When this book and I met at the library, I eyed it somewhat dubiously and imagined its pages to be full of kitschy, retro arrangements featuring genuine vintage silk flowers. (An impression strengthened by the way my library has cut and pasted the cover, making this arrangement even more funerary.) Well, granny chic is hot right now, it could be interesting, I reasoned, and tucked it in my bag.
Upon arriving home I opened the book, and realised that my first impressions weren't too far wrong, except that the arrangements are made (mostly) with real flowers. However, it is still kitschy, retro, granny-cool and gorgeous. Also, I must point out, it's a new book - from 2011.
The layout of the book is beautiful. There is a chapter dedicated to roses, and thanks to the quirky vintage vibe, the arrangements are classic but never boring. It's not a how-to book, but the gorgeous photos and juxtaposition of the images will give you inspiration aplenty.
There are plenty of seasonal ideas too.
While it's not a how-to book, there are still some basic techniques explained - how to make a hand-tied posy, how to make a satisfying jug of flowers, how to use floral foam. But really it's all about the images. I'm already missing this book (I had to return it to the library) but it's on my wishlist, and I'm hoping we'll meet again in the future.
I'm linking up again to HolleyGarden's monthly book review post. See here for more gardening books to read.