Garden

Hamptons Garden Glory

East Hampton gardens owner Michael Giannelli shares the blooming trends of spring.

After spending 30 years working in fashion design at Gap, Loft, and Victoria’s Secret, Michael Giannelli decided to purchase East Hampton Gardens (EHG) for his birthday and move to the Hamptons full-time. “I was a client of Carol and Brian’s (the previous shop owners) for twenty years and always joked that I would buy the store one day,” shares Michael. “They decided to retire, I decided to move east, and the rest is history!” HRES catches up with the East End’s favorite garden whisperer, below.

HRES: How did you get interested in bringing home, garden, and landscape design to your dynamic fashion career repertoire?

Michael: Literally, when I celebrated The Big 5-0, I said “Michael it’s time for a change” and the first thing I did was stop listening to people. There were so many doubters “what about this?, what about that?, how much is it going to cost?, etc.” Too much negativity kills a dream. I had a dream, a vision, plus the support of my partner, Greg, and made it happen!

HRES: Can you explain the services you currently offer at EHG as multi-talented interior designer/landscaper/retailer?

Michael: I’ve learned so much growing up in retail and how to merchandise a shop or a line of clothing. It is a real passion of mine to bring the story to life within the shop and the grounds of the nursery. We incorporate water features, gravel pathways, and a small barn, and are constantly merchandising the grounds to make it fresh all season long. For the interiors, we partner with Greg Shano Interiors, www.gregoryshano.com and he takes the lead. For the landscape design and retail that is all me.

HRES: The East Hampton Garden shop is a beautiful jewel box, what was your inspiration for the store design?

Michael: Our signature is a navy and white stripe with kelly green ribbon. My partner Greg Shano executed the interior design of the shop and added beautiful wallpapers and details to the interior. I’ve always loved Palm Beach, so we took some inspiration from different interiors and used white bamboo etageres, brass tables, and stone garden tables as the fixtures for the shop.

HRES:Your shop has a nostalgic aura to it, with pieces made for homes to give them an approachable luxury element. What products are you seeing for Spring that our readers would love?

Michael:I love entertaining whether in the garden or in the home so we have a lot to offer in that category: Great new napkins, and tablecloths, placemats, napkin rings, glasses, and bamboo flatware. We also have great barware, Christofle silver pieces, William Yeoward crystal. For outdoor entertaining, we have a beautiful line of melamine dishes and serving pieces and Italian acrylic glassware that looks and feels like glass but won’t shatter and destroy your pool.

HRES: What interior trends are you loving for Spring?

Michael: What I’m seeing is people really love neutrals in a coastal way. Adding rattan, seagrass carpets, and Sunbrella fabrics that don’t fade into their interiors. We have some really great pieces that can add a coastal feel to your home but we love to mix them up with some more color and prints.

HRES: How do you describe your landscape design style, and which are your favorite plantings?

Michael:I love the perfectly imperfect English garden style but I must give it structure. I love boxwood, Hydrangeas, Peony, Roses, Lilac, Camellias, and topiary. I have an old fashion take on gardening. I love a formal parterre, and a knot garden, and love to establish garden rooms. Even if you have a small space it is really fun to design different destinations one for dining, one for lounging, a small pool, etc.

HRES: Which is your favorite service you offer and why?

Michael: I love to take a very personal approach to garden design and partner with clients to ensure their vision is achieved. I bring a ton of ideas and inspiration and walk the grounds with the client and find out how they use the property. Do they want an herb garden, perennial garden, shade/woodland garden, outdoor ping-pong table, or whatever they can dream up. It really is fun when you click with the client and they give you the freedom to create a beautiful space.

HRES: Which trends in landscape design are you loving?

Michael: Unfortunately, the low-maintenance garden seems to always come up. I am a believer that really doesn’t exist. Any garden needs tending. What I love is not designing into a “trend” but designing a classic, beautiful space. Classics last forever, and trends come and go.

HRES: What do you do for fun when you’re not working on beautiful homes and gardens?

Michael: I love going to the beach early in the morning with our dog Harper, and walking with friends. I love meals at home with friends, game nights, and movie nights. I try to avoid crowds, especially after a long day at the shop. I could never leave the beautiful light, sunsets, and beaches of the East End….once I see the water I instantly relax.