Defining Views: A Palm Beach Garden
A mutual friend described Terry Rakolta’s garden as her fifth child. Versions of that well describe many of us who are passionate, dedicated lovers of our “plots of green.” Little… Read More
Tag Archives: garden inspiration
Al Fresco Life: Palm Beach Style
One of the many assets of Palm Beach living is al fresco dining and entertaining, something that is not really possible on a regular basis in Newport. Fortunately, I’m never… Read More
Inspiring Garden Design: Dumbarton Oaks
Dumbarton Oaks in the Georgetown area of Washington, D.C. was a mecca for me when I was planning and implementing my gardens twenty years ago. A former private estate, now… Read More
Inspiring Garden Design: Geometric Juxtapositions
The narrow rectangle that serves as a “front lawn” to this stately, handsome home in New Orleans gives you a hint that free-thinking, creative minds have been at work here.… Read More
Flower Magazine: A Newport Garden for Strolling
Flower magazine has long been a favorite of mine since Margot Shaw started it ten years ago (I even send it to my niece in New Zealand). A product of… Read More
Inspiring Garden Design: Rooms with a View
New Orleans is well-known for its “Garden District” residential area, providing a king’s ransom (excuse my play on Mardi Gras) of gardens that inspire. While Harriet Nelson’s thoughtfully conceived creation… Read More
Inspiring Garden Design: 11 Tips for Creating a Courtyard
One of the pleasures of traveling for lecture appearances is visiting old and new friends…and their gardens. As I headed to New Orleans last fall, I had one image in… Read More
Capturing Fall’s Golden Light: The Parterre Bench
I’ve been thrilled about red, crazy about blue — and now I’m simply mad about golden yellow. That soft, golden light of fall is so seductive; it’s also the first… Read More
Crazy for Blue!
When deciding what color to paint the original Parterre Bench, I was torn between the sage (“Parterre”) green and the blue that seems to be a favorite among French gardens… Read More
A New Fall Wardrobe: The Parterre Bench
Just the words “Chinese Lacquer Red ” conjure up for me romantic visions of Mandarin silk jackets; Louboutin soles; Diana Vreeland’s legendary New York apartment; a sexy, sexy red lipstick;… Read More