Laura Dowling
This month, Highlands gets a brush with White House history – and a master class in floral artistry – when acclaimed designer Laura Dowling visits for a weekend of blooming inspiration. On Saturday, September 20, Dowling will make two public appearances: a morning book signing from 10:00 A.M. to noon at Acorns, followed by a hands-on bouquet-making workshop from 1:00 to 3:00 P.M. at High Country Wine and Provisions.
The Acorns event is free, offering guests a chance to meet the former Chief Floral Designer to President and First Lady Obama. Dowling will be signing her newest book, Designing Christmas—a festive volume packed with ten inventive décor schemes and photographs that show her signature garden-style at its most dazzling. She’ll also be signing past favorites like Floral Diplomacy at the White House and A White House Christmas.
In the afternoon, Dowling will lead a rare hands-on bouquet workshop at High Country Wine and Provisions. Limited to just 40 participants, the class offers an intimate experience with one of the most celebrated floral voices of our time. Guests will learn not only bouquet construction, but how Dowling’s signature style—romantic, loose, and garden-inspired—emerges from her deep understanding of color, season, and narrative. Tickets are available at kp-designs.com/events.
Dowling’s own story is as unexpected as it is inspiring. A former policy analyst in Washington, D.C., she began arranging flowers in her home as a creative outlet. A serendipitous trip to Paris introduced her to the work of French designer Christian Tortu, whose wild, expressive style changed the course of her life. Her husband spotted the job posting for White House Chief Floral Designer who encouraged her to apply. She eventually landed the job after a rigorous audition personally judged by First Lady Michelle Obama.
From 2009 to 2015, Dowling brought her poetic sensibility to America’s most iconic address, filling rooms with flowering branches, trailing vines, and painterly compositions that elevated every occasion.
Highlands floral designer Ken Proctor, whose work is regularly featured at Acorns, collaborated with Dowling on a dramatic installation at Nashville’s Cheekwood Estate. He praises her fearless use of color: “The photos in her latest book are amazing and exemplify Laura’s ability to translate palette into mood.”
In a town that prizes beauty and craftsmanship, Dowling’s visit feels like the perfect arrangement – fleeting, elegant, and not to be missed.
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