Garden to Vase: Growing and Using Your Own Cut Flowers - Hardcover

Beutler, Linda

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0881928259 ISBN 13: 9780881928259

Publisher: Timber Press, 2007

Synopsis

As an accomplished gardener and professional florist, Linda Beutler offers unique insights into creating inspired floral arrangements and growing the plants that go into them. Among the topics that Beutler discusses are the philosophy of floral design; making creative use of plants you're already growing; techniques of harvesting and preparing cut flowers; "bouquet basics"; and creating arrangements for special occasions. The book culminates in "Plants for the Cutting Garden: Flowers, Foliage, and Fruit," which contains detailed descriptions of more than 200 outstanding plants. Adding greatly to the book's appeal and usefulness are Allan Mandell's breathtaking photographs of flowers in every stage from the garden to finished arrangement.

About this title

About the Author

Linda Beutler grows a great number of plants on a simple city lot in the Sellwood neighborhood of Portland, Oregon. She was a professional florist for over 20 years, and her first love in her own garden was growing flowers and foliage for cutting. Her focus changed when she purchased her first clematis as a misnamed plant. Her personal collection of this genus now numbers 300 separate species and cultivars. Her passion for clematis led to the publication of her first book, Gardening with Clematis. She is one of two vice presidents of the International Clematis Society. She was a founding member of the Friends of the Rogerson Clematis Collection in 2003, and served on their board of directors until July 2007 when she was named the collection's first curator. Linda has been an instructor of horticulture at Clackamas Community College for 12 years. She teaches on herbaceous perennials and "The Flower Arranger's Garden." In 2007 Timber Press published her second book, Garden to Vase, on growing and using your own cut flowers, which was written with gardeners, not florists, in mind. She lectures nationally on numerous gardening topics, and is a garden writer for both local and national publications, including Fine Gardening, Pacific Horticulture, and Birdwatcher's Digest.

From the Back Cover

When you feel the urge to re-create the combinations of color and texture that enliven your garden in arrangements to enjoy indoors, does a crisis of confidence follow? Which flowers should I use? Will they last in a vase? At what stage should I pick them? Do they need some kind of conditioning? Could I be growing other plants that would add excitement to my arrangements?

The answers to these questions, and many more, can be found herein. An accomplished gardener and professional florist, Linda Beutler offers unique insights into creating inspired floral arrangements and growing the plants that go into them.

In her lively and down-to-earth syle she explores the essence of floral design; making creative use of plants you're already growing; techniques for harvesting and preparing cut flowers; bouquet basics; and creating arrangments for special occasions. She devotes an entire chapter to the well-loved mainstays: lilies, narcissi, tulips, roses, peonies, hydrangeas, and tropical flowers.

A wealth of expert information culminates in an alphabetical directory that describes the flowers, foliage, and fruit of more than 200 oustanding plants that are as lovely in the garden as in a vase. Each entry includes the plant's botanical and common names; its habit, hardiness, height, fragrance, and appearance; when it can be harvestedd; how to grow it; how it should be conditioned; and insider tips about what to look for if you're purchasing cut stems rather than growing the plant yourself.

Allan Mandell's breathaking photographs show flowers in full color at every stage from the garden to finished arrangement. Visually stunning and replete with information both practical and inspirational, Garden to Vase will help you grow both as a gardener and as an artist of the garden's bounty.

Edition details

• Publisher: Timber Press
• Publication date: 2007
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0881928259
• ISBN 13: 9780881928259
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 304