I have always loved art deco, flappers, and the style of the roaring twenties.   My first ‘big girl’ purchase when I got out of college and rented my very first apartment was a deco bedroom set with waterfall fronts, shell shaped handles and beautiful caramel colored wood (all my friends where shopping at Ikea – and I was in antique stores).  Nowadays, I think since I live in a 40’s built house, my style compass has jumped ahead a few decades (as have I) but I still love the curvy lines, the elongated silhouettes, and the flow combined with a steely edge that personifies this style for me.

(above) Antique french seltzer bottles (image from southern fried french). Hand Painted Chinoiserie Style Tower Hurricane and Pair of vintage french bar stools from Hollyhock.  Scrolling metal gazebo image from Euro antique market.  Swirling Cloud Motif Chinese Ceramic Garden Stool and Iron Console with Scroll Design also from Hollyhock.

Illustration for “Garden-Making and Some of the Garden’s Stories” by Grace Tabor.

Grace Tabor was a well know garden writer of the time.  She published a series of books on gardening and garden design during the twenties and if you are interested in re-creating a garden of this style, it might be worth trying to get you hands on some vintage copies.  (Here is a list of titles from Paperback Swap).

Flowers that were popular at the time were dramatic and gave a sense of high glamour (lilies, gladiolus, large orchids, gardenias and camellias.)  The 1920s were all about extravagance and big, gorgeous, flowers. In the garden however, simple hostas and ferns were also popular.

What would you add to this ‘Gatsby- esque’ garden? (besides Robert Redford in a white suit?)

Pink Calla Lilies. Rose Deco trellis from Ivg Stores. Table and urn from HollyHock Inc. Boston Fern, Orichid image from Hawaiian Magic , Camellias image from rehamamgad, Gladiolus image from Philly florist.

Other image credits.

Orchid planted in hanging ball planter from way of design.

Sienna Garden image (which I think I would use as inspiration for some print your own fabric or perhaps a mural) found at bloglovin.com