From Flowers to Community with Gena Winter

An Hour In Nature

Gena Winter is the co-founder of Marigold, a beloved San Francisco design studio, flower, and coffee shop known for its organic, whimsical style and deep connection to the seasons. Alongside her partner Aubriana, she recently opened The Little Store in Woodside: a new space bringing together fresh food, coffee, and flowers. Whether designing for weddings, curating retail accounts, or gathering around the table at their new venture, Gena’s work is grounded in a respect for nature’s rhythms and a love for community.

What’s your favorite thing to do in nature?

I love the ability to instantly disconnect when spending time in nature. Every sense is delighted in a heightened way that can only be experienced when you’re experiencing the world as we did long ago.

Watching my three-year-old fall in love with the natural world he lives in through his curiosity of everything outdoors—the way he stops to smell each flower and ask its name—reminds me of its wonder. I love rediscovering things through his eyes and seeing him fully immerse himself in the surroundings.

How do you bring nature into your home?

Fresh flowers at home almost feel like a necessity. They instantly ground the space and bring a sense of calm. The ritual of bringing home flowers, designing them in a vase, and placing them throughout the house feels very therapeutic.

My husband and I also collect rocks from different places we visit—a tradition we both had before we met, and one that continues to bring a piece of the outside world into our home.

Can you describe an experience when you’ve been made to feel fully—and perhaps uncomfortably—aware of the power of nature?

Surfing at Ocean Beach was incredibly humbling. The ocean is such a powerful force, one I’m equally drawn to and frightened by. Whenever I meditate or need to find a sense of calm, I picture myself standing in the sand at the edge of the ocean.

What are your fondest memories of spending time in nature?

We love taking advantage of San Francisco’s parks and spend almost every weekend exploring Golden Gate Park, the Presidio, or Lands End trails. My husband and I became engaged during a picnic on Mount Tamalpais, a quick escape from the city that has become one of my most treasured memories.

What is your favorite natural scent, and why?

Heirloom tuberose. They grow locally here in August and September, and their scent fills a room for days. It’s a nostalgically sweet summer aroma that I can’t get enough of—we source them from a farm in Healdsburg.