Flower Flash by Lewis Miller
As Heard on The Daily Gardener Podcast:
Flower Flash by Lewis Miller
This book came out in 2021, and Lewis Miller is a celebrated floral designer and the OG "Flower Bandit."
Ah, dear garden enthusiasts, imagine waking up to a city transformed, its concrete jungle adorned with vibrant blooms.
This is the world Lewis Miller, the "Flower Bandit," has created.
The publisher writes,
Before dawn one morning in October 2016, renowned New York-based floral designer Lewis Miller stealthily arranged hundreds of brightly colored dahlias, carnations, and mums into a psychedelic halo around the John Lennon memorial in Central Park.
The spontaneous floral installation was Lewis's gift to the city an effort to spark joy during a difficult time. Nearly five years and more than ninety Flower Flashes later, these elaborate flower bombs - bursts of jubilant blooms in trash cans, over bus canopies, on construction sites and traffic medians - have brought moments of delight and wonder to countless New Yorkers and flower lovers everywhere, and earned Lewis a following of dedicated fans and the nickname the "Flower Bandit."
After New York City entered lockdown, Lewis doubled down, creating Flower Flashes outside hospitals to express gratitude to frontline health workers and throughout the city to raise spirits.
This gorgeous and poignant visual diary traces the phenomenon from the first, spontaneous Flower Flash to the even more profound installations of the pandemic through a kaleidoscopic collage of photos documenting the Flower Flashes, behind-the-scenes snapshots, Lewis's inspiration material, fan contributions, and more.
Lewis's Flower Flash is more than just a book; it's a love letter to nature, a testament to the power of joy, and a visual feast for the senses.
With his signature flair, Lewis takes us on a journey through the heart of New York City, a place where art and nature collide in unexpected and breathtaking ways. Each Flower Flash is a masterpiece, a testament to Lewis's creativity and passion.
From the psychedelic halo around the John Lennon memorial to the vibrant displays that brought joy to frontline workers during the pandemic, these floral installations have captured the hearts of millions.
Lewis begins his story this way.
When pressed to define my own vision, a few words come to mind: Abundance. Contrast. Joy. Folly. Energy.
Flowers are a medium like no other. They exist to be beautiful, to attract butterflies and bees. It's a simple but astounding life's mission.
Yet all too often this profound essence is suffocated under the weight of other meaning. We humans assign arbitrary significance to almost everything and in the process snuff out the true purpose of that thing; flowers are not spared this imposition.
Gladiolas can be dismissed as ghastly, lilies as rancid, and carnations as tacky. Such horrible words to describe flowers, and it doesn't stop there. The cacophony of derogatory remarks is endless: cheap, garish, weedy, "too country," gaudy, pretentious ... It can make the most ambitious flower lover hesitant to create anything for fear of damnation from the Taste Gods.
The Flower Flash is my antidote to all that! Flower Flashes celebrate all the good that flowers embody and have to offer us mortals. In a Flash, every flower benefits equally from a sort of floral democracy and like most democracies, the Flash's success is largely dependent on the hardworking, unsung flowers that support the more delicate and fashionable blooms.
Precious sweet peas share company with unloved carnations, chrysanthemums make nice with English garden roses. And it makes sense that this is the recipe for a successful Flash, because New York City, the birthplace of these random acts of beauty, is built on the same principle. Like a true Flower Flash, Gotham City is a glorious mash-up of all kinds of people and personalities.
Since the roads aren't lined with roses, the Flower Flashes will be.
Flower Flash is not merely a collection of photographs. It's a behind-the-scenes look at the man who has become a symbol of hope and inspiration. Lewis shares his personal journey, his motivations, and his love for the city. His enthusiasm is infectious, and his passion for flowers is evident on every page.
This book is a celebration of life, a reminder of the beauty that can be found in the most unexpected places. It's a visual treat, a source of inspiration, and a testament to the power of human creativity. If you're looking for a book that will brighten your day and fill your heart with joy, Flower Flash is a must-read.
This book is 240 pages of Flower Flash Flower Power with the Bandit himself - Lewis Miller - flower lover, flower advocate, and joyous bringer of random acts of beauty.
SI HORTUM IN HORTORIA PODCASTA IN BIBLIOTEHCA HABES, NIHIL DEERIT.