By Jill Brooke
Summer’s heating up—and so is the book scene. While your customers are chasing sunshine, give them some hot-off-the-press reads to dive into. Check out some of our favorite new titles. Why not stock a few in your shop?
Sustainable Floral Design:
The Sustainable Future Found in Our History
By Per Benjamin and Max van de Sluis
Per Benjamin and Max van de Sluis, both internationally renowned floral artists and educators, collaborate under the brand Life2. Their joint work emphasizes excellence and sustainability in floral design. Here, they revisit the roots of floristry—drawing inspiration from historical practices dating back to the Stone Age and Ancient Egypt—to explore how ancient methods can inform more eco-conscious, modern flower arrangements. With a focus on the principles of “reduce, reuse and recycle,” they encourage florists to adopt less wasteful techniques by reinterpreting the past. Their approach blends innovation with history, offering practical and inspiring ideas for a greener future in floristry.
Pansies:
How to Grow, Reimagine and Create Beauty with Pansies and Violas
By Brenna Estrada
This beautifully illustrated book by flower farmer Brenna Estrada (of Three Brothers Blooms) delves into the world of pansies and violas, exploring their history, cultivation and various uses. You’ll find detailed information on growing and maintaining these vibrant flowers, as well as creative ideas for incorporating them into crafts, recipes and floral design. With profiles of 50 varieties, this book serves as both a practical guide and a source of inspiration for gardeners, florists and artists alike. The stunning photography captures the intricate details of pansies, making it a delightful addition to any gardening library—the colors just make you gasp in delight. You will think of using pansies more in your arrangements after reading this book.
Living with Flowers
By Aerin Lauder
In Living with Flowers, Aerin Lauder shares her passion for floral design and how it influences her lifestyle. The book offers a glimpse into Lauder’s homes, showcasing how she incorporates flowers into her living spaces. Through vivid photography and personal anecdotes, readers learn about the aesthetic and emotional impact of flower arrangements. Lauder also provides practical tips on selecting, arranging and caring for flowers, drawing inspiration from her grandmother, Estée Lauder. The book includes a glossary of flower symbolism and insights from renowned florists and designers. It’s a celebration of the beauty and joy that flowers bring to everyday life—and a nice coffee table book.
Martha Stewart’s Gardening Handbook:
The Essential Guide to Designing, Planting and Growing
By Martha Stewart
Martha Stewart’s 101st book is a comprehensive guide for gardeners of all levels. Whether you’re tending to a backyard garden or nurturing potted plants on a balcony, Stewart’s handbook provides valuable insights into plant selection, soil preparation and garden design. Her emphasis on sustainability and aesthetics ensures that readers can create gardens that are both beautiful and environmentally friendly. Like Martha, the information is practical.
Tough Plants:
Garden Gladiators that Pack a Punch in Extreme Weather
By Val Bourne
This book by British horticulturist Val Bourne—an award-winning writer, lecturer and organic gardener—is a satisfying conversation about plants that can endure and perform. Photographed by renowned garden photographer Marianne Majerus, it focuses on resilient plants that thrive in challenging conditions. The book offers practical advice on selecting and caring for plants that can withstand extreme weather, making it an essential guide for gardeners facing climate-related challenges. This publication combines expert knowledge with stunning visuals, showcasing plants that are not only hardy but also beautiful. It’s an invaluable resource for those looking to create a robust and attractive garden in any environment.
The Rose Book
By Phaidon Editors, with essays by Amy de la Haye, Victoria Gaiger and Kristine Paulus
It’s always a good day when Phaidon editors compile an exquisite flower book. Just like they did with the amazing Flower: Exploring the World in Bloom, this new one delights and informs. Roses get their razor-like focus and give readers a decadent visual trip exploring our enduring connection to one of nature’s most iconic flowers. From a couture Dior gown and rose-adorned Barbie to ancient mosaics and Victorian Valentine’s Cards, this curated collection of more than 200 stunning images celebrates the world’s most beloved bloom. The essays offer additional insight into topics such as the rose’s rich history, its abundance in fashion and its popularity as a perfume scent. The book’s themes are as varied as its selected works spanning paintings, textiles, mosaics, jewelry, archival posters and home decor, revealing the extraordinary ways the flower has been depicted through time and culture, both within and beyond the garden.
A Year in Bloom:
Flowering Bulbs for Every Season
By Lucy Bellamy
Organized into four seasonal chapters by flowering time, this book by Lucy Bellamy features more than 150 bulbs, each with informative text, expert planting advice and striking photography. The range of varieties, colors and shape is vast. Gardeners will discover bulbs suited for borders, containers and for planting in grass; bulbs to attract pollinators, for scent and for naturalized plantings; and reliably perennial bulbs that will flower year after year, with an emphasis on a sustainable approach.
Flower Day:
A Story of 24 Hours and 24 Floral Lives
By Sandra Knapp
Image: Flower Day: A Story of 24 Hours and 24 Floral Lives
In this book, botanist and award-winning author Sandra Knapp walks readers through a day in a global garden. With illustrator Katie Scott, she spotlights 24 flowers as they attract pollinators, resist predators and survive on our changing planet. Following Bird Day and Frog Day, this is the third title in the Earth Day series.Each short book of the series offers 24 chapters, corresponding to 24-hour-long windows to witness the diversity of life. Each hour is accompanied by an original illustration, offering a glimpse of our remarkable planet and its fascinating inhabitants.
