home & design-dec/jan

DECEMBER2012/JANUARY2013

Entertaining Elegance

The Mattices built a home balancing beauty and craftsmanship

A jeweled tableBeinspired!

Happy hour at home?Ohyesyoucan

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Patient before Invisalign

Patient after Invisalign

December & JanuaryCOVER STORYBill and Lori Mattice built a home that welcomes family, weddings and holiday gatherings. 6

BEFORE & AFTERA redesign creates a modern update and happy homeowners. 14

FEATURESStep up to the bar…at home. 16Feel that chill in the air? Throw on some warmth! 20

PROFILEDavid and Elizabeth Gwynn complement each other at home and at work. 24

HOME & GARDENBring the color of winter to your yard. 26

IN EVERY ISSUE

Introduction 3Inspirations 4

ON THE COVERA beautiful table is set at the Mattice house for the next soiree.

Cover photo by LONG’S PHOTOGRAPHY339-5799, 702 W. Tharpe Streetwww.longsphotography.com

6

1416

202 December 2012/January 2013

Published by the tallahassee democrat

president and publisher

Julie Moreno

designer

April Miller

contributing writers

Marina BrownAnne Marie CummingsTricia DulaneyCandice GrauseAndy Lindstrom

contributing photographers

Glenn Beil Linda and Olyn Long

contact usadvertising

Lisa Lazarus850.599-2333

Home & Design Magazine is published six times a year by the Tallahassee Democrat at 277 N. Magnolia Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32301. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the consent of the publisher. Home & Design Magazine is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photos and artwork.

show us your stuffDo you know of a home that should be in Home & Design? Please e-mail Lisa Lazarus, [email protected]

coming upLook for the next Home & Design on February 6

14

Is there anything more enjoyable than being invited into the home of someone who really enjoys entertaining? Take a look at the house that Bill and Lori Mattice built. The minute you walk in, the house unfolds in front of you. It’s hard to find one room you want to stay in because every

area presents a different view and mood. The custom woodwork in arched doorways, columns and multiple ceiling trays adds to the warmth and beauty of this home.

And speaking of warmth, we’ve found some options for keeping a chilly

evening at bay. Throws for your room come in so many choices – and some are even reversible if you can’t decide.

When it comes to designing a custom bar at home, Tom DeBruyne of

Woodland Cabinets Company can make your bar fantasy come true. Every one of his creations is unique and tailored to the homeowners’ décor.

Our profile this month is of David and Elizabeth Gwynn. They own two

successful restaurants in Tallahassee: Cypress Restaurant and Vertigo Burger and Fries. It’s interesting to find out why they came back to Tallahassee and how they manage their life in front of and behind the stove.

Don’t let the chance pass you by to make great memories entertaining

at home through the holidays and beyond. Set an inspired table with table jewelry featured in Inspirations from At Home and Dillard’s.

You can find us again on Wednesday, February 6, 2013. We’ll be burning the

home fires until then. Hope your holidays and new year are grand.

Lisa LazarusHome & Design

Making memories at home

FIRSTWORD

December 2012/January 2013 3

INSPIRATIONS

Table JewelryDress up your table for entertaining through the holidays and beyond.

HANDCRAFTED FOR YOUR TABLEThese beautiful napkins are 100% cotton and come in colors and patterns for every gathering. At Home, $6.99, Napkin rings, At Home, $7.99

sourcesGovernor’s Square Mall

At Home, Betton Place, 1950 Thomasville Road, 692-3863Dillard’s, Governor Square Mall, 1500 Apalachee Parkway, 671-2000

GOLDEN POD SPOONS DESSERT FOR TWOLet guests select a dainty portion of party goodness with these golden spoons or have an intimate dessert for two. At Home, $32

SALT CELLAR ELEGANCELet this silver-winged bird land on your table. At Home, $33

PHOTOS BY GLENN BEIL


INSPIRATIONS

THREE SILVER RINGS Set a shimmering table for a breakfast, brunch or dinner with these napkin rings. Dillard’s, $3-$4 each

CANDLE MAGICLet this reflective candle holder radiate a warm light from these hand-poured soy candles. At Home, Candleholder, $20, candles $3.50 each


COVER STORY

Perched on a manicured green, surrounded by a 2.5 acre forest of autumn leaves, Lori and Bill Mattice’s sprawling neo-Georgian estate looks all dressed up and ready for its close-up. But it was the couple’s careful ‘planning with a purpose’ that made for such

picture perfection.

Over the 15 months it took to build the 4,800-square-foot, four-bedroom home, luxurious comfort alone was not the goal. Rather, Bill Mattice

A Northside home made to share with family and friendsby Marina Brown

Let’sParty!!6 December 2012/January 2013

can tell you exactly what they were after. “We wanted to build a house that was stately, elegant, and importantly, conducive to entertaining.” Remarkably, they have created just such a grand residence, including the required party attitude.

The traditional front façade, with its double-hexagonal bay windows, Gallic-hipped roof line, and pillared portico is a study in staid symmetry. Yet a circular, polished-brick automobile court, which looks ready to receive a Rolls Royce, was specifically designed for ... well … a party! (Three of the couple’s five children have had wedding functions on that very spot.)

Parties, weddings, receptions, family reunions and office parties were the impetus for the grand rooms and enormous pool area the genial Mattices are famous for opening to their guests.

Bill, who was president of First South Bank (now BBT) and currently co-owns Ram Construction, and Lori, the owner/broker of Mattice Real Estate and a svelte blonde with business acumen in her veins, wanted to make their custom-designed home easy to share with others.

“Let’s see,” counts Bill. “We’ve had the weddings, wedding receptions, political parties, Junior League affairs, a Tour of Homes, a wine

Photos by long’s photography

Floral arrangements by miss gunnels flowers


tasting, a Cooks Tour, chili parties, holiday parties…” He breaks off with a delighted shake of his head. “This is just how we like it,” says Lori, just after cleaning up after a gathering of 25 that featured Bill’s special ragu bolognese. “We’ve had as many as 200 people here, and everybody has a good time.”

And they’ve had it in luxury. After seeing a prototype floor plan in Destin, the Mattices bought the blueprints and then began to personalize walls, ceilings, finishes, and the exterior scale. “From the pointed brick work to the fluted columns of the portico; from the heavy use of interior wood finishes to the rearrangement of the kitchen access—we adjusted the plans for optimal entertaining,” says Lori.

With 12 and 14 foot ceilings, each with

elaborate double-and triple-tray recessing edged in inches of polished cherry combing, looking up becomes an aesthetic experience. “There’s no covering marks on the wood with paint,” says Bill. “It took hours to get some ceilings fitted perfectly.”

Left from the entry hall, complete with an ebony baby grand, Bill’s Brazilian cherry study is seen through double doors. XL Millworks fit foot-thick coffers into the ceiling grid and created a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf animated by tiny hidden lights.

To the right, a wall punctuated by three cherry-trimmed arches allows the dining room a view of the pool. It is beneath a sparkling chandelier, at the custom built marketry-edged table the couple commissioned in Charleston, that many a champagne flute has been raised. Watching

over the festivities are brilliant oil-pastel pelicans by St. George Island painter Tom Tiffen.

With a butler’s pantry from the kitchen and a wet bar melded into cabinetry in the living room, guests can be served without leaving the party. Yet when the festivities flow to the granite and cherry-wood kitchen and the adjoining family room, elegant ambience still reigns. The kitchen features three dishwashers, four ovens, three sinks, a double Wolfe stove, warmers, wine coolers, and in the family room, a cooled wine cabinet holding over 200 of the Mattices’ favorite Napa Valley selections.

There’s rarely a party that doesn’t find itself gravitating poolside. Bill says the screened pool enclosure is the largest


CUSTOM FEATURES:• Eight-foot,arched,

solidcherrydoorsthroughout

• Fourfireplaces,twoconvertibletoeitherwood-burningorgas

• Inthebreakfastarea,arecesseddomefromwhichhangsthechandelier

• Abaywindowoverlookingthepool,withaglass-to-glassabutmentpanorama

• Solar‘tubes’inthelivingroomceilingwhichactasdiscreetskylights

• Tongueandgroovenarrow-plankceilinginoutdoorlivingarea

• SteelI-beamscladasconcretepillarstosupportpoolscreeningenclosure

Every nook in the Mattice house offers a beautiful view.


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Each room that Bill and Lori designed invites you into the next room.


ever built in North Florida. Surrounded by 10 foot, ivy-covered walls, there are six seating enclaves, a granite dining table for 12, and an outdoor living room centered around a rustic-brick fireplace. A competitive swimmer, Lori designed the pool to include two swim lanes with an automatic current machine, and a hot tub island reminiscent of a Mayan temple over which flows cascades of water.

Will the entertaining scale before the holidays…and that intimate pre-Christmas gathering for 125 on Dec. 26? Lori Mattice only laughs. “You know, my father was an Army Colonel and my mother was amazing at entertaining guests. She taught me the secret of giving big parties—plan ahead! In fact, I’ll probably be setting the table now for a party we’re giving at the end of the month. Get the little things out of the way first. Then by party time you won’t be too tired to have fun too!”

This guest rooms extends Lori and Bill’s hospitality.

The master bedroom opens to the largest screen-enclosed pool and patio in Tallahassee.


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It’s the little things…

A high-end, custom-built home distinguishes itself by attention to detail and the unexpected. Here are a few seen in the Mattice home. Some are eye-catching, some invisible. But for the discriminating client, innovation, sensory pleasure, and sheer quality workmanship make all the difference.


BEFORE & AFTER

Homeowners Kelly and Hal

Johnson contacted Designs

Unlimited to renovate their

existing home. The open

floor plan already had a great space for living

and entertaining with an expansive family

room and sunroom overlooking an outdoor

pool area. They wanted to fully expand their

outdoor view from the living area, sunroom

and kitchen so they could appreciate not only

their interior space, but also their exterior

space. The Johnsons’ home was perfect for

a remodel – it had excellent bones that

enabled minimal structural changes, the

major transformation being achieved through a

change of style and color.

Designs Unlimited worked with Kelly’s individualistic design ideas and was eager to incorporate her request for a turquoise and red color palette. Both Kelly and Hal have unique senses of style, which lead them to collect interesting art pieces and specialty items during their travels. An integral part of the design process on this project was to create a sense of fluidity by including existing art in the new design. They also wanted to add color and integrate it with the new style. Most of the large existing furniture items were re-upholstered with new fabric to complement the updated feel of their home. Our team enjoyed selecting new accent furniture and accessories such as lamps, pillows and additional artwork. The design team showcased

the Johnsons’ existing accessories in the built-in shelves. It was necessary to make changes to the original furniture layout to allow for use of the television with enough seating to accommodate family time with their twin girls.

The sunroom needed a sense of openness with an airy feel to showcase the beautiful view of their outdoor pool area, as well as transition the space between the living and kitchen areas. Designs Unlimited used the Johnsons’ existing sectional, chairs and tables, but added a new rug, lamps and accent pillows for a burst of color to continue the flow of design from the living room to the sunroom.

We continued the flow of design and color palette into the dining room. The specialized

“The beauty of design is that no matter how large or small a project may be, substantial changes can be made by re-using what is in your home. It is a matter of pulling it all together to meet a particular need and that is what we have so much fun doing. I think we are blessed

to meet so many diverse clients and be able to absorb their ideas and preferences and give them back a gift sealed and tied with a bow.” — JAckie McHAFFie, owner and lead designer of Designs Unlimited

Photos courtesy of Designs Unlimited


BEFOREBEFORE

Are You reNoVATING or reDecorATING? SendashortdescriptionofyourprojectandaphotoortwotoLisaLazarus,[email protected].

designed wool rug and custom floral

arrangement were unique design aspects that

gave the clients a one-of-a-kind touch. The

distinct new art piece helped pull the overall

design together. These things are done so that

entertaining is fun when it happens, and the

enjoyment lasts long after the party is over.

“The beauty of design is that no matter how

large or small a project may be, substantial

changes can be made by re-using what is

in your home. It is a matter of pulling it all

together to meet a particular need and that is

what we have so much fun doing. I think we

are blessed to meet so many diverse clients and

be able to absorb their ideas and preferences

and give them back a gift sealed and tied with

a bow.” said Jackie McHaffie, owner and lead

designer of Designs Unlimited.

Kelly and Hal were extremely satisfied with

their new home. “We are very happy with

the renovations. It is a completely fresh and

updated look, and fits our needs perfectly,” said

Kelly Johnson.

“It was a pleasure working with Kelly and

Hal on their renovation project. We wish them

many years of enjoyment and fun, as they live

and entertain in their new space which exudes

their own unique style,” said Jackie, “ We love

listening and making our clients dreams

reality.”

“It was a pleasure working with Kelly and Hal on their renovation project.

We wish them many years of enjoyment and fun, as they live and

entertain in their new space which exudes their own unique style,” said Jackie, “

We love listening and making our clients dreams reality.”

— JAckie McHAFFie


FEATURE


Meeting friends for a drink after work? Imagine

skipping the table wait, the crowds, and the line

for the ladies’ room in favor of the best seat at the

bar – in your own living room. Tom DeBruyne,

whose Woodlane Cabinet Company has constructed a number of

custom bars in Tallahassee, sees a renewed emphasis on expanding

existing living space into something less formal, more suited to

entertaining family and friends, and home bars are a part

of that trend.

This is not the bar your cousin’s frat brother knocked together out

of scrap wood to class up the kegger. Gorgeous custom molding, wine

racks and coolers, glassed-in cabinetry to display crystal stemware,

and a wide variety of bar tops grace champagne-worthy fine furniture.

“Bar tops are often granite or quartz,” says DeBryune. “People are

choosing quartz more and more now. It offers many more colors and

is easier to maintain.” Often clients will top the raised bar, where

they rest their drinks, with solid wood. “We use a polyurethane finish

or a polymerized oil finish,” he adds. The polymerized oil he favors

is made in Sopchoppy, and hardens nicely while still allowing easier

touch-ups. “The wood top is a little less durable, but it makes it more

like a real bar.”

A raised bar is key, says Chris Geib, owner of On the Rocks

Bartending. “You want a second tier, a workspace.” A flat bar, he

adds, looks messy and cluttered. “You want the second tier low

enough to hide your mixers, your limes and lemons, your soft drink

Happy Hour at Home

Photos courtesy of Woodlane Cabinet Company


bottles.” On the Rocks normally brings its own bar setup,

but also works with clients’ existing home bars. “We like a

sink so we can dump discarded drinks, somewhere to put the

glassware, and some counterspace. Space underneath the bar

is good for keeping coolers out of sight. An icemaker is nice,

but it won’t make enough for a big party. We usually keep

ice in a cooler in the garage and just refill the icemaker

with that.”

Adding running water to a bar or backbar isn’t difficult

if the house isn’t built on a slab, DeBryune says, or if the

backbar is adjacent to a bathroom wall with existing pipes.

“We do a lot of bars outside, along with outdoor kitchens, and

there we aren’t constrained by a foundation.”

You want a second tier, a workspace thats low enough to hide your mixers, your limes and lemons, your soft drink bottles.

Another option is the butler’s pantry. Usually positioned

between the kitchen and the dining room, a butler’s pantry

offers space to store the table linens, china, and glassware not in

everyday use, says Susan Carey, a Tallahassee contractor. “I’ve

seen them with wet bars, under-counter beverage refrigerators,

icemakers, even an extra dishwasher.” The counter can be set up

for wine, drinks, or coffee.

While he notes that formal dining rooms and adjacent

butler’s pantries are becoming less fashionable, DeBryune says

that he often updates existing space to serve that purpose.

“Many older kitchens have desk nooks that we’re asked to turn

into a little bar.


Dreaming of a home bar? You aren’t alone.TomDeBryuneofWoodlaneCabinetssayshomeownerswanttomaketheirhomeslessformal,morefun.Theywantaspacetheycanentertainnotonlytheirfriends,buttheirownfamilies.“Peopleareintowinenow,”hesays.“Theywant7-foot-tallwinecoolersthatholdahundredbottles.Theirneedforahomebarisdrivenbythefactthatthesecoolersneedaplacetolive.”

ChrisGeibofOntheRocksBartendingknowsexactlywhathewantsinahomebar:Aheavywoodbar,8feetlongandmaybecurved,withasec-ondtierandspaceforonebeertap.Underthebarheallots2feetforanicemaker,spaceforasmallkeg,andtherestforcoolerspace.

Thebackbarshouldhaveplen-tyofopencabinetstallenoughtostandwinebottlesin,withhighglassed-incabinetstodis-playtop-shelfbottlesandnicecrystal.Itshouldconnecttothebarwithaswingingdoororliftedshelf.

“Makeitnice,makeitdiscreet,andmakeitfunctionalfor5-10people,butusefulfor50-100ifnecessary,”hefinishes.

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There’s nothing that adds an immediate accent of warmth to a room more than a throw that’s dramatically draped across the edge of a bed or folded over an armchair. Ruth Bass, interior

designer for Tallahassee’s Bass & Bass Ltd., says that throws aren’t a new idea but rather a trend that’s been recycled a gazillion times.

“Thousands of years ago, when the sun went down and the temperature dropped 30 degrees,” says Bass, “native tribes would wrap themselves with a throw and eat meals together outdoors or sit around in a tent keeping themselves warm during conversation.”

Yet today’s versatile throws have started an array of new trends. Says Gina Proctor, owner of Bedfellows in Tallahassee, “In this economy, more people are attracted to

FEATURE

Throw on Some Warmthby Anne Marie Cummings

WoVeN WArMTHAll pieces shown are from Bedfellows, 1495 Market Street, 893-1713

Sferra Brothers Ltd., Bristol Fringed Throw, $165

Blue Patchwork and Purple Bedford Cottage Fringed Throws, $85


Photos by Glenn Beil


this cost-effective way of re-energizing a room while still being able to use throws to get cozy.”

Throws have become so popular that Proctor says many of her customers

use them as starting-off points in determining the colors for the rest of a room. “Instead of having to buy a new

sofa or re-paint a room, changing the throw is the easy and inexpensive

way to re-decorate,” she says.

Nan Conway, owner of Tallahassee’s n.d. designs,

likes to use throws to add finishing and personal touches to a

room. In fact, she gives wool and cotton throws as gifts to all her clients. One client loved her throw so much she went out and purchased one for her dog. “Here in the South, thanks to air conditioning, we use throws all year long,” says Conway. “And they’re brought out for every holiday, not just Thanksgiving and Christmas, but Easter, St. Patrick’s Day, even the Fourth of July.”

New to the scene, and sold at Bedfellows, are 40% eco-friendly bamboo and 60% cotton fringed throws made by the New Jersey-based Downtown Company. “Manufacturers pull the fibers out of the middle of the bamboo, make it into a pulp, and then push it through spinners to create manmade fibers you can weave,” says Donna Manzi, a product developer with the Downtown Company.

Equally popular is Downtown Company’s reversible throw. Most popular

coMForT WITH cHoIcesYou can have a choice — reversible, complimentary colors

and textures are additional features for adding color and warmth.

From top:

Bocasa Natural Floral Woven Throw, $39.99 and The Seasons Collection, reversible plum throw, $19.99

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is their moody England blue and grey reversible throw. “They’re basically two in one,” says Lisa Nylen, a sales consultant with Bedfellows. “Customers like that they come in a variety of sizes, that they’re 100% Egyptian cotton, and that they’re environmentally friendly using low-impact dyes and no harsh chemicals.”

Knit throws offer the bonus of being wearable. Paula Zenick, owner of Really Knit Stuff in Tallahassee, says her favorite yarns for throws are Shepherd’s washable wool, brown sheep yarn, alpaca fleece, and novelties such as fun fur. “A new approach to knitting is free-range, a free-form knitting style combining different kinds of yarns,” she says. “The goal is to escape the ordinary and the need for any kind of pattern.”

Themes that modern knitters follow when making throws are choosing varieties of one color, textures, stitches, or shapes. “A knit throw can work well on the edge of your bed one day and on your shoulders the next. I even took a knit throw I hung as a curtain and wore it as a shawl to an avant-garde art party,” says Zenick.

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PROFILE

W hen you are as busy as David Gwynn, opportunities to entertain at home are few and far between. Not

only are he and his wife, Elizabeth, the proud owner-operators of the regionally-acclaimed Cypress Restaurant, they also recently opened Vertigo Burgers and Fries, a casual eatery on Lafayette Street that makes hand-crafted burgers so tasty they’ve been labeled as masterpieces. Suffice to say, between running two bustling restaurants and raising two boys, the Gwynns certainly have plenty to keep them hopping. But they are loving every minute of it.

Life wasn’t always so delectable for this happy family. David was once a 9-to-5 marketing professional and Elizabeth was in retail management. They enjoyed work but something was missing. It didn’t take long for David to realize that food and wine were his passions -- or rather to remember that they were his passions. David’s mother owned a thriving restaurant and catering business that he worked in as a young adult. Good food was in his blood. So he enrolled in the prestigious Culinary Institute of America while working as an apprentice at the acclaimed Criolla’s in Grayton Beach, and was shortly thereafter working with the likes of star chef Dean Fearing in Dallas.

When David and Elizabeth decided to move back to their hometown, Tallahas-see, with their two sons to be closer to their family, it all came together. “We lived away for about eight years and were looking to move closer to home,” said Da-vid. “We felt like there was a market for the type of restaurant we wanted to open. It also helped that we had family here to help with our young kids.”

Thirteen years and two restaurants later, the Gwynns get to do what they love best every day – David cooks, Elizabeth bakes. They enjoy family time together. But nobody said it was easy. Da-vid describes an average day as, “organized chaos -- doing what needs to be done at both Cypress and Vertigo with many interruptions in between.”

Situated on 2 acres, the Gwynn home is an ideal refuge from life’s stresses, where everyone can take time to rest, relax and recuperate “It is tucked away from the hustle and bustle, but it is only 10 minutes from downtown [Tallahassee],”

says David. “It’s a sanctuary where we can let it all go.”

The Gwynns have owned their post-war-era abode for over eight years. It features a spacious open living and dining room with a beautifully-appointed adja-cent sunroom, Elizabeth’s favorite part of the home. The kitchen is, of course, a chef’s kitchen, complete with state-of-the-art appliances and utilitarian-chic finishes. David describes the overall décor as a “James Bond-ish, 1960’s modern style with traditional furnishing” and “a great flow.”

Not only is the home a reflection of David and Elizabeth’s personal design aesthetics, it is also a testament otoDavid and Elizabeth’s love of Tallahassee, where they first met in nursery school and where they were married. “We live in the neigh-borhood where my wife grew up. Our kids have a number of friends that live right here so it has been really great for them, too,” says David.

David and Elizabeth GwynnThe secret to managing it all? Their home.By Candice Grause

Elizabeth’s favorite room is this sun porch. Photos by Glenn Beil


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Perhaps it is their homegrown, down-to-earth nature or David and Elizabeth’s propensity to turn everyday food into scrumptious art, but despite their hectic schedule, the Gwynns do host quite a few get-togethers at their place. “We tend to have family gatherings – brunches, special [occasion] celebrations, game nights,” says David. And don’t think they hold anything back for honored guests. “We go all out from the food and wine to decorating and breaking out the silver and china.”

Their home has certainly seen a host of kids’ birthday parties and celebratory meals; their kitchen has probably turned out some of the best snack foods this side of the Mississippi for sharing over games of Checkers and Monopoly. And when it is time for the holidays, we are absolutely certain everyone heads to their place for their famed feasts.

We’re just thankful David and Gwynn extend the same level of hospitality to customers.

David and Elizabeth exude fun and creativity in their home.


GARDEN

Winter Colors Brighten Winter Days


By Andy Lindstrom

For many North Florida

gardeners, winter can be the

Scrooge of seasons. Daylight

diminishes. Temperatures drop.

Even the hardiest flowering plants pack it

in until spring’s annual renewal.

Bah. Humbug, our green thumbs groan. What’s left of Nature’s glorious palette of outdoor color after the weather turns chilly? Actually, quite a bit, says landscape designer Phyllis Fisher of Fisher Landscape Design and Consultation.

Unlike northern climes where all the

pretty flowers lie dormant or dead under

a blanket of snow, she says, here in the

Sunshine State we have a whole array of

interesting and delightful trees, bushes,

grasses and shrubs that continue to

brighten our homes and yards.

“The weather, cold, precipitation,

groundwater and wind all affect a plant’s

winter color,” she said. That’s why, she

added, “Each winter show is unique.”

To pick a plant for winter landscapes, David Beaulieu of About.com offers the following suggestions:

Choose trees like native red maple, black

tupelo or sassafras with eye-catching bark

or leaves. Bushes and shrubs (the two

terms are mostly interchangeable) whose

berries attract wildlife, particularly birds

are best. Ornamental grasses with such

wonderfully descriptive names as

Fox Trot, Red Head and North Wind

add low-maintenance texture and

fascinating variety.

“Our goal is to turn a drab yard into a

scene worth painting,” Beaulieu writes.

“While evergreen shrubs and conifer trees

undeniably add visual interest... so do

many other plants.”

One of the most visually appealing

winter plants is the sasanqua, or Yuletide

camellia. Unlike its more showy cousin,

the better known japonica species,

sasanqua cultivars such as Shi-shi Gashira

kick into bloom as early as October

and keep on flowering well past

Christmas season.

“They’re low-growing, drought

resistant and adaptable to about any soil

conditions,” John Kane, outdoor manager

at Tallahassee Nurseries, said of the Shi-

shi variety. “I’d call them one of our best

winter plants.”

Donna Legare of Native Nurseries says that while she

Winter Colors Brighten Winter Days


too enjoys the colorful sight of a winter-blooming plant, it’s the satisfaction of watching flocks of native or migratory birds dining on their seeds and berries that gives her the most pleasure.

From an American beautyberry shrub’s bright purple berries in the autumn to flowering dogwood, yaupon holly, magnolia, wax myrtle and other berry-producing native plants that birds love, she gets even more satisfaction from those planted in her own yard.

“I am happy to share the delicious bounty with them,” she said. As for Phyllis Fisher’s landscape choices, she picked what she called “these amazing examples of lovely winter color in North Florida’s Zone 8.”


Leatherleaf mahonia (Mahonia bealei), with bright yellow, fragrant flowers in January and bright blue fruit in summer that the mockingbirds love to eat.

Pink frost (Illicium floridanum), a vigorous, upright, rounded habit with cream-margined, green-centered foliage, becoming tinted with rose pink at the onset of cold weather. Its leaves remain fragrant year round.

Virginia sweetspire (Itea virginica), whose fall color is both spectacular and long-lasting with a mix of yellow, orange, crimson and maroon leaves. Henry’s Garnet is an especially good variety for Seminole fans, with garnet-colored branches through the winter.

Ormond Oriental persimmon (Diospyros kaki), an Asian native

whose scientific name means “food of the gods,” is sometimes called the Christmas persimmon due to its long and conic orange fruit resembling Christmas ornaments that often hangs on the tree through January. Its leaves turn a brilliant orange and red starting in the fall.

Whatever your choice of winter color, warned Donna Legare and others, steer

clear of invasives like the Chinese tallow tree. “They’re pretty but incredibly difficult to control,” added John Kane. “The same for camphor – such a pest. And if you happen to like nandina, another invasive plant, try the cultivar called Firepower. Its red fall foliage lasts well into winter, and with no berries it can’t spread.”

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