FLOWER SEPT•OCT 2024
HOUSE l GARDEN l LIFESTYLE
CON TEN TS September • October 2024
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A Walk on the Wild Side
A planned meadow in Dutchess County, New York, offers a different spin on spectacular from season to season.
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Defining Beauty
With a third book from Mark D. Sikes out this fall, we thought it was the perfect time to check in with the Los Angeles-based interior designer to discuss all things beautiful.
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Cultivating Grace
At Grace Rose Farm in Southern California, Gracie and Ryan Poulson combine their artistic passion for beauty with a strategist’s foresight to create a community that functions as both a business and an abiding source of joy.
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Passion Project
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ON THE COVER Inside his cottage in Somerset, England, garden designer Sean A. Pritchard displays gifts from the garden year-round. For fall, homegrown dahlias take their turn. Photographed by Sean for his new book, Outside In: A Year of Growing and Displaying (Mitchell Beazley, 2024).
“Just living isn’t enough,” said the butterfly. “One must also have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.” —HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN 10 F L O W E R S e p t e m b e r • O c t o b e r 2 0 2 4
PHOTO BY B. DOCKTOR
On a mission to foster more environmentally-friendly practices in the floral industry, TJ McGrath gathers like-minded creatives for a symposium called the Sustainable Flowers Project.
PHOTO BY B. DOCKTOR
C ON TE N T S
Departments
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From the Field
Brilliant seasonal flowers, an autumn table filled with abundant color, the best in fall style, and a bumper crop of tables and chairs from High Point Furniture Market
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Arranging
In his first book, Outside In: A Year of Growing and Displaying, British garden designer Sean A. Pritchard shares his advice on growing, harvesting, and arranging flowers year-round. Here, we feature an excerpt focused on fall.
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Entertaining
With crisp days and cool nights ahead, we ask New York-based event designer Augusta Cole how she approaches setting a fall tablescape.
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Interiors
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Women in the Garden
Gloria Vanderbilt displayed her love of botanicals not only in the patterns and prints of her fashion line but also in the surroundings of her personal life.
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 NATHAN SCHRODER; BY VICKI GRAFTON
Designer Mary Beth Wagner sheds light on a Tudor Revival-style house in the Highland Park neighborhood of Dallas.
PHOTOS (TOP TO BOTTOM) BY NATHAN SCHRODER; BY VICKI GRAFTON
Featuring: MH30570 Gregory Nightstand and H458C Tufty Chair @sherrillfurniturebrands | mrandmrshoward.sherrillfurniture.com
WATER I NG CA N A Note from the Editor
“Let us crown ourselves with roses, before they be withered: let no meadow escape our riot. Let none of us go without his part in luxury: let us everywhere leave tokens of joy: for this is our portion, and this our lot.” —BOOK OF WISDOM famous line “Gather ye rosebuds while ye may” from his poem “To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time.” Having departed from my usual format to dedicate last issue’s “Watering Can” to my husband in the garden, I shall continue in that vein with the same protagonist in a different setting. This 4th of July while in Fairhope, Alabama, my dearly beloved Gates suffered a life-threatening heart event. We were on pins and needles and prayers for around 18 hours. He has come through the fire like gold and is now stamping his hoof to get back in the garden. Ironically, all of his hard work in the garden probably saved him. The doctors and nurses ran a stream of amazed commentary about his being in such good shape, asking “How does he do it?” It’s most likely the reason he’s alive and improving. Another reason to go dig in the dirt, everyone. Meanwhile, texts, emails, notes, books, flowers, and food— essentially, love—continue to pour into our lives, including personal reflections of the ways Gates has touched different people’s lives and many sentiments brimming with hope for the future.
There’s nothing deep or philosophical I can impart that hasn’t been said through the centuries, but having this space, I must add my voice to the chorus. Life is short and fragile and beautiful and scary and awful and wonderful and full of pain and full of pleasure and, and, and… As I look at the messages from FOGs (Friends of Gates) and ponder the life he’s led and continues to lead, I see that he truly does leave tokens of joy everywhere— and I am inspired to aim to do the same. I’m also inspired to encourage us all to do the same. And if we can do it with roses, so much the better.
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
THE ABOVE QUOTE was the inspiration for Robert Herrick’s
Laguna Rug in Ocean PHOTO BY CARY NORTON
Our debut collection of custom, cut-to-order area rugs is here. thibautdesign.com
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Brilliant seasonal flowers, an autumn table filled with abundant color, the best in fall style, and a bumper crop of tables and chairs from High Point Furniture Market PRODUCED BY AMANDA SMITH FOWLER PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVID HILLEGAS
FROM TH E FI ELD | AT TH E TA BL E
“The first hint of fall gives me reason enough to celebrate! Although it’s not yet cashmere weather at my home in Savannah, any cocktail starring bourbon makes a cozy liquid sweater. And it’s cool and dark enough to serve a sinful gratin among masses of candles.” —REBECCA GARDNER OF HOUSES & PARTIES
PREVIOUS PAGE: Floral Design: Leska Graves Taylor • Fabric: Square Off in Multi (to the trade) by No.9 Thompson • Container: Grisha Centerpiece ($780) from Arteriors • THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP CENTER: Floral Design: Leska Graves Taylor • Festival Dinner Napkins in Lemon ($69/set of 4) by Sferra • Majestic Boxwood Flatware ($712/5-piece place setting) from Houses & Parties • Warm Smoke Venetian Tumbler ($124) from Houses & Parties • Palladio Gold Service Plate ($140) by Vietri from Replacements, Ltd. • Izmir Pimento Dinner Plate ($130) from Houses & Parties • Vintage Japanese Hand-painted Plates ($520/set of 7) from Houses & Parties • Fabric: Square Off in Multi (to the trade) by No.9 Thompson 20 F L O W E R S e p t e m b e r • O c t o b e r 2 0 2 4