1 — Whether you are a gardening enthusiast, a beginner or just enjoy contemplating, we have put together a selection of books that celebrate this enchanting art.
Florist Milli Proust provides inspiration in how to put bouquets and more ambitious projects together using seasonal blossoms. The right equipment is needed and specialist and iconic tools and seeds are available to buy from her studio.
If, however, flowers are not available from a garden at home, head to Flowers from the Farm to find sustainably grown blooms in your area or book a Pick Your Own session at Golden Rose Flower Farm.
2 — Tread lightly in Aimé’s anniversary edition of our beloved Mary Janes in a glorious mint green. They are embellished with a gold thread heart embroidery to celebrate our 25 years on Ledbury Road.
A stylish sun hat is another spring essential and we favour a natural straw Panama iteration.
3 — Venture outside of Paris for a change of perspective and visit two very different gardens. First at the Albert Kahn’s Foundation in Boulogne Billancourt where Japanese landscaping and plants surround an elegant timber building. The museum houses a collection of photographs from 1909 to 1931 that document the times when this philanthropist lived.
Claude Monet was also inspired by Japan when he painted the Water Lilies series and despite the affluence of tourists, his garden in Giverny is still a joy to visit. Do not overlook a tour of the house and the sunshine painted dining room.
4 — For an exceptional treat, or a getaway with dear friends, stay at Domaine de Primard, half an hour’s drive from Giverny, or an hour from the city. The former country home of actress Catherine Deneuve, it has been reinvented as a hotel and presents stunning rooms and grounds. Quiet luxury à la française and impeccable taste can be found everywhere from the collection of Gien plates to the most comfortable beds. Primard also host the first Suzanne Kauffman spa in France and offers dreamy treatments in the hands of expert therapists.
5 — Bring the outdoors in by following advice from candle brand Aather and “Light a candle to match the mood”. We love the creative names given to the range and the one of a kind associations of fragrances from master perfumers. These are seriously remarkable candles, hand-poured in Grasse into an elegant and minimal glass vessel. Best suited to the season the bergamot and sage scents of As the Sun Sets will allow gentle unwinding at the end of a busy day. Garden of Words with its jasmine floral notes will evoke the sunny patches where these flowers grow.