Fact: You won’t find one Hamptons hostess, designer, or green thumb who isn’t gushing over Carolyne Roehm’s gorgeous new book At Home in the Garden.  The dramatic oversized format of the book, the stunning photography [which Roehm shot herself], and the detailed personal stories and inspirations she shares about how she has meticulously curated the 59 acres at her Connecticut home, Weatherstone, are just a few of the reasons why Roehm’s 12th tome may just be her best.  For Carolyne, the garden has always been a font of inspiration.  She draws from it for her trademark tablescapes, her gracious dinner parties, and her art.  KDHamptons chats with the legendary style icon in this exclusive new garden diary, below:

When asked what inspired her to write At Home in the Garden, Carolyne Roehm shares, “Lots of reasons: Flowers dealt with my love of individual flowers that make up gardens and bouquets, but I wanted to write something from a pulled back perspective, that covered seasons, flowers, plants and showed Weatherstone [her home] as greater than the sum of its parts.  I also wanted to highlight the characters behind my garden – my lovely staff, my dear mother, and those I’ve consulted past and present who have made the garden what it is today. But ultimately, I wanted to share the beauty of these 59 acres that transfix and transform me 365 days a year.”

KDHamptons: Which is your favorite image from the book and why?

Carolyne Roehm: It would be too hard for me to select one favorite, I need at least 3 (below)!

*One would be an image of the vegetable garden, because I get tremendous comfort in having a ‘working garden’ and use the produce in my kitchen daily.

*One would be an image of flowers – I’ve chosen this one because it also features my favorite blue and white.

*One would be an image of my watercolors because painting is what I’m drawn to at the moment.

KDHamptons: For this book, you decided to photograph all of the images yourself.  Did you fined this to be a difficult process? Take a photography class to prepare?  Can you please share a couple tips for amateur garden photographers?

Carolyne Roehm: The shooting of the images wasn’t difficult, just extremely time consuming, but in a good way.  I would find myself lost for hours just photographing one plant – it becomes quite meditative for me.  And of course, as the book covers a few years in the garden, my subjects were dictated by the weather and seasons.  I shoot with a Canon EOS 5D Mark II digital camera.  I haven’t had any photography lessons, just lots of practice!

My two top tips for amateur garden photographers :

• I find it’s always best not to take pictures in the middle of the day because the shadows are too dark and the bright sunlight blows out the colors.  Best to take pictures on a cloudy day, but most importantly, take pictures when you can, rather than waiting for another window of opportunity, as I’ve had many regrets with weather and timing.
• Always have a backup battery, and if you’re anything like me, a spare memory stick as it’s easy to get carried away.

KDHamptons:  If you had to choose your favorite home garden, which would you choose?

Carolyne Roehm: Again hard to choose, so it would be the cutting and the rose gardens.  The cutting because it changes so frequently – peonies, dahlias, irises, just to name a few and of course a constant selection of vegetables.  The rose garden because of its unbeatable colors and scents – it is classic beauty that I can see throughout the day from my house.

KDHamptons: Which is your favorite flower to design arrangements with? Do you usually mix flowers or just group one type?

Carolyne Roehm: My favorite flower to design arrangements with are peonies.  I decide which flowers to include depending on the arrangement, the occasion, the time available, the season and the surroundings.

KDHamptons: Do you spend time in the Hamptons? Would you consider having a home here next?

Carolyne Roehm: I used to spend a lot of time in the Hamptons, and did have a lovely stay there this summer.  These days I do prefer the country to the beach though, but who knows what the future will bring?

KDHamptons: You inspire so many designers, gardeners, hostesses and more.  Who or what inspires you?

Carolyne Roehm: Nature in so many forms inspires me – flowers, birds, landscapes, colors. Music (mainly classical) and beautiful art (Dutch Masters) are also inspirational to me.  As far as people, I would say Vita Sackville-West (garden designer) and Lawrence Johnston (Hidcote Manor.)

**To order At Home in the Garden click HERE