
Last December while in Paris, I revisited one of the most captivating, fanciful spots in a city of many elegant shops…Ladurée on rue Royale. Could I have imagined then that six months later I would meet, and sip champagne in my garden with, the person responsible for the recent restoration and re-invention of this beloved former Belle Epoque bakery? Such is serendipity…in which Cordelia de Castellane is also a big believer. Her bonafides~ambassador of French lifestyle, interior designer, businesswoman, and Artistic Director of Dior Home and Baby Dior~capture an exceptional woman whose deep and abiding passion for beauty prompted her to leave school at 15 to work at Chanel.
Meeting her during the days leading up to the Newport Flower Show, I learned that she “followed” Private Newport, a kindred garden spirit. And now I have her gorgeous book, Flower Couture: From My Garden to My House, so that I may often reference her thoughts and sensibilities, many of which we share.

I’ve personally always felt that the color green was undervalued and received short shrift…lo and behold, her laudatory thoughts about green were a breath of fresh air… Green is life pulsating, the vibrant energy of nature constantly renewing itself. It’s the fresh smell of damp moss, the rustle of the wind in the trees, the melodious song of birds hidden in the foliage. Green soothes the soul and replenishes the body and mind. It is a refuge of peace and serenity, and an invitation to contemplation and harmony with the world around us. I hated green for a long time, probably out of superstition, and then one day I discovered it and fell in love.

Doesn’t this sentiment resonate with many of you? Discovering and appreciating the journey of a flower from the garden to the tabletop. Cordelia offers her recipes for bouquets and perfect table scaping with examples from her own house… I make my bouquets in the country on Friday evenings or early Saturday mornings. It’s probably my favorite appointment of the week. I put on some music, gather the flowers together like small groups of friends having fun, and dive into my own world.

Here are some little sketches showing my weekend bouquet-making routine. The bouquets often turn up in my little Coffee Flower Shop or in the prints I design for Dior. I photograph them and zoom in on them. I steal everything from them- from their shape to their colors to their hearts. They’re too beautiful to let go.

At Dior, I like to take the time to design the décor and scenography, invent a story, and immerse myself in the place. At home, I do things instinctively, arranging tables at the last minute without thinking about it too much. I work on my tables like paintings: innovating, reinventing myself, surprising people, and making them happy without straying too far from good taste. It’s a fine line...

The world of gardening has plunged me into a new life. I’m a woman in a hurry- impatient and controlling- so I’m learning to become patient and to observe what nature decides for me. I quit the Instagram fashion show accounts without a care, and now I follow all the landscapers and gardeners for advice. Nature takes pride of place in my creativity. My life is more relaxed, which allows me to focus on what I love most after my family and my imagination.

This garden has transformed my life. There’s nothing extraordinary about it; it is small and pretty, but it’s given me a passion. I’ll take you there. There are so many secrets and there is so much love.

To say that the Newport Flower Show was an appropriate setting for Cordelia’s first American book signing is an understatement…followed on by staging our Feature image in front of the French-inspired Rosecliff (modeled after the Grand Trianon at Versailles).
While on the back terrace of Rosecliif, a floral mime cavorted in a large urn capturing the refreshing, whimsical, and playful personality of our VIP.

And in town, DesignNewport created an all green salute to the Flower Show, naming her muse, Miss Dior.

Join Cordelia as she turns her eyes to the gorgeous garden of her own private residence in the French countryside, providing us a must-have guide on how to imbue every day with flair, beauty, and joie de vivre.

Feature Photo Credit: Caterine Milinaire
Love this posting and loved seeing you again! Stay well!
And there’s a wonderful article on her and her luscious country home outside of Paris in the July/August issue of Veranda…
SO MUCH TALENT!!! ❤️
franki
I agree. Green, green, and more green is therapy for me in my garden. Then just add white for me. Thanks for letting us know about the book.