Page 125 - homestyle New Zealand (February - March 2020)

Garden —— LIVING

OPPOSITE Carmel (left) and Milly cherish their close relationship. “This is currently our only professional collaboration, but we often seek each other out to discuss all manner
of things creative, business and life,” says Carmel. “Milly’s work ethic always impresses me — her gardens require a huge amount of care. I’ve tried arranging flowers in my
vessels and I know it’s much harder than it looks, but she does it with such ease and confidence.” Says Milly: “I so admire Carmel for her artistic soul and the beautiful work
she creates. She’s multitalented and dedicated to her passions. Her ideas and vision are constantly evolving, and I’m so proud of what she’s achieving.”

I had no idea I’d end up growing flowers and foliage. We have more than 500 different arrangements, then somewhere
— it wasn’t until I started my own family roses — 80 varieties in a range of along the line we realised we had a
that I discovered my love of gardening. colours and forms — lots of interesting unique combination of skills that
dahlias and perennials, and I grow complemented each other and thought
Milly, how long did it take to establish all of our spring/summer annuals it would be pretty cool to give people
your flower gardens? M: Four years, so from seed, things like sweet peas, the opportunity to pick, design and
not long for a garden, really. We’re still scabiosa, cosmos, phlox and zinnias. make floral arrangements from Milly’s
slowly establishing the rose garden, My flower-growing season generally garden in a bespoke vessel.
trees, hedges and mixed borders. The starts in early spring with tulips,
annual cutting beds get flipped every anemones and ranunculus, and ends Carmel, how long have you been
year, but I’m more of a perennials fan at the first frost, usually around May. making ceramics for? C: It was my five-
and like to collect-slash-hoard unusual year anniversary of having my hands
plants that I can divide and grow on. What led you to collaborate on Flora covered in clay in January. When making
in Clay? C: I think in the beginning we vessels for the workshops, I have a plan
What sort of plants are you growing were talking about vases and discussing in mind but it often goes in a different
here? M: Most are grown for cut flowers the properties they need to have for direction when I start making; the clay >

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