Anne Clay

Elias Gardner is the devoted caretaker of Summerbrook Hall, a lush estate nestled near the Bellewood rose fields, where he tends both land and legacy with equal care. Known throughout the region for his refined manners and encyclopedic knowledge of heirloom roses, Elias is often seen with garden shears in one hand and a well-worn book of poetry in the other.

Born to a French botanist and a Jamaican herbalist, Elias brings a blend of science and soul to everything he does—his gardens bloom not only with beauty but with purpose. He teaches young apprentices the lost language of flowers and keeps a meticulously illustrated journal of every blossom that has graced Summerbrook’s soil.

But Elias is more than a gardener. He’s Bellewood’s quiet philosopher—often sought out for advice or reflection beneath the arched trellises in the late afternoon sun. His calm presence and precise eye have made him a symbol of thoughtful living, and those who know him say the roses seem to bloom brighter in his company.

From the Bellewood Society Portrait Collection, Elias Gardner’s portrait pairs beautifully with Bellewood’s floral textiles and wallpaper designs, reflecting the romantic, storied world of a gentler past reimagined with warmth and inclusivity.

Thalia Rainwalker is the steward of the Willow Vale Almanac, a handwritten volume passed down through four generations of women in her family. Raised on the edges of Bellewood in the flowering marshlands, Thalia carries the knowledge of native medicinal plants, lunar planting cycles, and old-world textile dyes—a blend of traditions from her Algonquian ancestry and the English colonial influences surrounding her.

Dressed in soft rose linen trimmed with lace, she is often seen at the edge of gatherings—observing quietly, sketching botanicals in her journal, or gently offering a tincture to a neighbor in need. Her necklaces, layered with stones and seeds, are not simply ornament—they are her tools, each with a story and a purpose.

Though soft-spoken, Miss Rainwalker’s presence holds weight. She is Bellewood’s keeper of wisdom, often consulted in times of both sickness and celebration. Her porch is always open, her tea pot always warm, and her ear always patient.

From the Bellewood Society Portrait Collection, the portrait of Thalia Rainwalker pairs beautifully with floral wallpaper and textiles from the Bellewood line, evoking a gentle reverence for tradition, story, and the quiet strength that binds community together.

Clara Rainwalker is the niece of Miss Thalia Rainwalker and often seen trailing her aunt barefoot through garden paths and woodland hollows, her apron pockets full of wild rosehips and folded scraps of pressed flowers. Though small in stature, Clara’s curiosity seems to fill every room she enters.

She is known across Bellewood for her keen memory and soft, melodic singing voice. It’s said she can repeat entire stories after hearing them only once—especially the kind told at twilight on porches or whispered in kitchens. Her favorite is “The Tale of the Spinning Star,” a story Thalia claims came from their great-grandmother.

Dressed in striped lilac cotton with lace trim, Clara always wears the ribbon her mother embroidered—a pink rose stitched at the edge, now slightly faded but lovingly retied each morning. Her hands are never still: they braid threads, gather herbs, or cradle baby birds fallen from the hedge.

Though her world is small—just a cluster of neighbors and woodland glens—Clara is already leaving her mark. She has memorized the old almanac by heart and dreams of adding her own drawings one day, right beside her aunt’s.

From the Bellewood Society Portrait Collection, Clara’s likeness pairs with the youthful floral prints of the Bellewood nursery line. Her portrait evokes sweetness, intelligence, and the quiet inheritance of wisdom passed from hand to hand through generations of women.

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