Gardening

Revealing a world of secret messages contained within a single petal.

Floriography – the language of flowers – is the ancient art of encoding hidden messages in the type, colour and arrangement of plants, allowing individuals to express emotions and sentiments that they may not be able to articulate through words.

Featuring 100 of the most popular and available blooms from around the world, this beautifully illustrated gift book gives the botanical name for each plant, a description of its significance and place in folklore, and the story behind its meaning. It also reveals how floral symbolism has been used over the centuries in literature and art, from Hamlet's Ophelia handing out rosemary 'for remembrance' and pansies 'for thoughts', to Oscar Wilde urging his friends to wear green carnations as a subtle code for homosexuality. The idea that flowers have secret meanings would have been well understood by contemporary audiences – and we are seeing a revival of the practice today.

From mimosa – which signifies chastity because its leaves close when touched – to the varied messages encoded within different colours of geraniums, Floriography offers a creative way to convey feelings and can add an extra layer of beauty and significance to a gift of flowers.

The flowers in Kate Middleton's wedding bouquet signified love, happiness, gallantry and fidelity.

If someone sends you a bouquet of hydrangea and lobelia, beware: they stand for heartlessness and malevolence.

Step into a Persian paradise, wander through a Mughal masterpiece or lose yourself in Monet's blooming haven at Giverny - The Garden Through Time brings 45 extraordinary gardens to life in a beautifully illustrated journey across the world and through the centuries.

From peaceful medieval cloisters to imaginative modern spaces like New York's High Line, each garden offers inspiration and ideas you can adapt at home, whether you have a sprawling garden or just a few pots on a balcony.

With stunning artwork and accessible, thoughtful tips throughout, this book blends the joy of discovery with practical insight. It's a celebration of the garden in all its forms - ideal for anyone looking to reimagine their outdoor space or simply explore the beauty of gardens from their own armchair.

Happy Plants will tell you everything you need to know about how to boost your mood with the happiest house plants, herbs, flowers and fronds.

It has long been known that immersing ourselves in the natural world makes us happy. But what are the happiest plants? How do you make the most of their joy-bringing properties like scent, taste and colour? And how do you bring this positive plant power into your life?

Happy Plants features 100 planty reasons to be cheerful, with engaging and authoritative text and gorgeously colourful images from leading gardening charity the Royal Horticultural Society. From cut flowers and containers to forests and fields, each entry will describe how plants can fight sadness, induce calm and otherwise brighten your day - and how you can make these accessible species happy, too.

Setting the world on flower with this beautiful, practical, and inspiring guide to small-scale floriculture

Floramama is a practical guide for running a successful six-figure cut-flower business on 1.5 acres, combining ecological cultivation practices with entrepreneurial insights and the artistry of floral design.

Author and farmer Chloé Roy merges Jean-Martin Fortier's biointensive market gardening principles with her experience in Quebec's ecological flower-growing movement, inspired by the "slow flower" philosophy. This visually stunning resource covers:

• An overview of the various classifications of flowers and their uses, covering annuals, biennials, perennials, bulb plants, and wildflowers
• Cultivation techniques for vigorous, healthy blooms from site selection and infrastructure to soil amendments, transplanting and seed-starting methods, tools, irrigation, pest management, and harvest practices that extend vase life
• Planting schedules and business and marketing strategies to help maximize productivity and financial viability, particularly in challenging climates
• Guidance on crafting visually stunning bouquets by creatively combining elements such as color, texture, volume, and form to create both harmony and contrast.

Whether you're an established market gardener, an aspiring flower farmer, or simply passionate about sustainable blooms, Floramama offers valuable insights to help you grow with both purpose and profit.

Ecological gardening with ease and simplicity.

Gardening Naturally offers a wealth of information and practical advice for growing indoor and outdoor plants based on sustainability, a rejection of artificial chemicals, and respect for biodiversity and the natural world. From advice on planning your garden and dealing with disease, insects, and the arrival of cold weather, to tips for starting your own compost, repotting effectively, and choosing which local and native flowers to best attract pollinators, Gardening Naturally will interest anyone who wants to add flowers, edibles, and greenery to their daily life, no matter the size of their balcony or the extent of their garden.

Master Flower Gardening and Learn to Grow Flowers for All Seasons — Now in a New 2025 Edition

“Anyone wanting to get started with a flower garden will find plenty of expert guidance here.” ―Publishers Weekly

Dreaming of a yard full of beautiful flowers to plant or eager to grow your own rose garden? Growing Flowers is your complete guide to flower gardening for beginners and seasoned gardeners alike. Niki Irving shares expert advice on everything from flower gardening basics to advanced cut flower farming, making it easy to create an easy flower garden or even start your own flower farm.

Whether you’re interested in learning about flowers, cutting roses for arrangements, or exploring flower farming for beginners, this book gives you the tools and inspiration you need. Discover the secrets to gardening flowers for beginners, find the best rose flower varieties, and learn how to grow, harvest, and arrange blooms like a pro.

Inside, you’ll find:

• Step-by-step guidance for flower gardening and cut flower farming, including the essentials of flower farming for beginners.
• Tips on growing your own rose and cutting roses for long-lasting arrangements.
• A curated list of beautiful flowers to plant for every season and climate.
• Practical advice for creating an easy flower garden and mastering gardening flowers for beginners.

If you love flower books like Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden, A Year in Flowers, or The Flower Gardener’s Bible, you’ll adore the expert advice and gorgeous visuals in Niki Irving’s Growing Flowers. Perfect for gardening gifts, DIY floral enthusiasts, and anyone eager to bring more beauty into their home, this essential companion will guide you in learning about flowers, starting a flower farm, and enjoying the art of growing and arranging your own fresh blooms.

For centuries we have harnessed the ancient wisdom of botanical healing, with plants used for a multitude of remedies that nurture both body and soul.

Kew: The Apothecary's Garden is a fascinating exploration of nature's pharmacy and the healing power of plants, from soothing hops, chamomile and valerian, and invigorating guarana, maca and ginseng, to the infection-fighting turmeric and tea tree and the immunity-boosting turkey tail mushroom. Herbal remedies, natural tinctures, and the historical and botanical background of plants are revealed through expert text and beautiful illustrations from the renowned Kew archive.

This curious history of plants that heal describes the incredible properties of over 60 species. Exploring the original folk remedies they inspired and the science behind them, this is the weird and wonderful story of how humans have harnessed nature's apothecary.

Take a trip into the world of hallucinogenic plants.

From ancient ayahuasca rituals in the Amazon to substance-fuelled partying in the Summer of Love, psychoactive plants have been used for thousands of years for everything from shamanic ceremonies to staying awake. The Psychedelic Garden is a fascinating exploration of these incredible species that, for centuries, have helped shape the way we see the world.

With expert text and gorgeous botanical illustrations from the archives at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, this mind-expanding book delves into the folklore, cultural relevance and botanical background of these remarkable plants.

Historic Royal Palaces: Royal Blooms is a fascinating exploration of how plants and flowers have formed an integral part of the crown, from the past through to present day.

From mulberry and myrtle to pomegranate and poppy, this beautifully illustrated and expertly written book depicts in detail how plants and flowers have been used by various royals throughout the centuries not just for power, politics and status but more recently, celebration. This four-colour beautiful, upmarket gift book is filled with interesting facts and captivating stories alongside stunning botanical illustrations and historical photographs from the Historic Royal Palaces archive, all focused on the crown's fascination with plants and flowers, from the war of the roses to royal wedding bouquets and everything in between.