The Bookshelf: “At Home In The Garden” By Carolyne Roehm
Author:Lindsey ShookAt Home In The Garden is a true love story. Not to be mistaken for your everyday tabletop design book, this instead is a tribute to Carolyne Roehm’s beautiful estate, Weatherstone, in Connecticut.
Known to many as a fashion tastemaker while to others as the namesake of their very own “Carolyne” Manolo Blahniks, what a pleasure to be allowed to visit Roehm’s very own secret garden. It was a discerning eye and passion for beauty that lead her into the world of flowers with over two books under her belt of the same topic, and yet this one may be just a little bit more special. With a personal narrative littered with images of those that make these stunning gardens possible plus sweet family dogs as well as informational tips and advice from years of experience.
“It’s as simple as this: a garden is like love…a place you venture into with hope, energy, excitement, enchantment, and the greatest of expectations.” –Carolyne Roehm
From the Cutting Garden to the “Hoop House” where some of the many dahlias, perennials, vegetables, annuals, roses, and peonies first begin their journey, the 400+ images, that Roehm herself took, once again allow us to truly see these gardens through her very own eyes.
“The chair and tools were made by Pennsylvanian artisans in the old style where everything is hand done. Their work captures the revival of interest in the American craft, and our appreciation of the utilitarian, Shaker-simple elegance of good tools.”
Although there are some images of how the garden enters into the home and how Roehm’s love of color and flowers transcend the spaces within, it is most certainly the beauty throughout all seasons that make this a truly magical place.
“The best gardens are the ones that look good in all seasons. If you can create a landscape that doesn’t only come to life in spring, it will be a source of pleasure, even when it’s too cold to venture out…I wanted to write something from a pulled back perspective, that covered seasons, flowers, plants, and showed Weatherstone as greater than the sum of its parts. I also wanted to highlight the characters behind my garden – my lovely staff, my dear mother, and those I’ve consulted past and present who have made the garden what it is today. But ultimately, I wanted to share the beauty of these 49 acres that transfix and transform me 365 days a year.”
You can find At Home In The Garden at your favorite bookstore from October 27, or you can order an advance copy here.