Merry Christmas

"And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see clearly;

what is essential is invisible to the eye." 

A famous line from, "The Little Prince"- this year's Christmas gift to my son, Rainier.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and clarity in the New Year!

Artful Impact

The impact of a single, great piece of art is difficult to rival. Proof that less is more, this commanding beauty, by artist Randy Chumbley single handedly completes this space. Who says white walls are boring? On the contrary, they're the perfect backdrop for gorgeous artwork. Please note, (especially for my dear friends who are green thumb challenged), the pears are a delicious flower substitute.

Mum's the Word

Who can resist the profusely petaled mum- especially when it's this incredibly pink! A handful of these saucer sized blooms, cut short, and bunched together in a creamy stoneware vase, makes for a happy  start to the day. 

Meanwhile...utility and beauty perfect their union in the form of a clamshell.  More than a beautiful, natural curiosity, it can serve as a useful jewelry tray as well! Put your beautiful objects to good use!

Mighty Alii

Nobody does it better than New Yorkers when it comes to dressing up window boxes and containers!
On a recent trip to NYC, I spotted this gorgeous alii ficus tree enjoying the mild summer breeze. Such a beautiful tree to use indoors or out, when the temperature allows. Its sculptural beauty makes a bold statement anywhere! I have a small one that resides next to my tub. I move it outdoors in the summer, under the cover of my back porch, and bring it back inside in the late fall. It was given to me as a gift when it was a tiny baby. Almost 4 years old now! One day, it will grow up to be a mighty Alii!!

Lovely Liriope

When most people think of the prevalent ground cover, liriope, the image below comes to mind, but when I think of it, I envision dozens of its flowering stems, cut, and formed into a tight bouquet gracing a silver mint julep cup. Against a sea of white, it's truly a feast for the eyes. Amazing how a certain flower and vessel combination can actually transform the feeling of a neutral interior- making the same space feel fresh and unique with each arrangement- 

that's how I love to style a space.

Fernilicious

Love ferns! They look especially lovely in creamy white vessels, and in just the right spot, they can bring a room to life. One of my favorite varieties for indoor use, is the dulles fern. With its compact leaves, and full, but tidy appearance, it's a great choice for showing off both plant and vessel. It also sheds its leaves much less than its famous cousin (with longer fronds), the boston fern. 

Lace Cap Hydrangea

A simple, but beautiful arrangement, clipped from the lace cap hydrangea bush (pictured above) planted in my backyard several years ago. I used to buy potted hydrangea plants from Publix, to use indoors, and once their blooms were done, I would plant them outside! Who knew that tiny grocery store hydrangeas would yield such large and prolific blooms when planted outdoors! Now we know!!!

White Tulips

Flowers are always on my mind... how I can arrange them, where I can find them, what vessel to best display them. White tulips are one of my favorites.

Balance is a major component in any design, including flower arrangements and placement. A very simple stoneware pot balances the more stately tulips, while showing them off beautifully at the same time.

Dogwood Blooms

Dogwood Blooms are among the prettiest! I love to clip a few branches to freshen the house every spring. These particular blooms are from the Florida variety, which are presently in bloom. My favorite is the Kousa dogwood that blooms the week of my birthday- the first week in May. They have a much darker green foliage and have creamy white saucer size blooms!! Another big plus is that they are more disease resistant than the Florida variety.  My family planted a Kousa in our backyard for my birthday several years ago, and curiously, up through the middle of the Kousa, a Florida variety began to grow. The trees are fused together and these are the branches from the Florida. I love the presentation in these re-purposed thermos liners sitting in custom metal stands.
Will share the Kousa blooms in early May:)

Lovey Dovey...

A few weeks ago, this sweet dove nested on our fence, where she continues to keep a watchful eye on her babies. It is so fun to walk down the stairs, look out the window and be greeted by her  every morning. She built her nest on the top rail of our wooden fence, with only a camelia japonica as a canopy,  and some confederate jasmine trailing the fence below her. It didn't look like much shelter, so we were very worried that between the elements (some unseasonably cold temps for the beginning of spring and heavy rain a few nights), and the precarious placement she chose for her nest, that her babies wouldn't make it- so, so glad they did. Thanks to my husband, Scott for taking this picture.
Love this happy family:)

April- A Time To Plant

This spring planter at the cabins at Inn at Half-Mile Farm, is full of favorites.. Lemon cypress in the background looks & smells delicious, while gorgeous red & green hues of heuchera take center stage. Mix in some white impatiens, autumn fern, sweet potato vine & parsley for a divine planter that will dazzle from April-October.