Get to know the flower sommelier
Christopher Barrett Sheridan - the Cliffs Notes Edition
I'm sure you're all more interested in flowers than you are in The Flower Sommelier, but a brief introduction will help reassure that I'm not a front for an Artificial Intelligence operation. I live and garden in the Philadelphia region (America's Garden Capital), and on the New Jersey Coast, with deer my nemesis in the first instance, and sandy soil and wind providing challenges in the second.
I earned a Certificate in Ornamental Horticulture from Longwood Gardens during my transition to a second career. In my first career, I was a national-level public interest lawyer, clerked for two judges, and earned three degrees (from Tulane and Villanova - twice), all of which focused on writing and research, so I'm following the model of Sarah Raven (originally a British medical doctor), more than Piet Oudolf (Dutch nurseryman and legendary naturalistic designer). The point of sharing my background is that horticulture is a big umbrella, and for anyone looking for a rewarding first, second (or third) career, there's a place for you. In my case, that place is as an writer, researcher, spreadsheet nerd, educator, photographer, and history enthusiast (old garden books, heirloom plants, and historic gardens).
My Primary Focus - Fragrant Flowers and Aromatic Foliage (2023-2024)
I'm an active member of GardenCOMM (formerly the Garden Writers Association), and this experience helped me appreciate the benefit of developing a specialty/brand which resonates with the public.
While a number of excellent books have been written about scent over the decades, this is a subject that hasn't received its due compared to other gardening topics, and I intend to be your top resource moving forward. The lack of coverage is understandable given the challenge of writing about something which is ephemeral, unpredictable, and subjective. On the other hand, most of us instinctually poke our noses into a bloom when we encounter one, so it's the second most important quality in a flower after color. Scent is also a source of memory and escape, healing and comfort, and simple delight (when it comes to the pleasing scents).
Given the the overwhelming number of flower choices, cultivars ranging from just released to centuries old, the challenges of climate change, and the opportunities to make your garden a compelling place, I think you'll agree the world is ready for The Flower Sommelier.
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My Secondary Focus - Vespertine Gardens (Evening, Twilight, White, Moonlight and a few other synonyms) (2025)
For most of us, gardening is a process of lifetime learning. and evolving interests. My emphasis on evening gardens is an extension of my work with scented plants, especially those which are night blooming. Interests in climate change mitigation, public health, sustainability and garden history are also factors.
Perhaps most importantly, vespertine gardens are some of the most wild and romantic, as well as peaceful, spaces that have ever been designed. They can be intimate and they can be grand, but they're always captivating.
My Third Adventure - Historic Gardens (2026)
I've always had an interest in history, starting with World War II (documentaries and model ships), continuting with American history, European history and international relations when I was school, and moving on to political and constitutional history during my first career. Art history (mostly Impressionism at first) was added during my service on the Board of the Young Friends of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. My first presentation was a scented plant meadow tour and posy/Language of Flowers class at a historic cemetery in 2023. Then history hit the back burner for a bit while I focused on scent. In 2025, I was able to attend the Williamsburg Garden Symposium for the first time, I was accepted to the Historic Landscape Institute at Monticello/University of Virginia, and I'm developing a number of garden history focused programs for 2026.
Our Brand and Priorities
The Flower Sommelier
While this may be a snobby, self-proclaimed title, it's a half-joking and half-ideal alias for a garden educator, and I actually have worked in the wine business and written hundreds of tasting notes for a boutique wine shop.
At the same time, I don't believe that my sense of smell or tastebuds are special. With wine and flowers (as well as with beer, salsa, and chocolate), I have my favorites, but I also appreciate that there's a time and a season for almost everything.
In your own flower journey, some colors and scents (and shapes - e.g. trumpets, disks, and spires) will resonate more than others, but the joy is in the journey.
Sadly, some plants aren't reliable in every climate and location, but if a plant performs well in your garden then it's a good plant. If you love it, it's a great plant! If you share seeds, or cuttings with fellow gardeners it becomes a "Passalong" - which is the ultimate compliment a plant can receive (but the RHS Award of Garden Merit, and recognition as an All-America Selection are also highly coveted).
I'm not here to tell you what's "in or out," but to highlight interesting plants and places for you to explore. Some will be old, some will be new, some will be temperate, some will be tropical, and a lot will be available as seeds or bulbs, because these are the most cost effective ways to connect gardener and plant. A reputable garden center is a good place to start your plant hunting, but in the 21st Century, we can have it all, if we're willing to do a bit of homework.
Wild and Romantic Gardens
Before I considered becoming a garden writer and designer, I was a fan of Impressionist painting, which while primarily French in origin, originated about the same time Robinson wrote The Wild Garden in 1870. As you might expect, I've also been a fan of Piet Oudolf since the Highline opened in NYC, as his work has the same impressionistic qualities, but with an innovative prairie and grassland plant palette - which offers winter interest.
A Wild and Romantic Garden can be a large space or a small courtyard. It can be temperate or tropical, or a combined planting where the climate is suitable (e.g. Charleston and Savannah).
Old buildings, mature trees and shrubs, and antique garden elements contribute to a wild and romantic ambiance. For me, the appeal of the style is the abundance of colors, fragrances, textures, and atmospheric qualities.
Ephemerality is also an important quality of the wild and romantic garden. Plantings provide 3-4 seasons of interest, wildlife come and go, plants rise and fall like water in a fountain. Desirable plants are allowed to self-seed. It's a space where people feel something.
At the moment my focus is on writing projects and speaking engagements, but starting in the autumn of 2024, I will be available for design consultations. In the meantime, I'll be adding a lot of photos from my travels and garden visits to help convey this philosophy and aesthetic.
I'll also be posting links to gardens which are strong examples of this design genre.
Flowers and Floral Design Education
Flowers and Floral Design Education
In many cases, the best way to appreciate a flower is to leave it in the garden until it's time to deadhead. At the same time, many plants are agreeable to our artistic and culinary pursuits, and every gardener should grow enough flowers to allow for some guilt-free cutting.
In addition to bouquets, wreaths, and holiday arrangements, there are many ways to be creative with flowers.
There are container gardens, Kokedama, Ikebana, dried flowers, pressed flowers, wearable flower arrangements, potpourri, teas and tisanes, floating arrangements, edible flowers, photography, landscape painting, and botanical illustration.
While I can't claim to be an expert in all of these areas, I am an enthusiastic learner and supportive teacher, and someone who can direct you to the best sources of information.
All of these activities are therapeutic, and your work product will be a source of personal pride - as long as you remember that floral arts are like yoga - you learn a position, and every time you practice, you work closer to the ideal.