A Tapestry of Color and Texture On September evenings, floral designer Pauline Runkle lights a fire and lets her mantel spill with the opulent bounty of garden and grove. "Surround yourself with autumn," She likes to say, a suggestion we heartily endorse--with foliage-rich arrangements and fashions that make perfect companions. Every autumn Pauline Runkle throws caution to the wind - at least so far as her designs ideas are concerned. Indeed, the gentle , muted colors that mark Pauline's work become braver now; her bouquets , a rainbow of texture and tone. like the needlework she is fond of doing in her spare time, Pauline thinks of her arrangements as a tapestry, weaving together diverse elements to form a provocative pattern. |
|
|
The centerpiece opposite, for example, contains not just the usual contingent of fall flowers but vines, berries and even apples from Pauline's orchard. "Use everything nature has to offer," she says - "even the maple leaves that fall to the ground!" |
|
Though variety is Pauline's trademark, flowers are ever her focal point, with hydrangeas a particular favorite- "for the softness they bring to a design and the way they hold up. They also make a wonderful transition element," she adds. Thus there are several in the overflowing pot opposite (note the burgundy and green one, in particular), along with other autumn hallmarks: blue heliotrope, goldenrod, sunflowers, lamb's ears, and autumn clematis. |
