Love for Thistle has us Designing a New Fabric Pattern for Root Cellar Designs' collection

Why In Design Column

History and Love For Thistle,
plus we introduce a new fabric pattern in honor of this prickly plant

my potted garden in East Hampton

Yes, I know we are just in the beginning of what is predicted to be a cold winter, but I have my East Hampton garden on top of mind this week.  

Due to the deer problem we have at our beach cottage, we curtailed our summer garden to what I call, "patio garden" which are flowers and vegetables kept mostly in pots, with a few small flowers planted close to the brick patio and under the pergola, away from the feeding frenzy.  A couple of years ago we smartly planted wisteria on our pergola and quickly it took off and offers a nice, shady retreat near the pool and grassy area. Then a small spray of Thistle around the sides of the brick patio added a nice border around the hedges, all keeping the deer at bay. I also enjoy cutting thistle and bringing it indoors, either incorporating it into flower arrangements for just simply by itself because it is quite striking.

here thistle gives an old-fashioned feel to arrangements I made for an event in NYC as centerpieces.

thistle in my kitchen in a vintage McCoy vase

About Thistle:
from the flowering family, Asteraceae, Thistle encompasses a broad range of prickly bounties, some say the cousin to an artichoke, and sometimes acting as a weed in the garden, but this beautiful flower has a long history.  

"Thistle is the common name of a group of flowering plants characterised by leaves with sharp prickles on the margins, mostly in the family Asteraceae. Prickles occur all over the plant – on the stem and flat parts of leaves. They are an adaptation that protects the plant from being eaten by herbivores. Typically, an involucre with a clasping shape of a cup or urn subtends each of a thistle's flowerheads" 

- wikipedia

It is a prickly, lavendar and purple-colored thorny flower.  According to Scotshistoryonline.co.uk, Thistle became the emblem of Scotland in the 13th century.  

espalier thistle

our new root cellar designs' fabric pattern
offered in three colorways...

grey, wheat, noir

  sky, mint, white

lavender, sage

Inspired by this beautiful bounty, we created a new fabric pattern honoring this historic plant. We created this latest pattern in an oversized design to bring some whimsy.  I'd love to see this upholstered on a chair or bench.  I loosely drew espalier plants in the background then added the thistle bud on top for a whimsical feel--in a colorful pink and violet color combination.  
about root cellar designs:
We sell to the design trade through specialty showrooms around the country.  Our textile is linen/cotton and nice and weighty for drapery or upholstery use.  Susan Young and I create all our patterns, and manufacture the designs all made in the USA.  Please reach out at rootcellardesigns@gmail.com

Happy Nesting

XO Tamara