Flower Philosophy: Seasonal Projects to Inspire & Restore

Florist Potter (Flower Fix) presents a wealth of tips for creating beautiful flower arrangements in this encouraging guide. Aiming to show “how working with flowers can also serve as meditation, ritual and art,” the author urges readers to use seasonal, locally grown flowers. Twenty-five projects come arranged by season: a wild-spirited tulip arrangement with garden roses and ranunculus is a fitting celebration for spring, while summer sees a “sunburst mandala” composed of seasonal petals and leaves. For autumn, a withered arrangement of hawthorn, snowberry, and “‘past-it’ blooms signals one last heroic hurrah for the things much loved about to be lost.” The winter season uses “fruiting branches, berries and funghi” to create a mushroom altar and a solstice crown. Each project includes stunning photography and detailed, step-by-step instructions with creative options for variants (the Beltane’s Blessing project, for example, has instructions for both a tablescape and a hand-tied bouquet). Newbies will also find guides to basic arrangement methods and choosing and buying flowers, as well as a list of required tools (chicken wire and strong scissors are must-haves). A helpful flower thesaurus provides further notes on pairings, seasonal availability, and vase life. Budding florists need look no further. (Feb.)