Indholdsfortegnelse for March - April 2012 i Victoria

This time of year, I plan my weekends around a planting schedule that will allow me to feel the warming earth between my fingers. My hope is that these efforts soon will result in a lawn overflowing with colorful blossoms, embodying my love for spring, flowers, and all manner of growing things. As you plan your own tribute to the season, enjoy the stories in this issue about the annual tour of splendid private gardens in Charleston, South Carolina, and the noteworthy Sarah P. Duke Gardens in Durham, North Carolina. If your travels take you to the East Coast, make time to visit these remarkable historic settings. Perhaps you will discover flowers and shrubberies to search out and incorporate in your own yard. A property of the National Trust in…

I Love You, Ronnie: The Letters of Ronald Reagan to Nancy Reagan, by Nancy Reagan (Random House). Celebrate the art of the handwritten missive in this intimate collection compiled by the former First Lady. Through these poetic pieces of history, the private lives of the Reagans are presented in a fairy-tale love story spanning half a century. Whether across the room or across the world, the former president wrote with a charm and wit seldom revealed during his term of office. From the very first page of this collection, the deep respect and trust the couple shared are clearly evident. Royalties from this book benefit the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Library. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, by Rebecca Skloot (Broadway). Trace the…

ELEGANCE AND PURITY ARE ACHIEVED WITH WHISPER-SOFT PAINTS BY FARROW & BALL IN STRING, PARMA GRAY, AND FRENCH GRAY.…

When the days get longer and the temperature rises, I like to bring a bit of the indoors outside. I make a pitcher of raspberry lemonade and a lemon-curd cake, invite a few gardener friends over, and set up some old wooden chairs on my somewhat bare patio. There’s a rickety, paintchipped table that gets rescued from a corner of the barn to be scrubbed down and adorned with an old, worn tablecloth and a cheery centerpiece of pansies. We all gather around it with our garden-supply catalogs and share our seeds and clippings from the previous year’s bounty, as well as exchange growing tips. With a lovely spring day, good friends, delicious refreshments, and garden goodies to enjoy, it’s a great kickoff to a season that will keep us…

Send sweet sentiments adorned with ribbons and flowers, beautiful illustrations, and all the vibrant shades of the garden. Above left, clockwise from bottom right: Gerber Daisey gift tags and enclosure cards and Cherry Tree Blossom enclosure cards from Lobird; a pair of Veranda jotter notepads, a Picadilly notebook, and a pair of Fete jotter notepads from Smock; Turquoise Watering Can enclosure cards and gift tags and Cherry Tree gift tags from Lobird. Accessorize in living color with these dazzling pieces inspired by delicate flower petals, sparkling water, and the bright hues of the budding landscape. Above right, clockwise from bottom right: Starburst Earrings designed with citrine and peridot stones from Honeybee Collection; gold-plated Macie Iridescent Earrings, Mya Green Necklace, and Makenzi Multi-Color Bracelets from Towne & Reese; Mother-of-Pearl and Blue…

“And after all the weather was ideal. They could not have had a more perfect day for a garden-party if they had ordered it. Windless, warm, the sky without a cloud.” —KATHERINE MANSFIELD See Recipe Index, page 84, for recipe information.…

Packed with neo-Victorian splendor, Paxton Gate seems to stand in beautiful rebellion against the persistence of technology. A combination museum of natural science/garden-décor store, the quirky San Francisco shop on Valencia Street is a rare refuge for anyone fascinated by Mother Nature’s fragile—and sometimes bizarre—gifts. Founded by Sean Quigley in 1992, this land that time forgot has become a legendary Mission District haunt for Bay Area residents, as well as for novelty seekers from all over the world. “I’ve always been inspired by gardening and the outdoors,” says the shop owner, an accomplished cabinetmaker who grew up in the mythical-sounding rural California town of Happy Valley. “My plant background comes from raising our own veggies and ornamentals with my mom when I was a kid.” In the beginning, Paxton Gate…

At 5:00 a.m., during a trek to the legendary Brimfield Antique Show in Massachusetts, Pam Zsori found herself in the midst of an “aha moment” while sitting at a picnic table, sipping her morning coffee. A designer in the fashion industry for fifteen years, she was contemplating a big career move—out from behind her computer desk— when it struck her. “I remember thinking, I really don’t mind this. I would always get up early for this,” she recalls, fueled simply by her passion for the hunt and a fascination with most anything well designed. “I had started taking night classes in floral design as well,” Pam notes, “and was looking to concoct an idea about how to combine the two.” Her concept evolved further when she returned home to Oregon,…

AN ALFRESCO FÊTE Begins on page 32 Blueberry Tartlets p.35 Makes about 24 tartlets 1 1/4 cups half-and-half /2 cup confectioners’ sugar, divided 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped, seeds reserved 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 large egg 1 egg yolk 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened 24 miniature tartlet shells* 1 cup fresh blueberries Garnish: edible flowers 1. In a small saucepan, combine halfand- half, 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, salt, vanilla seeds, and vanilla extract. Bring mixture to a boil over mediumhigh heat; remove from heat. 2. In a small bowl, whisk together egg and egg yolk. Add remaining 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, cornstarch, and flour to egg mixture, whisking until smooth. Pour 1 cup hot half-and-half mixture…

Behind the artfully forged iron gates and thick, centuries-old brick walls of Charleston, South Carolina, magnificent living treasures await. Although the gardens of these private residences are rarely open, a handful of the most splendid are included each year in the Festival of Houses & Gardens—a series of spring tours hosted by the Historic Charleston Foundation, beginning in late March and running through late April. During this time, eight to ten homeowners open their flowerfilled havens to ticket holders who may stroll leisurely from location to location, greeted by knowledgeable guides at each stop along the way. Varied and vast in plantings and color, each display possesses a distinct personality, creating an unforgettable memory for all who view it. The day concludes in late afternoon with a wine and lemonade…

In Lisburn’s seventeenth-century Market House, two women spend their days weaving the oldfashioned way. They practice this storied craft on two humble hand looms and a Jacquard loom that were first used to create fabrics in Queen Victoria’s time. The Northern Ireland city on the River Lagan is known far and wide as the birthplace of Ireland’s linen industry, so it is only fitting that this work produced for the Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum is what keeps interest in the craft alive. “Irish linen is an emblem of romantic Ireland,” says curator Brian Mackey. “There’s something magical about taking the fiber of a plant and watching it bloom into a thing of beauty.” During any given year, some 50,000 visitors from around the world come to see history…

The first warm days of spring bring a parade of vibrant blooms at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens on the Duke University campus in Durham, North Carolina. Waves of bright tulips and daffodils join a breathtaking array of flowering trees and shrubs, beckoning visitors with dizzying fragrances. Resident songbirds chirp in daily chorus, while a continuously fresh plant display begins its march through the seasons, offering stunning panoramic views and endless points of interest. For those who enter the Gothic gates—with free admission—Duke Gardens provides a place for year-round relaxation and renewal, as well as the study of horticulture. Just as university students, faculty, and staff flock to this plant-rich oasis, schoolchildren find a living classroom here, along with myriad creative activities. Gardeners come to glean inspiration and planting ideas…

See Recipe Index, page 84, for recipe information.…

COVER Antique gold-rimmed dessert plates and floral teacup and saucer, call for pricing; from Tricia’s Treasures, 205-871-9779. White linen cutwork tablecloth, $125, blue glass jars, and hankies, call for pricing; from Attic Antiques, 205-991-6887. World Market Fleur de Lys Double Old Fashioned Glass in Clear, $11.96 for 4; 877-967-5362, worldmarket.com. Dessert courtesy of Pastry Art Bake Shoppe, 205-877-3852, pastryart cakes.com. WRITER-IN-RESIDENCE AND ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE Pages 14–15: To learn more about Tovah and her latest book, The New Terrarium: Creating Beautiful Displays for Plants and Nature, visit tovahmartin.com. To see more of Maryjo’s work, visit kochstudios.com. FLOWER SHOW Pages 16–17: Oscar de la Renta Royale 5-piece place setting, $279.95, covered vegetable bowl, $369.95, creamer, $47.99, sugar bowl with lid, $39.99, and coffeepot and lid, $169.95; from Replacements, 800- 737-5223, replacements.com. Antique napkin…