One tool that librarians use to organize books is the subject headings in catalog entries. For “Cultivated: The Elements of Floral Style,” the single subject heading term as provided by the Library of Congress is “flower arrangement.” While this choice is technically correct, this new book by Victoria, BC author and photographer Christin Geall is also a memoir, and explores deeper matters than most books with the same heading.
The author describes herself as like a magpie; she is drawn to many different topics. Fortunately, she is skilled at combining those interests around the central subject of this book, and rarely strays off topic. For example, gardening is very important to her and she encourages flower arrangers to grow their own material. However, this is not a how-to book on gardening. Instead, she recommends you find such a book, and then suggests some choices.
I learned many practical tips from reading “Cultivated,” including keeping a photographic record as part of your study. A chapter on history provides insights from the baroque, the rococo, and the styles of other periods and places. But resonant to me was Geall’s philosophical perspective shaped by the homestead she owned in her 20s on a tiny British Columbia island six hours from Vancouver. During this time, she also visited Findhorn, a self-described ecovillage in Scotland known initially for applying spiritual principles to grow robust gardens.
She uses the lessons learned from all these experiences (including training in horticulture at Kew Gardens) to guide the purpose of her flower arrangements. She encourages the reader to draw on all of life’s experiences. “This book is both an aesthetic and personal inquiry–an exploration of history, culture, the senses, and my own understanding, which I hope might serve as tools for interpreting and appreciating floral designs in new ways.”
Excerpted from the Fall 2021 issue of the Arboretum Bulletin