The Surprising Life of Constance Spry
The woman behind the rose named in her honor was a force of nature herself. A successful social reformer and educator – Connie left home early to be schooled and escape her mother, she then spent her life distinguishing herself in two careers: social reform and floral decoration. Some of her closest friends included Norman Wilkinson, Oliver Messel. Cecil Beaton, Beverly Nichols, John Gielgud, Charles Laughton and Syrie Maugham. Connie was a risk taker. From her unconventional arrangements and use of wild, dried and cultivated flowers, to her lifestyle – “living in sin.” She was not actually married at all to Mr. Spry during their time together, and even had a two year fling with the English artist, Gluck, a crossdressing lesbian.
While I would love to write more about some of Connie’s do’s – don’ts – favorite flowers – philosophy of arranging , etc…and when she set up shop in New York. But, then you might not read the book, and then you would miss everything in between that Sue Shepard so painstakingly researched and wrote as if you were engaged in one long gossip with her about The Surprising Life of Constance Spry.
If you love flowers, gardens, good biographies, social history…any or all of the above, call Archivia Books now, and order a copy. (212) 570 9565 by phone.
Hostess, by Spry & Hume (1961)
Rosemary Hume’s recipes, Lesley Blanch’s illustrations, and written by Spry in her humorous, charming and direct manner. A sample of each here…
“It is not easy to define the quality by which one makes others feel friendly and happy at the very outset of a party, so that they, in their turn, can contribute to the general pleasure rather than count the time till it is not impolite to go home. I believe in some degree it is this quality of warmth , and if you can infuse this into the reception and care of everyone of your guests – even the unexpected ones – you will do well.”
- Rosemary Hume
“Do make yourself master of the really quite simple technique of arranging flowers. There is no problem and no mystery about it.”
- Constance Spry
“Steer clear of affectation and any form of stylizing that leads to the mangling of flowers: bear in mind the object of arranging flowers, which for most of us is the adornment of our homes.”
- Constance Spry
Come into the Garden, Cook (1942)
Garden Notebook (1940)
A combination of a successful lecture tour in the United States, her much talked about arrangements for the British Pavilion at the New York Worlds Fair, and her contributions to American magazines were the catalysts that prompted Mrs. Spry to create her Garden Notebook. Written for an American audience, it was a monthly diary of garden notes – her thoughts, her successes – dotted with seasonal recipes and book suggestions. In the final chapter, “Decorations and the Care of Cut Flowers,” Mrs. Spry shares all of her secrets, tips, preferences, opinions, and observations. She is honest, generous, instructive and entertaining.
Flower Decoration (1934)
“Mrs. Spry’s job is to provide what the French call ‘decor,’ and so we find the flowers, the vase, and the background all interdependent.” – Sir William Lawrence
“I think…it is best that I should say now, once and for all, that the suggestions given in these pages are offered with trepidation, and that if ever I sound a challenging or defiant note, it is in the hope of stirring up interest and argument in a subject which I think has languished, so that there may grow new ideas and efforts and thereby an increasing number of lovely ways of using flowers.”
– Constance Spry
