Scape Smitten

I am completely smitten with this Tennessee landscape that was recently featured in Elle Decor. I have never been particularly interested in gardens or gardening, but now that we’re in Charleston I am trying to beautify my own garden. I have always loved the symmetry and clean lines of boxwood hedges in different shapes and sizes – as in the third picture. But I also love the free-flowing nature of some of the grasses in the final photo. Those flowering trees are absolutely beautiful. The hard thing about Charleston for me is that we are in a tropical location. So much of the gardens that I love are English, or located up North. So now I am trying to focus my attentions to gardens down South … But unfortunately, even this one is in a different zone than we are in downtown. So maybe I have to look to the caribbean for my inspiration. But for now, I’ll sigh and look at this one … 

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Fig or a Palm?

Grant K. Gibson
A fiddle leaf fig? 

David Lawrence
Or a palm? 

A fig has a more free-flowing unruly vibe … 
Tom Scheerer
Whereas you can pot a palm, or palm leaves. Tropical but restrained. 
Palm leaves are heavily featured in all types of design – and with good reason – they look fantastic. Like this “Southwind” wallpaper by Meg Braff. 
Or in these now famous walls designed by Tom Scheerer at the Lyford Cay Club. 
I don’t know what it is about a Fiddle Leaf Fig though … unrestrained and wild, architectural.  A bit trendy these days, but I think there will be no beating it against a grasscloth backdrop in the study in Charleston. 

Because that is one thing to keep in mind in the discussion of palm v. fig. If you’re talking Charleston, there is no escaping the palm leaf. The palmetto tree is featured on the state flag of South Carolina, and palmetto trees line the streets (and our porch). 
Now that I think about it, for me the discussion of palm v. fig is over, because when you walk out the study door onto the porch, you’re staring right into these leaves. So I guess I already have my palm. 

Photos courtesy of Grant K. Gibson, House Beautiful & Town and Country

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… And May All Your Christmases be White

I’m so sorry that I have been neglecting everyone! Work has been busy, and traveling, and Thanksgiving – again, no excuse. Although I usually resist decorating for Christmas early, there is one thing that I don’t resist that says Christmas to me – paperwhites. Growing up, Christmas in Connecticut was always about smells: the smell of the tree, the garlands that my mother draped over the mantelpiece, bowls of clementines, and my favorite, paperwhites. Every year around Thanksgiving, my mother places these delightful bulbs all over the house, filling it with the most enchanting aroma.
For me, paperwhites smell like “home for the holidays,” and purchasing my own paperwhite for my first New York apartment was almost ceremonial. The simple green and white will complement the color palate of any room–but for some additional color you can tie a ribbon around the stems of the flowers. Last year, I bought a thick chocolate brown satin ribbon from Kate’s Paperie and tied it around the stems of my paperwhite–it was like putting a great necklace on over a little black dress.

One of my favorite things about paperwhites, is how inexpensive and easy to maintain they are! The most beneficial thing to do for your paperwhite is to put it outside for the evening. Don’t worry about them getting cold, they like it, and the hit of cold every now and then prevents the stems from wilting. In New York,  I put my paperwhite on our balconette every night, and this ensures that its stems stay straight for the duration of the holiday season! If you don’t have a mini balcony like WWB and I, use your fire escape! 

I bought my paperwhite last week for $8 at a market on Lex , and it is still going strong. Check out your local market or Trader Joe’s, and if you don’t have one in your area, typically Whole Foods or other grocery stores stock them this time of year. Merry Christmas!

Here’s a tip: if the stems of your paperwhite begin to wilt, use the ribbon suggestion to tie them up. This way, you are supporting your paperwhite whilst adding some color.

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