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FLOWER

FLOWER NOV•DEC 2024

HOUSE l GARDEN l LIFESTYLE

NOVEMBER • DECEMBER 2024

CON TEN TS November • December 2024

A Memorable Feast

Rustic meets refined, and traditions are both remembered and made anew when Barry Dixon and Will Thomas host Thanksgiving dinner in the barn at Elway Hall, their home in Virginia.

Family Affair

Interior designer Laura Roland marries European elegance and Creole eclecticism to transform her parents’ historic French Quarter pied-à-terre into a haven for hosting at Christmas and all year long.

Ornaments of Style

We’re dreaming of finding a glamorous bauble (or two) underneath the Christmas tree, and these luxurious jewelry pieces have us making our lists and checking them twice.

Quiet Beauty

ON THE COVER Floral designer Laura Dowling creates a Christmas tableau for her Virginia entryway using colors, textures, and natural materials evocative of the woodlands of her native Pacific Northwest. Photographed by Erik Kvalsvik

“Just living isn’t enough,” said the butterfly. “One must also have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.” —HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN 8 FLOWER November •December 2024

PHOTO BY JOSEPH VALENTINE

At Juniper Hill Farm in New Hampshire, every addition to the garden is calibrated for its winter presence, including silhouette, texture, and hardiness.

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C ON TE N T S

Departments

From the Field

Find stylish gifts for the merriest of seasons.

Shopping

During the hustle and bustle of the holidays, fleurdetroit invites shoppers to pause and soak in the wonder of the season.

Decorating

Women in the Garden

As a tastemaker and owner of decorating firm Colefax & Fowler, Nancy Lancaster carried her English country house style into her gardens, making the ordinary into something extraordinary.

I N EVERY IS SUE

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Watering Can What’s Online? Sources Floral Moment

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PHOTOS (TOP TO BOTTOM) BY TRACY TUCHOLSKI; BY ERIK KVALSVIK

We ask floral designer Laura Dowling to talk holiday decorating, from her days at The White House to what she does in her own house, as featured in the pages of her latest book, Designing Christmas.

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WATER I NG CA N A Note from the Editor

challenging—to pen a pensée a few months before the magazine lands in the hands of readers. It is midSeptember right now, and we have no idea of things to come. We are in a land full of question marks and division signs. Though I do not ever hew political on this page or in this magazine, there are things I believe can minister to everyone in the midst of the miasma of our culture—and they happen to intersect with the holiday season. Thanksgiving is, if not THE most salutary of perspectives, certainly in the top few. As I look at the strife plaguing our nation, I realize one piece that often seems starkly absent is an awareness of and thankfulness for all we have, what we have in common, and how far we’ve come. No, we’re not in a place of perfection. Nowhere on this earth is or ever will be. When I think of thankfulness, I often think of interior designer and Virginia gentleman Barry Dixon. There’s no one I know who is more giving or the possessor of a more thankful heart than Barry. Leafing through this issue, I am so warmed and grateful to soak in the abundance of Barry and his partner Will’s exuberant Thanksgiving feast situated in the chic and rustic barn on the property of their home, Elway Hall. Along with thankfuIness, I believe that hope is an integral part of our nation’s ethos and a keynote of the holiday season. Imagine the hope kindled in homes that celebrate Chanukah as they light candles representing a miraculous victory. When we gather to celebrate the holidays, even if during times of difficulty and sadness, we have hope. It’s what keeps us going and growing. Consider Charlotte Moss’s piece on Nancy Lancaster and her English gardens. The Virginia expat was dreaming and designing her gardens almost a hundred years ago, and they survive and thrive to this day. I feel certain that Lancaster had hope as she created each garden—hope that the results of her planning (and planting) would linger for future generations to enjoy.

I drink in the timeless beauty and story of a family home in New Orleans’s French Quarter, decorated by Laura Roland and gussied up for Christmas. I so appreciate the hope evinced in the continuation of the Rolands’ highly regarded, family-owned antiques emporium, Fireside Antiques, from which Laura drew several pieces for the home—not to mention the canon of style and grace passed down to Laura from her mother, antiques aficionado Susan Roland. It shows hope for the future of good design and fine antiques—a lovely legacy. And during the Christmas holiday season, we also celebrate peace. “Peace on Earth, good will to all men [and women].” I have learned through the vicissitudes of my life that peace must dwell in my heart. Even something as simple as taking a moment to meditate on the magical snow-covered garden in the pages devoted to Juniper Hill—a dreamy, thoughtful New Hampshire property—gives me a sense of calm. My shoulders drop three inches and my heart is at rest when I pore over the images and description of this winter garden. I am at peace. During this holiday season, if you find yourself making your list and checking it 20 times or just generally having a hard time “getting in the spirit,” try to stop and settle into a cozy seat in your home while gazing at a favorite painting or a spot overlooking a garden. Pause for a moment and think of your blessings. You are ALL blessings to me. I wish for you, dear readers, holidays replete with thankfulness, hope, and peace. Love and SDG,

Margot Shaw EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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

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PHOTO BY CARY NORTON

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DE C OR ATI NG

Decking the Halls

We ask floral designer Laura Dowling to talk holiday decorating, from her days at The White House to what she does in her own house, as featured in the pages of her latest book, Designing Christmas. BY K AREN CARROLL | PHOTOGRAPHY BY ERIK KVALSVIK

FLOWER: Flowers evoke memories and emotions, and holidays do too. What were your childhood Christmases like, and how did they inform the way you flower, decorate, and celebrate today? Laura Dowling: I grew up in the Pacific Northwest—an idyllic place to celebrate Christmas with its natural beauty. My grandparents lived in a big Edwardian house in Southwest Washington, and the season would start in my grandmother’s kitchen in October when she’d begin baking and freezing things. We would craft ornaments and cut paper snowflakes at the table. Everything was homespun, and the tree was probably more of a hodgepodge than my current ones, but it was always so magical. My other grandmother was originally from Baton Rouge. She celebrated with splendor, panache, and lots of parties. Both of my grandmothers influenced my aesthetic and showed me that the act of preparing for the holidays could be a major part of the fun. How would you describe your floral aesthetic today? French-inspired garden style with elements of fantasy and whimsy. It’s what I fell in love with almost 25 years ago while on my first trip to Paris. To this day, I can 36 F L O W E R N o v e m b e r • D e c e m b e r 2 0 2 4

PORTRAIT BY SUNNI KIM COOK

“I favor layers of color, décor, and collections in my interior and bouquet designs, and that’s even more important when it comes to holiday decorating,” says floral designer Laura Dowling. ABOVE: The dining room of her early 19th-century house in Alexandria, Virginia, is trimmed in traditional red and green with accents of plaid.

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