We’re taking a look back at our readers’ favorites, from arrangements and celebrations, to interiors, tabletops, and gardens. As we delve into our archives to commemorate our 15 years in print (YES,15!), I’d like to share a note of deep gratitude for you—our readers—for the first 15 years of Flower and all of the joy and wonder we’ve shared. You are the MOST crucial element of our success. Thank you.
Florals
Atlanta floral designer Amy Osaba created this asymmetrical arrangement in an antique epergne for a Flower photo shoot back in the day. While the loose, garden-like composition is now all the rage, Amy was early to the party.
See more of Amy Osaba’s designs and don’t miss our collection of must-have floral design books!
Entertaining
Event and interior designer Rebecca Gardner of Houses & Parties enchanted Flower readers with her chic, chinoiserie-themed dinner party in Savannah. The whimsical evening included thematic elements such as Schumacher chinoiserie fabric for the tablecloth, as well as orchids, Chinese lanterns, and chopsticks.
Find dozens of inspired party tips from the experts featured in Flower.
Inspiring interiors over the years
Interior designer Ashley Whittaker added bold color choices to this inviting, adroitly curated dining room. Christopher Spitzmiller lamps in white offer a dramatic contrast to the aubergine lacquered walls while also contributing a sense of sculpture to the tableau. Ashley’s clever floral picks of peachy dahlias, cream anemones, and green viburnum blend but don’t shout.
Birmingham interior designer Mary Evelyn McKee graced our Brierfield Farmhouse/Showhouse with her talents. Her anchor fabric was this stylized botanical print from Nina Campbell for Osborne & Little, and it felt just right for a Flower house in the country. The shrimp-colored, raffia-wrapped coffee table came from the Charlotte Moss Collection for Century Furniture.
Dallas-based interior designer Cathy Kincaid conceived a small, cozy dining room that featured a warm cream palette and soft brown wood. She included clever nods to architectural elements with chairs that recap the gothic shape of the windows and an upside-down Doric column used as a table base. Cathy added floral elements through a grid of botanical prints, along with floral fabric on the windows.
Timeless Tablescapes
Stylist Amanda Smith Fowler fashioned a bountiful fall table using a palette of purples, ambers, and ochres and then brought in more texture and colors in the fruit and flowers. The ochre faux marbre salad plate, dinner plate, and tray are standout pieces from Casa Gusto. Amanda kept the theme light with the whimsical “Frog and Snail” salt and pepper cellars from Scully & Scully.
The icy blues, whites, and silver of this “Wintry Mix” table setting make us shiver, but in a good way. Amanda pulled from her own cache of silver, but similar repoussé pieces can be found at Replacements, Ltd. Leontine Linens added to the cool crispness with the blue Max embroidery monogram dinner napkins and Donald appliqué border place mats.
Charlotte-based designer MA Allen is not afraid of color or pattern. Here, she used both in a special Sunday luncheon table featuring a plate from her collection of James Kent Dubarry and graphic screen-printed linens from d’Ascoli.
Find even more inspired, seasonal table settings and tablescape ideas.
Gardens
Our feature on Newton Vineyard in Napa Valley offered plenty of eye candy with images of the hybrid French-English gardens. We are still in awe of the corkscrew topiaries and clipped cypress trees. The owner, the late Peter Newton, created the vineyard with a thoughtful, sustainable mission that included this parterre placed over the chardonnay cavern to keep it insulated and cool. While the property was destroyed in the wildfires of 2020, its legacy stays alive in the archives of Flower.
See more from Newton Vineyard gardens and explore more of the most popular gardens featured in the magazine.
By Margot Shaw