At Home in the Garden

Inthisexquisitelylushvolume,lifestylelegendCarolyneRoehmcelebrateshergardensasoutdoorlivingrooms,revealinghowshechoosestheplants,flowers,andlayouts;howsheentertainsguestswithgorgeoustablesettingsandbreathtakingarrangements;andhowshesavorsthehoursamongtheblooms.AsCarolyneRoehmsays,“It’sassimpleasthis:agardenislikelove...aplaceyouventureintowithhope,energy,excitement,enchantment,andthegreatestofexpectations.”ForRoehm,thegardenhasalwaysbeenmorethanacanvasforbeauty.Aplacewhereherdevotedeffortsbeargloriousresults,thegardenisnotonlyareflectionofwhathasinspiredRoehm,butalsoafontofinspirationfromwhichshedraws--forherastonishinglylovelyarrangements,hergraciousdinnerparties,andhernewpassionforinterpretingherflowersinvibrantwatercolorpaintings.EachofthegardensatherhistoricConnecticuthome,Weatherstone,hasbeenlovinglycraftedtoserveasanoutdoorlivingroom,wherethehoursmaybepassedatwork,alone,orenjoyedwithcompany.IntheParterreGardensborderingthesouthsideofthehome,RoehmcreatedafantasyofsnowinspringwithwhitetulipsandSargentinacrabappletrees.AllofthevarietalsinherRoseGardenwereselectedfortheirpulchritudeanddivinescent,aswellasfortheirabilitytobloomtwicetosatisfyherinsatiablethirstforroses.Andwhenthestreamthroughherpropertyofferedonlyanunsatisfyingtrickle,Roehmreplaceditwithariverofhostas,primula,bleedinghearts,androdgersiathatsweepsthroughherShadeGarden.AsRoehmaccompaniesusonthefirst-evertourofthesemarvels,sheshareswittyandcandidstoriesoftheunexpectedtriumphsandthesometimes-crushingdefeats.Andalways,thereisherdesiretoreturntothegarden—totend,tomend,ortoplantanew.Agardenislikelove,Roehmclaims,andindeed,thislavishlyillustratedvolumeisatestamenttoanenduring,complex,unquestionablypersonal,anddeeplypassionateamour.,