“Floret Farm’s A Year in Flowers”, is an especially helpful book on flower arranging for those who prefer a structured teaching approach and lots of practical matters, along with inspiration. To do this, Erin Benzakein and her co-authors use many comparison photographs.
An example is a full-bleed page of “warm” pinks on the left, contrasted with “cool” pinks on the right page, giving a clear insight to how the addition of a bit of yellow or blue makes an important difference in the exact shade.
Other pages demonstrate the different shades of green or the texture of foliage types. Another important consideration is the stylistic functions of different shapes of flowers. Some, by their substance, will be the focus of an arrangement. Others will act in supporting or accent roles.
Following the basics are pages and pages of gloriously photographed arrangements, taken by Erin’s husband Chris Benzakein, accompanied by lots of details in the text on the components.
Excerpted from the Fall 2021 issue of the Arboretum Bulletin