The Art of Flower Arranging, Pryke Paula

Paula Pryke, Britains acclaimed master floral designer, sets the paradigm for excellence throughout the world--so much so that she was recently awarded an OBE. One of her defining characteristics is to go back to nature--to flowers in the wild, natural state--for inspiration and bold color combinations.

In this book, Pryke explores the process of how to move from the source of inspiration to the glorious finished flower arrangement. She ties together key aspects of making a good arrangement: mixing color, form, shape, texture, and scale; being inspired by how plants and flowers combine in nature; using foliage and fruit for visual surprise; and much more.

A separate section of the book discusses the ins and outs of tools and equipment, and the volume is rounded out with a catalogue of flowers organized into thematic types, which eases searching for the ideal flower--or alternates if the desired one is unavailable.