Gardens at Malmaison sit deep in the countryside in St. Albans, Mo., in Franklin County just over the St. Louis County line. The restaurant’s fine food and beautiful setting long ago won the hearts of St. Louis diners, but its distance from the city kept many fans from becoming regulars.

For most people, bringing work home with them is a bad thing. Not so for James Afflixio, co-owner of Maplewood Galleries, a design showroom of art and antiques that opened last spring in downtown Maplewood. The home he shares with his partner, Gary Boyson, in the Cathedral district of the Central West End is filled with treasures from a lifetime of traveling and collecting.

“We’re the caretakers for this home and will pass it on to another generation.” That’s the commitment made by these homeowners on moving into their magnificent three-story Colonial in 1999. Located in a Clayton neighborhood that celebrated its centennial in 2013, the residence was built in 1927-28, designed by renowned Chicago architect Chester H. Walcott, and holds the distinction of a listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

This winter, brush up on your plant and flower knowledge with a garden and landscaping book. Start planning for spring by selecting species to plant, get tips for garden design or simply brighten a dreary winter day by flipping through the colorful pages. SLHL asked local landscapers their favorite garden and landscaping books.

When people talk about the good life, they’re often envisioning sitting on a terrace with a glass of wine in one hand, a plate of fresh bread and cheeses nearby, looking out over a bucolic scene with the sun starting to set. It’s a beautiful image, one that can be doubly appreciated by us right now as we slog through another St. Louis winter of freezing temperatures and, more than likely, a few feet of snow.

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