Designer Rory Hutton adds new designs to his popular Garden Collection of scarves

Just in time for nature’s launch of Spring and the approaching Mother’s Day celebrations in the UK, textile designer Rory Hutton has looked ahead to the warmer months with a new range of scarves to add to his Garden Collection.  As always, his designs are enriched with inspiration from iconic garden designers and their amazing themes, as well as mythical stories.

Silk scarf: Gertrude's Garden
by Rory Hutton.

Rory said over the long dark months of January and February, he has been busily distracting himself with the joys of summer, looking ahead to bountiful gardens ablaze with flowers and colour.  

The result is three new scarves (as shown below) which draw inspiration from Vita Sackville-West’s White Garden, Gertrude Jeykll’s colourful borders and the mythical Flora, Roman goddess of flowering plants. All three new scarves in 100% silk, measure 90 x 90cm, have rolled edges and are made in Italy.

Rory said, “I hope these scarves will inspire sartorial gardeners everywhere and become the accessory of choice for tea on the lawn or an afternoon spent weeding and pruning!”, quoting English author and garden designer Vita Sackville-West who once said “Flowers really do intoxicate me” this is a sentiment that Rory Hutton can certainly agree with. For Spring/Summer 2022 the designer is adding three new designs to his popular Garden Collection.

The first scarf in this trio is called Vita’s White Garden and features the above quote together with another from Vita Sackville-West, "Still, no gardener would be a gardener if he did not live in hope". 

Vita Sackville-West designed a white garden at her home, Sissinghurst Castle in the county of Kent. The garden is now iconic and widely regarded as one of the first modern gardens in Britain. 

 

Rory says, ‘I’ve always been drawn to this idea, a white garden is as much a study of green as it is of white and I can’t imagine anything more calming than being surrounded by the subtle beauty of white and green on a summers day.’

 

Formal parterres and knot gardens dominate the center of this design and are surrounded by an array of white flowers in bloom. ‘I have poured my longing for such a space into this design’.

The next scarf is Gertrude's Garden, inspired garden designer Gertrude Jekyll. Influenced by the Arts & Crafts movement, Jekyll created some of the most celebrated Edwardian and early twentieth century gardens. Particularly noted for her explosions of colour, Jekyll had a painterly approach to her gardens and her work can be found throughout the British Isles and further afield. A keen plants woman, Jekyll began collecting and cultivating plants at a young age, sourcing interesting specimens from the wild as well as ancient cottage gardens.

 

Of this design Rory says, "This is the most colourful design I have ever attempted, Jekyll has inspired me to be brave!"

The flowers featured in the design were all used by Jekyll in her schemes. The garden bench at the center is in a style favored by renowned architect Edwin Lutyens. Lutyens was a great admirer of Jekyll’s work and they regularly collaborated, her designing the gardens to compliment his buildings.

The cat seated on Lutyen’s bench is a nod to Jekyll's love of feline company, she even included a chapter titled ‘Pussies in the Garden’ in her 1908 book, Children and Gardens.

The third design is entitled Temple of Flora, an ode to Flora, the Roman Goddess of flowering plants. In this design Flora takes centre stage. Holding a garland of flowers she stands in a classical temple. 

Featuring a vibrant red and pink scarf, the colours of roses, Flora’s temple is surrounded by formal parterre and knot gardens with ornately scrolling ironwork marking the perimeter.  The outer borders are filled with a joyful abundance of flowering specimens.

Other features within the garden include a dovecote, birdbath, potted orange tree, a sundial and elegant tulipieres or tulip holders. In front of the temple we can see the gardener’s dog together with her abandoned sun hat and watering can.

All images courtesy of Rory Hutton.