PEOPLE H G
1654378911PAU L BA NG AY
& BARRY M
C
NEILL1 Sugar Bomb wall sconce, Christopher Boots. 2 Giant perfumed lily plant (Cardiocrinum giganteum). 3 The Signature of All Things book by Elizabeth
Gilbert, $23.75, Booktopia. 4 Garden Grown gin, $85, Garden Grown Gin. 5 Trolley suitcase, $345, July. 6 Acqua di Colonia Sicilia eau de cologne,
$193, Peony Melbourne. 7 Staub cast-iron cocotte, $529.95, Myer. 8 Dreidel pot in Bronze, from $220, Robert Plumb. 9 Acqua di Maggio aromatic
flower water, $48, Libertine Parfumerie. 10 First edition Twelve Days book by Vita Sackville-West, B&B Rare Books. 11 Novel Ideas notebook, about
$129.10, Smythson. For Where to Buy, see page 198. #TOP PICKSText by Elizabeth Wilson. Styling by Tamara Maynes. Photograph by Simon Griffiths.
WHERE WILL YOU BE SPENDING CHRISTMAS?
Paul: We’ll be at Stonefields [the couple’s country
property, famed for its spectacular garden, in central
Victoria]. It’s a great place for all our family to gather.
YOUR APPROACH TO FESTIVE DECORATING?
We collect Christmas decorations from around the
world to remind us of our travels. We set the table
using our collection of vintage green china dressed up
with locally picked holly and spruce foliage.
HOLIDAY FASHION MUST-HAVES?
Loose linen shirts and navy shorts.
YOUR ULTIMATE HOLIDAY DESTINATION?
The Cotswolds (UK), due to its wealth of gardens and
homes to visit. Even at Christmas the gardens are
interesting in their skeletal winter state.
SUMMER PLAYLIST? Anything from my favourite
English composers such as Elgar or Vaughan
Williams. For Barry, it’s jazz. We tend to listen to
classical during the day and jazz at night.
WHAT ARE YOU PLANNING TO BINGE-WATCH
THESE HOLIDAYS? The Crown – on repeat.
FAVOURITE STORE FOR GIFT BUYING? Booktopia.
WHAT’S ON YOUR SUMMER READING LIST?
The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert.
For Barry, it’s biographies and cookbooks.
WHAT’S ON YOUR HOLIDAY MENU? Lots of ham left
over from Christmas, excessive amounts of seafood
and as much Christmas cake as we can get.
TO-DO LIST FOR 2020? Create my new garden folly at
Stonefields: it will be a gothic ruin covered in roses
that can double as an outdoor dining area.
Paul is one of Australia’s most esteemed landscape
designers; http://www.paulbangay.com.[
Home and away
]The home of renowned garden designer Paul and his husband Barry is infused with eclectic objects
and global influences, an ethos reflected in the couple’s approach to choosing gifts.210