BELLINGRATH GARDENS
Reflective of the flora that blooms year-round at Bellingrath Gardens in Mobile, Alabama, these timeless adornments epitomize Southern chic. Their pastel palettes and feminine forms recall the camellias, azaleas, irises, and hydrangeas that grace the property’s 900 acres. The estate, originally known as “Belle Camp,” was intended as a fishing camp for Walter Bellingrath, one of the first Coca-Cola bottlers in the Southeast. The transformation from private retreat to public garden is due to the efforts of Bellingrath’s wife, Bessie, who began developing the grounds with architect George Bigelow Rogers in the late 1920s.
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Multi-color topaz necklace in 14K yellow gold ($3,550) from Bromberg’s; brombergs.com • Amethyst carved pendant with diamonds in 18K yellow gold with oval Rolo chain in 18K yellow gold (price upon request) from Goshwara; goshwara.com • Eva Legoura 18K gold articulated ceramic and ruby centipede brooch ($5,900) from Tenenbaum Jewelers; tenenbaumjewelers.com • Paraiba flower ring in platinum (price upon request) from Goshwara; goshwara.com • Opal butterfly necklace with diamonds in 18K yellow gold ($7,800) from Bromberg’s; brombergs.com • Pink sapphire and diamond ring in 18K white and rose gold ($57,000) from Bromberg’s; brombergs.com • Enchanted Garden flower cluster band ring in 18K green gold with diamonds ($2,530) from Penny Preville; pennypreville.com • Backdrop: Normandy Grass Cloth in “Blush” from Thibaut; thibautdesign.com
Read more about Bellingrath Gardens.
HYAKKA’EN GARDEN
From butterflies and koi fish to pagodas and lotus flowers, these jewels express the spirit and symbolism of ancient Asian cultures as seen at Tenryū-ji Temple near Kyoto, Japan. Erected in 1339 in memory of Emperor Go-Daigo, the temple was officially consecrated in 1345 and has been designated first among Kyoto’s “Five Mountains,” the city’s five major Zen temples. The grounds surrounding Tenryū-ji feature some of Japan’s most important gardens, including Hyakka’en, the Garden of a Hundred Flowers. While other gardens on the site date as far back as 700 years, Hyakka’en is a mere 40 years old yet overflows with flowering trees, bushes, and herbs.
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Gold, white topaz, ruby, emerald, and amethyst Lotus ring ($15,500) from Belperron; belperron.com • Onyx and multi-colored jade necklace ($750) from Rex Harris Fine Jewelry; 205.871.3333 • 19th-century antique porcelain button Pagodas pendant ($4,100) from Elizabeth Locke; elizabethlocke.com • Pink tourmaline, pink chalcedony, and white sapphire earrings ($1,095) from Rex Harris Fine Jewelry; 205.871.3333 • Vintage 1980s David Webb 18K gold koi fish necklace ($26,800) from Tenenbaum Jewelers; tenenbaumjewelers.com • Goshwara flower-shape carved jade earrings with diamonds in 18K white gold (price upon request) from Goshwara; goshwara.com • Backdrop: Normandy Grass Cloth in “Spa Blue” from Thibaut; thibautdesign.com
GARDENS OF VERSAILLES
Gold and silver pieces embellished with brilliant gemstones exude the opulence of the Gardens of Versailles. In the late 1660s, Louis XIV commissioned renowned French landscape architect André Le Nôtre to execute his vision for the grand palace and gardens that would one day reign among the country’s crown jewels with nearly 6 million visitors each year. Emerald-green lawns and meticulously manicured parterres feature groves and gardens brimming with daffodils, primrose, jasmine, and narcissus.
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: 18K yellow gold Criss Cross cuff ($21,500) from Verdura; verdura. com • Opera Tulle ring in 18K yellow gold with green enamel ($3,400) from Buccellati; buccellati.com • Enchanted Garden single row flower eternity band in 18K green gold with diamonds ($4,645) from Penny Preville; pennypreville. com • Opera Tulle necklace in white gold set with diamonds ($16,500) from Buccellati; buccellati.com • Gumuchian Secret Garden 18K gold outline Illusion diamond ring ($6,600) from Gumuchian; gumuchian. com • Goshwara pear shape opal cabochon and peridot flower stud earrings in 18K yellow gold (price upon request) from Goshwara; goshwara.com • Backdrop: Normandy Grass Cloth in “Willow” from Thibaut; thibautdesign.com
Read more about the Gardens of Versailles and the Petit Trianon.
DESERT BOTANICAL GARDEN
Heavy metals, honed stone, and fine gems in sun-scorched hues emulate the rugged beauty of Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona. Sprawled across 55 acres near the dunes of the Sonoran Desert, the awe-inspiring oasis is home to 50,000 plants, including prickly cacti, velvety succulents, and whimsical wildflowers. Founded in 1930, the garden began as a labor of love by a group of local conservationists who rallied and formed the Arizona Cactus and Native Flora Society. By the end of the decade, they had established Desert Botanical Garden as a nonprofit museum dedicated to the preservation and display of desert plants.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Bellariva chain in 19K gold with hammered finish ($11,100) from Elizabeth Locke; elizabethlocke. com • Small Sleeping Beauty turquoise and pearl Maltese cross ($5,100) from Elizabeth Locke; elizabethlocke.com • Flat diamond earrings in 18K white and rose gold with engraving ($20,500) from Bromberg’s; brombergs.com • Bulgari Tubogas bracelet in 18K rose, yellow, and white gold ($8,950) from Tenenbaum Jewelers; tenenbaumjewelers.com • Important Breguet 18K gold Bague L’Orangerie flower ring with rubies and diamonds ($32,500) from Tenenbaum Jewelers; tenenbaumjewelers.com • Tiger-eye necklace with vermeil catch ($350) from Rex Harris Fine Jewelry; 205.871.3333 • Virgin gold Wave ring ($7,500) from Belperron; belperron.com • Virgin gray gold Wave ring ($6,500) from Belperron; belperron.com • Backdrop: Normandy Grass Cloth in “Straw” from Thibaut; thibautdesign.com
Produced by Margaret Zainey Roux and Mercy Lloyd
Styled by Margaret Zainey Roux and Sutton Ward
Photography by David Hillegas
