Destination Inspiration

Where does inspiration come from? A dream? Losing your way and going down a road you’ve never travelled? A chance meeting with a stranger when you are traveling? I think it can be any of these and more.

For me, my main source of inspiration has been what’s blooming in the garden. While the rhythms of the seasons here in the Shenandoah Valley are familiar to me, there always seems to be something new that catches my eye. This season it’s been the purple-pink blooms of the Drops of Jupiter oregano in the summer garden. Fragrant, delicate and tall, this lovely ornamental herb is taking hold in the cutting garden, much to my delight.

While this familiarity gives me comfort, sometimes it’s not enough. This is when I have the itch to start traveling, seeking new experiences to expand my horizons and remind myself how large and small the world can be. This travel can be as close as a stroll through a friend’s garden. Other times the call for a change of scenery involves a longer journey.

India had been calling me quietly for many years and when I finally arrived, I felt a shift that would change me. Color, pattern, texture, and craftsmanship combined with a rich history spanning millennia made me feel like a fish in and out of water. All I wanted to do was swim in every experience, every temple, every shop, every meal, and every encounter, absorbing and making me rethink everything I had ever known.

The Mughal Gardens of India have been celebrated for centuries. This style of garden was influenced by Persian gardens and was intended to create a representation of an earthly utopia in which humans co-exist in perfect harmony with all elements of nature.

Mughal floral motifs have been explored in countless ways from individual floral studies to incorporating geometrics and blooms in intricate patterns. These motifs were represented in textiles from finely woven and embroidered kashmir shawls, to wall frescoes, to the finest cotton and linen with intricate handblocked patterns. And of course, floral and geometric motifs were used as architectural elements, depicted using semi-precious stones. It’s fascinating to see recent design trends, most recently chevron patterns, that were a staple hundreds of years ago. What’s old is new again.

How could I incorporate more of Jodhpur blue in my life? This iconic blue is the shade that gives the city its name. It ranges from the most intense, saturated blue to a wonderful, faded sky blue.

Could shades of the Rajasthan desert, mixed with dusky shades of blue, rose and purple be the next color palette for the cutting garden? These shapes have me thinking about creating beds of color within in the garden. This is a tile design from my shower at the Samode Haveli in Jaipur.

Sweets to celebrate Holi are giving me ideas for new color combinations. Silver & orange with a hint of pistachio / Mango & orange & pale pink / Rose pink & magenta & cream & walnut. How can I make these happen? .

Jaipur is the Pink City, with buildings painted the most beautiful shade of pink. These ladies caught me before I went into the Krishna Temple just before Holi. I now have my Jaipur wardrobe when I visit. It’s a bit more covered up and helps protect from the hot sun. Tuk-tuks are the best way to get around the city. I spotted this one just outside the Jantar Mantar Astronomical Observatory, where we had our horoscopes read by an astrologer. The flower market in Jaipur is always one of my stops when I visit. Huge sacks of flowers are laid out in the market every morning. The gentlemen here are quickly putting together garlands - much faster than I ever could. Their long needles string together mums, marigolds and roses.

I’m in love with this muted palette of pinks, browns, and pastel blues. The floral screen has me thinking of wallpaper or a fabric design. This gentleman was making baskets in the town of Bhinder, just outside of Udaipur and was kind enough to let me take his photograph.

Where are you finding inspiration? Drop me line and let me know!

XO,

Julie