March April 2023

FLOWER

HOUSE l GARDEN l LIFESTYLE

FASHION in BLOOM

A TIMELESS LONG ISLAND

Family Home

WOMEN AND THEIR GARDENS WITH CHARLOTTE MOSS

FEATURES

46

A Perfect Match

Maggie Gri n creates a colorful, cozy house that hits a sweet spot for both designer and client.

54

Collaborative Nature

For this Washington State garden, a homeowner passionate about plants partners with a horticultural professional to exciting and exuberant e ect.

62

Memories in the Making

A home in Bellport, New York, gets a head-to-toe reboot to fit the current needs of the family as well as those of generations to come.

“Just living is not enough,” said the butter y. “One must also have sunshine, freedom, and a little ower.”

IN BLOOM 13

Fashion

It’s springtime, and everything is in bloom— including the latest styles from top designers. Renew your own wardrobe with our bouquet of inspiration.

26 Garden

Restored to its former glory, England’s once-private Eythrope Gardens lifts the curtain on its intensely secret realm.

34 Travel

Weave your way through the English countryside to discover the charm and hospitality of these local pubs and inns.

38

Women in the Garden

As someone who faced adversities with fearlessness, Lee Miller viewed gardening, which she discovered later in life, as a welcome distraction that gave her great pleasure.

42

Decorate: Flowers

Floral design duo Molly Copa and Hattie Sloane of Austin-based Flora Fetish pair a passion for flowers with an artful eye to create living masterpieces.

IN EVERY ISSUE

Watering Can 6

What’s Online 10 Sources 74

I KNOW THAT THIS QUOTE can be interpreted symbolically or as a poetic device, but it can also be accepted at face value. I accept it at face value. When I first read this passage in Lawrence’s writings, I was transported to a place from my childhood that haunts me, in a good way. We lived in Lausanne, Switzerland, when I was in early grammar school. My parents were travelers not tourists. They were always immersed in the cultural and social landscape of wherever we were. My brother and I accepted this lifestyle with the equanimity of six- and eightyear-old children who were open to adventure, as we hadn’t yet established our friend tribes back home in the states or the ties that would bind and distract.

There is an album of beautiful, scenic images in my memory bank from those years, but the most powerful and evocative is the one that, as I said, still haunts me. It is as follows: I am riding in the backseat of my father’s Mediterranean blue convertible Mercedes 220 SE, which in ’62 was a rare thing for an American to be driving. I can smell the seat leather and glimpse the green blur of the allée of trees in the dappled sunlight overhead. I can hear the pea gravel crackle and the purr of the engine. Then up ahead I see a maize-colored stucco house with dark green

shutters and graceful scrolls of ironwork covering the glass front door. I’d like to say I remember the varieties of flowers in the planters and the plan of the gardens, but I do not. I only recall the enchantment of the hour and the feel of otherworldliness that accompanied the experience. I don’t even remember the fortunate homeowners—only the home, the lush gardens, the beauty, the feeling ... paradise.

I have never been able to access any information about this magical manoir, and there are times when I long to know so that I could perhaps return. But on rereading Lawrence’s quote, I sense that the air would not be as soft nor the morning as fragrant as the garden of my childhood. So I’ll content myself to leave it there and to continue to read and write and explore houses and gardens in the present.

One of FLOWER’s favorite people in the present, contributing editor Charlotte Moss, is now penning for us a column about fascinating women from assorted genres and eras and their gardens and garden interests—everyone from Empress Josephine to Bette Midler. In her inaugural piece found in these pages, she features the late Lee Miller, an American fashion-model-turned-photo-journalist during World War II who later became a passionate gardener at her English home, Farleys House.

Let us relish the knowing and remembering of beautiful houses and gardens and the people who love them.

“There is a garden in every childhood, an enchanted place where colors are brighter, the air softer, and the morning more fragrant than ever again.”

— Elizabeth Lawrence 20th-century gardener, designer, and garden writer

VOLUME 17, ISSUE 2

Margot Shaw FOUNDER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Julie Gillis MANAGING EDITOR

Nicole Gerrity Haas ART DIRECTOR

DIGITAL

Jason Burnett DIGITAL GENERAL MANAGER

EDITOR-AT-LARGE

Karen Carroll

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Missie Neville Crawford

Alice Welsh Doyle

James Farmer

Kirk Reed Forrester

Amanda Smith Fowler

Marion Laffey Fox

Elaine Griffin

Tara Guérard

Sallie Lewis

Frances MacDougall

Robert Martin

Tovah Martin

Cathy Still McGowin

Charlotte Moss

Ellen S. Padgett

Matthew Robbins

Margaret Zainey Roux

Frances Schultz

Lydia Somerville

Sybil Sylvester

For editorial inquiries: editorial@flowermag.com

Julie Durkee PUBLISHER

Jennel O’Brien ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER, SALES & MARKETING

Marlee Ledbetter MARKETING COORDINATOR

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ADVISORY BOARD

Paula Crockard

Winn Crockard

Gavin Duke

Gay Estes

Katie Baker Lasker

Mary Evelyn McKee

Michael Mundy

Ben Page

Angèle Parlange

Renny Reynolds

Scott Shepherd

Mish Tworkowski

Remco van Vliet

Evie Vare

Louise Wrinkle

What’s Online?

Wallpaper that Wows

From quiet textures to statement-making graphics, nothing transforms a space like wallpaper. At our recent showhouse, the designers used 50+ different wallpapers ranging from textured grass cloths to scenic reveries. Everyone seems to be considering these beautiful backdrops for stylish rooms. In March, we’re diving into wallpaper with pieces on historic reproductions and contemporary treatments, as well as inspiration and buying guides. Get designer tips for choosing wallpaper, browse a collection of ideas for every room, and take our quiz to discover your wallpaper style. Find it all at flowermag.com/wallpapers.

Spring Garden Countdown

March 20th can’t get here fast enough! While we wait for the first day of spring, we’re looking back at some of the dreamiest gardens featured in FLOWER. From shoreside cottage plantings to royal Edens, we can’t resist a beautiful garden. We gathered our most popular garden stories for you to wander through and enjoy at flowermag.com/greatgardens.

THE FLOWER YOU NEED NOW

In April, look for our new feature highlighting flowering shrubs and plants you should consider adding to your garden. Whether it’s trending in garden circles or was a favorite from Grandma’s garden that just needs to come back, these flowers are getting our full attention with profiles, growing instructions, and arranging tips. We’ll even have links to purchase select varieties from Monrovia. In April, we’ll be looking at bigleaf hydrangeas, climbing roses, lavender, and bougainvillea. Find your next flower at flowermag.com/flowersnow.

“I love wallpaper. I love it in rooms and even in closets. In my view, it just adds another layer of richness. I mean, I do love paint, but wallpaper is better.”

—CHARLOTTE MOSS

in Bloom

Floral Fashion

IT’S SPRINGTIME, AND EVERYTHING IS IN BLOOM—INCLUDING THE LATEST STYLES FROM TOP DESIGNERS. RENEW YOUR OWN WARDROBE WITH OUR BOUQUET OF INSPIRATION.

in Bloom

PREVIOUS PAGE: Marion Bodice Dress ($595) from Alémais through Le Weekend Studio; alemais.com, leweekendstudio.com

• New Bloom Earrings ($290) in “Peach” from Lizzie Fortunato; lizziefortunato.com • Arc Cu ($195) in “Apricot” from Lizzie Fortunato; lizziefortunato.com THIS PAGE: Field Daisy Silk Dress ($695) from Oroton through Le Weekend Studio; oroton. com, leweekendstudio.com

• Lilly Sandal ($118) in “Blush” from Bernardo; bernardo1946.com

• Monument Ring ($220) in “Ochre” from Lizzie Fortunato; lizziefortunato.com

• Arc Cu ($195) in “Apricot” from Lizzie Fortunato; lizziefortunato.com

Susie African Daisy Jumpsuit Set ($335) in “Violet/Multi” from Frances Valentine; francesvalentine.com • Forget-Me-Not Layered Petals Pendants: Pink Opal/Pink Tourmaline ($3,490); Pink Sapphire ($2,250); Pink Tourmaline/Mandarin Garnet ($3,490); Chrysoprase/Emerald ($3,800) from Stephanie Albertson; stephaniealbertson.com

• Mini Oval Link Chain ($3,980) from Stephanie Albertson; stephaniealbertson.com

• Forget-Me-Not Earrings ($5,960) in 22K Gold with Chrysoprase

Carved Flower, Diamonds, and Opals from Stephanie Albertson; stephaniealbertson.com

Behind the Gates

RESTORED TO ITS FORMER GLORY, ENGLAND’S ONCE-PRIVATE EYTHROPE GARDEN LIFTS THE CURTAIN ON ITS INTENSELY SECRET REALM.

The thrill of being welcomed into the famously secret garden of Lord Jacob Rothschild’s Eythrope is a sublime experience, akin to inhaling the intoxicating scent of Confederate jasmine for the first time. Whether embarking on an in-person tour or flipping through the pages of Paradise and Plenty, a luscious book about the magical walled garden, the public has access to this enchanted world once only available to a privileged few.

First conceived in the 19th century, the gardens supplied produce and flowers for many generations of the Rothschild family before falling into disrepair. When Lord Jacob Rothschild inherited the neighboring 5,000-acre Waddesdon Estate in 1988, he began a lavish reimagining of

ABOVE: An aerial view reveals the scope of Eythrope’s property and the attention to detail it enjoys. LEFT: The gracefully-curved pear tunnel, draped in heirloom varieties of pears, initially appears as a dreamy vision of frothy pink and white buds.

its surroundings and enlisted Lady Mary Keen to redesign the smaller, former showplace at Eythrope. Two wars and a stint as a rental property had taken a toll on the landscape, and Keen was the perfect choice to reignite its magic. “I had worked on several other projects for Lord Rothschild before this and was thrilled with the prospect of resurrecting the 19th-century garden,” she says. She joined with experienced gardener Sue Dickinson to tackle the assignment.

“The tradition of four squares divided by paths was reinstated for vegetable growing,” says Keen. “Areas were designated for herbs, cutting flowers, and special plant collections. And an orchard that would eventually produce 36 varieties of apples was added, as well as two fanciful herbaceous borders and a few arbors for pears and roses.”

Keen’s lofty goals were tailored to the family’s storied past, starting in 1874 when adjoining Waddesdon Estate was acquired by Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild. The young widower, whose wife tragically died

ABOVE AND LEFT: In the topiary garden, whimsicality runs free amid clipped boxwoods, yew, and ivy. Golden Lonicera nitida adds color and texture. Crushed bricks with grass-banded edges contrast with the otherwise muted palette. A sculpture collection and animal-shaped wire frames complete the fantastical scene.

ABOVE: Oversize pots brimming with blue Plumbago auriculata, scarlet Pelargonium ‘Paul Campbell,’ and Pelargonium ‘Chocolate Peppermint’ create a visual preamble to the walled garden. An overflow of Salvia involucrata ‘Boutin’ leads the way to one of many glass houses in the garden. RIGHT: A sunny path to the potting shed showcases Pelargonium austral, Heliotropium arborescens ‘Dame Alice de Hales,’ and Salvia ‘Wendy’s Wish.’

during childbirth, occupied the French Renaissancestyle chateau with his spinster sister, Alice, who had relocated from Frankfurt. When Alice was not acting as hostess, she commissioned whimsical-themed gardens on the property. Eventually, Eythrope became her private retreat.

Within the architectural backbone of the presentday gardens, eight pristine Victorian glass houses stand out. Glistening above the horticultural bounty, the fanciful crystalline buildings resemble fairytale ice houses. During the renovation, the neglected structures were replaced or refitted with coated aluminum supports meticulously copied from the original ones. Among them, the octagonal Cherry House harbors exotic varieties of dessert cherry trees, while a 90-foot-long version is used for propagation and cultivation. Another structure cossets geraniums (pelargoniums) used in bedding designs and house decoration. Others are dedicated to tomatoes, cucumbers, aubergines, and peppers.

Suzie Hanson, an intensely practical Lancashire

gardener, is the current overseer of the horticultural fiefdom. She and her talented staff are tasked with creating joyous surroundings that cherish the past but welcome reinterpretation. “The techniques employed here are still maintained at the highest standards, but we are also conscious of being efficient,” she says. “The gardening team is so knowledgeable. We represent a combined total of 136 years of experience. As a result, it’s a very happy garden— but we are all still learning.”

Expressing admiration for all of the efforts, Lord Rothschild relishes daily walks through his paradise. He sums it up best by saying, “Every time I walk up to Eythrope’s gardens, I think of John Keats’ words: ‘A thing of beauty is a joy forever.’ ”

Garden tours run every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. from May through October. Cost: 50 pounds (includes a light meal). Must be booked in advance. Visit waddesdon.org.uk.

Hidden Gems

WEAVE YOUR WAY THROUGH THE ENGLISH COUNTRYSIDE TO DISCOVER THE CHARM AND HOSPITALITY OF THESE LOCAL PUBS AND INNS.

To truly experience all that the English countryside has to offer, it’s almost imperative that travelers dine and overnight in authentic local establishments. While you will have no trouble finding these charming destinations in popular tourist areas where visitors throng to well-known historic properties, it’s sometimes worth driving a few extra miles to experience the off-the-beatenpath hotspots.

THE FIVE ARROWS

Visitors to the Rothschild estates of Eythrope and Waddesdon Manor love the convenience of this sublime boutique hotel. (See page 26 for more information on the gardens of Eythrope.) Located just outside the gates of Waddesdon, The Five Arrows appears almost as a folly at the entrance to the estate. Originally built in 1887 to accommodate craftsmen who worked on the estate, the Elizabethan-style structure boasts stacked chimneys and elaborate ironwork. Inside, 16 guest rooms offer respite for weary travelers, while the on-site restaurant nourishes guests with a farm-to-table bounty grown on the inn’s land. Accompanying wines range from the unpretentious to great vintages. The Five Arrows: 011-44-1296-651727, fivearrowshotel.co.uk

LA TABLE D’ALIX AT THE PLOUGH

Owners Antoine Chretien and Camille Verron, who moved from their former Cotswolds location after a fire, have created a sparkling new French-flavored establishment. The restaurant is in an ideal location for diners to rest and refuel after a tour of the gardens of Oxford University. Customers will find the young owners taking orders themselves, often accompanied by their small children, Alix and Clemence. Antoine and his head

ABOVE,

Arrows is a welcoming beacon to travelers in this rural area of England. Designed by local architect/builder James Taylor from nearby Bierton, the elaborately detailed structure reinforces the sense of wonder visitors feel after touring nearby historic estates. • The atmospheric Bar and Garden at The Five Arrows is redolent of a cozy village pub where families (and dogs!) are resoundingly welcomed for a full range of tasty bites including sausages, skinny fries, and toasties, all washed down with Shepherd’s Gold Ale from the Waddesdon Estate or a Rothschild wine.

chef, Nat Berney, both worked under venerable chef Raymond Blanc for many years and have incorporated versions of some of his most popular recipes. As a result, patrons of La Table d’Alix rave about dishes such as Fowey Cornish Moules Marinieres, Wild Mushroom Risotto with Truffle Cream, Perigord Foie Gras Poêlé, and Five French Artisan Cheese Soufflé. Add the Ultimate Vanilla Bourbon Crème Brûlée (or any of the delectable desserts), and anyone will understand why this reimagined pub has such a devoted following.

La Table d’Alix at The Plough: 011-441844-279283, latabledalix.co.uk

BARNSLEY HOUSE

This 17th-century former rectory is where famed gardener Rosemary Verey’s husband grew up and where the couple later settled after they were married. For many garden lovers, having the chance to stay here and the opportunity to explore the grounds at leisure is a dream come true. The blissful spa, tucked into a corner of the property, offers a sybaritic incentive to pause. Inside the main house and surrounding outbuildings are cozy public areas with fireplaces and casual dining rooms manned by cheerful, aproned staff members who specialize in learning your penchant for coffee or tea. Barnsley House: 011-44-1285-740000, barnsleyhouse.com

CLOCKWISE FROM RIGHT: At Greyhounds, secluded gardens alive with fanciful topiaries, shapely boxwoods, and velvety lawns overlook the spires and higgeldy-piggeldy slate rooftops of historic Burford. • Greyhounds’ imposing golden Cotswolds structure is softened with an impressive battalion of rounded, clipped boxwoods. • Inside Greyhounds, charming rooms and suites, imaginatively carved out of useless spaces, appear as cozy, fireplace-warmed nests.

GREYHOUNDS

Situated on Sheep Street in Burford, Greyhounds has been called “the prettiest inn in the Cotswolds” since it was redone by Christopher Moore and Michael Taubenheim in 1999. Centuries ago, it was a wool merchant’s house with a wool barn behind it. It then became a temperance hotel and later housed the offices of Countryman magazine. A thorough restoration that gutted the building filled 98 “skips of trash,” according to Michael. Today the cozy establishment has two apartments and a garden cottage, along with bed-andbreakfast accommodations dressed in crisp Swedish linens. The rambling gardens unfold beyond steps leading up from a gracious courtyard. Burford is one of the Cotswold’s loveliest golden stone villages, and a couple of nights at Greyhounds will add a special dimension to your itinerary.

Greyhounds: 011-44-1993-822780, greyhoundsburford@gmail.com

THE FRENCH HORN

Preening over a sylvan stretch of the River Thames and brushed by wispy willow trees, the inn’s main building is repeatedly reflected in the still, mirrorlike water. Owned by the Emmanuel family since 1972, the 200-year-old former coaching inn enjoys a stellar reputation as a food shrine with

ABOVE, TOP TO BOTTOM: Dining tables are snapped up quickly by devotees of The French Horn’s exquisite classical French fare. • The centuries-old coaching inn, sited on an especially picturesque bend of the Thames, has been lovingly renovated and expanded over time.

12 well-appointed bedrooms and suites. The property also includes Furleigh Cottage B&B with 19 additional rooms. The culinary team, under the aegis of head chef Josiane Diaga, offers refined fare and top-tier French wines in a setting that evokes children’s fairytales. Additionally, the inn is conveniently located near many interesting attractions such as Windsor Castle, Blenheim Castle, and Henley-on-Thames, where famous rowing regattas take place. The French Horn: 011-44-1189-692204, thefrenchhorn.co.uk

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.

The Long Way Home

AS SOMEONE WHO FACED ADVERSITIES WITH FEARLESSNESS, LEE MILLER VIEWED GARDENING, WHICH SHE DISCOVERED LATER IN LIFE, AS A WELCOME DISTRACTION THAT GAVE HER GREAT PLEASURE.

At a young age, Lee Miller made a name for herself as a young model and Surrealist while also working as a photojournalist for VOGUE magazine. Known for her formidable spirit, she chose to photograph the front lines of WWII rather than the soigné models in comfortable New York studios. At the

end of the war, however, Lee surrendered her career for a bucolic life at Farleys House in the hamlet of Muddles Green in Sussex, England.

Shared with her husband, Surrealist painter Roland Penrose, Farleys House became the embodiment of Lee’s boundless energy for growing her own ingredients and using them in her

delicious concoctions for family and friends. In fact, considering the fervor with which she adopted her new occupations, it seems as if gardening may have been a metaphor for the former life she chose to bury in order to begin anew. The coterie of regular weekend visitors that Lee enchanted with her imaginative dishes included Max Ernst, Dorothea Tanning, Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, and Man Ray, with whom she lived for three years in the early ‘30s in Paris.

When I visited Farleys House last fall,

I met Lee’s son, Antony Penrose, who manages the Lee Miller Archives located in Farleys House. I asked him whether there were any specific lessons he learned from his mother in the garden. He warmly responded, “She wanted her plants to be comfortable—a wonderful notion to consider if the asparagus and the sweet corn were comfortable. Her plants were her guests in the same way that a guest should be comfortable.” Perhaps this view was a result of the Surrealist’s anthropomorphic view of things—or it may have simply been because of her generous demeanor.

In the war-torn Europe that she witnessed first-hand, Lee knew the prospect of tomorrow was not necessarily a given. However, in her garden at Farleys House, she savored the promise of each day as something new. Seasonal changes encouraged activities year-round like spending time with seed catalogs in the fall and writing to her parents in Poughkeepsie, New York, in the winter to ask for flower and sweet corn seeds. Lee was a quick

ABOVE: Lee found the most joy in growing her own ingredients and creating homemade dishes to serve to friends and family. This picture shows one of the many farm-to-table gatherings she hosted. BELOW: Many of the herbs that Lee grew and used in her recipes are still thriving in the garden at Farleys House: (below, clockwise from top left) borage, chard, parsley, mint.

study with a can-do attitude, so her gardening took off quickly. She insisted that her herb garden be close to the kitchen door in order to easily snip her favored chives, parsley, basil, tarragon, mints, and fennel. Borage, lemon balm, thyme, and Greek oregano were also planted near strawberry plants and large raspberry cages. The garden even included a grape-covered trellis tunnel.

As Lee’s ardor and prowess for gardening and cooking developed, so did her cookbook collection. A compulsive buyer, Lee filled all corners of the house with her books. Finally, Roland relented and built a cookbook room—a place of her own to plan her garden and work on recipes and menus. Roland and son Antony also built a lily pond with a sculpture so Lee would have something to look at outside her kitchen window.

Lee died in 1977 without ever having mentioned the cache of photographs, negatives, and manuscripts she had hidden in a

corner of the attic. When Antony’s wife, Suzanna, later discovered them, Antony learned for the first time about this part of his mother’s life. While she was alive, Lee never shared with her son that she had been embedded with allied troops and was one of the first journalists to enter a liberated Paris in 1944. And she never talked of her past as a famous photographer and war correspondent. Since this revelation, Antony has spent a lot of time honoring his mother’s legacy and getting to know her better posthumously.

In a film to be released this year, Kate Winslet will play Lee Miller during the defining period of her life from 1938-1948. Winslet stated, “This is the story we want people to know about Lee more than the many other parts of her life.”

While Lee Miller’s path to a life of gardening and cooking was long and circuitous, its success was her personal reinvention. After her death, her family scattered her ashes over her beloved herb garden in a final act of commemorating her life and passion. As Lee once said, “Cooking is pure therapy.” For her, indeed it was.

While Lee Miller’s path to a life of gardening and cooking was long and circuitous, its success was her personal reinvention.

DECORATE: FLOWERS

Flora Fetish

FLORAL DESIGN DUO MOLLY COPA AND HATTIE SLOANE OF AUSTIN-BASED FLORA FETISH PAIR A PASSION FOR FLOWERS WITH AN ARTFUL EYE TO CREATE LIVING MASTERPIECES.

Inspiration

“Nothing screams ‘celebration’ quite as loud as champagne, so we let our creativity pour from that notion,” says Molly Copa, owner of Flora Fetish. Like the fizz and bubbles that overflow from a flute, lush blooms in various shapes and sizes pop out of the top of a vintage silver champagne bucket drenched in a glorious patina that suggests it has seen its fair share of good times. The arrangement’s monochromatic pink palette includes hues ranging from bold to barely-there that embody and celebrate the strength and softness of the female spirit.

Behind the Scenes

Opportunity blooms when you least expect it. Just ask Molly Copa. With her children grown and gone, the former stay-athome mom was ready to relaunch her career but was lacking the passion to enter the corporate world. When she learned that Flora Fetish, an established floral design studio in Austin, Texas, was seeking new ownership, she felt a calling.

“My story started a little differently than most others in the industry,” says Molly. “I wasn’t actively looking to buy a flower

shop—I was looking for a creative outlet that would touch people’s lives in a positive way. Working with flowers just felt like a natural fit. As a child, I loved spending time in my grandmother’s gardens. When I reflected on those memories, my heart quickly opened to the idea of buying Flora Fetish, and I’ve never looked back.”

When Molly purchased the 17-yearold business in 2018, she instantly connected with shop assistant Hattie Sloane. Burnt out from washing buckets, organizing rentals, and processing flowers, Hattie, who holds a master’s degree in fine arts, confided to Molly that she was craving a role more commensurate with her skill set—one that would encourage her to make the most of her artistic training. Molly told her to look no further as she named her creative director for the studio.

“Floral design is an art form, and I approach it as such,” says Hattie, who prefers hand-sketching her design concepts rather than just writing them down. “To me, tinkering with the color composition of an arrangement is akin to mixing paints on a palette. And the actual arrangement process is like the act of putting paint to paper. Balance, rhythm, harmony, and movement are all present but are loose enough to enhance the expressiveness of the flowers themselves.”

in Bloom

DECORATE: FLOWERS

MATERIALS

Chicken wire

Waterproof tape

Floral clippers

Snapdragons (Potomac pink)

Jasmine vine (clipped from our garden)

Garden roses (Keira and Mayra’s)*

Peonies (Kansas pink)

Double tulip (mauve pink)*

Dahlias

Double lisianthus*

Scabiosa (white scoop)

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

STEP 1 Prepare the vessel by creating a loose ball of chicken wire that fits snuggly into the container. Use waterproof tape to secure the chicken wire inside the vessel.

STEP 2 Start with arranging snapdragons and jasmine vine. Their gestural line shapes help guide the placement of the elements that follow and create the whimsical outline of the arrangement.

STEP 3 Add the garden roses and peonies. Place them lower in the arrangement to anchor the line flowers and foliage and to create an interesting base for the elements to bounce o .

STEP 4 Add the tulips and dahlias as the form flowers. Arrange them in a “terraced” fashion by layering them on top of the mass blooms so they have more presence in the design and serve as a focal point. Finish with the lisianthus and scabiosa. Leave their stems longer so they appear to float outside of the arrangement for an airy, whimsical quality.

*TIP: To reflex the roses, tulips, and lisianthus, wait until the blooms have softened and the petals feel malleable. (To speed up the process, give them a drink of warm water.) Gently pop the petals back by placing your thumb under the petals and your index and middle finger inside of the petals. Gently press your thumb up while pulling your other two fingers down until the petals flip inside out. Continue this process until you achieve your desired look.

A PERFECT MATCH

Maggie Griffin creates a colorful, cozy house that hits a sweet spot for both designer and client.

It’s no secret that Instagram is an endless mine of design resources. In the case of a South Carolina homeowner, it was the tool that allowed her to connect with Maggie Griffin, whose work she had long admired. Her request was for help with the interiors of her newly purchased house. What followed was the proverbial match made in heaven as Maggie discovered she and the homeowner shared a similar design aesthetic and a love of color.

When Maggie first laid eyes on her client’s recently renovated 1940s cottage in Greenville, she was swept away by the charming structure. “I was so tickled with what the previous owners had done with the renovations,” she says. “They preserved the architectural integrity of the old cottage while updating its functionality for modern living.” The designer was also impressed by the purchases her client had already made. “She has such a great eye for decorating, but she didn’t have time for the scope of this project on her own.” A busy physician, the homeowner

PREVIOUS SPREAD, LEFT TO RIGHT: A chinoiserie wallpaper by Brunschwig & Fils greets visitors to the cottage. • Arrangements of ranunculus, roses, and hydrangeas form a lush centerpiece on the dining room table. Maggie layered colorful china by Ginori on creamware from Scott Antique Markets. THESE PAGES, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Maggie brought bold color to the kitchen by painting the cabinets Knoxville Gray by Benjamin Moore. An orchid grounded with greenery creates a focal point on the island, while a smaller display of anemones on the counter behind brings a fun pop of purple to the room. • For the screened porch, Maggie gave the client’s existing outdoor furniture a fresh look with colorful pillows and garden stools. • Walls covered in grass cloth by Thibaut lend a cocooned feeling to the intimate seating area in the parlor. • In the mudroom, Maggie hung a Thibaut wallpaper in a geometric print to bring interest to an otherwise utilitarian space.

WALLPAPER WISDOM

Maggie Griffin shares her thoughts and theories on taking any space from boring to beautiful.

Wallpaper in rooms with very little fabric, like bathrooms and powder rooms, adds personality, especially if you pull a bold color from the wallpaper for the cabinetry.

I like adding wallpaper in utility rooms, such as a laundry room or mudroom. It’s unexpected and fun.

Hanging wallpaper in a foyer provides a color punch when guests arrive and can set the tone for the rest of the house.

To make a bedroom cozier, add wallpaper with a small print as the backdrop of the space. It provides a little whimsy, color, and pattern.

Murals have made a comeback as of late, and I love using them. The dining room seems to be the most popular space, but many people are also using murals in bedrooms.

I love hanging tonal wallpapers in primary bathrooms where serenity is key. Powder rooms, however, are the places to play up the drama and go bold.

Grass cloth can add interesting dimension and texture to a space while also adding color. There are so many wonderful weaves now, many of which are hand-painted. They completely elevate an ordinary space into a high-end room.

THESE PAGES: A dreamy Schumacher wallpaper sets a restful tone in the primary bedroom. A sofa by Kravet nestles into the bay. A bench by Ballard Designs serves double duty as a coffee table or seating. The blue hues of the room continue in the painting by Emily Ozier over the mantel.

needed Maggie’s expertise in creating cheerful, layered rooms that would welcome her at the end of a hectic day.

Maggie’s first step was to address the mudroom/laundry space, which opens to the parking area and is what her client sees first when returning from

work each day. She swathed the room in a subtle geometric print in red and added a comfortable built-in bench for setting down bags. “I call it the ‘plop-and-drop,’ ” says Maggie. She then created an equally welcoming front entry full of color confidence

with a blue chinoiserie wallpaper. Furniture throughout the house includes many pieces from the client’s childhood home, lending an organic, collected quality. Maggie showcased those items with plenty of color and pattern, but she also mixed in some

contemporary elements. For example, while the antique armoire sits in the front parlor and feels very traditional, the designer paired it with an unexpected grouping of four club chairs around an ottoman for a more modern vibe, as well as to create a space for quiet relaxation or intimate gatherings. Similarly, the dining room features an inherited table and chairs, but Maggie updated the space with pretty box-pleated slipcovers. “The space definitely feels feminine,” she says. Taking cues from the artwork, the designer added window treatments in blue and chairs covered in a buffalo

check. For the table setting, she used daringly colorful Oriente Italiano china on grass cloth placemats, along with plenty of flowers. “Setting a table is one of my favorite things, and the flowers are the soul of it all,” says Maggie. “I chose coral roses, white ranunculus, purple hydrangeas, and blush garden roses.”

One area that did require more than just décor was the kitchen. “It was ho-hum,” Maggie says. “We replaced the countertops with quartz, changed the backsplash to subway tile, and painted the cabinets Knoxville Gray by Benjamin Moore. It’s moody but fresh.” Wicker

barstools add natural texture to the space. In the keeping room off the kitchen, the designer chose a pair of sofas to accommodate a crowd.

For the main bedroom, Maggie created a special place customized for the client. “We enveloped it in restful color,” she says. The large space with built-in shelves, a fireplace, and a bay window is swathed in a pretty wallpaper of climbing vines. Maggie layered jute carpeting under an Oriental rug to cozy up the room and brought in a new bed that looks convincingly antique. “The bathroom also is very big, so we decided to make it feel more like a dressing room

by adding a wing chair and covering the walls in grass cloth,” says the designer.

On the second floor, three guest rooms accommodate all configurations of visitors. Twin beds in the mossy green retreat under the eaves suit visiting nephews while a floralaccented double bed in a clean white room often welcomes a visiting parent. The king-sized bed in the third guest space offers comfort for a couple.

Like the rest of the house, each room is a little different with personal flavor, colorful accents, and refined finishing touches. And for this client, those are the things that make it feel like home.

“My client has such a great eye for decorating, but she didn’t have time for the scope of this project on her own.”

—DESIGNER MAGGIE GRIFFIN

Collaborative NATURE

For this Washington State garden, a homeowner passionate about plants partners with a horticultural professional to exciting and exuberant effect.

With tufts of grasses weaving through a broadloom of perennials and almost no lawn, this West Coast Washington property isn’t your average suburban scape—and that’s exactly what Ruth Lipscomb wanted. The homeowner was totally on board with venturing beyond the ordinary. Although Ruth and her family were moving no farther than the lot next door, they were going in a completely different direction from their former abode by building a house with a bold, modern look. Because of this, Ruth wanted an equally courageous garden surrounding the home.

To say that Ruth did her homework when finding the right person to spearhead the garden project is an understatement. She didn’t just ring up a landscape architect; instead, she went on a tour of Land Morphology’s Seattle-based offices. Nationally esteemed and the recipient of many awards, Land Morphology has created both

LEFT: A seldom-used secondary driveway became a showpiece rather than a throwaway space. Richard Hartlage of Land Morphology created permeable spacing between the 16-inch-wide granite planks and planted the gaps with sedums, erodiums, elfin thyme, and blue star creeper. In the adjacent garden, roses, Phlox ‘David,’ and Geranium ‘Rozanne’ are contained in weatheredsteel raised beds.

public gardens and residential landscapes of all styles and sizes. With backing from the Northwest Horticultural Society, Richard Hartlage, the principal at Land Morphology, has created these office tours to demonstrate the company’s scope and breadth, as well as to share the collaboration process involved. While his team is proud of their diverse capabilities, Richard especially enjoys creating a modern look with an approach that is far from spare and

minimalistic. When clients are willing to fully fill their footprint with plantings, he’s eager to help them with plenty of creativity and efficiency.

When Ruth met Richard, she found a collaborator simpatico with her enthusiasm. She wanted to make every square inch of the half-acre property expressive—and Richard was ready for the challenge. “The process was like weaving a fabric,” he says. It also helped that Ruth and Richard had

something else in common: They are both plant nerds.

A gardener for 24 years, Ruth had created a database of the 300 plants on her previous property. Initially, Richard suggested she cull it to a hundred favorites as a target list. But in the end, she decided to simply trust Richard’s expertise. “I selected a few plants that I absolutely wanted, and for the rest, I said, ‘Surprise me.’ ” Roses, peonies, lilacs, dahlias, and two transplants from

BELOW: From a covered dining deck in the backyard, the family can view the garden and its bounty, including Astrantia major ‘Shaggy,’ monarda, dwarf pomegranate, and Astilbe ‘Vision in White.’ RIGHT: The plantings leading to the canal merge vegetables with pollinator-friendly flowering beauties such as Coreopsis ‘Moonbeam,’ Eryngium ‘Sapphire Blue,’ fuchsias, and sprawling Clematis ‘Arabella.’

ABOVE, TOP TO BOTTOM: Richard Hartlage worked a jigsaw puzzle of texture and form, giving every plant presence. Blue oat grass, cordylines, and dahlias are among the prominent players. • The 20-inch-deep, weathered-steel vegetable containers house cabbages, leeks, and asparagus. OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: For colorful effect, Richard paired Coreopsis ‘Moonbeam’ and Eryngium ‘Sapphire Blue.’ • Astrantia ‘Shaggy’ tolerates bright shade or sun to blossom from May through mid-July. • Native deer ferns turn the corner beside hardscape. • Hosta ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ produce plentiful blossoms along the pathway to the front door.

FINDING MIDDLE GROUND

Ideally, every garden strikes a balance between surface structure and its environmental impact. In this West Coast Washington garden, Land Morphology was tasked with being particularly sensitive to the ratio of hardscape to permeable surface in a landscape abutting a waterway. The proximity to the lake was a godsend—the property was certified as having the right to pump irrigation from the water source. “That’s worth a mint,” says homeowner Ruth Lipscomb. “I actually framed the certification document.” But the water proximity also came with environmental concerns. As a result, the layout of the landscape was a careful give-and-take between hardscape and permeable surface. The creative solution was to stripe a second driveway using granite slabs set apart by planted bands of various creeping sedums.

“Necessity is the mother of invention,” Ruth says. In the landscape layout, each impervious poured-concrete stepping stone in the shade garden is offset within a generous framework of groundcovers, while crushed stone and wood chips were used on many paths. The result handily solves the give and take of environmental challenges. As Ruth says of the stitching between design and eco-friendly issues, “Richard was able to thread that needle so well.”

her former garden—saucer magnolia (Magnolia x soulangeana) and Japanese maple—were on the wish list. Richard’s imaginative contributions included dwarf lilacs that combine the iconic fragrant flower spires with a shapely, compact growth habit, as well as Itoh peonies that feature prolific and magnificent flowers in a neat format.

As Ruth and Richard continued to work together, the ideas kept flowing. The property overlooks a waterway, prompting Ruth to make the most of the placid view. She had always wanted a covered patio, and Richard delivered outdoor seating/dining

areas that were both covered and open to the elements. He also added a gas fire feature. A steel, raisedbed vegetable garden echoes the modern house and makes harvest a snap without stoop labor, and winding pathways link all parts of the garden. But unlike most neighboring properties, the plantings are not confined to the backyard—the front features vegetation syncopated by textural grasses that help soften cement walls. And throughout the front and back spaces, Richard adhered to his goal of nonstop color, consistency, and density.

While working on the project, Ruth says she grew as a gardener while her tastes evolved. One of her biggest takeaways was discovering that multiples were the way to go for continuity—and that the concept was not just about perennials. Shrubs planted in groups of 3, 5, or 7 keep the garden from presenting as a mishmash. Ruth also realized that curbing her impulse to be a collector led to more harmony. “I learned so much from collaborating with Richard,” she says. “I like to say we are co-conspirators.” And the results confirm that their mission was accomplished.

Memories in the Making

A home in Bellport, New York, gets a head-to-toe reboot to fit the current needs of the family as well as those of generations to come.

Not many interior designers have known their clients since childhood, but Phillip Thomas had a history with one particular family in Bellport, New York. As a boy, he spent many summers just down the road from Janet and Michael Foster and played with their three girls. When the Foster family began to expand

with sons-in-law and grandchildren in the mix, they knew their house had to grow with them. There was no thought of moving to another Bellport property as this house was teeming with so many precious memories. Naturally, the Fosters looked to Phillip for help. The New York-based designer immediately partnered with local architect Mary Knowles to bring out the best in the reimagined

home in a way that speaks to the original architecture. “The Fosters wanted a similar house but bigger rooms, so we lifted up the roof to create soaring cathedral ceilings in the bedrooms,” says Mary. “We made sure to copy the roof pitches and shed dormers so that the exterior reads the same as before.” A more modern addition offers an open, family-focused floor plan with folding, floor-to-ceiling glass doors. “The doors allow the interiors to have a conversation with the garden and pool area,” Mary says. The space also has plenty of room for

PREVIOUS PAGES: Nestled in a grove, the house gives no indication of it former life as a garage that housed cars and chauffeurs. THESE PAGES, LEFT: The original screened porch remained intact structurally but received updates of fresh paint, pillows, and new flooring and rug. BELOW: Phillip used many of the owners’ existing furnishings, transforming them with fresh fabrics and colorful pillows and adding new lamps. “A little discord between patterns in a space is desirable because it gives energy and dynamism,” he says. RIGHT: As a whimsical nod to the area’s farming roots, Phillip reused tractor seats as places to perch in a mudroom. BELOW RIGHT: Raising the roof allowed for a soaring front entry with an elaborate light fixture Phillip designed from old farm equipment.

gatherings, which was a top priority in the planning. “We usually have 15 people for dinner—sometimes more— three times a week all summer long,” says Janet. “Now everyone can spread out yet still be together because of the open design.”

The Fosters also tasked Phillip and Mary with repurposing anything that could be saved and using local resources as much as possible. “We salvaged all the original pine wood flooring and used it for the millwork in a powder bath and the wine cellar,” says Phillip. The imaginative designer went so far as to take an original stall door with its inherent grooves from kicking horses and turn it into a powder bath vanity inside the revamped stable that now serves as an entertaining mecca.

With the architecture and materials in place, the decorating fun began. “We didn’t want to be too literal about the concept of a summer house with lots of

OPPOSITE: Folding glass doors make for a true indoor-outdoor connection to the pool area and beyond. Trumpet vines climb up the sides of the house to frame the new addition. THIS PAGE, TOP: The addition included a highly functional open kitchen. The light fixture is made from vintage egg baskets hung with a yoke sourced from the local farm museum. “It’s wonderful what you can create with found objects,” says Phillip. ABOVE: “I love red rooms,” says the designer. “There is something so timeless about them if they are done right. The library that Albert Hadley created for Brooke Astor is a good example. It still feels fresh today!”

THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Old sailing images that line the upper hallway speak to the seaside setting of Bellport. • An antique marble-topped bedroom dresser looks even prettier with an explosion of Black-eyed Susans fresh from the garden. • “That giant thing over the bed is the top from a grain silo, if you can believe it!” says Phillip.

OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: A guest bedroom includes a decorative paint treatment for the wall that reflects light. “I see a room as a sheetrock box that needs depth, volume, and richness,” says Phillip. • The green four-poster bed is from the estate of Elsie de Wolfe. The minute Phillip saw it, he knew it would be perfect for this daughter’s bedroom. •

Phillip used a collection of mirrors in different shapes and sizes to create an art installation in another daughter’s bedroom.

whites, blues, or pastels,” says Phillip. “The family also didn’t want to fill the house with too many new products. They wanted to reuse the furnishings they already had, as well as items they had acquired or that had been passed down to them.”

Phillip reinvented many of their existing pieces, giving them whole new identities. In that vein, he took a set of Bar Harbor traditional white wicker furniture on the screened-in porch and painted the collection a lively red. “It’s an unexpected color but it felt right given the coziness of this house,” he says. “We used the same red for the front door and mudroom entrance and in the original sitting room.” Janet also had family items that were touchstones, such as painted twin beds from her childhood. Phillip married

“I want clients to look at every fabric in their home and say to themselves, ‘I picked that. I remember when I fell in love with that fabric.’ My task is to take the things that they love and create a coherent story.”

—PHILLIP THOMAS

them together on a matching platform, transforming them into a king-size bed. And her Victorian dining table and chairs took on a new life with jaunty coral pink paint for the chairs and a faux bois finish for the lackluster wooden table.

With direction from Mary, the designer expertly rose to the challenge of using local resources by visiting a local farm museum created by preservationist Ron Bush. Among the inventory that includes over 6,000 vintage pieces of farm equipment, Phillip found some old cogs and wheels hung on pulleys from lace mills in Patchogue, New York. From these pieces, he fashioned a collection of pendant lights for the entry. “It’s really fascinating to take something totally

utilitarian and reinvent it with a whole new energy and meaning,” he says.

The designer employed another large-scale cog to serve as décor in the same space. “It’s just as beautiful as any piece of art you would find hanging in The Met,” says Phillip. “It has character and tells a lot about the agricultural history of the community.” He also rescued a charming wooden bucket scored from an antiques store in Hudson Valley and waterproofed the inside to serve as a vanity. “It’s sort of like a wishing well for the grandchildren,” says the designer. “They gather seashells and sea glass and toss them in after visits to the beach.”

Nothing about the home’s design hints to its past as an early 1900s garage that

housed cars, chauffeurs, and other staff members, but there is still a story to tell. When the property was being excavated for the addition, a collection of old glass bottles was unearthed. “We realized that the staff had been throwing these into a pit in the yard, which had become buried over time,” says Phillip. The innovative duo put the collection in a two-sided vitrine to show off the finds, which also serves a practical purpose as it casts light in the basement stairway.

With the house complete, it now speaks to a new chapter for the Foster clan. “Phillip took it to the next level, and I could not be happier,” says Janet. “I hope it continues to bring joy and memories for generations to come.”

Who Did It & Where To Get It Sources

PAGES 38-41: WOMEN IN THE GARDEN: Farleys House & Gallery, farleyshouseandgallery.co.uk

Wallpaper: Schumacher, fschumacher. com; Sofa: Kravet, kravet.com; Bench: Ballard Designs, ballarddesigns.com; Bedside tables: Kathy Kuo, kathykuohome.com; Chair, Ballard Designs, ballarddesigns.com; Jars: Danny’s Porcelain, dannysporcelain.com; BLUE BEDROOM: European shams: Kravet, kravet.com; TWIN BEDROOM: Paint color: Dark Olive by Benjamin Moore, benjaminmoore.com

collection of the Bush Farm Museum; Light fixture: Restoration Hardware, rh.com; Flooring: Haifa Limestone, haifalimestone.com; KITCHEN:

Countertop: Caesarstone, caesarstoneus. com; Island stone: ABC Stone, abcworldwidestone.com; Stools: Sawkille, sawkille.com; Sliding doors/wall: Nana Wall System, nanawall.com; LIBRARY:

Chairs: Regan & Smith, reganandsmith. com; Fabric on chairs: Duralee Fabrics, robertallendesign.com; Lamps on side table: Bunny Williams Home, bunnywilliamshome.com; Side tables: Regan & Smith, reganandsmith.com; Sofa: Carlyle, carlylesofa.com; Patterned Roman shade fabric: Schumacher, fschumacher.com; Solid Roman shade fabric: Samuel & Sons, samuelandsons. com; Paint color: Million Dollar Red by Benjamin Moore, benjaminmoore.com

PAGES 42-44: ARRANGE: Floral designer: Flora Fetish, florafetish.com

COLLABORATIVE NATURE

PAGES 54-61: Landscape design: Land Morphology, landmorphology.com

PRIMARY BEDROOM: Vintage silo cover above bed: Beall & Bell, 631.477.8239; Swing-arm sconces: Circa Lighting, visualcomfort.com; Ottoman fabric: Pollack, pollackassociates.com; Settee fabric: Pindler, pindler.com; Drapery fabric: Jim Thompson from Jerry Pair and Associates, jerrypair.com; Chandelier: Hudson Market, hudsonmarket.com;

BLUE BEDROOM: Rug: Serena and Lily, serenaandlily.com; Drapery fabric, Osborne & Little, osborneandlittle.com, Chair: Beall & Bell, 631.477.8239;

A PERFECT MATCH

PAGES 46-53: Interior designer: Maggie Griffin, maggiegriffindesign.com; ENTRY: Wallpaper: Brunschwig & Fils, kravet.com; Lamps and mirror: Ballard Designs, ballarddesigns.com; DINING ROOM: Lamps on sideboard: Legend of Asia, legendofasia.com; China: Oriente Italiano, Ginori, ginori1735.com; Carpet: Stanton, stantoncarpet.com; KITCHEN: Paint color: Knoxville Gray by Benjamin Moore, benjaminmoore.com; Pendants: Circa Lighting, circalighting.com; MUDROOM: Wallpaper: Thibaut, thibautdesign.com; PARLOR: Grass cloth wallpaper: Thibaut, thibautdesign.com; SCREENED

PORCH: Garden stools: Legend of Asia: legendofasia.com; Pillow fabric: Schumacher, fschumacher.com; MAIN BEDROOM:

VOLUME

MEMORIES IN THE MAKING

PAGES 62-71: Interior designer: Phillip Thomas, phillipthomasinc.com; Architecture: Mary DuPree Knowles, knowlesarchitecture.com; SCREENED

PORCH: Paint on wicker set: Million Dollar Red by Benjamin Moore, benjaminmoore. com; Wicker seat-cushion fabric: Perennials Fabrics from David Sutherland Showroom, perennialsandsutherland.com; Lamps flanking sofa: Beall & Bell, 631.477.8239; LIVING ROOM: Wingback chair fabric: Clarence House, clarencehouse.com; Drapery fabric: Vaughan, vaughandesigns.com; Rug: Stark, starkcarpet.com; Sofa fabric: Clarence House, clarencehouse.com; Red armchair fabric: Duralee Fabrics, robertallendesign.com; MUDROOM: Bench seats: Purchased from the private

GREEN-AND-WHITE BEDROOM: Dresser: ABC Home, abchome.com; Lamp on dresser: Beall & Bell, 631.477.8239; Drapery fabric: Designer’s Guild from Osbourne & Little, osborneandlittle.com; Swing-arm sconce: Urban Electric Co., urbanelectric.com;

Bedframe: Leonards Antiques, leonardsnewengland.com; Bolster fabric: Larsen Fabrics from Cowton & Tout, cowtan.com; Artwork above bed : Julia Fosson Encaustic Art and Paintings, juliafosson.com; Chandelier: Currey & Company, curreyandcompany.com;

AQUA BEDROOM: Bedside tables: Bungalow 5 from Mecox Gardens, mecox.com; Lamps: Bunny Williams Home from Mecox Gardens, mecox.com;

STABLE BATHROOM: Tile: Artistic Tile, artistictile.com

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Of all owers, Methinks, a rose is best.