Flower Arranging by Mark Welford and Stephen Wicks (DK, R327)
The authors of Flower Arranging say in their introduction that the aim of their book is not to intimidate, but to inspire. After spending an enjoyable hour browsing through it and reading whatever caught my eye and my imagination, I must say they achieve just that.
The book is divided into:
* “Principles”, which covers theory, care and skills;
* “Through the Year”, which looks at what flowers are available in each season and how to use them to best effect;
* “Weddings”.
With my daughter’s wedding on the horizon, I made a beeline for the section on weddings and I was not disappointed. There are several simple but effective ideas for everything from buttonholes and bridal bouquets to pew-end floral decorations and table centrepieces to meet a range of requirements. There are options for the different seasons of the year as well as a chapter for an “Urban Chic Summer” wedding.
The book is a feast for the eyes with pictures of beautiful arrangements and clear pictures of crucial steps in the process.
It not only gives step-by-step instructions, but also pictures of each of the flowers and foliage needed for the arrangement as well as quantities.
For the flower arranging novice, the section on principles offers advice on different shapes of vases as well as what tools are required and how to prepare the flowers before arranging them.
If, like me, you generally take a bunch of flowers and just drop it into a vase and hope for the best, this book will show you how little effort is required to turn those same flowers from just pretty to original and different with a “wow” factor. – Olga Accolla, Daily News