,100) from Elizabeth Locke;
elizabethlocke.com • Pink
tourmaline, pink chalcedony,
and white sapphire earrings,
($1,095) from Rex Harris Fine
Jewelry; 205.871.3333 • Vintage
1980s David Webb 18K gold koi
fish necklace ($26,800)
from Tenenbaum Jewelers;
tenenbaumjewelers.com •
Goshwara flower-shape
carved jade earrings with
diamonds in 18K white gold
(price upon request) from
Goshwara; goshwara.com •
Backdrop: Normandy Grass
Cloth in “Spa Blue” from
Thibaut; thibautdesign.com

| 58 | FLOWER
Gardens
of Versailles
Gold and silver pieces
embellished with brilliant
gemstones exude the
opulence of the Gardens of
Versailles. In the late 1660s,
Louis XIV commissioned
renowned French landscape
architect André Le Nôtre to
execute his vision for the
grand palace and gardens that
would one day reign among
the country’s crown jewels
with nearly 6 million visitors
each year. Emerald-green
lawns and meticulously
manicured parterres feature
groves and gardens brimming
with daffodils, primrose,
jasmine, and narcissus.

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT:

18K yellow gold Criss Cross cuff
($21,500) from Verdura; verdura.
com • Opera Tulle ring in 18K
yellow gold with green enamel
($3,400) from Buccellati;
buccellati.com • Enchanted
Garden single row flower
eternity band in 18K green gold
with diamonds ($4,645) from
Penny Preville; pennypreville.
com • Opera Tulle necklace in
white gold set with diamonds
($16,500) from Buccellati;
buccellati.com • Gumuchian
Secret Garden 18K gold outline
Illusion diamond ring ($6,600)
from Gumuchian; gumuchian.
com • Goshwara pear shape
opal cabochon and peridot
flower stud earrings in 18K
yellow gold (price upon request)
from Goshwara; goshwara.com •
Backdrop: Normandy Grass
Cloth in “Willow” from Thibaut;
thibautdesign.com

| 60 | FLOWER
Desert
Botanical
Garden
Heavy metals, honed stone, and
fine gems in sun-scorched hues
emulate the rugged beauty of
Desert Botanical Garden in
Phoenix, Arizona. Sprawled
across 55 acres near the dunes
of the Sonoran Desert, the
awe-inspiring oasis is home to
50,000 plants, including prickly
cacti, velvety succulents, and
whimsical wildflowers. Founded
in 1930, the garden began as a
labor of love by a group of local
conservationists who rallied
and formed the Arizona Cactus
and Native Flora Society. By
the end of the decade, they had
established Desert Botanical
Garden as a nonprofit museum
dedicated to the preservation
and display of desert plants.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT:

Bellariva chain in 19K gold with
hammered finish ($11,100) from
Elizabeth Locke; elizabethlocke.
com • Elizabeth Locke small
Sleeping Beauty turquoise and
pearl Maltese cross ($5,100) from
Elizabeth Locke; elizabethlocke.
com • Flat diamond earrings in
18K white and rose gold with
engraving ($20,500) from
Bromberg’s; brombergs.com •
Bulgari Tubogas bracelet in 18K
rose, yellow, and white gold
($8,950) from Tenenbaum
Jewelers; tenenbaumjewelers.com
• Important Breguet 18K gold
Bague L’Orangerie flower ring
with rubies and diamonds
($32,500) from Tenenbaum
Jewelers; tenenbaumjewelers.com
• Tiger-eye necklace with vermeil
catch ($350) from Rex Harris Fine
Jewelry; 205.871.3333 • Virgin
gold Wave ring ($7,500) from
Belperron; belperron.com • Virgin
gray gold Wave ring ($6,500) from
Belperron; belperron.com •
Backdrop: Normandy Grass Cloth
in “Straw” from Thibaut;
thibautdesign.com

| 62 | FLOWER
 BE AUT Y Interior designer Lindsey Herod let
floral textiles lead the way for the design
scheme of her clients’ Houston home.
By MARGARET ZAINEY ROUX
Photography by KERRY KIRK

“It all started with the leafy green on the Jean Monro chintz pillow,” Lindsey says of the wall color,
Sherwin-Williams Livable Green. The high-gloss hue lightens the load of the family’s black baby grand
piano and complements the pastel pinks on the tuffet and chair upholstery. For a pair of vintage
Gracie panels, the designer drew on their Chinoiserie motif to select gilt bamboo frames.

| 64 | FLOWER May•June 2023

IN B LOOM

f l o w e r m a g .c o m | 65 |
 one of the best in the business, interior
designer Celerie Kemble. After spending
seven years in Celerie’s New York office,
Lindsey returned to her hometown of
Houston in 2012 where she has since
made a name for herself creating spaces
that are maximal yet decidedly modern.
Like her, Lindsey’s clients are among a
new generation of traditionalists who
embrace elegance and formality as
long as it’s practical, authentic, and
conducive to contemporary living.
“There is no correlation between age
and architectural style,” says the
designer. “I have several young clients
who appreciate classic features like
paneling, molding, and ceiling medal-
lions because of the character they
bring to a home. Many of them grew up
in older houses and find comfort in their
familiarity, so I strive to re-create that
in a way that is more current.”
That was the case for one such client,
an active family of five who was building
in the city’s Memorial neighborhood.
Early in the process, the homeowners
called on Lindsey to deliver rich
architectural details that would set the
framework for rooms with a timeless yet
fresh aesthetic. Enlisting her “fabric
first” strategy, the designer sourced piles
of prints, mainly floral, as the inspira-
tions for design schemes that provide a

indsey Herod has never met a floral that she didn’t like. In fact, the
interior designer and self-described “fabric addict” cannot think of
a room scheme that didn’t sprout from a chintz, cabbage rose, or
other botanical motif—or all three, for that matter. “I’d rather be in
the garden than anywhere else so I’m constantly drawn to natural
colors, materials, and textures that convey an alfresco feeling,”
Lindsey says. “Leafy greens and sky blues, wickers and rattans, and crisp
cottons and linens are my go-tos—and, of course, tons of floral prints. As I
see it, there is no such thing as too many flowers in a garden, so there is no
such thing as too many floral prints in a home.”
The 30-something-year-old design guru learned to master mix from

| 66 | FLOWER May•June 2023

OPPOSITE, LEFT TO RIGHT: A leafy treetop wallcovering in ethereal blues connects the mudroom, office, and laundry to create a
single, hardworking corridor that feels more like an enchanted forest. • Lindsey elevated the simple two-tone skirted console in the
entry with graduated bands of coral grosgrain ribbon. A vintage La Barge eglomise mirror hangs above the custom design that
is framed by the homeowners’ collection of Rose Medallion plates. ABOVE: “Silk would have been too predictable for a formal dining
room, so I chose white linen,” Lindsey says of the draperies trimmed in a wide Samuel & Sons embroidered tape. The opulence of
the chinoiserie-inspired wallcovering, vintage gold leaf mirror, and 1920s crystal Italian chandelier is tempered by the clean profile
of the vintage mahogany pedestal table and chalky white chairs backed in a casual buffalo check.

f l o w e r m a g .c o m | 67 |
 LESSONS
in L AY E R I N G
For Lindsey Herod, good design starts
with great fabrics. The interior
designer explains that mastering the
mix is as easy as one, two, three.

DON’ T LE T “TA STEFUL”

BECOME “TOO MUCH .”
If starting with a complex,
multi-colored primary pattern,
source complimentary solids,
textures, or simple two-tone fabrics
featuring a color or two extracted
from the primary pattern.

FEEL THINGS OUT.

Take the touch test to score fabrics
that not only look luxe but also
feel luxe. A blend of nubby linens,
fuzzy velvets, waxed cottons, and
smooth silks can really up the ante
on style when working with solids.

WEIG H YOUR OP TIONS.

When piling on the prints, be mindful
of scale. Large prints read best
when they are offset by smaller ones
and vice versa. For instance, pair
big blooms with thin pinstripes,
dainty polka dots, or tiny ginghams
or geometrics. Empower baby
buds by presenting them with wide
cabana stripes, boxy buffalo checks,
or an oversized block print.

ABOVE: “The design concept of the

entire house started with the idea of
bringing the garden inside, and that’s
most evident in the living room and
kitchen,” says Lindsey. “Its expansive
footprint is like an open field where
different textures, materials, prints,
and colors, ‘grow’ among one another
just as nature intended.” LEFT:
Cane-paneled cabinet fronts draw the
eye to the range hood as a dramatic
focal point in the all-white kitchen.
OPPOSITE, TOP TO BOTTOM: An antique
commode topped in quartzite was
converted into a vanity in the powder
room. The rich finish of its inlaid
design grounds the crisp green-and-
white Scalamandre parterre pattern
wall covering. A modern mirror with
goldleaf edges references the Louis
Philippe style. • The custom pelmet
and bed curtains encase the plush
upholstered headboard and wrap the
lofty primary suite in coziness. Instead
of traditional nightstands, a pair of
fruitwood commodes flank the bed
to better suit the room’s scale.

| 68 | FLOWER May•June 2023 For more information, see Sources, page 84

cohesive, thoughtful flow throughout the interiors.
In the living room, plush linen pillows with a wide
repeat of big blooms balance the smaller scale prints
and solids on the seating and windows. The blues,
greens, and taupes in the pillows permeate through-
out the space and into the adjacent kitchen that
features custom pleated pendant shades made from
an imported hand-blocked floral textile. Just off the
kitchen, the mudroom, office, and laundry room are
all wrapped in a statement-making treetop print,
while the dining room features a delicate floral
wallcovering that speaks in more of a whisper.
In addition to mixing prints and colors, Lindsey
mingled styles and provenances for intrigue. She
placed casual cane shades on the scrolly bronze arms
of a vintage chandelier in the breakfast room and
paired a sleek acrylic game table with a set of patinaed
antique French chairs in the music room. In the
primary bedroom, timeworn pieces of Chinese export
porcelain are displayed on sleek Lucite corbels.
“My clients plan to be in this home for a while, so
we took our time choosing furniture and décor that
would age gracefully,” Lindsey says. “They didn’t
want everything to look too perfect or like it was
straight off the showroom floor. By marrying
elements that are high and low, dainty and daring,
and polished and patinaed, we created a design that
is truly unique. To put it in gardening terms, it feels
very organic.”
 of
Designers of every genre are
migrating south to this burgeoning
mecca of talent and style.
By MARION LAFFEY FOX

Photography by
CARMEL BRANTLEY

| 70 | FLOWER May•June 2023

f l o w e r m a g .c o m | 71 |
 hen Melanie and Chris Hill arrived in Palm Beach
to visit his grandparents in 1985, the couple antici-
pated an antiques shopping bonanza to help fill their
shop in Tuscola, Illinois. Instead, they bought a
business, Kofski Antiques, and relocated to Florida.
By the late ‘80s, the Hills had taken the business to another level.
They owned five warehouses and employed 60 sales staff, staging
eight major estate sales a year that magnetized interior and land-
scape designers, as well as bargain-hunting homeowners. Waiting
lines formed at 5 a.m. for the 9 o’clock opening.
Carleton Varney also established his lemon-yellow Dorothy
Draper showroom in the area, and it continues to showcase his
legacy. And years ago, Devonshire, the antique English garden shop,
found its niche selling exotic decorative items that co-owners
Nelson Hammell and Pete Hawkins cull from worldwide travels.
Today, the semi-gritty thoroughfare—dominated by metal
Quonset huts, auto-body shops, rug-cleaning facilities, and countless
basic service enterprises, and interspersed with a few stone statuary
warehouses, ironworks, and a rattan furniture repair shop—is
rapidly gentrifying. Georgia Avenue and other pockets of West Palm
Beach, as well as tony Palm Beach itself, are welcoming a raft of new
talent that is invigorating its already heady persona.
Among the enthusiastic group, designer Meg Braff is a vibrant
newcomer to Georgia Avenue. The Tupelo, Mississippi, native, a
graduate of Vanderbilt University and Parsons School of Design
MEG BRAFF
PREVIOUS PAGES:
The exterior of Meg
Braff Designs, with
its haute Regency
lines, anchored by
tall double doors, a
broken pediment,
and brass carriage
lights, enlivens a
once-dreary corner
THIS PAGE, TOP
TO BOTTOM:
Meg stands in her
garden-event space
behind her shop.
The McKinnon
and Harris outdoor
furniture is covered
in her outdoor
fabric, “Pistachio
and Snowpea”
from the Nassau
line. • Inside Meg’s
shop, vignettes
are replete with
artwork, including
two Susan Hable
prints and
“The Dream,” a
monumental,
unsigned Rousseau-
like canvas. “Inside
and out, the
showroom is both
playful and livable,”
Meg says.

| 72 | FLOWER May•June 2023

THIS PAGE: Next door, Meg’s friend Danielle Rollins (pictured
below) is thrilled that Meg alerted her to the impending
sale of a multiuse building in need of a redo. Together, the
two designers have become a compelling nexus of South
Georgia Avenue’s burgeoning new Design District.

who is known for her “signature take on traditional

glamour,” is proudly ensconced in the old Epco Inc.
and Dixie Blueprinting building across the street
from the Authentic Provence showroom. In a nod to
Meg’s innate flair, the mint-green-and-white Regency,
one-story building beckons potential clients with its
rooftop urns, Bermuda-shuttered windows, and
grass-inlaid walkway. “I bought it during COVID in
the summer of 2020,” she says. “It was a shabby
building that clearly had to be gutted. We reimagined
a parking lot out back into a garden and event space,
and we also purchased a small house and cottage for
staff who travel from my Locust Valley location.”
Explaining that the move was “an easy transition,”
Meg says her lively business ranges from “great
apartments to lovely houses, as well as lots of ‘away’
projects in the Caribbean and all over the U.S.”
Next door, Danielle Rollins credits Meg for
finding the low-slung building she purchased in
August 2022. “She called to tell me the ‘60s building
that was home to a tile company, upholsterer, piano
repair shop, and cobbler was for sale, and that I had
to buy it,” Danielle says. “Opening a shop was my
longtime dream. After building a profitable business
and writing two books, this was the next step.” The
designer says that she always pictured herself in Palm
Beach. “It’s an exciting, dynamic, marvelous time to
be here. I love creating an environment in my shop
that’s both pretty and comfortable. I carry great
hostess gifts, as well as unique finds in the form of
collectible furniture, tabletop, and art.”
Approximately eight blocks down Georgia
Avenue, the former Kofski property has morphed
into a glistening white space for Renny & Reed,
DANIELLE ROLLINS
f l o w e r m a g .c o m | 73 |
 REED MCILVAINE

THIS PAGE: The landmark headquarters of former Kofski Antiques has been the go-to spot for bargain hunters and designers for
decades. Its dramatic renovation has delightfully metamorphosed into a powerhouse staging and production facility for Reed
McIlvaine (pictured at top) and his enthusiastic staff. OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM BOTTOM LEFT: Fernando Wong relaxes in his verdant
garden, seconds from the South Florida beach. • A collection of antique blue-and-white Chinoiserie stools is augmented by lidded
jars and part of Fernando’s vast collection of pristine Florida conch shells. • Inside Fernando’s office space, white presides for a sense
of calmness. A pair of bronze stools was found in Bali. The grouping of beach and boating photographs evokes the serene locale.

| 74 | FLOWER May•June 2023

an event-planning business. Inside, the themed
scene changes regularly with esoteric props,
shimmering trees, glowing candles, and thou-
sands of flowers. Affable Reed McIlvaine,
nephew of legendary horticulturist and party
planner Renny Reynolds, recounts his start in
the business. “I was unhappy in the dot-com
world, so someone suggested I try working
for my uncle,” says Reed. “My first event was
a bat mitzvah at the American Museum of
Natural History in New York, then a party on The
St. Regis roof, followed by a mega yacht weekend
off the coast of Sardinia. No wonder I was hooked.”
After trying several Manhattan locations for his
business, Reed decided to make the move to West
Palm Beach. Today, Renny & Reed is the largest
floral and events business in town.
Just minutes away, Fernando Wong is settling
into his offices in an Antique Row villa on busy
South Dixie Avenue. “We are enjoying the
conveniences of West Palm Beach while still
maintaining offices in New York and Miami,” says
the Panamanian-born architect, interior designer,
and landscape architect. In 2001, Fernando lived
out his dream of moving to the American South by
settling in Miami. There he was hired on a team

FERNANDO WONG
f l o w e r m a g .c o m | 75 |
 LEWIS MILLER

| 76 | FLOWER May•June 2023

 AMANDA LINDROTH
OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP, FAR LEFT: Lewis Miller hands out treats to his beloved dogs, Fritz, Tug, and Dutch, in the newly-
designed garden at his rescued Mission-style house. • The house includes a fabulous faux-painted fireplace by master artist Joseph
Steiert. • Intimate rooms celebrate masculine shades of browns, greens, and teals, as well as “tons of birds,” Lewis says. THIS PAGE:
Everything Amanda Lindroth touches oozes with her signature “happy look” inspired by 30 years of living “outside in the Bahamas.”

designing and installing gardens at the University of

Miami, where he learned the basics of landscape
architecture. “The hands-on experience was
invaluable,” says Fernando. “I asked everyone,
including the guy who moved plants, to give me tips.”
Since then, his talent for creating stunning, naturalis-
tic settings has landed projects with great visibility,
including a series of Four Seasons Hotels and a number
of residences in posh Baker’s Bay in the Bahamas.
Off South Dixie Avenue, floral and events planner
Lewis Miller, a California native and New York
transplant, is visibly enthusiastic about his move to
West Palm Beach thanks to his burgeoning business
and his restored Florida home. Lewis achieved
celebrity status for his “Flower Flashes,” colossal,
outdoor floral installations that he placed in unique
locations all over Manhattan. But the designer
confesses that after living in the Big Apple for 20 years,
he wanted a change. “I signed on for a warehouse in
Palm Beach in July and then bought a three-bedroom,
Spanish Mission-style house in need of restoration,”
he says. “I had Old Florida and Ernest Hemingway in
mind during the redo.” And while he has immersed
himself in South Florida both personally and profes-
sionally, Lewis also continues to work with clients
across the globe. “I travel to wherever my existing
clients need me, including the Caribbean islands,
to organize their galas or weddings,” he says. “We
celebrate an abundant, fresh look that is not about
stodgy hydrangeas. I especially love the earthy
sensuousness of pairing flowers with fruit. Like a

f l o w e r m a g .c o m | 77 |
 MISH TWORKOWSKI

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Mish Tworkowski is pictured in

his personal studio that features a Nancy Lorenz mixed media
triptych. • Another office is dedicated to kitschy ‘50s and ‘60s
“paint by numbers” flamingo images. • Entry pots are abloom
with thriving plants. • Signature Mish jewelry includes this stunning
pink morganite necklace and a lustrous strand of Burmese, apple
green maw sit sit beads. OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT:
The courtyard of David Phoenix’s office is a favorite space for
lunches and receptions. • David is pictured in his tidy antiques
and book-filled office. The signed Georgian clock, made by John
Warner in Evesham, England, between 1810 and 1821, was a gift
from a friend. • David collects model staircases: “I love them.
I want to climb those stairs to success, one step at a time.”

| 78 | FLOWER May•June 2023

DAVID PHOENIX

lush Flemish painting, it never looks boring.”

Across the bridges to Palm Beach Island,
Amanda Lindroth offers a different design
sensibility in her shop on South County Road.
“I have been living and working in the Bahamas
for 30 years, but I decided to open this little
shop about eight years ago to become more
visible in the U.S.,” she says. “As a result, we now
have clients in Nantucket, Sea Island, and
many other similar places. I also am oversee-
ing the design of a new 100-room hotel on
John’s Island on the Kiawah River in South
Carolina.” And the designer’s reach will
continue to expand even more as she just
acquired the former C Oricco dress shop for
her showroom.
Several blocks down South County Road,
on historic Phipps Plaza, pale lilac awnings
announce the showroom of celebrated jeweler
Mish Tworkowski. Almost like a delicious
secret, the showroom is tucked in an elegant,
landmarked stucco building designed by
Addison Mizner. At the entrance, dozens of
massive pots hold hopelessly happy plants and
trees, while curtains of red bougainvillea
shimmy up pale pink walls. Inside, rooms are
bathed in the luscious lavender that Mish
adores (Benjamin Moore’s “Heather Plum”

f l o w e r m a g .c o m | 79 |
 ALESSANDRA BRANCA

| 80 | FLOWER May•June 2023

 paint), a decadent hue he feels is akin to being inside one of his
gorgeous gift boxes. “I was born brimming with energy,” the
jeweler says with a buoyancy that can’t be copied or learned.
After graduating from Rutgers and the University of London,
where he studied art history, Mish landed a dream job at
Sotheby’s in London. There he rotated among departments,
including 20th-Century Art, Rock & Roll Memorabilia,
Jewelry, and Rare Coins. “There are constant ‘eureka’
moments in the auction business, as well as exposure to
amazing quality and workmanship,” says Mish. “My work
reflects that, including my respect for an unusual variety of
materials.” Unique items include everything from petrified-
palm wood earrings with brown diamonds and lustrous
abalone grey pearls to a dazzling, 70-strand diopside necklace.
A block away, David Phoenix radiates satisfaction from a
lofty, sunlit studio on Seaview Avenue. Outside, tall cascades
of magenta bougainvillea become living columns on white
stucco walls, while window boxes of neatly tended geraniums
complete the inviting scene.
“I started coming to Palm Beach in 2018 for work, and
I always thought I could live here happily someday,” says David.
Raised in Uxbridge, Massachusetts, he left his hometown
after high school and moved to California, where he landed his
first job baking brownies at Disney. After a stint in the sample
room at Pierre Deux, David joined Ralph Lauren’s flagship
store in Beverly Hills. Along the way, Dinah Shore offered him
her own brownie recipe, and Barry Diller offered him some
good advice. “He told me, ‘Think big and you’ll be big,’ ” says Fashion Forward
David. That advice remains at the forefront of every business Along Worth Avenue, Ala von Auersperg
move the designer makes.
enjoys living above her tiny clothing shop
In 2020, David decided to relocate and set up shop on
and its charming, flower-filled courtyard.
Palm Beach. “I feel lucky to be here,” he says. “The town still
“I am essentially a painter, but I am
has a village feel to it; everything is close by.” In his new space,
he continues to design collections for Hickory Chair Furniture acutely aware of the need to design
Co., something he has been involved with since 2017. Interior comfortable, versatile attire for women
projects range from a spacious Montana log cabin to a water- over 40,” she says. “So I do my drawings
front family residence at The Abaco Club in the Bahamas, as and paintings, and my partner, Larry
well as new construction in fabulous Alys Beach and several Black, puts them on
Park Avenue apartments. fabric. We create
At the western end of Worth Avenue, Casa Branca reflects these beautiful
the je ne sais quoi persona of its owner, Alessandra Branca. pieces that are
The respected designer reflects panache and possesses a multifaceted and
deep knowledge of antiquities, gleaned from her studies at travel well.” Ala
Oxford University and Lake Forrest College, as well as
PORTRAIT OF ALA VON AUERSPERG PROVIDED BY ALA VON AUERSPERG

says her customers

her expansive travel and a curated upbringing in Rome.
“People ask if I sell furniture, but I always explain that no,
I sell design,” says Alessandra. “I like to disarm people with
beautiful things, but my brand is a separate business from
interior design,” she says of the shop brimming with her
inspired collections of bespoke cupboards, lacquered cocktail
tables, rattan étagères, and porcelain flowers that bring
depth to her designs. “If you only follow a recipe, you never
create something new or interesting.”
That philosophy is quietly apparent in the chic persona
of her shop, as well as in the fabric and wallpaper hues of her
brand. “I don’t encourage anyone to come to me with a
photograph from a magazine,” Alessandra says. “Doing a
house is as personal as painting a portrait. You don’t bring
a photo of someone else’s work and ask to copy it. It’s like
putting your client’s head on someone else’s body.”
include women
of all ages, even her
own daughter.
OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Alessandra Branca
welcomes visitors to her charming shop, Casa Branca,
next door to The Everglades Club. Outside, vintage iron
furniture, covered in her brand’s high-performance fabric,
is always surrounded by bowers of seasonal flowers
that create an enticing invitation to pause and browse her
beguiling shop across the threshold. • Open cupboards
and étagères offer ideas for customers to arrange their own
decor. • The shop reflects Alessandra’s unique eclecticism
of mixing bespoke and vintage.

For more information, see Sources, page 84 f l o w e r m a g .c o m | 81 |

Sources
IN BLOOM
PAGES 19-22: FLORAL DESIGN: Floral
designer: Tattie Rose Studio, tattierosestudio.
co.uk
PAGES 25-28: GARDEN: Delaware Botanic
Gardens, delawaregardens.org
PAGES 30-32: DECORATE: FLOWERS: Floral
designer: Kelly Marie Thompson, Fleur Inc.,
fleurchicago.com
GREY GARDENS: PAGES 42-55:
Designer: Liz Lange, Figue, figue.com
BEAUTY IN BLOOM: PAGES 64-69: Interior
designer: Lindsey Herod, Lindsey Herod
Interiors, lindseyherod.com; MUSIC ROOM:
Walls: ‘Livable Green’ by Sherwin-Williams,
sherwin-williams.com; vintage panels: Gracie
from Jessica Lev Antiques, jessicalevantiques.
com; curtains: ‘Blake’ in Oregano from
Schumacher, schumacher.com; curtain trim:
Samuel & Sons, samuelandsons.com; woven
polypropylene indoor/outdoor rug: Venetian
Blind Carpet One Floor & Home, vbaf.com;
MUDROOM TO LAUNDRY: Wallpaper:
VOLUME 17, ISSUE 3. Flower magazine, ISSN 1941-4714, is a bimonthly publication of Peony Publishing, LLC, located at 3020 Pump House Road, Birmingham,
AL 35243. Periodicals postage is paid at Birmingham, AL, and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to Flower magazine, P.O. Box 8538,
Big Sandy, TX 75755. For subscription inquiries and customer service, please call 877.400.3074. All unsolicited materials will not be returned. Printed in the U.S.A.
Who Did It & Where To Get It
‘Raphael’ by Scalamandre, scalamandre.com;
trim color: ‘Krypton’ by Sherwin-Williams;
porcelain tile: ‘Unity’ by Daltile, daltile.com;
PRIMARY VIGNETTE: Tableskirt: ‘Boughton
House’ in Porcelain by Schumacher; fringe:
‘Loire’ bullion in Blanc by Samuel & Sons; blue
diamond polypropylene indoor/outdoor rug:
Venetian Blind Carpet One Floor & Home;
DINING ROOM: Wallcovering: Scalamandre;
antique crystal Italian chandelier: sourced
by Janet Wiebe, sourcedbyjanetwiebe.com;
curtain trim: ‘Mireille’ border in Turquoise
by Samuel & Sons; dining table: through
Lindsey Herod Interiors; vintage gilt mirror:
through Lindsey Herod Interiors; chair seats:
upholstered in Kravet Performance Velvet,
kravet.com; chair backs: upholstered in
‘Montgomery’ silk plaid by Schumacher;
early 20th-century Federal style sideboard:
from Jessica Lev Antiques; KITCHEN:
Custom cabinets with cane panels: through
Lindsey Herod Interiors; hanging shade:
‘Windsor’ in Natural Brass by Visual Comfort,
visualcomfort.com; shade fabric: through
Lindsey Herod Interiors; ceramic tile: ‘Antico’
in White Clay by Daltile; counter stools:
Frankel, frankel.com; OPEN LIVING: Sofa:
Performance Woven in Blue by Kravet; sofa
trim: Fringe Market, fringemarket.com; club
chairs: ‘Petite Frond’ in Celadon by Heather
Chadduck, heatherchadducktextiles.com;
ottoman: Performance Woven by Kravet;
ottoman trim: Fringe Market; geometric
polypropylene indoor/outdoor rug: Venetian
Blind Carpet One Floor & Home; PRIMARY
BEDROOM: Pelmet and bed skirt: ‘Boughton
House’ in Porcelain by Schumacher;
fruitwood with inlay commodes: Area, area-
houston.com
THE PULL OF PALM BEACH:
PAGES 70-81: Meg Braff, megbraffdesigns.
com; Danielle Rollins, danielledrollins.
com; Reed McIlvaine, rennyandreed.com;
Fernando Wong, fernandowongold.com;
Lewis Miller, lewismillerdesign.com;
Amanda Lindroth, amandalindroth.com;
Mish Tworkowski, mishfinejewelry.com;
David Phoenix, davidphoenix.com;
Alessandra Branca, branca.com;
Ala von Auersperg, alavonauersperg.com
At the Table

The Great Outdoors

DESIGNER ELAINE GRIFFIN WELCOMES GUESTS WITH A DRAMATIC
ALFRESCO SETTING SURE TO BE THE TALK OF THE TABLE.
Produced and styled by Amanda Smith Fowler • Floral design by Canaan Marshall • Photography by David Hillegas

“Springtime in the South

is ideal for entertaining
outside—endless blue skies,
perfect temperatures, and
the mosquitoes have yet
to arrive,” says designer
Elaine Griffin. “Your outdoor
style and color palette should
be a complementary continu-
ation of your interior spaces,
tweaked to acknowledge
Mother Nature. Look to
hues of a rosy sunrise or
coral-kissed sunset for
no-fail options.” Elaine adds
that for alfresco settings,
common sense prevails.
“Here, the hobnail glassware
is heavy enough to be
wind-resistant, the main
plates are a weighty ceramic,
and the stainless cutlery’s
handles are actually plastic!”

Millefleurs dessert plate

($44) by Faiencerie de Gien •
Choisy dinner plate ($12) by
Villeroy & Boch • Geranium
Green platter ($42) by
Bordallo Pinheiro • Boston
Green highball glass ($16),
wine glass ($16), and
double old-fashioned glass
($15) by Villeroy & Boch •
Novia Pearlized Green
stainless flatware ($35
for 5-piece place setting)
by Cambridge Silver

All of the above provided

through partnership with
Replacements, Ltd.,
800.737.5223,
replacements.com

Governor Pool House Lantern

and French Quarter Patio
Lantern (inquire for pricing)
by Bevolo Gas & Electric
Lights; bevelo.com

| 88 | FLOWER May•June 2023