Seasonal Flower Arranging

Starred review from February 1, 2019
When confronted with hundreds of varieties of flowers, fruit, foliage, and shrubs, novice as well as more experienced gardeners dither and dally about arrangements. What's right for the season? Which is the best choice for different kinds of arrangements: wreaths, tablescapes, arches, and more traditional decorations? Artistic director of New York's FlowerSchool, Chezar (The Flower Workshop, 2016) has the answers and provides them here via four seasonal charts, elegant (and memorable) language, and 39 breathtaking designs to copy and/or draw inspiration from. From her perspective, why pay for out-of-season cut flowers (78 percent come from Colombia) when a wealth of options can be found in your own backyard? Tools of the trade are explained first, along with her creative method and recommendations for a cutting garden. Then the tome veritably explodes with color photographs of whimsy and imagination. All details are included (alternate flowers, directions, how to pick) as well as occasional specific how-to's (e.g., how to make a spiral bouquet). A pioneer in the farm-to-vase movement, Chezar will get readers arranging for an Easter parade or garden arch, an Indian-summer tribute or a Hanukkah table.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)