The slow food movement (with its hundreds of thousands of members and supporters) has changed our relationship with the foods in our lives. Now the slow flower movement is changing the way we think about cut flowers: Yes, we'd all prefer fresh, fragrant flowers in our bouquets, not the chemical-laden lifeless blooms flown in from afar - but what to do in those seasons when not much is growing locally? Acclaimed garden writer Debra Prinzing challenged herself to create a beautiful, locally-grown bouquet for each of 52 weeks of one year (going beyond flowers to include ornamental twigs, foliage, greenhouse plants, dried pods, and more), to demonstrate that all four seasons have their own botanical character to be celebrated. She provides extensive design tips, bouquet “recipes” and region-by-region floral ingredient lists that can be found in all climate zones through the year. Slow Flowers is written from a DIY floral designer's point of view, to inspire anyone to go green and make a beautiful bouquet with what's at hand, no matter the season.
The Garden Writers Association has recognized Slow Flowers with a 2014 Silver Award of Achievement
52 Weeks of Fresh Flowers First there was "slow food." Now there's "slow flowers," local and fresh: no chemical-laden, lifeless blooms flown in from afar. Acclaimed garden writer Debra Prinzing wants to show us the rich, floral bounty closer to home. In "Slow Flowers," she takes us through the seasons to create 52 vibrant, sensual bouquets using "only" locally sourced materials - even in winter.
In this lushly photographed book, the DIY floral designer will find expert tips, bouquet recipes, eco-friendly arranging techniques... and a comprehensive index with climate zone information for each botanical ingredient.
"Debra Prinzing inspires us to slow down and smell the flowers, especially those grown in our own backyards or by local flower farmers." -Lara Spencer, ABC's Good Morning America lifestyle anchor and author of "I Brake for Yard Sales"
From Craig Nakano, LA Times, February 25, 2013:
""When Debra Prinzing talks about ""Slow Flowers,"" the title of her new book, what's most striking is the extent to which concepts that sound so familiar and so logical also can seem so foreign. After all, how many times have we picked up flowers at Trader Joe's without asking ourselves: Are the blooms in season? Were they grown locally? Who produced them or where did they come from? You might find those kinds of sourcing questions answered on menus but rarely on store-bought bouquets.""