The Horticultural Society of New York couldn’t have picked a more perfect site than the St. Regis Roof for its Annual Fall Luncheon. Home and garden guru Bettie Bearden Pardee was this year’s recipient of the Award of Excellence. The designer and award-winning flower arranger is the author of Private Newport: At Home and in the Garden (Little Brown & Co., 2004), and two guides to entertaining. She also is a contributing editor at Bon Appetit and served as co-chair of the 2004 New-port Flower Show.

Among the garden-loving crowd: Elizabeth Kabler, Victoria Wyman, Margo Langenberg, Cynthia Maltese, and CeCe Black. Philanthropy was in bloom!