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$44.95
This is a book about flower arranging from the perspective of a gardener.
Harvesting from the garden means short, wonky stems, bruised petals, insects crawling out of blooms and the open invitation to claim a weed or vege as vase fodder. Flowers for Friends is both a reflection, and story of the seasons brought indoors by Julia Atkinson-Dunn when harvesting from her garden and foraging in Canterbury, New Zealand.
Written in her signature casual tone (as seen in her first hugely popular book Petal Power), Julia offers an accessible guide to picking, conditioning and arranging home- grown treasures, celebrating their quirks and encouraging unexpected combinations. Seasonal chapters profile arrangements she has made, detailing plants in season and inviting readers to play without the hunt for perfection, or restraint.
‘Patience is enforced by Mother Nature, the instant gratification of our modern lives blown out the window. There are no negatives, only a gentle opening of the eyes to find nature again, all on your own terms. Have a go!’
– Julia Atkinson-Dunn.
Julia caught the gardening bug badly when, in 2017 she moved into a lovely villa in Linwood, Christchurch and was immediately confronted with the wonderful banked vegetable garden that she needed to plant up to "look good". Armed with a trusty Yates Garden Guide and plenty of family that she could drag there to help, Ju discovered a new realm of creativity that has transformed her everydays.
Follow Ju's gardening adventures on instagram @studiohomegardening on her blog Studio Home and on her weekly column for Stuff Homed.