MarchApril2025 by FLOWER magazine

FLOWER

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March • April 2025

54 Muse in Bloom

Floral designers Lewis Miller and Sybil Sylvester celebrate our Flower of the Year with inspiring arrangements.

64 French Twist

Designer Josh Pickering collaborated with his clients to enhance their renovated Dallas home by editing a collection of antiques, folding in new finds, and adding some French flair to reflect their travels.

72 The Botanical World of Aerin Lauder

On the heels of launching her latest book, Living with Flowers, the style icon sits down with FLOWER Editor-in-Chief Margot Shaw to share the inspirations that led to her love of all things floral.

82 Power of the Petal

Jewelry designer Mish Tworkowski has spent a lifetime in the garden, finding peace and inspiration among blossoms he translates into exquisite adornments that enhance the wearer the way a flower enhances its setting. His new collection celebrates the beauty of a well-tended landscape.

ON THE COVER

Even Weezie, a German Shorthaired Pointer, is enamored with Sybil Sylvester’s arrangement featuring our “Flower of the Year.” See pages 14 and 54 to learn more.

Interiors by Heather Chadduck; Photographed by David Hillegas.

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

PHOTO BY STEPHEN KARLISCH

14 Flower of the Year

The team at FLOWER magazine, along with our expert panel, is proud to announce the winning bloom. She’s frilly, fun, and sure to pack a punch in any arrangement.

21 From the Field

Spring forward with a pop of pink, feminine upholstery details, statementmaking consoles, and a new furniture collection from Tara Shaw.

34 Gardening

John Coykendall, master gardener for Blackberry Farm, shares gardening wisdom he’s gathered through years of hands-in-the-dirt experience.

Arranging

British floral designer Shane Connolly’s devotion to sustainability underscores his arrangements at every event, from private soirées to the King’s Coronation.

IN EVERY ISSUE

Watering Can 10 What’s Online? 52 Sources 92 Floral Moment 96

WATERING CAN A Note from the Editor

I KNOW THE FEELING. THE JOY OF SPRING—its first signs, the daffodils, the buds of forsythia. Then (in our zone anyway) the full yellow swath of the same forsythia in someone’s garden that was not there when you drove by yesterday. The promise, the hope, the light at a different angle shining on the first robin on our lawn.

I’m smiling in my heart right now just sifting through these images in my mind. Imagine, as Hemingway cites, there being “no problems except where to be the happiest.” This really applies to what lies within this issue. The dilemma is where to start. Do we read in order and patiently let the beauty unfurl, or do we go straight to the Table of Contents and cherry-pick the things that speak to us? Or maybe we just turn to a random page and begin the ride with a surprise? There’s no right way, but my message in this inquiry is that wherever you land, happiness is there.

Inside these pages, you’ll find our inaugural Flower of the Year announcement. We enlisted some of our good FLOWER friends to be the judges. (You will love what they picked.) Then we take a deep dive into Aerin Lauder’s lovely life with flowers, which happens to be the subject of her latest book. And speaking of stylish folks, we profile Mish Tworkowski, the divine jewelry

“When spring came, even the false spring, there were no problems except where to be happiest.”

– ERNEST HEMINGWAY

designer now ensconced in Palm Beach, whose life in the garden has yielded the most magnificent floral jewels. Across the pond, we spotlight Shane Connolly, the authority on sustainability in florals, who happens to be the King of England’s first call when it comes to royal weddings and events. Shane was the mastermind behind the abundance of floral beauty at the King’s Coronation. We also visit a fresh, French-inspired interiors project in Dallas where the homeowner found her aesthetic soulmate in designer Josh Pickering. The duo went shopping in her own antiques emporium, among other fabulous spots. As you can see, this issue is all over the map.

May happiness abound in you as you linger in these pages— and in this spring season.

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

PHOTO

CARY NORTON

VOLUME 19, ISSUE 2

MARGOT SHAW FOUNDER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Karen Carroll EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

Julie Gillis MANAGING EDITOR

Nicole Gerrity Haas ART DIRECTOR

Amanda Smith Fowler STYLE DIRECTOR

Julie Doll EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

Jason Burnett DIGITAL GENERAL MANAGER

Carrie Clay ASSOCIATE EDITOR

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

John Coykendall, Alice Welsh Doyle, James Farmer, Marion Laffey Fox, Elaine Griffin, Tara Guérard, Frances MacDougall, Tovah Martin, Cathy Still McGowin, Charlotte Moss, Matthew Robbins, Margaret Zainey Roux, Frances Schultz, Sybil Sylvester

For editorial inquiries: editorial@flowermag.com DIGITAL

Jennel O’Brien PUBLISHER

Suzanne Cooper NATIONAL DIRECTOR, HOME FURNISHINGS

Julie Durkee NATIONAL DIRECTOR, LUXURY

Kate Chapman NORTHEAST ACCOUNT DIRECTOR

Steven M. Fisher MIDWEST/SOUTHWEST ACCOUNT DIRECTOR

Wendy Ellis REGIONAL ACCOUNT MANAGER

Sara D. Taylor REGIONAL ACCOUNT MANAGER

Marlee Ledbetter Mims INTEGRATED MARKETING MANAGER

For sales inquiries: sales@flowermag.com

BUSINESS OFFICE

Mercy Lloyd CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

Nicole Bowman CIRCULATION MANAGER

Patrick Toomey ACCOUNTANT

CUSTOMER SERVICE

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

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

FLOWER of the year the 2025

The team at FLOWER, along with our expert panel, is proud to introduce the LEVANTE ROSA ANEMONE. She’s frilly, fun, and sure to pack a punch in any arrangement.

PRODUCED BY CARRIE CLAY

PHOTO

DAVID HILLEGAS

jonathancharles.com

For almost two decades, FLOWER has looked at every aspect of style and design through a botanical lens. Our pages have been filled with lush gardens, lovely homes, and more flowers than we could count.

We’ve met with artists, fashionistas, chefs, and tastemakers, all in the name of showcasing the beauty of flowers and what they bring to this world. And we continue to celebrate flowers of every shape, size, and color, from the statmentmaking exuberant extroverts to the most humble blooms that can be hard to name. While it’s challenging for us to claim a favorite—we love them all in the right setting and season—in this issue, we’re excited to debut a new initiative: The FLOWER Magazine Flower of the Year.

To help us choose, we gathered a team of expert panelists from the fields of floral design, landscaping, fashion, and interior design (see who’s on our A-list panel on the next page). We asked what was catching their eyes, wooing their interests, and inspiring their imaginations as of late. The possibilities were endless, the debate lively. Ultimately, the panel landed on the Levante® Rosa Anemone, a relative newcomer on the scene—a bit of an unknown, although part of a very familiar and beloved family. This variety was just waiting to be noticed. It’s cheery, elegant, a bit playful, and full of hope and optimism. It has exactly the kind of energy we strive to bring to the pages of the magazine and into our daily lives.

“We believe flowers should be celebrated, and what could be more worthy of attention and admiration than a perfectly

beautiful bloom?

Exquisite and frothy as it is, the Levante Rosa is not just another pretty face—it’s hardy, prolific, and with its subtle fragrance, deer resistant.”

—MARGOT SHAW, FLOWER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Almost seven years in the making, the Levante® Rosa Anemone was developed by Biancheri Creazioni, a third-generation family business based in the Italian Riviera dei Fiori.

This flower’s composition of hot pink petals with a dark, almost black, center makes a contemporary statement.

JAMES FARMER Interior Designer and Author

“THIS ANEMONE’S DOME SHAPE, CREATED BY LAYERS OF DELICATE PETALS, WOULD MAKE AN ELEGANT BUTTON EARRING. I ALSO IMAGINE THE CROWN OF STAMENS THAT SURROUND THE CENTRAL MOUND COVERED WITH THE MOST EXQUISITE DIAMOND PAVÉ.”

MISH TWORKOWSKI Designer of Mish Fine Jewelry

It’s pink, showy, new, different, and wonderful—a flower that commands attention and leaves a lasting impression.”

TARA GUÉRARD Event Planner, Designer, and Author

“The Levante Rosa Anemone represents one of those breakout moments in hybridizing that combines the best of the historic imagery of the traditional anemone profile with a vibrant new colorway.”

BEN PAGE Landscape Architect, ASLA

MEET OUR PANELISTS

Thank you to these esteemed FLOWER contributors. Here’s what they have to say about the Flower of the Year.

“This anemone speaks to today’s trending design aesthetic: personalized spaces with strategically-placed ‘wow’ elements. It works great alone, but it also plays well with others.”

ELAINE GRIFFIN Interior Designer and Author

“The Levante Rosa Anemone is a voluptuous and happy flower that reminds me of the Flower Fairies illustrations by Cicely Mary Barker.”

CHARLOTTE MOSS

Interior Designer, Author, and Philanthropist

WHEN I FIRST SAW THE LEVANTE ROSA, SHE REMINDED ME OF A BALLERINA WEARING A RUFFLED TUTU. SHE’S SWEET AND SPECIAL BUT ALSO VERY HARDY.”

SYBIL SYLVESTER Floral/Event Designer and Author

“With its vibrant splash of color, this little gem is ready to take center stage at weddings, events, and design projects, adding elegance, energy, and a pop of pink that’s sure to turn heads.”

SCOTT SHEPHERD Horticulturist, Host of The Flower Podcast, and Cut Flower Supplier

The Levante Rosa Anemone is a new spin on an old-fashioned flower; it’s a kind of ‘crazy’ beautiful and something we haven’t seen before.

LEWIS MILLER

Floral and Event Designer and Creator of The Flower Flash™

Wallpaper: Chrysantha in Spring ($630/panel) by Paul Montgomery for The Mural Source, themuralsource.com • Baseboard paint: Jewel Beetle (inquire for pricing) from Little Greene, littlegreene.us • Polly Avo Console Table ($2,864) from Jonathan Charles, jonathancharles.com • Catrina 18-inch ottoman (inquire for pricing) from Odette Furniture, odettefurniture.com • Fabric on ottoman: Rosendal Warp Print in Plum (to the trade) by Brunschwig & Fils, brunschwig.com

Spring forward with a punch of pink, feminine upholstery details, statement-making consoles, and a new furniture collection from Tara Shaw. PRODUCED AND STYLED BY AMANDA SMITH FOWLER

BLUSH CRUSH

This soft shade of pink will capture your heart with its endless possibilities.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Box Pleated Bennett Sofa in Skyline ($4,050) by Coley Home, coleyhome.com• Piccolo Tan Mini Table Lamp ($270) from Currey & Company, curreyandcompany.com • Bespoke Chair with Weltless Track Arm (to the trade) from Baker, bakerfurniture.com • 500 Baxter Chair (inquire for pricing) from Wesley Hall, wesleyhall.com • Antique French Napoleon III Style Pink Slipper Chair with Beaded Pom Pom Fringe Detail ($1,695) from Mecox, mecox.com • Danube Medium Table Lamp ($849) from Visual Comfort, visualcomfort.com

Now available in the US

Little Greene is an eco-friendly, family-run business cataloguing 300 years of paint and wallpaper. Based in the UK, using only the very highest quality ingredients. ‘Intelligent’ paints allow you to prime and paint any surface from a single tin. Suitable for almost any surface in the home, these finishes do not require a separate primer.

New Little Greene Retailers

Luu Color Center in Rockville, MD | The Paint Store Online at Ron Shaffer Interiors in West Palm Beach, FL

C & T Design in Natick, MA | Blue Mist Paint & Flooring in Spartanburg, SC

Rainbow Paint & Decorating in Birmingham, AL | Hart and Hill in Wilmington, NC

Foxtrot Home in Southport, CT | Chance’s Hardware in Latham, NY | CLT Paint Cures in Charlotte, NC

Tindade Paint Store in Marthas Vineyard, MA | The Paint Department in Nantucket, MA

John Boyle Southington in Old Saybrook, West Hartford, CT | Island Shade Shoppe in John Island, SC

Order free colourcards on our website.

Showroom now open: 9 East Putnam Avenue, Greenwich, CT 06830. Tel: 1-888-516-6130 | getintouch@littlegreene.us

littlegreene.us

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Camille Sofa (to the trade) by Lillian August for Hickory White, lillianaugust.hickorywhite.com • Blass Bedding in Petal (starting at $108) by Alexa Hampton for Eastern Accents, easternaccents.com • Finely Ottoman and Kiki Ottoman ($1,215 each) by Jessica Charles, jessicacharles.com • 4660-30 Charlotte Armless Banquette ($3,975 as shown) by Bria Hammel for CR Laine, crlaine.com

CONSOLES are incredibly versatile. Float one behind a sofa or place it in an entry as a statement piece. Create serving space in a dining room or pull up a chair to make it a desk.

—DESIGNER PHOEBE HOWARD

Adam Console Table ($2,550) by Woodbridge Furniture, woodbridgefurniture.com

Kensington Console in Natural by Jamie Merida ($2,490) through Chelsea House, chelseahouseinc.com

Cadence Console Table ($3,990) by Century Furniture, centuryfurniture.com

Alexander Console (to the trade) by Mr. & Mrs. Howard for Sherrill Furniture, mrandmrshoward.sherrillfurniture.com

La Menagerie Collection

Photography by Nick Mele

TOP TO BOTTOM: Wallpaper: Chrysantha in Spring ($630/panel) by Paul Montgomery for The Mural Source, themuralsource.com • Relaxed Elegance: Rooms for Living Well by Brittany Bromley, Rizzoli • Embracing Southern Homes by Eric Ross, Gibbs Smith • The Romance of Home by Marcus Mohon, Rizzoli • Embracing Beauty: Serene Spaces for Living by Beth Webb, Rizzoli • This is Home by Jeffrey Alan Marks, Rizzoli • Alfredo Paredes at Home by Alfredo Paredes with Brad Goldfarb, Rizzoli • David Kleinberg: Interiors by David Kleinberg with Mayer Rus, Phaidon • Marshall Watson: Defining Elegance by Marshall Watson, Rizzoli

PHOTO BY DAVID HILLEGAS

What’s Old is New

We catch up with New Orleans-based designer and antiques dealer Tara Shaw to talk about the debut of her furniture collection for Century.

BY AMANDA SMITH FOWLER

PHOTO BY GRAHAM SUGGS

FLOWER: How did the Century collaboration come about?

Tara Shaw: I’d been asked to do a signing for my book, Soul of the Home, during the High Point Furniture Market. I arrived a day early just to look around, and as I happened to be standing in front of the Century showroom, I decided to walk in and ask to speak to the president. And the rest is history.

Tell us about the inspiration behind the collection. What ties it all together for you— the common thread? It comes from years of working in Europe and being immersed in European design. The one-of-a-kind items from Italy, France, Belgium, and Sweden will seep into your subconscious. The beauty of this new line lies in its individuality—there’s no unifying thread because every piece is inspired by a one-of-a-kind hero piece. Each tells its own story, yet together they complement and elevate a space. Some are current adaptations of the originals to better fit modern lifestyles while others were left unaltered as they were born perfect.

When does a current piece work instead of an antique?

When it’s essential for comfort or style, especially upholstery in the main seating area, or when budget considerations come into play.

Your collection has a mid-century modern element, and all the pieces have great adaptability. Do you have a favorite piece? Which ones will you be incorporating into your own home?

I love the Venetian Iron canopy bed and use it as a focal point in my own primary bedroom. In my living room, it’s a tie between the Saint Michel, which is a Belgian slope-arm sofa, and the Saint Honoré, a French track-arm sofa. I can’t decide! I also like having a banquette in the living room, so I’m going with the Swedish paw-foot Maximilian daybed to open up the space.

You’re a master at layered thoughtfulness and the ability to create interesting and inviting interiors using mostly neutral color palettes. When you

Quick Takes from Tara

If I were a chair, I’d be: A Savonarola. They’re as cool now as they were in the 1700s.

Antique I own that I could never sell:

A large ecclesiastical painting I bought from the estate of Anne and Valéry Giscard d’Estaing

Every room needs: A hero.

Go-to flower:

White garden roses—simple, elegant, timeless.

Something unexpected in my handbag:

Greenley from Parfums de Marly and a dog toy.

Style uniform:

Crisp white blouse, a great pair of leather pants, and an interesting mule.

Favorite home scent:

My “Soul of the Home” candle and diffuser. It has notes of mesquite wood, neroli, and oak moss—so fresh.

Three things

I can’t live without:

My husband, Robert, who is my better half; our Whippet, Sister Lucca—a love muffin and a tomboy; my spiritual connection with God.

TOP TO BOTTOM: Handcrafted from blackened iron and topped with brass ball finials, the Dante Iron Savonarola Chair reflects mid-century craftmanship. • The Maximilian Sandblasted Daybed is influenced by 18th-century Swedish Neoclassical style.

Discover more of Tara Shaw’s collection at centuryfurniture.com.

Spring gardens bring an overall excitement and wonder of a new season. I’m always amazed when I check the seedling trays and see those first little crooks pop up. Every year it’s like the first year — this never gets old.

John’s Almanac

John Coykendall, master gardener for Blackberry Farm, shares gardening wisdom he’s gathered through years of hands-in-the-dirt experience.

Coreopsis lanceolata

Growing & Guidance

A SPRING VEGETABLE GARDEN MIGHT BEGIN IN A HOOP HOUSE or in seed trays on a kitchen windowsill. Some seeds may be sown directly into the soil, or seedlings can be purchased from a local garden store for transplanting. The most important part of the spring garden is simply to begin one.

Companion Planting

One of the best ways to learn about gardening is to use tried-andtrue ideas from the past. Companion planting is a surefire way to start a strong garden. Through hundreds of years of study and growing, gardeners have determined that positioning particular plants with one another can increase the health and overall production of each plant.

Companion planting creates nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables, aids in attracting beneficial insects and repelling pests, helps increase growth, and improves taste. It also teaches the benefits of location by using shorter ground-cover plants to provide weed protection and planting taller companions to shade these lower plants.

One of John’s favorite books about companion planting is Carrots Love Tomatoes by Louise Riotte (Hatchette Book Group). “It gives tried-and-true facts,” he says.

None of this is original from me — I’ve gotten it all from a bunch of old-timers. I’ve learned from the greatest teachers — still do! The best teacher I’ve got right now is 105 years old from Washington Parish, Louisiana.

Every plant in the garden needs: Water

Consistent watering is crucial for best development and flavor. Inconsistent watering can make for mealy texture and easily cracked skins.

Food/Fertilizer

The soil is crucial. It’s very important to use good compost material. We work a lot of well-rotted compost into the soil. For fertilizing, most tomato fertilizers work well when feeding fruits, herbs, and vegetables.

Weeding

When seedlings begin to appear, use a well-sharpened hoe to scrape the surface of the soil and keep weed seedlings shaved off. It’s also important to pull weeds that are growing close to established plants. Oftentimes, pulling by hand is best so as to not disturb the roots.

EILEEN FISHER

Blue shirt. $178

HANNAH ARTWEAR

Emmy pant. $245

LIZZIE FORTUNATO

Umi necklace. $370

Rotating these crops each year, which means changing location from one space to another and replacing with a bed at rest or another plant, is a must to fend off many soilborne diseases. To keep heads from splitting, avoid late-season fertilization and maintain consistent watering, or use a shovel on one side to prune roots, preventing the plant from taking up too much water.

COMPANIONS: Beans, celery, garlic

AVOID: Strawberries—keep them one or two rows away.

JOHN’S FAVORITE: Early Flat Dutch. Introduced sometime between 1855 and 1875, this heirloom is heat-resistant and is the best variety for storage.

BEANS: Pole beans love climbing tall plants like corn and sunflowers. One of the first companion plantings ever

recorded was the combination of corn, beans, and squash. Native Americans named this trio the Three Sisters.

COMPANIONS: Beets, corn, eggplant, squash

AVOID: Fennel, garlic, onions

JOHN’S FAVORITES: Rev. Taylor lima beans—heirloom from Alabama in the 1800s. Also speckled runner beans with loads of beautiful colors. They grow well in a variety of zones.

PEAS: Peas may be grown in partial shade, but they will not be as productive or as sweet without full sun. Water them gently and deeply.

COMPANIONS: Beans, carrots, corn, chives, cucumbers, grapes, radishes, lettuce, spinach, turnips

AVOID: Asparagus, garlic, onions

JOHN’S FAVORITE: Thomas Laxton peas—named for a pioneering English

pea breeder. They first started appearing in 1898 and have stuck because of their reliability, consistency, and sweetness. You need a trellis for very tall vines.

Far superior to anything purchased in a store, different types of lettuces can make for an easy garden salad in your backyard. Sow seeds directly into the soil as soon as the ground can be worked. Select placement wisely—as the days become warmer, lettuces like to have some afternoon shade.

COMPANIONS: Beets, carrots, cucumbers, garlic, peas, radishes, tomatoes. Tomatoes are great because they provide shade to the lettuce. Likewise, the lettuce helps to suppress weeds beneath the tomato plants.

AVOID: Broccoli, cabbage, kale—they compete for nutrients in the soil.

JOHN’S FAVORITE: Buttercrunch, developed in the 1950s by gardener George Raleigh of Cornell University. It’s prized for its sweet taste, buttery texture, and bolt resistance.

Select the sunniest spot available. Water early in the day, and water deeply—only 1 to 2 times a week. Keep moisture consistent to prevent skin splitting. Keep foliage as dry as possible while watering. Leave some space between plants for proper airflow. This helps reduce the threat of disease.

COMPANIONS: Asparagus, carrots, celery, garlic, onion

AVOID: Lettuce, peas

JOHN’S FAVORITES: Gulf State, Cherokee Purple, and Pineapple varieties are at the top of the list. Also cherry tomatoes because they develop much earlier than the larger varieties.

Lettuce Tomatoes

Cabbage

Beans and Peas

The secret to growing root vegetables is in the soil composition. It needs to drain easily and be rather sandy in content. These vegetables need the space and ability to reach downward to grow.

Don’t plant where Swiss chard or spinach has recently grown to avoid soilborne diseases and pests. For more uniform sizing, be sure to thin out seedlings once they reach 2 inches tall, and space plants 4 to 6 inches apart for optimal root development.

COMPANIONS: Broccoli, lettuce, onions, radishes, shelly beans, Swiss chard

AVOID: Broccoli, chili peppers, eggplant, potatoes, tomatoes

Plant in the cool seasons of spring and autumn—they will be ready to harvest in just weeks! Sow the seeds anywhere there is an empty space in the garden. Harvest promptly before they become too mature and spicy.

COMPANIONS: Chervil, lettuce, peas

AVOID: Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, potatoes

JOHN’S FAVORITES: Cherry Bell—an heirloom variety from Holland that is ready in 3-4 weeks. Also Sparkler with its hint of sweetness—perfect for any salad. Both varieties are known for their quick growth.

Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers that may cause roots to fork or become hairy.

Carrots are sown directly in a bedded-up row. (A bedded-up row is raised higher than the surrounding soil level by mixing in organic materials such as compost and mulch.)

COMPANIONS: Leeks, lettuce, onions, peas, radishes

AVOID: Asparagus, cabbage, celery, fennel, strawberries

JOHN’S FAVORITE: Danvers Half Long—an American heirloom variety developed in the 1870s in Danvers, Massachusetts. With its bright orange color and sweet flavor, this variety does well even in heavy clay and shallow soils.

EASY GARDENING: CARROTS & RADISHES

Two root crops that go together nicely with no competition in the soil. They mature at different rates; great for intercroppimg and succession planting.

JOHN’S FAVORITE: Detroit Dark Red. These beets were introduced in 1892 by the D.M. Ferry Seed Company. These have been hailed as the most perfectly shaped beets with the smoothest roots.

When onions begin growing, pull the soil away from the base of the plant—the onions need space to yield the largest produce.

COMPANIONS: Beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, strawberries, Swiss chard, tomatoes

AVOID: Asparagus, beans, peas

JOHN’S FAVORITE: Texas Sweet onions. The official vegetable for the state of Texas, these onions are known for their sweetness and ability to inhibit tears when slicing.

**All of these are cool-season crops; they do not like hot weather. Plant these in early to mid-spring for an early summer crop, and mid- to late summer for a fall harvest.

**Disclaimer: Contact your local agricultural extension agents for information concerning your regional planting dates.

Carrots Radishes

Onions

Beets

In the Spotlight: Shane Connolly

The celebrated UK floral designer’s devotion to sustainability underscores his arrangements at every event, from private soirées to the King’s Coronation.

BY MARION LAFFEY FOX

PHOTO

Shane Connolly, one of the most important floristic authorities in the United Kingdom, enjoys welcoming guests to his headquarters, a single-story, weatheredbrick building draped in tousled green vines. Once home to an antiques restoration business, the structure is identified with its original signage: ‘Eynham Works.’ “This was basically an industrial building with lots of greenery that had been empty for five years,” Shane says. “We added two new sheds and transformed the interiors into a light-filled, more civilized place that functions efficiently for our needs.”

Shane’s business is located 40 minutes outside of London in North Kensington, a quaint neighborhood lined with family homes, gardens, small shops, and restaurants. “I have had my headquarters here for 12 years, and I also live in the area,” he says. “I like the feel of living in a small town within a big city. When you go in a coffee shop, everyone greets you.”

The only child of devoted parents, Shane was gifted a little greenhouse when he was 12 years old. That gift led to a lifelong love of plants and gardening for this celebrity florist who is often described as a “genius” in the erudite

world of flowers. Eventually Shane turned that passion into a career as he segued from the field of psychology to floristry. He launched his business, Shane Connolly and Co., in 1989 after training with some of London’s top floral designers. But it was his exquisite execution of the King and Queen’s wedding in 2005 and the Prince and Princess of Wales’s nuptials in 2011 that thrust him into the international spotlight. As recipient of two Royal Warrants of Appointment to His Majesty the King and

PREVIOUS PAGE: Inside Westminster Abbey, Shane Connolly prepares to install the floral designs for the King’s Coronation. THIS PAGE: Shane enjoys using cuttings from his own garden, as seen in this arrangement of Viburnum opulus ‘Roseum.’

Her Majesty the Queen, Shane has been the monarchy’s official supplier of flowers for almost two decades.

Outside of royal duties, the designer and his team have used their talents at various museum events, such as those at the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Royal Academy of Arts, the National Portrait Gallery, and the Garden Museum. However, it is the top-tier private celebrations and stylish weddings that truly highlight Shane’s signature flair and widespread popularity. As a result, his lecture and demonstration calendar is robust with countless events that define the unique beauty of all four seasons in both Europe and the United States.

Throughout his decades of floral design, Shane says there is one area that has become more important to him. “As I have gotten older, my focus has shifted to the need for sustainability in floristry,” he says. The Coronation in May 2023, which Shane describes as the “greatest moment of my career,” was one such event where he displayed his strong belief in this practice. In addition, it represented a patriotic effort of planning and installation involving armies of volunteers who grew and transported plant materials from every corner

of the Commonwealth. “The Royal Horticultural Society contributed large cuttings of azaleas, rhododendrons, and apple blossoms from its five member gardens—Wisley, Hyde Hall, Rosemoor, Harlow Carr, and Bridgewater,” says Shane. “The blooms were displayed on the High Altar and in vast open spaces in the Abbey. We even used special birch branches from trees planted at Wisley in 1978 by the late Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip.” In keeping with the emphasis on utilizing local sources, Shane enlisted a volunteer group of 1,000 growers called Flowers From the Farm (FFTF) to contribute plant material. “It felt as if everyone was bringing their homegrown flowers as a way of wordlessly saluting the King,” he says.

“The first week in May is still quite early for British flowers, so we relied on bulbs to provide much of the color,” says Gill Hodgson, who founded FFTF in 2011. “England, Northern Ireland, Wales, and Scotland are mostly able to grow the same varieties of flowers—the difference was how far advanced the season was in each area.” As an example, she explains that while lily of the valley was already blooming in the southwest of England, narcissi were still abundant in the north of

In a client’s London showroom, Shane used all British flowers and foliage for an arrangement that reflects the summer season. He included trailing sweet peas, regal lilies, lupins, and towering stems of garden roses.

“The real meaning of each flower is more important than any design scheme.”

—FLORAL DESIGNER SHANE CONNOLLY

Scotland, which is on the same latitude as Juneau, Alaska. “By sourcing from growers over the span of 600 miles, we were able to supply a wide range of varieties, each in season in their own area.”

While Shane gave Gill a bold, heraldic color scheme to work with, he left varietal choices to her and the growers. “Tulips, hellebores, and ranunculus were the most-used varieties, but we also had wallflowers, cowslips, geums, aquilegias, Sweet Williams, and lilacs,” Gill says. “Foliage included Physocarpus, flowering currant, rosemary, and azalea.”

Shane saluted other brilliant contributions.

“The official Coronation emblem was designed by Sir Jony Ive, former Chief Design Officer at Apple, Inc., and his creative collective, LoveFrom,” he says. “Sir Jony Ive’s team recognized the Commonwealth with a brilliant rendering of the King Edward Crown filled with flower symbols of the four members: the rose of England, daffodil of Wales, shamrock of Northern Ireland, and bright thistle of Scotland, the oldest national flower dating from the reign of King Alexander III (1249-1286). The whimsical design charmed visitors, who carried away reproductions of the keepsake on jewelry, tea towels, postcards, Christmas decorations, and ceramics.” As Sir Jony Ive explains, “The design was inspired by King Charles’s love of the planet and his deep concern for the natural world.”

Shane insists took “10 years off my life.” When plant materials arrived on Thursday evening, the team worked through the night. Much like a gifted artist applying paint, Shane tenderly orchestrated the evolving stage set as his branches, trees, and flowers created the sentimental British background. Among the installations were two large yew topiaries underplanted with meadows of wood violets, primroses, wild grasses, and cowslips at the Abbey’s entrance. The quire (the seating area for the clergy and choir) boasted drifts of honeysuckle, tulips, and jasmine, while foliage of bay, birch, and wild broom from Scotland’s Isle of Skye scented the air.

In keeping with Shane’s emphasis on sustainability, volunteers from the nonprofit Floral Angels arrived the day after the ceremony to recycle the floral bonanza into arrangements for hospitals, nursing homes, and hospices. The efforts served as the perfect encore to the historic day.

The week preceding the tradition-laden Coronation was filled with nonstop tasks, some that went smoothly and others that

As he reflects on the royal event, as well as his entire career, Shane says he considers himself “the luckiest person in the world.” Whether designing for royal occasions and private parties or quietly planting in his Worcestershire garden, he has a clear pursuit of beauty. Shane’s respect for delicate plant material is often described as a palpable dialogue with flowers. As the passionate alchemist himself maintains, “The real meaning of each flower is more important than any design scheme.”

ABOVE: For an event at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, Shane mixed a tumble of British beech and Viburnum opulus with a few clusters of foxgloves. “It’s simple yet generous—and so effective,” says the designer.

Before Summer’s heat and hectic schedule set in, come away to the tranquility and tradition of High Hampton’s classic high country resort. From quiet Spring escapes to invigorating mountain getaways, our Inn and cottages surround guests with historic charm, award-winning design, exceptional service and 1,400 acres of breathtaking views and amenities.

reservations available at highhampton.com/spring

Continuous Line Lounge Chair by Sutherland Furniture, Perennials Sutherland Studio Moroccan Rug, Moattar

All About Anemones

With their blossoms heralding the arrival of spring, anemones are the birth flower for the month of March. We’re celebrating the Levante® Rosa Anemone, our 2025 Flower of the Year, with new features all month long.

• In two new videos, Sybil Sylvester of Wildflower Designs shares tips for working with Levante Rosa anemones as she demonstrates how to create showstopping arrangements with the blooms.

• Garden expert Tovah Martin digs into the fundamentals of growing and caring for anemones in your home garden. She also shares her favorite varieties and sources.

• Discover fun facts about anemones, from the flower’s mythical origins to its meanings in the language of flowers.

Plus we’ve rounded up even more anemone arrangements from the pages of FLOWER! See it all at flowermag.com/anemones.

IN LIVING COLOR

It took 30 years for Suzanne Goss to find the right house in her Houston, Texas, neighborhood. While the home had been updated over time, it still retained the original 1948 character with intact moldings, millwork, and hardware. Wanting to imbue it with her personal style, Suzanne called on Sandy Lucas of Lucas/ Eilers to help realize her long-hoped-for dream home. Sandy spins the color wheel to great effect, shaking up her client’s home while dialing into design references from its 1940s heritage. See the makeover at flowermag.com/sandy-lucas.

PHOTOS

MUSE in BLOOM

Floral designers Lewis Miller and Sybil Sylvester celebrate the LEVANTE ROSA ANEMONE, our Flower of the Year, with inspiring arrangements.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CARMEL BRANTLEY AND DAVID HILLEGAS

Working with this beautiful bloom has taught me that her colors shift as she ages—a very becoming attribute that is also important to know. I suggest giving it a trial run so you become familiar with her many faces.

Sybil Sylvester BIRMINGHAM

Sometimes in design meetings, I will say to a client, ‘It’s the right side of wrong.’ A design element or color can be joyfully disruptive and agitate (in a positive way) a very beautiful but expected palette or theme. The Levante Rosa Anemone behaves that way.

Lewis Miller

NEW YORK & PALM BEACH

OPENING SPREAD: Arrangements by Lewis Miller showcase how our Flower of the Year leans playful, formal, or casual depending on what it’s mixed with or the style of the vessel. Photographed at Casa Gusto in Palm Beach. THESE PAGES, ABOVE: Sybil Sylvester combines Levante Rosa with feverfew daisies and narcissus for a cottagey arrangement that “feels like a walk through a wildflower field.” OPPOSITE: Sybil pairs the anemone with delphiniums, astilbe, alchemillas, roses, hellebores, and tweedia for a ladylike arrangement even a curious canine named Weezie can’t resist. Interiors on these pages and on page 62 by Heather Chadduck.

Lewis’s arrangement of Levante

and

appears almost in technicolor against tone-on-tone papier-mâché botanicals from Casa

ABOVE: “I love the frilly ‘collars’ that resemble Elizabethan collars,” says Lewis. “Anemones are shape-shifters. Once they are cut, they continue to grow.”

OPPOSITE:

Rosa, bleeding heart vine,

clematis

Gusto.

ABOVE: Sybil adds in coral pink ‘Miss Piggy’ roses (one of her longtime favorites), as well as amaranthus, astilbe, sweet peas, and plenty of “fuzzy greens,” as she calls them. The hand-painted mural is by decorative artist Jan Roberts. OPPOSITE: Whether through an exciting new variety like Levante Rosa or an artistic interpretation such as these tole flowers from Casa Gusto, anemones deserve a closer look.

FRENCH Twist

BY ALICE WELSH DOYLE PRODUCED BY CAROLYN ENGLEFIELD PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN KARLISCH

WHEN TWO FRANCOPHILES who are also antiques aficionados fall in love with a circa-1930 Spanish Revival house, something curiously exciting is bound to ensue. Amanda and Chris McNeill both love historic architecture and bought the home with the idea of preserving its integrity while also adding some French style based on ideas gathered from their travels, especially in Provence. They hired architect Eddie Maestri to work his magic in merging the two styles. Eddie thoughtfully designed some French accents that complement the existing house, such as a sun-drenched orangerie-inspired addition on the rear and a remaking of the façade to include a pea gravel courtyard. With the architecture solidified, Amanda called interior designer Josh Pickering to make the interiors come to life.

“I really needed an editor and a collaborator,” says Amanda, who sells antiques as a side business. “I had too many things in the house. Josh has such a great eye, and I knew he would help me pare down.”

“Amanda had a lot of beautiful antiques, but we needed to cull her collection and feature the choice selections in the most favorable light,” says Josh. “I created a furniture plan just like I would in any project, so in that regard, we were starting from scratch.” Josh found places for many of her existing items while presenting new fabrics and upholstery pieces. Amanda also had a vast collection of Delft and Chinese export porcelain, so a blue-and-white scheme was a natural starting point for the home’s palette. However, the designer suggested a turn in the dining room. As he explains, “I wanted this space to have a different mood, so I chose to veer away from blues.”

which also helped inform the room’s palette. The duo pulled gold from the art and added in mustard velvet pillows.

In addition to wallpaper, Josh introduced custom pieces and details that give the house more personality. In the family room, empty space seemed to echo on either side of the large-scale limestone fireplace that was added during the renovation. “We needed something weighty in proportion to the mantel, and we wanted a place for the television that did not seem arbitrary,” says Josh. “I started looking at Gustavian and Swedish furniture and pulling images to come up with this design. It’s like a hutch and provides additional places for Amanda to display her collections.”

Even the newly-added dayroom with its detailed millwork and arched French doors and windows called out for more character. “I wanted to have that old-fashioned conservatory feel that includes window benches,” says Josh. “We found a pair of reproduction French settees and slipcovered them in blue ticking stripe, which we also used for the skirted table and a pair of bergère chairs.” Amanda requested fruit trees in the room, so Josh had Versailles-inspired planters made to fit the space. To break up another white wall, he took inspiration from a photo of socialite Jayne Wrightsman in a room of her Palm Beach home that has a wall of porcelain birds sitting on brackets. “It’s such a beautiful idea and a way to add a dose of whimsy,” says Josh. “I designed the faux bois brackets and had a plaster artist sculpt them.”

Josh created a monochromatic look in the space by using a coral/red shade as an accent. He elevated the white walls with a watercolor-like wallpaper that imparts a ribbed texture. On top of that, he layered a Papiers de Paris wall covering mounted on boards to form a screen. In the nearby library, Josh and Amanda both fell in love with a large-scale floral artwork by Bill Tansey,

The partners in design both enjoyed the hunt as they unearthed many treasures. “We really do like the same things, so Josh was the perfect collaborator for me to work with,” Amanda says. Adds Josh, “We started finishing each other’s sentences design-wise as we went along.” It should come as no surprise that the pair is scheming on other ways to continue the relationship with a backyard pool project on the horizon.

PREVIOUS PAGES, LEFT TO RIGHT: In the sun-drenched dayroom, Amanda grows citrus trees in blue planters that Josh designed. • Striped awnings and pea gravel in the front courtyard add French flair. THIS PAGE: A gleaming antique dining room table is joined by a pair of host chairs upholstered in a rosy floral Schumacher print repeated on the backs of the French chairs. OPPOSITE: Above an antique console, Josh added an architectural photograph of a chateau interior. “It’s so appropriate because stylistically, it’s everything in the house—all the antique furniture— but presented more like modern art,” says Josh.

“I think a big part of my job as a designer is to be an editor and to home in on what the final aesthetic will be.”

—JOSH PICKERING

LEFT: Josh filled the family room with warm neutrals and designed Swedish-style cabinets to show off part of Amanda’s collection of porcelain. ABOVE: In the library, Josh placed four chairs around an ottoman—ideal for conversations after dinner. He also gathered a portion of Amanda’s blue-and-white porcelain and grouped it under an antique desk topped with a floral painting by Bill Tansey.

LEFT: In the primary bedroom, a Fabricut mohair covers an upholstered bed surrounded by a French-style bed hanging. A rolled-arm bench is anchored at the foot of the bed on top of a soft Stark rug. ABOVE: For the guest bedroom, Josh employed a Fabricut toile for the walls and bed canopy to create an enveloping feel.

The BOTANICAL WORLD of

Aerin Lauder

On the heels of launching her latest book, Living with Flowers , the style icon sits down with FLOWER Editor-in-Chief Margot Shaw to share the inspirations that led to her love of all things floral.

PHOTO

CAMILLA AKRANS/AUGUST

MARGOT: First of all, I want to thank you for devoting an entire book to living with flowers. What made you decide to undertake this project?

AERIN: I’ve always loved flowers, and the book is a great opportunity to bring all my memories and stories together. I launched a brand 12 years ago, and over time we’ve amassed this amazing library of floral images. When I started looking through it, seeing it all together, I began to imagine a concept for a book. I also became interested in understanding the symbolism of flowers, so it gave me an opportunity to highlight that as well. I know there are many books on flowers—everyone’s individual perspective on them is what’s intriguing.

We love getting to see YOUR perspective—a peek behind the curtain at Aerin’s love of flowers and how you make them a part of your life every day. You dedicated the book to your mother, which is such a lovely gesture. What is your first flower memory of her?

When I was a little girl, my mother would always do minigeranium pots as party favors. She would line them down the table and everyone would take one of the potted plants home. I remember I was always so disappointed because I wanted a bag of candy and goodies. But looking back at that now, I’m inspired. My mother taught me so much about flowers, and the book is definitely a reflection of that.

Your grandmother, Estée Lauder, also figures prominently in your style canon. What impact did she have on your life and your business?

When I looked at some of the older pictures of Estée and the partnerships I had done with her, it all started to make sense, including my love of blue and white. It was the concept colorway for my grandmother’s brand. I always say blue and white is in my DNA—even my first bedroom was blue and white flowers! Estée also inspired me to start my company. She created something out of nothing and was one of the first to give women the green light to start their own businesses.

She certainly was a larger-than-life figure. This book beautifully acknowledges her, especially her relationship with flowers.

My grandmother was probably the first person to talk to me about flowers and their different scents, whether it was tuberoses or lilies. She always said her favorite flower was whatever’s in bloom. Estée was ahead of her time in that approach. When you walked into her house, the first thing you saw were beautiful flowers. She always had an arrangement on the table and sometimes would place a fresh flower in a bud vase on the tray for breakfast in bed. You see that concept in the book, translated in a more modern, new way.

Such special memories of Estée passing along her love of flowers to you. That love is reflected in the arrangements throughout your book, as well as in other ways. Share a little about how you have incorporated flowers into your decorative elements and furnishings.

My Herend china, the heirloom Meissen candelabra in the hall, hand-painted floral wallpaper, and even the carved rosettes in the door surround. I like creating a sort of floral fantasy. In the house in Palm Beach, there’s a set of antique floral prints that I found at the San Francisco Antiques Show

several years ago. I didn’t have a place for them until we moved into that house where I hung them in the pantry. Who would think of flower prints in a pantry? It’s the idea that flowers are not just for private or feminine spaces.

You really make that point visually with more tailored arrangements in unexpected places like your husband’s office, the bar, etc. And I so appreciate that many of your designs are attainable and accessible to those who aren’t professionals. Speaking of making flowers accessible, tell me about that 50th birthday gift of the white cutting garden from your husband’s aunt. What a unique idea! I’m very close with my husband’s aunt, and we have a shared love of flowers. She picked out all of my favorite white flowers for the garden. Then she had the plan drawn and had all the bulbs and flowers (some annuals) planted. It was a wonderful jumpstart for my garden. I enjoy cutting the blooms and using them throughout the house. It’s a gift that keeps on giving.

I guess the ultimate white flowers would be wedding flowers. I love the pictures of your grandmother’s oh-so-modern white calla lily bridal bouquet. What did you carry at your wedding?

It was June 1st and I wore gardenias in my hair and carried a bouquet of lily of the valley. We worked with Robert Isabell almost 30 years ago. But the lily of the valley is timeless.

The simplicity of the gardenia and lily of the valley— something today’s brides may be inspired to emulate as they read this. You’ve shown us so much of that kind of beauty over the years, and now we get to see even more in your book. There’s also such a generosity in these pages. You highlight design talents throughout, including Lisa Fine, Christopher Spitzmiller, Willow Crossley, Michael Grim, and Zezé, to name a few.

That’s very much who I am. Even in my stores, I offer more than just AERIN products. I love to edit and find brands that I admire and that I think will make lovely additions to our retail space. One of my new ventures is a collaboration with a very talented designer, Julia Amory. We both have an affinity for Palm Beach, and it reflects that.

More inspirational design that helps us know Aerin on a personal level! We certainly look forward to seeing the new collaboration and following the success of your book.

In Living with Flowers (Rizzoli, 2025), Aerin Lauder shares a personal perspective and visual feast of inspiration on a subject she—and we—are undeniably passionate about.

PREVIOUS PAGES: When at home in East Hampton, Aerin Lauder can often be found in her cutting garden of white flowers. THESE PAGES, CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE LEFT: Aerin surrounds herself with blooms both fresh and interpreted. The boiserie in her New York apartment features floral and laurel-leaf motifs. • She inherited her love of flowers and entertaining from her grandmother, Estée Lauder, in addition to an appreciation for Gracie wallpaper. • A Herend Fruits & Flowers tea set, part of a full service Estée purchased while Aerin’s father served as ambassador to Austria, has now been gifted to Aerin by her mother. • “Breakfast in bed is the ultimate luxury—something my grandmother enjoyed but I rarely have time for,” says Aerin.

PHOTO BY THOMAS LOOF/ART

PREVIOUS PAGES: Wallpaper panels in Aerin’s New York apartment date to the 1700s. “Scenic wallpapers like this tell a story and bring a rich narrative quality that perfectly suits a social setting like a dining room,” she writes in her new book. THESE PAGES, ABOVE: The Bennison pattern Chinese Paper envelops her Palm Beach guest room and speaks to her fondness for blue and white.

OPPOSITE: Flowers find their way into even the most utilitarian of spaces—a grid of botanical copper engravings decorates the pantry.

PHOTOS

(THIS PAGE AND OPPOSITE) BY SIMON UPTON

ABOVE: Aerin cites geraniums as one of her favorite flowers—they evoke childhood memories of her mother, who still grows them. They also inspired her fragrance Wild Geranium. OPPOSITE: The office for the AERIN brand reflects its creator’s passion for beauty and—no surprise—flowers. “Vintage botanical engravings or a brilliant bouquet may inspire packaging or perfume ideas,” says Aerin.

“The sweetly scented scabiosa flower symbolizes pure love,” says Mish Tworkowski. For his oversized Scabiosa Earclips, the jewelry designer renders their intricately ruffled petals in 18-karat gold surrounding a diamond pavé center.

POWER OF THE

Petal

PHOTOGRAPHY

BY FRANCES MACDOUGALL

JEFFREY WESTBROOK

JEWELRY

STYLED BY ALEXANDER WOLF

PORTRAIT AND STUDIO PHOTOGRAPHY BY CARMEL BRANTLEY

Jewelry designer Mish Tworkowski

isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty.

A gardener since childhood, he takes pleasure in the perpetual tasks of digging and pruning, weeding and fertilizing, even the trial-and-error joys and frustrations of bringing seedlings to fruition. While there are those gardeners who most appreciate wandering amid the bounty of the garden, that’s not Mish, who tilled and tended his childhood garden with his parents. “For most gardeners, it’s an unconscious way of life, but I’ve found it’s also a great problem solver,” he says. “Removing things you don’t want, finding satisfaction when you make something better. It’s spiritual in a way. It takes you out of yourself.”

That roll-up-your-sleeves image may be at odds with perception after a visit to his Palm Beach shop and studio MISH Fine Jewelry. The Addison Mizner building hosts his creations and reflects his aesthetic—colorful walls, custom and vintage furniture, and 18-karat gold and platinum jewelry that seduces every shop visitor or potential collector. But there is more to the story, and it may best be told in relation to his latest collection, MISH’s Garden, that encompasses designs based on the blooms that have enchanted him over the course of his life.

The collection’s earliest inspiration can be traced back to Mish’s love of gardening and flowers, but he also spent his adolescent years working in a family-owned jewelry store and studio, learning about gemstones and metals, forging and chasing, and observing. His first adult job at Sotheby’s Auction House in New York brought the young artist up-close to art and design and then fine jewelry as he was developing his own line.

In the years following, Mish left the auction house and opened his own shop and studio in Manhattan. He and his husband, architect Joseph Singer, bought a house in Millbrook, New York, where they could garden on a grander scale, allowing Mish to cultivate the flowers that would eventually inspire his collections.

But the collection did not happen overnight. “It came together gradually,” says Mish. “I’d pick something up and put it down, and then the designs started to coalesce into one big garden.”

An avid researcher, Mish talks art history and horticulture, then segues into the engineering behind each piece. The fleeting nature of the bloom “forces you to focus and examine every detail—the back of the leaves, the stem, the petals, and sepals,” he explains. To translate the ephemeral into a wearable treasure, the designer considers his medium—gold or platinum, pearls and precious stones—and their weight, texture, and finish. A heavier piece might be a brooch rather than an earring. “I’m constantly changing things out of necessity—no one wants to wear a paperweight,” he says with a laugh. And that’s when he uses his creative license. “I prefer the movement of gold and the delicate edges of the petals.” When he modeled a piece after the Magnolia Grandiflora, he used a satin finish outside and the shiny finish on the underside, a witty reversal of what you see on an actual leaf.

Mish’s love of color and pattern, evident in the design of his studio as well as his home, are extensions of his personal and professional experience. He’s on the boards of both the New York Botanical Garden and the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach. “Gardeners in general make excellent preservationists. There is so much advocacy work to both,” he says. “They’re both interested in good town planning, keeping the fabric of a neighborhood intact, and creating beauty. A good garden and a good house marry well.” Regarding his work with the New York Botanical Garden, Mish says, “It’s the most important garden in the world with its dedication to science, education, and pure horticulture. Plants are a bellwether for environmental stresses. It’s the culmination of a gardener’s mentality born from a scientist’s thoughts and discoveries.”

After visiting Palm Beach regularly, the couple eventually decided to move there permanently and open a store. Says Mish, “Palm Beach is such a happy place,” citing friendships made and cemented, as well as the inspiration that surrounds him. “It’s a beautiful place to design. There’s remarkable light and color saturation—it’s like living in a garden year-round.”

Mish’s latest collection melds past inspiration with his current environs. Both flowers from his Millbrook garden and the tropical plants prolific in Palm Beach appear in his designs. “It represents the full spectrum of American flowers,” he says.

Within his design work and philanthropy lies a recognition of the eternal nature of things. Mish hopes his jewelry will have a life beyond its original purchaser. The timelessness of the designs underscores that notion. He mentions a recent client who asked him to make two cuffs, “which she wore together, of course, because she’s that chic,” he says. But she also asked him to engrave the names of her daughters on the inside of each. “I love that they’ll each have something personal created for them to remind them of their mother.” In Mish’s deft hands and imagination, each petal, leaf, and stamen of the real-life flowers that continuously inspire him are transformed into bejeweled heirlooms destined to be appreciated for many seasons to come.

ABOVE: Since moving to Palm Beach and gardening in its tropical climate, Mish has deepened his appreciation for orchids. “I’m a little orchid obsessed,” he says. A trio of rings from the new collection (from top to bottom): Laelia, Cattleya, and Oncidium.

A self-described “happy workaholic,” Mish has a passion for the garden that not only infuses his jewelry designs but also his studio, where he brings the outdoors in. His signature color, saturated lavender, envelops the trellis room, a place where he often meets with clients.

“Choosing a favorite flower is impossible, although I’m always attracted to ones that are humble but have a brilliance of their own.”

—MISH TWORKOWSKI

THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: Bouquets of fresh flowers fill the studio, such as these hyacinths casually massed in a majolica pitcher. • Mish collaborated with interior designer Katie Ridder to create a stylish space to greet guests, feed his creativity, and entertain, as he does here frequently. • The Millefleur Necklace features rose, jonquil, and daisy blossoms.

OPPOSITE: The collection’s range rivals the most profuse garden in bloom.

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Any items not listed are unknown.

THE 2025 FLOWER OF THE YEAR

PAGES 14-18: The Levante® Rosa Anemone developed by Biancheri Creazioni, bianchericreazioni.it; Panelists: James Farmer, jamesfarmer.com; Elaine Griffin, elainegriffin.com; Tara Guérard, taraguerardsoiree.com; Ben Page, page-landscape.com; Lewis Miller, lewismillerdesign.com; Charlotte Moss, charlottemoss.com; Scott Shepherd, theflowerpodcast.com; Sybil Sylvester, wildflowerdesigns.com; Mish Tworkowski, mishfinejewelry.com

FROM THE FIELD

PAGES 21-32: Books information: Relaxed Elegance: Rooms for Living Well by Brittany Bromley, Rizzoli, rizzoliusa.com; Embracing Southern Homes by Eric Ross, Gibbs Smith, gibbs-smith.com; The Romance of Home by Marcus Mohon, Rizzoli, rizzoliusa.com; Embracing Beauty: Serene Spaces for Living by Beth Webb, Rizzoli, rizzoliusa.com; This is Home by Jeffrey Alan Marks, Rizzoli, rizzoliusa.com; Alfredo Paredes at Home by Alfredo Paredes with Brad Goldfarb, Rizzoli, rizzoliusa.com; David Kleinberg: Interiors by David Kleinberg with Mayer Rus, Phaidon, phaidon.com; Marshall Watson: Defining Elegance by Marshall Watson, Rizzoli, rizzoliusa.com. Designer Q & A (page 30): Interior designer: Tara Shaw, tarashaw.com

JOHN’S ALMANAC

PAGES 34-40: Blackberry Farm, blackberryfarm.com

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: SHANE CONNOLLY

PAGES 42-48: Shane Connolly & Company, shaneconnolly.co.uk

MUSE IN BLOOM

PAGES 54-63: The Levante® Rosa Anemone developed by Biancheri Creazioni, bianchericreazioni.it; First spread: Floral design by Lewis Miller, lewismillerdesign.com; Photographed at Casa Gusto, getthegusto. com; 19th-century Gustavian-Style chair (part of a set of six) and containers from Casa Gusto (inquire for pricing); Third spread: Floral design by Sybil Sylvester, wildflowerdesigns.net; Interiors by Heather Chadduck, heatherchadduck.com; Fourth spread: Papier-mâché botanicals and trumeau mirror, 18th-century signed Georges Jacob chair (part of a set of 10), Panadero basket and blue marbled urn all from Casa Gusto, getthegusto.com (inquire for pricing);

SOURCES

Who Did It & Where To Get It

Fifth spread: Tole anemone flowers and antique engravings in Gusto painted frames from Casa Gusto, getthegusto.com (inquire for pricing)

FRENCH TWIST

PAGES 64-71: Interior designer: Josh Pickering, pickeringhouseinteriors.com; Renovation architect: Eddie Maestri, maestristudio.com; Builder/contractor: Sheri and Raegan Barringer, barringercustomhomes.com; Landscape architect: Dan Houchard, Houchard Design Group, houchard.com; Dayroom: All upholstery and slipcovers: “Jake Stripe” in Ice Blue from Perennials, perennialsfabrics.com; Dining chairs: “Loop” side chairs by Villa and House, vandh.com; Custom planter boxes and custom paint mix: Josh Pickering, pickeringhouseinteriors.com; Benches: Ballard Designs “Carter” bench, ballarddesigns.com; Pillow fabric: “Maharab” and “Monsoon” in Oyster by Lisa Fine, lisafinetextiles.com; Wall brackets: designed by Josh Pickering and made by Casci Ornamental Plaster, casciplaster.com; Vintage pagoda lanterns: The Antique and Artisan Gallery, theantiqueandartisangallery.com; Wall Sconces: Jamb, jamb.co.uk; Cachepot: “Faux Bois” by Christopher Spitzmiller, christopherspitzmiller.com; Dining room: Lamps: Chairish, chairish.com; Lampshades: “Genoa” in Pink from Colefax and Fowler, colefax.com; Chair trim: Greek Key from Lee Jofa, kravet.com; Rug: Stark Carpet, starkcarpet.com; Wallpaper: “Croquet Stripe” from Cole and Son, cole-and-son.com, trimmed in a Charlotte Moss gimp from Fabricut, fabricut.com; Wall panel: Papiers de Paris scenic “Les Vues d’Italie” (mounted as four panels), papiersdeparis.com; Louis XVI-style chairs: refinished and upholstered with “Flirty Martini” leather by Keleen Leathers, keleenleathers.com; Backs of chairs and host chairs: “Marella” in Rose from Schumacher, Schumacher.com; Table linens: Moda Domus, modaoperandi.com; Custom ceiling medallion: Casci Plaster, casciplaster. com; Chandelier: Crow Chandeliers, crowchandeliers.com; Sconces: Wolf Hall Antiques, wolfhallantiques.com; Family room: Rug: Hereford Imports, herefordimports.com; Curtains: “Launay” from Manuel Canovas, manuelcanovas.com; Woven wood shades on doors: The Shade Store, theshadestore.com; Sofas: Charles Stewart, charlesstewartcompany.com in Sanderson herringbone fabric, sanderson. sandersondesigngroup.com; Sofa pillows:

“Floriana” in Dune from Kravet, kravet.com; Gourd lamp and antique leather ottoman: Chairish, chairish.com; Floor lamp: Visual Comfort, visualcomfort.com with handpainted Delft motif shade by Josh Pickering, pickeringhouseinteriors.com; Upholstered stool at fireplace: Sherrill Furniture, sherrillfurniture.com covered in “Melford Stripe” from Sanderson, sanderson. sandersondesigngroup.com; Custom Gustavian-inspired china hutch: designed by Josh Pickering, pickeringhouseinteriors.com; Select Delft pieces: Seaborn Sterling Antiques, ssaantiques.com; Antique convex mirror flanked by a pair of John Rosselli hurricanes, johnrosselliantiques.com; Library: Antique rug layered over performance flatweave: Clifton Carpets, clifton-carpets. co.uk; Chairs: Wesley Hall, wesleyhall.com in a Kravet fabric, kravet.com; Chair pillow: “Kalindi” in Blue/Yellow from Penny Morrison, pennymorrison.com; Ottoman: upholstered in a Pindler performance velvet, pindler.com with Samuel & Sons trim, samuelandsons. com; Drinks tables: Bunny Williams Home, bunnywilliamshome.com; Bookshelves: designed by Eddie Maestri, maestristudio. com; Art: Bill Tansey, billtansey.com; Primary bedroom: Rug: Stark Carpet, starkcarpet. com; Bed canopy and window shades: “Charleston” in Blue/Celadon from Cowtan & Tout, cowtan.com, lined in Colefax and Fowler’s “Genoa” in Old Blue, colefax.com; Custom bed with walnut frame: blue mohair velvet from Fabricut, fabricut.com; Bed linens: Matouk, Matouk.com; Euro shams: “Allegheny” in Blue from Carleton V, carletonv. com; Bench upholstery: “Tzin” in Mare/ Vintage Rose, fortuny.com; Vintage armchairs upholstery in “Finesse Velvet” from Stroheim, fabricut.com; Guest room: Walls and bed canopy fabric: “Aviary Toile” from Fabricut, fabricut.com; canopy lined in Nile and York “Komon” in Sky, nileandyork.com; Bedding: Serena and Lily, serenaandlily.com; Yellow pillow: Scalamandré, scalamandre.com; Sconce shade: Fermoie Ltd, fermoie.com

THE BOTANICAL WORLD OF AERIN LAUDER

PAGES 72-81: Aerin Lauder, AERIN, aerin.com

POWER OF THE PETAL PAGES 82-87: Mish Tworkowski, Mish Fine Jewelry, mishfinejewelry.com

FLORAL MOMENT

PAGE 96: Natasja Sadi, natasjasadi.com

VOLUME 19, ISSUE 2. FLOWER Magazine, ISSN 1941-4714, is a bimonthly publication of Peony Publishing, LLC, located at 3020 Pump House Road, Birmingham, AL 35243. Periodicals postage is paid at Birmingham, AL, and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to FLOWER Magazine, P.O. Box 8538, Big Sandy, TX 75755. For subscription inquiries and customer service, please call 877.400.3074. All unsolicited materials will not be returned. Printed in the U.S.A.

Growing a Legacy.

The original head-turner is turning 25. After a quarter century, we’re honored to still be the rose that blooms first and last in your garden.

plan your next knock out ® garden.

Shop, sip and stay in the Lowcountry’s Sweet Spot

Summerville is directly positioned at the heart of the most beloved attractions in the Lowcountry. Its small-town atmosphere and proximity to Charleston and beaches makes Summerville the perfect home base for all your adventures.

Flowertown Festival April 4th-6th

visitsummer ville.com REQUEST A FREE GUIDE:

The idiom of Dutch still life is embraced by many, but for me it is a way of life. Living on Dutch soil means being surrounded by all the flowers the world has to offer and witnessing the magical light. When I create flowers out of sugar, I traverse the blooming seasons with each and every sweet petal I roll by hand. By fusing my sugar flowers [such as the peony, tulips, and cherry blossoms seen here] with fresh blossoms gathered from markets near my house, I am honoring and absorbing the traditions of the past into everyday living.”

— NATASJA SADI, SUGAR FLOWER ARTIST AND AUTHOR OF A SWEET FLORAL LIFE (TEN SPEED PRESS)