FLOWER JULY•AUGUST 2020
HOUSE l GARDEN l LIFESTYLE
INSPIRED SUMMER STYLE FROM HOME TO GARDEN
+
COASTAL GARDEN CHARM
Staying True to Blue ADD FRAGRANT HERBS TO YOUR BOUQUET!
Summer
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PHOTO BY KINDRA CLINEFF
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JULY• AUGUST 2020
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Contents
50 “Just living isn’t enough,” said the butterfly. “One must also have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.”
–HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
FEATURES
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Frances Schultz and her husband, Tom Dittmer, host a party at their home in California’s Santa Ynez Valley
Interior designers Mimi McMakin and Cece Bowman of Kemble Interiors stir things up in a dated Palm Beach apartment with a refreshing cocktail of color, texture, and local flavor
Most coastal landscapes look outward, but Rose Cove also brings the foreground into focus
PHOTO BY KINDRA CLINEFF
Aglow in the Allée
Tropical Punch
Maine Attraction
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Southern Hospitality on the North Shore
Interior designer and Mississippi native Meg Braff serves up a charming and colorful dinner for friends and family at her Long Island home
ON THE COVER: Author, artist, and host Frances Schultz used dahlias, zinnias, and roses from her garden and a local farm for the
centerpieces at an intimate dinner beneath an allée of olive trees at her home in the Santa Ynez Valley. Photographed by Shelly Strazis
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Contents DEPARTMENTS
28 SCENE
11
We’ve got our eyes on...
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Furniture for Chaddock by Mark D. Sikes; floral ceramics, tabletop items, and furnishings; an Erdem and de Gournay collaboration; and new garden books
IN BLOOM
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Decorate: Flowers
Eileen Tongson of FarmGal Flowers uses fragrant herbs in her arrangements
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Entertain
Have everything you need for a party delivered with Social Studies
24
In small-town Georgia, Suzy and Robert Currey grow not only plants but also community
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Decorate: Color
Summertime blues
IN EVERY ISSUE Watering Can 6 What’s Online 15 Sources 70 At the Table 72
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PHOTOS BY DAVID HILLEGAS (TOP LEFT) AND SHELLY STRAZIS (BOTTOM RIGHT)
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Garden
PHOTOS BY DAVID HILLEGAS (TOP LEFT) AND SHELLY STRAZIS (BOTTOM RIGHT)
Watering can
A Note from the Editor
“A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.” Proverbs 17:22
(corona time) has been watching—on social media, on television, in print, and among my friends and family—the resourceful and ingenious ways we’ve managed to keep up our spirits and help those in need at the same time. A brilliant and impactful strategy is the “Challenge.” Issued by designers, tastemakers, and artists, these challenges have charged followers (on Instagram primarily) with creating something beautiful—a collage, a delicious favorite dish, a flower arrangement, or even a tablescape to enjoy with family members or dream about for the future. Each challenge has been tied to giving to a relief-related entity. For example, one of our Contributing Editors, Charlotte Moss, encouraged her followers to create collages, and for each one posted, she gave of her resources to Feeding America. It was one of the most fun, gratifying, and inspiring activities of my time in quarantine, and it got my creative juices stirring. I proceeded to begin a needlepoint canvas, write notes to friends just for the heck of it, consult some old favorite cookbooks and even cook from them, and get back to arranging flowers—mostly from my husband’s garden, which pleased him to no end. Even though I have been admonished about overposting, I have found myself wanting to share humor and beauty on social media almost every day with the hashtags #amerryheartdoethgoodlikeamedicine and #beautymatters.
Along with my tiny, daily offerings on Instagram, it gives me and our team great pleasure to be able to capture beautiful houses, gardens, and parties in this issue and share them with you, in the hopes that they will inspire you and feed your soul. Come along as we travel to Long Island for a colorful summer dinner party hosted by interior designer Meg Braff; Maine to explore a picturesque oceanside garden; Palm Beach to see a chic and clever project from Kemble Interiors; and a ranch near the Santa Ynez Mountains of California for a dinner under the olive trees, given by our new West Coast Contributing Editor, Frances Schultz. There’s something about continuing to produce, in my case, this magazine, that thumbs the proverbial nose at the virus, and it is my fondest hope that we come out of this season better than if we hadn’t experienced it, and that it be soon. Meanwhile, we pray for those who have lost loved ones, jobs, businesses, income, and the magic of momentous occasions celebrated in community. Thank you, dear Flower friends, for your continued support, and may God bless America. SDG,
Margot Shaw EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Please send your comments, triumphs, challenges & questions to: wateringcan@flowermag.com OR Letters to the Editor | Flower magazine P.O. Box 530645 I Birmingham, AL 35253 Get the Flower email newsletter! Sign up at flowermag.com/news
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July•August 2020
PORTRAIT BY BETH HONTZAS
ONE OF THE MORE POSITIVE ASPECTS of this season
PORTRAIT BY BETH HONTZAS
VOLUME 14, ISSUE 4
Margot Shaw FOUNDER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Alice Welsh Doyle EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Ellen S. Padgett CREATIVE DIRECTOR Amanda Smith Fowler STYLE EDITOR Kirk Reed Forrester ASSOCIATE EDITOR Kate Johnson PRODUCTION/COPY EDITOR Gregory Keyes INTEGRATED OPERATIONS MANAGER EDITOR-AT-LARGE
Karen Carroll CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Courtney Barnes Abby Braswell Marion Laffey Fox Tara Guérard Frances MacDougall Tovah Martin Cathy Still McGowin
Charlotte Moss Troy Rhone Matthew Robbins Margaret Zainey Roux Frances Schultz Lydia Somerville Sybil Sylvester
For editorial inquiries: editorial@flowermag.com
Julie Durkee PUBLISHER Jennel O’Brien DIRECTOR OF MARKETING Susan Sutton SENIOR MARKETING MANAGER REGIONAL ACCOUNT DIRECTORS
Wendy Ellis Sara D. Taylor Suzanne Cooper NATIONAL DIRECTOR, HOME FURNISHINGS For sales inquiries: sales@flowermag.com FLOWERMAG.COM
Terri Robertson DIGITAL MEDIA MANAGER BUSINESS OFFICE
Silvia Rider GENERAL MANAGER Patrick Toomey ACCOUNTANT Lisa Mitchell SENIOR MANAGER CUSTOMER SERVICE
For change of address and subscription inquiries: 877.400.3074 or flower@emailcustomerservice.com ADVISORY BOARD
Paula Crockard Winn Crockard Gavin Duke Gay Estes Katie Baker Lasker Maloy Love Mary Evelyn McKee Michael Mundy
Ben Page Angèle Parlange Renny Reynolds Scott Shepherd Remco van Vliet Evie Vare Carleton Varney Louise Wrinkle
W h a t We ’ v e G o t O u r E y e s O n
Scene BELOW: The designer with his Myrtle
dining chair against Canton Reverie wallpaper by Iksel Decorative Arts through Schumacher LEFT: The Saffron mirror, Hyacinth side table, Jasmine chair, and Gardenia console, all from the Mark D. Sikes Collection for Chaddock
CREATIVE COLLABORATION
Chaddock + Mark D. Sikes THE PARTNERSHIP PRODUCES SWOON-WORTHY PIECES THAT WILL STAND THE TEST OF TIME
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By Alice Welsh Doyle
ALIFORNIA-BASED INTERIOR DESIGNER MARK SIKES has joined creative forces with the workrooms of Chaddock for a new collection that sings with stylish freshness. As Chaddock CEO Andrew Crone explains, “There’s a magic to Mark’s work. He understands the power of timeless lines and personalized details, but in a way that customers and clients understand them, too. That sensitivity to designer needs and
client expectations makes him a wonderful partner for us.” The collection charms with pieces that are each unique but mix easily with others. The customization options are plentiful, including 12 featured colors from Farrow & Ball and various finishes. “From their approach to service to their passion for artisan-made, custom furniture to their love of classic all-American, California design, this partnership couldn’t have been a better fit,” says Sikes. We agree—it’s a powerfully pretty partnership. (chaddockhome.com)
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Scene WHAT WE’VE GOT OUR EYES ON ...
RIGHT: Bloom! four-panel folding screen in resin, Lucite, and over 50 varieties of flora, inspired by a border garden and encompassing all the seasons BOTTOM: Bloom! resin, Lucite, and hydrangea lamp
Pretty Pairing
Perennial favorite Frances Palmer is beloved for creating supple, graceful vases as beautiful as the flowers she grows to fill them. The ceramist has teamed up with Aerin Lauder again to create perfect pieces with a whimsical nod inspired by wildflowers. Whether it’s a small striped vase in sage, lilac, or hydrangea blue or a white tulipiere, we feel sure we’ll need one of each! (From $300 for a handcrafted 6-inch-tall vase, aerin.com)
ARTIST Sasha Sykes
The work of Irish artist and sculptural-furniture designer Sasha Sykes revolves around exposing and reinterpreting foraged and collected materials—flowers, bird’s nests, and even algae— which she captures in hand-cast resin. “My work is primarily influenced by the scale, approach, and aesthetic of the Irish landscape,” she explains. “I like to explore the cycle of life and decay, and the dichotomy of fragility and preservation. I am particularly interested in mankind’s relationship with our surroundings, and expressing the nature of that interaction is central to my work.” We are drawn to her Bloom! collection, such as the folding screen with a mix of flora and the hydrangea lamp base and table. In these, as in all of Sykes’s pieces, nature is preserved in striking objects that blur the line between art and function. (sashasykes.com)
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ESPRESSO CHIC
Nimerology Artist Nour al Nimer’s designs for her tabletop line, Nimerology, are rooted in her multicultural heritage and wanderlust and influenced by a passion for food and beautiful design. We fell for her limited edition I’m Off to Join the Circus collection, which includes pretty floral espresso cups and saucers to give the daily caffeine fix a boost of style. ($250/ set of four cups and saucers in four colors, nimerology.com)
FLOWER
DESIGNinBLOOM P R ES EN TS
S AV E T H E DAT E
SEPTEMBER 15 Open to the public | Register at designinbloomhouston.com HOSTED BY
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IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
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Scene WHAT WE’VE GOT OUR EYES ON ...
LONDON’S CALLING
hand-painted wallpaper firm de Gournay looked to the fashion scene for inspiration, joining up with London-based designer Erdem Moralioglu of the fashion label Erdem, which is known for exuberant feminine frocks and attention to detail. For de Gournay, Erdem and his team created a pattern with hydrangea, hollyhock, iris, and morning glory amidst a lattice of branches with birds darting through foliage. In turn, Erdem’s Spring/ Summer 2020 collection includes dresses inspired by de Gournay’s works and rescaled for fashion, with florals strewn across backgrounds of white, navy, and black. (degournay.com; erdem.com) The Spring/Summer 2020 Beaufort collection from London-based textile and wallpaper firm The Vale also celebrates flora and fauna with wonderful flair. For her wallpaper designs, founder Melinda Marquardt looks to dramatic artichokes, dahlias, peonies, and tulips as well as the African gray parrot, serpents, and panthers. The Beaufort palette leans toward a quieter presence—muted aqua, dusty pink, and, for the very wallpaper-shy, white and charcoal colorways. Marquardt is inspired by botanical sketches interpreted with a modern, fresh attitude. Her Dahling pattern of dahlias and peonies evokes the techniques of photographer Man Ray, and each flower is taken from an original illustration of Chelsea Flower Show blooms. (thevalelondon.co.uk)
TOP TO BOTTOM: Hand-painted wallpaper and dresses from the Spring/Summer 2020 Erdem X de Gournay collaboration • The Vale’s Dahling wallpaper in Haze • A detail of The Vale’s Pardus Toile wallpaper in Oxblood
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READING LIST
Two gardenrelated titles to inspire and instruct
In Garden Design Master Class, edited by Carl Dellatore (Rizzoli New York, 2020), you are front and center with some of the world’s most acclaimed gardeners, who advise in 100 essays on how to take your garden to the next level. Showcasing all types of gardens and uncovering mysteries about garden theory, structure, and process, this book will be filled with sticky notes, and your garden will be grateful for it. While Garden Design Master Class takes the lens wide, Private Gardens of Santa Barbara (Gibbs Smith, 2020) focuses on a tiny sliver of paradise. Author Margie Grace takes readers on a romp through 18 lush Southern California oases. The enviable indoor/outdoor lifestyle, including beachside gardens, is on full display, sprinkled with inspiring stories of transformation.
WALLPAPER PHOTOS COURTESY OF DE GOURNAY (TOP) AND THE VALE; PRIVATE GARDENS OF SANTA BARBARA COVER PHOTO BY MARGIE GRACE
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HIS YEAR, VENERABLE BRITISH
What’s coming up GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA
GREENVILLE COUNTY MUSEUM OF ART ANNE GOLDTHWAITE: MODERN WOMAN Opening date to be announced; check website for updates Forward-thinking and optimistic, Anne Goldthwaite left Alabama to study in New York and Paris, where she painted in the company of the great modernists of the 20th century. More than 50 artworks tell her unique story in this upcoming exhibit. gcma.org
What’s online MARGOT’S FRESH PICKS
CASPARI’S ART OF THE TABLE
PHOTO COURTESY OF CASPARI
WALLPAPER PHOTOS COURTESY OF DE GOURNAY (TOP) AND THE VALE; PRIVATE GARDENS OF SANTA BARBARA COVER PHOTO BY MARGIE GRACE
Join Flower Editor-in-Chief Margot Shaw in this new video series as she chats with designers, tastemakers, and gracious hosts about their recently published books. In the episode notes, you’ll find recipe links, interview highlights, and more. Among the featured guests are Alex Hitz and Frances Schultz. flowermag.com/fresh-picks
With a 75-year tradition of fine art publishing, Caspari brings elegance and ease to our lives through its paper tabletop goods, stationery, and gifts. President Lisa Milbank shares how the company evokes luxury with a trick of the eye. flowermag.com/caspari
FLOWERMAG.COM FOLLOW US
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FLOWER • S H O P •••
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DIANE JAMES FAUX FLORAL COUTURE, PHALAENOPSIS ORCHID 5 STEMS IN GOLD BOWL, $760
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Decorate: Flowers & Color • Entertain • Garden
DECORATE: FLOWERS
Eileen Tongson of FarmGal Flowers
in Bloom
THE ORLANDO-BASED FLORAL DESIGNER AND FLOWER FARMER CREATES LUSH ARRANGEMENTS WITH THE SURPRISE OF FRAGRANT HERBS TUCKED THROUGHOUT AT EAST END MARKET, AN ARTISAN FOOD HUB WHERE SHE GROWS FLOWERS AND HERBS By Alice Welsh Doyle Photography by Shelly Strazis
Eileen, with dog Megan, in her quarter-acre home flowerfarm garden
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in Bloom DECORATE: FLOWERS
MATERIALS LIST 1 ‘Celway Terracotta’ celosia 2 ‘Break Out’ dahlia 3 ‘Karma Thalia’ dahlia 4 Bupleurum 5 ‘Green Mist’ ammi 6 ‘Rubenza’ cosmos 7 Spearmint 8 ‘Queen Red Lime’ zinnia 9 Daucus carota ‘Dara’ 10 Delphinium 11 Apple mint 12 Variegated pittosporum
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STEP BY STEP
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STEP 1
“Using herbs brings freshness and vitality to arrangements, and the scents trigger memories for people.” – EILEEN TONGSON
I chose a handled white vase for a taller arrangement. First, mold a piece of chicken wire to form a ball that will fit in the top of the vase, place it in the vase, and then add water and flower food. Form a base for the design with variegated pitto sporum, which is a locally grown shrub. STEP 2
Tuck in spearmint and apple mint for
freshness and vitality. For focal flowers, I chose ‘Break Out’ dahlias and placed three of them low in the arrangement. STEP 3
To create a line, I used white delphin ium, but only one for now. You don’t want them to overpower—you can always add more later. Then for filler, place sprigs of ‘Green Mist’ ammi and Daucus carota
‘Dara.’ They bring movement to the design and fill in spaces.
‘Celway Terracotta’ celosia to unite the palette and add another dimension.
STEP 4
STEP 6
I popped in a ‘Karma Thalia’ dahlia for a little drama and to fill a space. For me, floral designing is a fluid process—it’s not formulaic!
Time for the drippy bits, as I call the looser pieces that give movement to the design. I used bupleurum and ‘Rubenza’ cosmos for a touch of romance.
STEP 5
For the supporting flowers, I used ‘Queen Red Lime’ zinnias, which are so easy to grow, and
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in Bloom DECORATE: FLOWERS
MORE ARRANGEMENTS BY EILEEN TONGSON
MATERIALS LIST
‘Break Out,’ ‘Obo Katie,’ ‘Golden Scepter,’ and ‘Karma Thalia’ dahlias
MATERIALS LIST
‘Green Trick’ dianthus Echeveria succulents Green lisianthus ‘Green Mist’ ammi
‘Oklahoma Salmon’ zinnia ‘Bouquet’ dill foliage ‘Bright Lights’ cosmos Spearmint
Holy basil Bupleurum ‘Celway Purple’ celosia ‘Alaska Mix’ nasturtium
Feather fern ‘Alaska Mix’ nasturtium ‘Dalmatian White’ foxglove Variegated aspidistra Ming fern
‘Victoria’s Lace’ leatherleaf fern Variegated pittosporum Weeping podocarpus Asparagus plumosus
For more information, see Sources, page 70
in Bloom ENTERTAIN
The New Party Authority WITH THEIR STYLISH, SOPHISTICATED PARTY KITS
DELIVERED STRAIGHT TO YOUR DOOR, SOCIAL STUDIES AIMS TO BE ‘RENT THE RUNWAY’ FOR THE MODERN HOST By Kirk Reed Forrester
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lmost all hosts have felt it—that adrenaline-fueled panic that spikes when you realize you’ve forgotten something vital for your party, the guests arrive in 15 minutes, and you still haven’t gotten dressed. Jessica Latham and Amy Griffin understand this. As childhood friends from Texas turned New Yorkers with serious party-planning chops (Latham was head of events at Vanity Fair; Griffin worked in marketing and events for Sports Illustrated), they realize how overwhelming entertaining can be. “For years I wondered why there wasn’t a party kit out there that had everything I needed, from beautiful plates and decorations to menus and place cards,” says Latham.
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She and Griffin founded Social Studies to meet this need. The concept is simple. On the website, you can choose from various tablescape looks, from clean and sophisticated to bold and playful. Enter the party date and the head count, and a few clicks later, your rental is complete. A sleek navy duffel bag arrives at your door with plates, napkins, flatware, décor and extras like seating diagrams, conversation starters, and an alcohol calculator. When the party is over, rinse the dishes, pack the duffel, and set it out for pickup. Launching the business in the midst of a pandemic wasn’t exactly the debut Latham imagined, but she says they’ve been surprised and gratified by the demand from consumers eager for ways to elevate the everyday or celebrate a birthday or graduation at home. “People ask us what the key to throwing a good party is,” she says. “It’s really about taking the extra effort to make people feel taken care of.” That’s true of a big birthday blowout for 50 or a date night dinner for two.”
For more information, see Sources, page 70
COURTESY OF SOCIAL STUDIES
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: The colorful Art Deco–inspired Doppio collection captures la dolce vita and even comes with fresh lemons and flowers. • For their Prep Rally look, Social Studies teamed up with Tory Burch, mixing her classic lettuce plates with rattan place mats for a garden party vibe. • Jessica Latham (left) and Amy Griffin
p re s e n ts
in bloom A VIRTUAL EVENT
Join us for a day of online programming with style and design talks, demonstrations & more SAV E T H E DAT E
AUGUST 4 COURTESY OF SOCIAL STUDIES
Open to the public. For more info: adacatlanta.com/events
ADAC in Bloom 20_V6_esp.indd 1
5/28/20 3:13 PM
in Bloom GARDEN
Cultivating Community AT SPARTA GARDENS, A 10-ACRE “URBAN FARM IN A COUNTRY TOWN,” SUZY AND ROBERT CURREY ARE DOING MORE THAN GROWING DELICIOUS ORGANIC PRODUCE By Kirk Reed Forrester • Photography by David Hillegas
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n 2001, Suzy and Robert Currey, founders of the lighting and furniture business Currey & Company, were invited by friends down to Sparta, Georgia, a town about 100 miles southeast of where they lived in Atlanta. Sparta, like so many small Southern towns in the fertile Black Belt, had once been a prosperous hub for the cotton trade but had been hollowed out as agriculture and industry moved elsewhere, leaving scant economic opportunity for remaining residents. Despite its decline, the city still boasts many stately
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old homes, and it was one of these—a white two-story 1843 Greek Revival on Elm Street with long, welcoming identical front and back porches—that captured the imagination of the Curreys. “Four months later, we bought the house,” says Robert. “To this day it’s unclear what we were thinking.” The Curreys knew the restoration of the home, which had been neglected for 20 years, would be a massive undertaking, so they hired local craftsmen to begin the painstaking work, which would ultimately last six years. While the carpenters worked inside,
CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE:
Suzy and Robert Currey, with their standard poodle, Rives, in one of their 11 hoop houses • Cherry tomatoes, one of the many certifiedorganic crops grown at Sparta Gardens • The property is dotted with buildings, including a dovecote, an outhouse, and an old cotton warehouse, now the hub of the mushroom operation. OPPOSITE, TOP TO BOTTOM: A rear view of the Curreys’ 1843 Greek Revival home in Sparta, Georgia • A sweet guardian of the garden
the Curreys set to work outside. “I wish I could tell you I had this grand vision for the grounds when I bought the place, but that would be a bald-faced lie. We just started,” says Robert, who spent two years clearing over growth, “battling wisteria the size of your leg, ivy in every crack, briars, and bushes.” By 2004 the Curreys had cleared a patch behind the house for a garden. With enough eagerness to compensate for inexperience and a paperback on organic farming, Robert dug in. “Some people read the Bible before bed. I’d read The Weedless Garden,” he says.
Slowly the Curreys began acquiring property adjacent to their own—a house here, a lot there, an old cotton warehouse next door— and the garden footprint grew. “Suzy likes to say, ‘If some’s good, then more’s better,’ ” says Robert. By 2008, Sparta Gardens (formerly called Elm Street Gardens) had grown to 10 acres and become a year-round, sustainable organic-farming operation, producing flowers, row crops, honey, eggs, and some of the best mushrooms in the state of Georgia. “I like to say we have an urban farm in a country town,” says Robert.
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in Bloom GARDEN
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“I wish I could tell you that I had this grand vision for the grounds when I bought the place, but that would be a bald-faced lie. We just started.” — ROBERT CURREY The greatest evolution, however, hasn’t been the cultivation of the soil. Early on, the Curreys committed to investing in Sparta, using their gardens to create jobs. They hired young people interested in farming and interns from nearby Oglethorpe University. Late last year, they hired Chris Edwards to be manager of the gardens, with the agree ment that if all went well, he would assume ownership of the farm (minus the Curreys’ home) in five years. As a young, African American organic farmer from DeKalb County, Edwards was intrigued by the opportunity to lead the oper ations on Elm Street. “It’s beautiful land, and because it’s in the Black Belt, it’s so fertile, which is why so many plan tations were concentrated here,” he says. “Hancock County was once one of the wealthiest counties in Georgia because of the horrible slave trade. I wanted to see if I could reconsti tute the idea of forced agricultural labor and let it be a pillar that holds you up instead of the pillar that brings you down.” With a constant stream of visitors, civic meetings, town picnics, and nonprofit gatherings, the Curreys’ home on Elm Street has become an unofficial outpost of the SpartaHancock Chamber of Commerce and a symbol of pride and productivity. Sistie Hudson, chairman of the Hancock County Board of Commissioners, said the impact of the Curreys has been profound. “They have been a godsend to this community,” she says. “They started a garden for themselves, but it became a garden for the whole town.” “No matter how you slice the cake, it was clear something good was going on,” says Robert of the metamorphosis of the gardens. “We didn’t have any grand plan; we just started doing stuff. But what I couldn’t have comprehended is how meaningful the community-building experience has been for Suzy and me. The whole thing has just been joyous.”
OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Gardener Leland Warren • Ruby-red stalks of chard dazzle in the sunshine. • Flowers that attract pollinators such as bees and butterflies are vital to the garden’s ecosystem. • A view of the chicken coop, home to about 40 laying hens. • Creeping Jenny adds a jolt of cool lime green. • “The back porch, with its view of the garden, is our favorite place to spend time,” says Suzy. • The formal side garden, anchored by boxwood and an urn • White coneflowers offer perennial blooms.
For more information, see Sources, page 70
in Bloom DECORATE: COLOR
Singing the Summer Blues WHILE WE ALL MAY BE MISSING OUT ON A FEW SUMMER PLANS,
LET THESE COOL BLUES COLOR YOUR WORLD WITH A BIT OF HAPPINESS Produced by Amanda Smith Fowler 1 BUNNY WILLIAMS HOME
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Dots Lamp
Connect the dots and find the ideal spot for this beauty. $795 bunnywilliamshome.com 2 JULISKA
Bohemian Blue Vases Fill these lovelies or leave them empty for a nice addition to your table. $198–$650 juliska.com 3 HALCYON DAYS
Evil Eye Sparkle Button Bangle
You won’t want to cast away this chic bracelet. $200 3
halcyondaysusa.com PLAYLIST
To sing along with our Summer Blues playlist, visit flowermag.com /summer-blues.
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4 WEEZIE
Women’s Short Robe Short for summer, perfect for the porch From $135 (add $15 for embroidery) weezietowels.com
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5 RICHARD GINORI
Il Viaggio di Nettuno Espresso Cup & Saucer It’s a great day for a great day—why not have one more espresso? $275/two sets richardginori1735.com
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6 6 HALSBROOK
Georges Striped Raffia Small Tote Everyone needs a summer bag that’s large enough for shopping and small enough for dinner.
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$185 halsbrook.com 7 SERENA & LILY
Seabrook Outdoor Swivel Chair Whirl about in this seat while chatting or bird-watching.
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$2,498 serenaandlily.com
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8 HUDSON VALLEY LIGHTING
Painted No. 2 Pendant by Mark D. Sikes Simple in its form but decadent in its details $650 hudsonvalleylighting .hvlgroup.com 9 UNIVERSAL FURNITURE
Escape Coastal Campaign Chest
Let this dapper chest travel into your home. $1,575 universalfurniture.com 10 ESKAYEL
Out East Wallpaper Look for familiar sights, from Montauk to Sag Harbor to Sagaponack. From $375/roll eskayel.com 11 VON GERN HOME
Lacquer Trays
Delightful on a bench, a table, or your bed
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$75–$150 vongernhome.com 12. MATOUK
Seashells Beach Towel from the Matouk Schumacher Collection Get cozy and dry in this dreamy towel. $95 matouk.com
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Aglow in the Allée
Frances Schultz and her husband, Tom Dittmer, host a party at their home in California’s Santa Ynez Valley By FRANCES SCHULTZ Photography by SHELLY STRAZIS
ABOVE: Author, artist, and host, moi, loving
our endless supply of olive foliage in the allée beside our house. RIGHT: I’m all about high–low, here using melamine plates from Pottery Barn in two patterns, vintage green stemware, heirloom silver goblets, and mercury glass votives. Centerpieces are mostly dahlias and zinnias from our garden, with roses from friends and guests Gracie and Ryan Poulson of Grace Rose Farm in Santa Ynez. I rubber-stamped butterflies on the place cards just because.
ABOVE: A few pieces of inherited Mexican silver echo our ranch’s history as an early Mexican land grant. OPPOSITE: One of the few formal elements of our landscape is the grove of olive trees created by Los Angeles–based landscape designer Art Luna. Many decorative fabrics come in 54-inch widths, making them easily adapted as tablecloths for rectangular tables, no sewing required.
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July•August 2020
a AS I WRITE THIS, OUR COUNTRY AND
much of our world has been under coronavirus lockdown, a stark and increasingly poignant reminder of what a privilege it is to gather and how deep is our longing for human connection. As I wrote in my book California Cooking and Southern Style, to gather friends at the table is to hold a sacred space in which we nourish our bodies and feed our souls. This resonates now more than ever as I witness, and play a small part in, the volunteer hunger-relief program in our area. My hope is that we are all committed to holding this sacred space in our hearts and at home, as we wait to hold space and one another once again in a larger context—Lord willin’ and the creek don’t rise. As a North Carolinian transplanted to Southern California by way of New York City, my Southern hospitality gene has if anything grown stronger. Being lucky to land in the middle of the postcard-pretty Santa Ynez Valley, a stone’s hurtle north of Santa Barbara, we live on a ranch seemingly designed for entertaining. And entertain we have. From improvised opera nights and ersatz cabarets to rootin’ tootin’ rodeos and storybook weddings, our Rancho La Zaca has seen it all. And my husband, Tom Dittmer, and I have loved it all, but at the end of the day, nothing beats just having a few friends to dinner. When weather permits, our cathedral-like allée of olive trees is the most romantic spot for an intimate soirée, where the day’s last light filters through the branches and
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ABOVE: Snippets from the vineyard tie the décor to the surround ings, but note that grape leaves wilt in minutes without water. LEFT: When you can’t find the perfect container, make one. A wrapping of moss tied with raffia works every time. Ranunculus, tulips, and yarrow augment garden dahlias, zinnias, and roses.
the sunset floats in an endless sky. As much fun as it is to decide to have a party, however, there invariably arrives that tiny spasm between delight and dread—and yes we all experience it— when one must figure out exactly what and how one will arrange it all, and how to make it memorable. With our dinner planned en plein été, when our region’s always-bountiful harvest is at its peak, the farmers market is as inspiring as the flower shop. Given that our guests on this night included local rose growers, wine makers, fourth-generation farmers, and an interior designer, I wanted the table to speak to our guests symbolically (albeit with the hope that the trombone player in the group would feel magnanimous). I’m all for themes per se when appropriate, but sometimes they create more pressure or contrivance than they’re worth. Sometimes it’s OK for the
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“As an amateur artist, I also love thinking in terms not just of floral centerpieces but of quasi– still life scenes that are dynamic and varied in terms of subject, color, and texture.” —FRANCES SCHULTZ
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ABOVE: Watermelon is always a good idea. After the party, a neighbor’s pet cow enjoyed the leftover melons. LEFT: The bar makes a good focal point, as guests invariably congregate there. In creating a table, I also think in terms of a tableau, composing elements as I might in a still life to paint.
“theme” to be a subtle suggestion and for the table just to be pretty. As an amateur artist, I also love thinking in terms not just of floral centerpieces but of quasi–still life scenes that are dynamic and varied in terms of subject, color, and texture. In the world of paintable fruits, melons are right up there, and nothing says summer like watermelon: sweet, juicy, thirstquenching happiness. Green grapes from our vineyard on a runner of sheet moss emphasized the red-and-green complement of the melons, and the flowers carried through in softer shades of coral, pink, and orange, with olive foliage clipped from the canopy of trees above. Faux bees and butterflies often figure in my arrangements, adding movement and a touch of whimsy to take the starch out of the scheme. The napkins, however, do have starch. These are vintage French banquet-size napkins, and each could cover half a football field. If you
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CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Sneaking a smooch with hubby, who
is also a brilliant host • Signature napkins • As a gift and homage to my book The Bee Cottage Story, Tom asked our wine-maker friend Andrew Murray to create a Chardonnay from our grapes. • Watermelon-, peach-, and citrus-inspired cocktails do double duty as decorative elements on the bar. OPPOSITE: As guests settle in with their drinks and the sun sets, the golden light sets all aglow.
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are wielding one of these babies and still manage to spill something on your dress, there is pretty much no hope for you! The tablecloth is a few yards of fun print from a discount fabric shop, unsewn and unironed. If necessity is the mother of invention, then laziness is its wacky aunt, and I love her dearly. High–low is my modus operandi, and I embrace the mix, believing wholeheartedly in using one’s silver and pretty things even—or maybe especially—if they diverge profoundly in provenance. Because what are you saving it for, dear one? And don’t say your grandchildren because what if they don’t want it? (I know. . . ) Which brings us full circle. If we’ve learned anything these last few months, it is that the life, the people, and, yes, the beautiful things we love are precious. Don’t wait to enjoy them. The only time we have is now. And yet, if we are quarantined and longing to have a real-life dinner party, the time may not be now—but perhaps soon. Meanwhile, there are menus to plan, recipes to try, imaginary tables to scape, and souls to feed from afar and then, when we can, face-to-face. Follow Frances on Instagram @francesschultz and at francesschultz.com. Her latest book, California Cooking and Southern Style, with recipes by Stephanie Valentine, and her previous The Bee Cottage Story are available wherever books are sold and at francesschultz.com.
Frances dishes on dinner parties A RELAXED, CONFIDENT, SLIGHTLY BOSSY HOSTESS (or host) is key. When you are relaxed, your guests can be too. Be completely organized, and leave little for the last minute. Hire help if you can.
whether they’re live-wires or wallflowers. They’ll be most comfortable and best amused with their own sort.
ARRIVAL IS THE CRUCIAL MOMENT when guests decide, if unconsciously, whether this is gonna be fun. Dim the lights and cue the votive candles. Play lively music, but softly enough to talk over. (Turn it off during dinner; life is distracting enough.) Give guests a drink the instant they walk in. Prepoured glasses of wine prevent a rush at the bar. Offer nonalcoholic options too. As a (slightly bossy) hostess, make introductions. Scan the group for wayward souls and wing them in.
NO CELL PHONES AT OR ON THE TABLE. For. Any. Reason. In an emergency, excuse yourself. Exception: Taking pictures is OK.
HAVE A SEATING PLAN, however small or informal your party. It saves a world of fumbling and possibly hurt feelings. Place cards are fine, but names scribbled on scrap paper will do. Seat kindred spirits together,
HAVE WINE AND WATER ON THE TABLE. It’s easier for everyone.
HAVE AN OCCASION OR IDEA AS A FOCAL POINT. It can be as subtle as “Welcome Summer” or as bold as “Vaccine Discovery Disco” (fingers crossed!). Mention it in your invitation, and acknowledge it during the evening with a short toast, a poem, an interactive game or activity, or all-out themed décor. It gives your gathering a raison d’être and your guests a common thread, something to connect them. If we’ve learned anything in recent months, it is that we value connection. Connection brings meaning and purpose not just to our parties, but also to our lives.
Tropical Punch
Interior designers Mimi McMakin and Cece Bowman of KEMBLE INTERIORS stir things up in a dated Palm Beach apartment with a refreshing cocktail of color, texture, and local flavor By MARGARET ZAINEY ROUX Photography by CARMEL BRANTLEY
A trio of arrangements of open tulips and veronica OPPOSITE: An oversize black-and-white photo of a giraffe anchors the west end of the light-filled living room. Art enthusiasts, the owner and his daughter procured many of the pieces that McMakin and Bowman integrated into the design.
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A table made from camel bone, a mirror framed in porcupine quills, and a chandelier of gilded branches are among the living room’s most surprising and sophisticated appointments. The glazed green bookcases double as secret doors. OPPOSITE: A mirror-backed bar is tucked behind 5-by-7-foot pocket doors painted with an antique jungle scene and framed in zebrawood.
w “ WE LEARNED TO CHOOSE OUR WORDS VERY
carefully,” says interior designer Mimi McMakin of Kemble Interiors, describing the conversations she and her design partner, Cece Bowman, had with their male client. “We exchanged ‘pretty’ for ‘handsome’ and ‘beautifu’l for ‘attractive,’ and when we’d slip up, we would scramble to find manlier words to articulate our vision.” Lucky for McMakin and Bowman, fumbling for appropriate adjectives was perhaps the only occupational hazard they experienced during the extensive remodel of their client’s Palm Beach apartment. When the New York businessman and single father of two purchased the 3,000-square-foot penthouse in 2019, it had been untouched for years, possibly even decades. Low ceilings, choppy rooms, and wall-to-wall carpeting made it feel smaller than its actual footprint, while heavy window treatments darkened spaces and concealed pristine vistas of
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“The week after we completed the installation, we returned to find that the owner had covered every surface with fresh greenery and flowers! At this moment, we no longer saw the apartment as a project but as a real family home.” —DESIGNER MIMI MCMAKIN
the gardens, golf course, sand, and sea. Working with architect Mark Marsh of Bridges, Marsh & Associates, McMakin and Bowman set out to right the structure’s architectural wrongs by dreaming up bespoke design details that would make the most of every inch and angle. In the living room, they made an unconventional move when they opted to highlight the 9-foot ceiling rather than deflect from it. Their let’s-makethe-most-of-it mindset led to one of the apartment’s most striking attributes: the cypress-paneled ceiling with molding applied in a sprawling geometric design. “Most people would see a low ceiling as a design flaw, but we embraced it,” says McMakin. “It gave us the opportunity to do something playful and different in an unexpected place. It’s one of the first things to get noticed, but now it gets noticed in a good way!” Their ingenuity didn’t stop at the top. The living room also houses a full-service bar hidden behind a set of pocket doors disguised as an antique painting and enchanting built-in TOP LEFT: To unify the adjoining kitchen and living room, the designers continued the use of raffia on the walls and pickled cypress for the cabinets and woodwork. BELOW LEFT: In lieu of traditional dark colors and rich stains in the library, the designers enlisted a light, earthy palette peppered with pickled and faux- tortoiseshell finishes. RIGHT: Tortoiseshellpatterned wallcovering wraps the powder room from floor to ceiling, including the vanity, which is outfitted with a geometric molding for dimension.
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For more information, see Sources, page 70
To keep all eyes on the view, a palette of blue and white was enlisted for the oceanfront bedroom. OPPOSITE: Tall bedposts and vertically striped wallcovering make the ceiling feel higher.
bookcases that lead double lives as secret doors to the library and master suite. “The bookcases go far beyond their obvious use of holding books and displaying decoration,” says McMakin. “They also improve the flow and offer the owner an efficient, private way to travel through the house, and they make a great conversation starter to boot. They’re like something straight out of a James Bond movie!” These weren’t the only tricks the designers had up their sleeves when it came to devising smooth transitions between spaces. They used repetition of colors, patterns, materials, and textures to link interior rooms together and blur the lines between the indoors and outdoors. Throughout the main living areas, walls wrapped in raffia share their sandy color with the beaches below, just as the lightly pickled finish of the cypress millwork recalls sun-bleached driftwood. Vibrant greens mirror the lush gardens and towering treetops, while electric blues echo the crystal-clear water and sky. The cool, crisp hues are woven through layers of luxe textiles, including
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CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: In this bed
room, matchstick blinds lower from a header of crown molding made of natural bamboo that’s been torched to mimic tortoiseshell. • The climbing vines on the vanity cabinets read like a hybrid of botanical and geo metric motifs. The contemporary mirror above is a modified, more youthful version of the traditional sunburst style. • Because they kept the palette simple, the designers allowed themselves the leeway to go bold on the upholstery and window treatments.
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carpets, draperies, wallcoverings, and upholstery dressed in clean-lined geometric patterns and free-form botanical prints, including palm fronds, leaves, and climbing vines. Even the furnishings convey a tropical flair. Handcrafted from exotic elements like bone, bamboo, teak, and rattan, these tables, chairs, beds, and benches impose strength and offer contrast to the soft silk-wool carpets and plush, down-filled cushions. “Playing with texture is one of the great joys of decorating,” says McMakin. “It’s what gives a room interest and depth and makes it feel cozy. For this project, we chose textures rooted in nature that speak to the home’s sense of place. Because each one was simple, we piled them up—layer on top of layer—to create interiors that are fresh and unfussy.” ABOVE: Raised beds and massive containers bursting with native plants elevate the terrace to tropical-oasis status. RIGHT: Landscape architect Keith Williams of Nievera Williams transformed the terrace into a rooftop resort equipped with a small putting green, lounge chairs, and swings for reading and relaxing.
ROSE COVE
MAINE
Attraction
Most coastal landscapes look outward, but Rose Cove also brings the foreground into focus By TOVAH MARTIN Photography by KINDRA CLINEFF
A squash plant ambles along the fence, which adds height to the garden wall and dissuades four-legged nibblers. Jan finds buoys washed up on the shore and uses them as decoration. OPPOSITE: Jan and Ann enjoy the view down the main axis of the walled garden toward the ocean, framed in clouds of hydrangeas and perovskia.
J LEFT, TOP TO BOTTOM: The walled
garden beside the house creates a microclimate that protects roses from the blustery winds off the shore. • When gardener Michael Walek comes to work, he brings his dog along to patrol the corridor between the walled garden and the house. OPPOSITE: The view from the central axis of the garden frames the antique English birdhouse that Jan repaints regularly to extend its life span.
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an ter Haar wasn’t expect ing to be mesmerized by the Maine seacoast. In fact, when he suggested a coastal escapade to his wife, Ann, he was thinking more about checking a previously unvis ited state off his bucket list and less about experiencing a life-changing encounter. But before they knew it, the two were making inquiries at a rental office. After one season spent experiencing the drama of watching the high seas, they sent out feelers to purchase a home of their own. After being shown 25 houses, the couple found Rose Cove in 2007. As a location, Rose Cove was everything they craved. Foremost, it overlooks a particularly scenic chunk of jagged shore where sailboats glide majestically past. Practically speaking, the house stood empty for a year and a half prior to their occupancy. Not only did it beg for renovation, but also everything about the house turned its back on the ocean, with no doors opening to the water and a floor plan that ignored the location. Wanting something much more outward-bound, the couple mapped out changes to maximize the view, hired contractors, bought a bed and garden furniture, and “spent the first summer camping out in the house,” Jan says, summing up their initial introduction to Maine home ownership. In truth, they loved every minute. Jan is Dutch, born with a heavy dose of gardening in his blood, but Amsterdam was doing nothing to satisfy his need to bond with the land or make it bloom. Rose Cove was full of potential. Because 30-foot waves crashing on the rocks below the property make wind an issue, previous owners had created a walled garden that is secluded, hunkered down, and magical. The garden also serves to protect tender plants, vegetables, and fruit from the fury that can blow off the open water. How ever, the walled garden didn’t really capture the majesty or magnitude of the location. And that’s where Michael Walek came in.
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LEFT: Michael works in the walled garden, where a mature
willow and cherry tree help shield it from the wind. On a clear day, boats scenically sail or speed by. ABOVE: Stepping-stones lead to the rill and then the pool.
Michael is a professional gardener who special izes in coastal properties and their unique oppor tunities. With the trained eye of a watercolor artist, he brings composition and color to the table. Case in point: He took one look at the walled garden and realized that it blocked any glimpse of the horizon. Although the seclusion it offers is pure romance, he saw a way of adding to its allure by installing a cor ridor capped by a moon gate that frames the view. Working with the garden itself, his challenge was to thin out and update its contents with an emphasis on the espaliered fruit trees that thrive in that envi ronment, which is a full zone warmer than the cli mate outside the walled confines. He also peppered flowers, herbs, and vegetables into the labyrinthine configuration. Asters, hydrangea cultivars, daisies, hellebores, phlox, thalictrum, perovskia, and cimi cifuga all share the alcoves with edibles tossed in for continual harvest. Seating motivates the couple to spend time within its protected walls. By preserv ing that space, Rose Cove pays homage to previous gardeners and honors its roots. Encased in climbing hydrangea, the walled garden
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“Using plants in multiples is essential by the sea. The setting just swallows up single specimens.”
—MICHAEL WALEK
is just a few steps from the house—easy distance for fetching homegrown produce for the kitchen. But beyond the moon gate and a midaxis gate is an open expanse where the ocean steals the show. Leading to the ocean, a rill and pool take the axis outward and point toward the water. “The water features expand in size,” Michael explains, “until finally you have the vastness of the ocean.” Framed smartly in bluestone, the features add a contemporary accent, leading the eye to a vermilion, pagoda- like birdhouse. The house now sports both a screened porch/dining area and a terrace for lounging alfresco. Michael hemmed those spaces with beds of colorful annuals and perennials. Aware that the view is paramount, he left the sight lines open, with natural sculpture and remarkable trees to anchor the foreground and direct the eye. Michael has studied what works and what does not fare so well when pitted against the extreme Maine environment, where the force of the wind sculpts the trees. In addition, inspired by Dutch garden designer Piet Oudolf, he is adding ornamental grasses to lend motion to the scene. The garden continues to evolve as Michael and Jan work together to elevate it to new heights. More grasses are planned for the future, as are naturalistic plantings that echo the movement of the waves. Spaces are being simplified, while other plantings are in the process of maturing. Collaborating with the seacoast can be a challenge, but the partner ship can also achieve pinnacles of beauty. Continued on next page
RIGHT, TOP TO BOTTOM: To lead
the eye down the walkway in the walled garden, Michael mixed the hot reds of impatiens and Amaranthus bicolor ‘Molten Fire’ with perovskia and hydrangeas. • The red amaranthus peeks over the gateposts. OPPOSITE, TOP TO BOTTOM: A foundation bed filled with baptisia, heliotrope, salvias, and heuchera grows below the bank of windows and door on the ocean side of the house. • Jan upended one of the stones found on the property, setting it up beside an old, wind-sculpted crabapple tree.
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CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Ann sets the
table in the screened porch. The scalloped fascia is adorned with tiny bells that jingle in the sea breeze. • The annual Plumbago auriculata sends up Wedgwood-blue blossoms. • Creating a centerpiece is as easy as cutting some hydrangeas from the garden. OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Roses are not
always hardy on the coast, but the wind keeps disease in check. • Morning glories love growing seaside, and they crawl along the wall. • A marble slab from the house is repur posed a focal point resembling an altar.
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DESIGNING BY THE SEA MICHAEL WALEK has worked by the sea for decades, but every site presents its own set of parameters. Because Rose Cove is fully exposed, Michael began by bolstering the property’s contingent of shrubs and trees to buffet the wind and provide framework. Spruces were a raving success story. “Blue spruce looks particularly strong against the backdrop of the sea,” Michael says. Metasequoias and Japanese white pine stood strong as vertical sentinels. In moist spots, winterberry is the local hero, feeding birds with its berries that flash red against the water. “The contrast of the berry color really shows up on gray days,” Michael says. On the other hand, junipers were a disappointment, browning where exposed to coastal winds. Given the property’s name, roses seem like a no-brainer, but they have proven insufficiently hardy to tolerate the climate anywhere but in the walled garden. Nonetheless, Michael continues to experiment. Working with flowering perennials can be dicey against the vast backdrop of the ocean. From a design standpoint, even if they are hardy enough, small plants with tiny flowers become swallowed up by the wide-open space. Statements must be broad, which prompted a ribbon of daylilies by the sea. Peonies of all types, Siberian iris, baptisia, Montauk daisies, and aconitum are all success stories, while the plumes of ornamental grasses make a strong choreographic statement. Michael’s inner artist serves him well when selecting colors. His instinct is to find ones that com plement the blue of the water. Yellows and oranges figure strongly in his palette, with red and green also liberally represented. Foliage colors are also key, including variegated leaves and blushing autumn grasses. Of course, plants that colonize to make a broad statement are always welcome. Where the view goes on forever, a sea of flowers feels like a natural.
For more information, see Sources, page 70
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Southern Hospitality on the North Shore Interior designer and Mississippi native MEG BRAFF serves up a charming and colorful dinner for friends and family at her Long Island home By MARGOT SHAW Photography by BROOKE SLEZAK
The hostess, dressed in a joyous poppy-colored maxi dress, carries arrangements to the dinner table. OPPOSITE: A soft perennial border yields many a bloom for party arrangements.
e EARLY-SUMMER EVENINGS beg for alfresco dinners. And when the soirée is set on the North Shore of Long Island and hosted by interior designer Meg Braff, then prepare for party perfection. Meg grew up in Tupelo, Mississippi, where entertaining was and is considered a high art form. “My mother would prepare food for days, and on the night of the party, I would help set the table and then get dressed up and ‘pass the rolls.’ It was my official job,” says Meg. With the rhythms of life so different today, Meg wisely plans with collaboration in mind, but not just any collaboration. The story begins with, of all things, Instagram. Having followed Meg for a while, I was smitten by the crisp, chic style of her outdoor entertaining, often under a cheerful black-and-white striped awning with a vintage Woodard wrought iron table and chairs finished with robin’s-egg blue cushions. I kept noticing a familiar last name associated with the catering duties when she entertained at home: Mar Slocum. Having had a stepfather with the same last name, from the same hamlet,
ABOVE LEFT: Meg and Mar Slocum, her longtime
friend and caterer, swap stories and pick out china and glassware. LEFT: Mar, who always insists on fresh, local, and organic food, slices fruit for the dessert plates. OPPOSITE: A view of the terrace from below in Meg’s garden. This chic, timeless scenario perfectly reflects the designer’s aesthetic.
“WHEN I’M THROUGHOUT A HOME, SAME HOLDS TRUE | 62 |
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DE SO FO
’M ME, UE
DECORATING, I LIKE TO THREAD COLOR SO THERE IS CONTINUITY FROM ROOM TO ROOM. THE FOR THE SCHEME OF A DINNER PARTY.” —MEG BRAFF f l o w e r m a g .c o m
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I couldn’t help but imagine there might be a family connection. And of course, there was. When I pitched the idea of a dinner party and photo shoot to Meg, we instantly agreed, not surprisingly, that Mar would do the cooking honors. The afternoon of the party, the two spent a good while chatting and giggling in front of the china cabinets, perusing stacks and stacks of plates. “My mother and grandmother instilled in me a love of fine china, linens, and the art of setting the table. They are certainly the root of my china-hoarding tendencies,” Meg confesses. Meg’s inspiration was a classic Tassinari & Chatel floral fabric-cum-tablecloth in summerbright colors. She picked up the vibrant green in the tablecloth in vintage lily pad plates by Jean Roger and oversize lettuce leaf–form water glasses.
LEFT: For the centerpiece of peonies, lady’s mantle,
delphinium, chamomile, and lilac, Meg selected her Vladimir Kanevsky porcelain cabbage tureen. BELOW: The chinoiserie monogrammed napkins are from Julian Mejia Design.
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Party guests mingle before dinner.
OPPOSITE: Guests served themselves
from this smartly dressed bar cart.
For more information, see Sources, page 70
“MY MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER INSTILLED IN ME A LOVE OF FINE CHINA, LINENS, AND THE ART OF SETTING THE TABLE.” —MEG BRAFF
“When I’m decorating, I like to thread color throughout a home, so there is continuity from room to room. The same holds true for the scheme of a dinner party,” she says. Her abundant gardens yielded the lion’s share of the flowers for table decoration and throughout the house. Meg’s trusted friend and team member Jason Schwartz artfully mixed them with selections from the flower market in New York City. On arrival, guests were offered a refreshing seasonal cocktail—a passion fruit margarita garnished with edible flowers and sprigs of mint—with replenishment available from a festive bar cart out on the patio. Dinner consisted of a simple, elegant
menu conceived by Mar. “We know each other so well,” Meg says. “She knows how I entertain, and she makes it easy. I like to keep things light in the summer, so a green salad, chicken breast with fresh vegetables, and Pavlova and peaches for dessert was perfect. Mar always knows what’s fresh and in season.” After meeting and getting to know my long-lost kin, as well as a complement of colorful and talented guests, and experiencing the shimmer of a party beautifully planned and executed, I glanced over at one of the guests, who happened to be Meg’s mother. She was wearing a glowy, loving look of approval and pride, as well she should.
ABOVE LEFT: Retro latticework lowball glasses add another outdoor design element to the décor. ABOVE RIGHT: Elegantly simple dinner fare contrasts beautifully with the more ornate monogrammed plate OPPOSITE: A goblet doubles as a vase for an informal bouquet of lady’s mantle, spray roses, and chamomile.
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Sources
Who Did It & Where to Get It
Prices are subject to change. Any items not listed are unknown.
IN BLOOM PAGES 17–20, Decorate: Flowers: Floral design, Eileen Tongson of FarmGal Flowers, farmgalflowers.com; location, East End Market, eastendmkt.com; arrangement containers, Terrain, shopterrain.com, and Adjectives Market adjstyle.com (turquoise vase); foliage, Ferntrust, ferntrust.com; succulents, Holt Nurseries, holtnurseries.com. PAGE 22, Entertain: Event supplies, Social Studies, social-studies.com.
AGLOW IN THE ALLÉE PAGES 30–39: Party décor and styling, Frances Schultz, francesschultz .com; dinner plates, Pottery Barn,
potterybarn.com; book, California Cooking and Southern Style (2020) by Frances Schultz with recipes by Stephanie Valentine.
TROPICAL PUNCH PAGES 40–49: Interior design, Mimi McMakin and Cece Bowman of Kemble Interiors Palm Beach, kembleinteriors .com; architecture, Mark Marsh of Bridges Marsh & Associates, bridges marsharchitects.com; landscape architecture, Keith Williams of Nievera Williams, nieverawilliams.com.
MAINE ATTRACTION PAGES 50–59: Landscape architecture,
Michael Walek of Artscape, 207.337.0769.
SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY ON THE NORTH SHORE PAGES 60–69: Interior design and party styling, Meg Braff, megbraff designs.com; catering, Mar Slocum Catering, Instagram: @bymarslocum; select outdoor furniture, Woodard, woodard-furniture.com; monogrammed napkins, Julian Mejia Design, julian mejiadesign.com; Vladimir Kanevsky porcelain cabbage tureen, thevladimir collection.com; Tassinari & Châtel floral fabric (used as tablecloth), scalamandre.com.
decorate: color bonus
Okapi Aja stonewash ostrich clutch with removable strap, $555, okapi.com • Lexington Home Tommy Bahama Outdoor Living Harbor Isle collection all-weather wicker outdoor lounge chair with custom-finished aluminum frame, $2,839, lexington.com
VOLUME 14, ISSUE 4. 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 433327, Palm Coast, FL 32164. For subscription inquiries and customer service, please call 877.400.3074. All unsolicited materials will not be returned. Printed in the U.S.A.
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5/27/20 11:54 AM
At the Table
TIP
“Mix various textures and hues of gold; they create a lovely background for a variety of colors.” —Amanda Smith Fowler
Pinnate Perfection THE CALMING REPETITION OF THE LEAVES, ON BOTH THE CHINA AND THE TABLECLOTH, GIVE WAY TO A BURST OF BLUES AND YELLOW-GOLD ENERGY Produced and styled by Amanda Smith Fowler • Photography by David Hillegas
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FLOWER
July•August 2020
Dinner napkin ($54/ set of 4) in Lemon by Sferra from Fine Linens, finelinens.com • St. George Gold flatware ($142/ 5-piece place setting) by Herdmar USA through Pickard China, pickardchina.com • Daphne light blue-gray dinner plate ($200), gray dessert plate ($175), blue bread plate ($140) and blue service plate ($275) by Robert Haviland & C. Parlon, mottahedeh.com • Athena gold-rimmed bread-and-butter plate ($106) and service plate ($232) by Bernardaud, bernardaud .com • Imperial Yellow/ Green wineglass ($298) by Varga through DeVine Corp, devine corp.net • Low round large decanter ($975) by Joe Cariati, joecariati .com • Nile napkin ring ($37) and Flare place mat in Gold and Black ($107) by Kim Seybert, kimseybert.com • Charleston wineglass ($94) by Pickard Crystal, pickardchina.com • Wonderland Floral fabric in Lemon by Stroheim, stroheim.com