Southern Lady May/June 2021

SINCERELY What a delight a well-tended garden is—especially this time of year! For me, it’s just as rewarding as a beautiful home. I take great joy in puttering amid the colorful flowers and greenery, creating scenes that fill me with contentment month after month. Dahlias are one of my very favorites, so we dug up all of ours recently to make way for a new, larger plot of these midsummer bloomers. We also put in some English roses, and you just can’t imagine the potent fragrance as we sit outside on a warm evening. Needless to say, I love to get a peek inside gorgeous gardens around the South. On page 45, we showcase a North Carolina landscape that has historic roots, updated for modern times by acclaimed garden designer Chip Callaway.…

TRANQUIL RETREATS Admittedly, touring a burial ground might sound like a bit of an odd day out. But there are so many picturesque ones around the South that are worth a visit, like Savannah’s moss-draped Bonaventure Cemetery and New Orleans’ Lafayette Cemetery with its raised tombs. I have a particular soft spot for Oakland Cemetery in my hometown of Atlanta, which has been a beloved local gem for years. I recall exploring it on a school field trip and being enchanted by the ornate headstones and the colossal trees after which it’s named. Thanks to ongoing restoration efforts, Oakland is more vibrant than ever, and you can explore its fascinating history and highlights on page 75. As interest in travel around our region slowly ticks up after the pandemic brought it to…

Get a glimpse of the beautiful images our social media friends have shared with us, capturing their own inspiration from the pages of Southern Lady. Top row: A plate of sweets and pretty linens enhance @onalimbflorals’ idyllic porch setup. Turning to our cool and creamy summer recipes, @jenniferhayslip serves a beautifully made pink lemonade pie. Window boxes burst forth with blooms as @lydiamenziescelebrates captures this serene Nantucket scene. Middle row: Selecting a basket weave design adorned with a berry motif, @ribbonroundit stylishly displays a bowl filled with fresh strawberries. An alfresco venue plays host to a palette of blue and white for @everydaylivingblog’s elegant afternoon tea. Bottom row: Dainty teacups in a multitude of patterns lend endless possibilities for @missjustinamarie to mix and match. Sunny accents punctuate @andreinacottagestyle’s covered porch,…

Maizie Clarke’s “pinch me” moment came in 2019 when Reese Witherspoon’s team commissioned her to fashion a hand-drawn birthday card for the celebrity. Spurred by the popularity of her bespoke home portraits, Maizie had jump-started her eponymous illustration company three years earlier and quickly expanded into artful product collaborations with boutiques and national retailers, bloggers and influencers, and even the Library of Congress. Yet, as she caters to high-profile clients, Maizie’s Louisville-based small business is far from exclusive. “The crux of [Maizie Clarke LLC] is creating illustrations that delight,” says Maizie, whose graphics capture memories and sentiments both great and small. Her depictions span private residences, notable landmarks, branding imagery for other companies, wedding cakes, and abundant Southern-inspired doodles. She draws on archival-quality paper with fine ink and finishes each design…

For Meg Bickford, food has been life’s driving force for as long as she can remember, from growing up in a family of eclectic Louisiana-bred cooks to an impressive professional start at legendary haute Creole eatery Commander’s Palace. She made headlines last October when she became the first female executive chef at Commander’s, but the roots that led her to this feat are as rich as the venerable history of the restaurant that produced renowned chefs such as Emeril Lagasse, Paul Prudhomme, and Jamie Shannon. “Commander’s has an incredible history, but the people who made Commander’s what it is have an even more incredible history,” Meg says. “Stepping in those shoes, I very much feel the importance of what the people before me have accomplished. It’s a heavy load, but I’m…