There’s no doubt about it- Spring is the season for flowers. In the lanes and hedgerows, in our gardens, on our mantels and even in our Instagram feeds, we at 91 are in love with all things floral. With all the blooms that are available to us, we do sometimes find ourselves wishing that we had the know-how to recreate the beautiful floral creations that we see around us and online.
This is why we were thrilled to receive an advance copy of Flowers Every Day: Inspired florals for homes, gifts and gatherings, the new book by hip London florist Florence Kennedy, in which she shares the secrets of how to create flower crowns, table arrangements, arches and bouquets.
Florence Kennedy is the founder of Petalon, a London-based, bicycle-powered flower delivery company. Her passion for flowers is intense and contagious, and her absence of classical floristry training results in a style that is creative and free, guided by instinct, feeling, and an impeccable artistic eye.
In Flowers Every Day, she teaches the reader how to create a series of floral projects inspired by her creative designs. The book begins with a section called The Basics, which covers sourcing flowers, tools and techniques, and vases. The remainder of the book is quartered by seasons, with several projects in each. For Spring, these include flower crowns, bud vases and a table meadow. For Summer, there are projects such as a flower chandelier, buttonholes and summer table flowers. For Autumn, highlights number bridal bouquets, a flower beam and a living staircase, and Winter features two variants of wreath and gift toppers, among others.
The book is photographed by India Hobson, a talented photographer with a practiced eye for floral beauty. Shot in a selection of characterful locations with an air of fading grandeur, India’s images perfectly showcase Florence’s designs.
All of the projects look beautiful and adaptable. We’re thinking we might start with the bud vases, move on to the festival flower crowns, and then attempt the flower chandelier. In the meantime, Florence’s instructions for creating a lovely bouquet to give as a gift are sure to be invaluable, time and again.
If you share our passion for flowers, this book is definitely for you. Not only is it a delight to peruse with a cup of tea, it’s also packed with practical tutorials. A must for anyone who wants to enjoy flowers every day.
Flowers Every Day by Florence Kennedy is published by Pavilion (£18.99) It’s available for pre-order and will be in shops and online from 18th May.
All images in this post by Laura Pashby.
