The Flower Book by Rachel Siegfried

The Flower Book by Rachel Siegfried

This book came out in 2017, and the subtitle is Let the Beauty of Each Bloom Speak For Itself.

Before I tell you about Rachel's book, let me share a little bit about Rachel's background.

In 2008, Rachel set up a flower farm called Green and Gorgeous in the Oxfordshire countryside.

At Green and Gorgeous, Rachel provides flowers locally and handles special events like weddings. In her spare time, Rachel and her partner, Ashley, offer floristry and gardening classes for amateurs and professionals.

Rachel starts her book by walking us through how she arranges flowers. This is a little step-by-step tutorial - and if you've ever considered a career as a florist, you will get a little one-on-one here from Rachel.

As Rachel mentions at the beginning of her book, she breaks down her arrangement process into three stages, which she calls the three F's: foliage, focal flowers, and then the final flourish.

Rachel walks through several different arrangement types. She talks about how to do front-facing displays, centerpieces, and even a simple hand-tied bouquet.

Of course, the main section of the book- the guts of the book - are these sixty flower profiles, and these are Rachel's favorite cut flowers.

All the flowers are broken down into chapters by seasons, which is very helpful because if we're working with cut flowers, we have to work with what's in season in our gardens.

One of the things that I especially appreciate about what Rachel does with each flower is she talks about how to use them best or profile them in an arrangement. She also gives little recipes showing how to use these flowers and showcase them in their very best light.

Remember, Rachel is not only a florist but also a gardener. So, she understands what it's like to cultivate these plants, how to grow them, the best time to pick them, how to use them, and how to maximize that blossom when you bring it indoors and put it in a container.

I also want to quickly mention that the book organizes the flowers into chapters by season - and there is a special chapter devoted just to tropicals because they deserve a category all to themselves for their exotic look. The flowers of tropical flowers are so architectural, and in many cases, these might not be plants that you're growing in your own garden.

DK published this book, and when I saw that, I knew the book would be very clear, the photography would be crisp, and the instructions would be top-notch. 

So, there is much to think about and much to learn from Rachel Siegfried, the talented gardener and florist. 

This book has 224 pages of flower arranging and then sixty incredible flowers showcased in detail.

You can get a copy of The Flower Book by Rachel Siegfried and support the show using the Amazon link in today's show notes for around $8.