THE FLOWER HUNTER: SEASONAL FLOWERS INSPIRED BY NATURE AND GATHERED FROM THE GARDEN by Lucy Hunter

Ryland Peters & Small, £30 ISBN 978-1788793841

Seasonality and self-knowledge are at the heart of this beautiful, inspirational and refreshingly fun book by the floral polymath Lucy Hunter. Reviewer Hannah Gardner is a horticulturist and garden writer.

This cross-genre book weaves together the art of gardening, floristry and decorative crafts, encouraging us to slow down and find our own creative voice – to ‘explore those things that truly fascinate you rather than whatever is deemed to be the trend of the moment’. Author Lucy Hunter has a degree in fine art and 20 years’ experience of working as a landscape designer and floral artist around the world, but she treads lightly, wandering around her subject and narrating with humour while spilling out useful tips and sharing stories from her journey.

The chapters flow through the natural cycle of a year (understandably splitting the abundance of summer into early and late season). Feeling included, we share time in her studio in North Wales. Dipping into her own garden for floral material, she also explores the local countryside and other interesting gardens, seeking inspiration in the everyday. Her warm commentary binds the vintage-feel images and wellchosen topics together. Spring brings a sense of optimism and pretty ideas for growing bulbs in pots for indoor display. Natural dyeing and harvesting flowers for drying are for the warm days of late summer and autumn. Each chapter culminates in a project and for me it is this aspect of the book that really shines.

Hunter guides and cajoles us, step by step, into completing five eclectic, creative tasks that connect us to the season, including creating journals, arranging a summer table full of spilly, romantic urns and devising a towering, spring sculpture complete with painted backdrop, which is frankly a bit kooky and definitely my favourite. The exquisite photographs and floral arrangements are all by the author. The aesthetic is dream-like, muted and painterly, a kind of wabi-sabi ‘beauty in imperfection’ vibe that is grounded by the effortless, unpretentious text and leaves you feeling inspired and confident.