Blooming Pages: Roz's Top Book Recommendations

favourite books. So we start with the RHS book published by the RHS, your well being garden. Now those who know me and follow me and listen to podcasts will know that I am a real advocate for gardening and mental health. I've had lots of lots of visitors on to this podcast that you could catch up on, and listen to a book that what their take is on well being and being

in your garden. But this book uniquely explains all the evidence behind why green spaces and gardening are great for your mental health and also your physical health. Alistair Griffis and authors bring the science to life by providing facts on how your garden can have a positive impact on your mood, your stress levels, your immune system, your cardiovascular system, and so much more. Even the physical activity of gardening has tangible benefits for your well

being. So that's on my top of my list, the RHS your well being garden. Number two is a book I've had for quite a long time.

And I think in the US, the title might be slightly different. But the title in the UK is called gilding the lily by Amy Stewart. Now, Amy Stewart, I'll read you what it actually says on Amazon, it says is a green fingered gardener. Amy Stewart has always delighted in the sight of freshly cut flowers. But she grew increasingly curious and uneasy about the journey those flowers take to reach our bouquet. Now we all know about that, and green miles and so on.

In gilding the lily Stewart introduces us to the people, the places and plants that make up this multi million pound industry, from a lily grower and then American Northwest that the rose fields of Ecuador and the tulip greenhouses in Holland, gilding the lily is a page turning inquiry into the controversial practices that lie behind each bloom, including treatment of the workers in

fields and greenhouses. The issue of painting and the use of pesticides, and the financial forces that drive the quest of a perfect flower. It's a wonderful story about the romance and the reality of growing and cultivating flowers. No, no, obviously, from my point of view, it's a really interesting book. And it talks a lot about the treatment of workers. It talks a lot about pesticides and

herbicides. And really that we need to be buying locally to avoid the air miles and avoid flowers going 4000 miles to be in our bouquet also help the carbon footprint and lots of reasons why we should all be going our own or buying from our local flower growers. So it's called gilding the lily by Amy Stewart. It's a really nice book to read a really easy book to read. And I hope you'll enjoy

it. Next one on my list is Everland everlastings by BEX partridge. Now Beck's has written two books, and this was the first one. And it's basically a celebration of the life of flowers. And it shows drying of flowers and drying up flowers is definitely in vogue. And it's come a long way over

the years. I remember probably in the late 70s, early 80s Where it's a kind of thing that your Gran had, but it's come a long way and dried flowers are really in vogue and I definitely 100% recommend everlastings by Beck's Partridge but it's part she's takes you on a journey starting with a practical advice on how to pick flowers and how to dry them. She describes all the

different ways of drying. She seed heads and foliage before sharing her favourite ways to style with dry flowers in the home, as well as wearable items such as floor or ground and hair clips. The main section of the book covers about 20 projects all that you can do at home. And honestly the photography is amazing, is suitable for both those who have never worked with Dr. Ours before or those that are experienced professionals.

The project spanned many types of abilities, but shares ideas on how to capture the memories and moments of special days through the gathering and preserving of flowers that can be treasured for years to come. She shares her thoughts and knowledge of the ecological benefits of dried flowers, as well as chapters on foraging and thoughts on the meditative benefits of working with dry flowers filled with stunning imagery. I mean the photography is amazing that Beck's has

become known for. I really recommend everlasting as a as your starting point for dried flowers. And third no and fourth on my list I can't even count fourth on my list is fantastic foliage and how to farm it by Hilary Collins. Now, here we can't what Harry Collins doesn't know about Eucalyptus is not worth knowing. It's an essential guide to eucalyptus and it tells you everything about all the different varieties that you can get ahold of tells you that the

where they grow best. What's better for your environment tells you all about feeding them. Eucalyptus is obviously an Australian plant it tells you when you can cut them. Total about plodding it tells you why the 18th of March is a really important date. So the day after St. Patrick's Day is a really important day for Eucalyptus. And honestly, I don't think there is a better book that talks about foliage than fantastic foliage, and how to

farm it by Hilary Collins. So next on my list is a relatively new book 2023 I believe the cut flowers source bought book by Richard SIG fried. Now growing flowers for cutting brings a

purchase for each garden season indoors and eliminates the air miles associated with shop bought flowers. This book turns a spotlight on the best perennials and woody plants for cutting. So quite often we talk about annuals, and now this is a book in its own. And it talks about perennials. These trusty plants return year after year after year, and can be a mainstay in a cutting garden and also on a flower farm. She's the owner of the company green and gorgeous based over not to

share. She began her career as an estate gardener. And in this book she shares her section 130 rigorously tried plants and her garden led for to the philosophy together bring some sectional results. I love it, I use it, I have had a look at it and deciding what perennials I need to add to my list is beautifully done with beautiful photographers, which capture the seasonal diversity and natural ease that are such a hallmark of this contemporary approach to

cut flowers. So whether your goal is to have something to pick from your garden each week, or start a cut flower business. The inspiration and the expert advice on perennials is in this book, don't miss it. Now obviously it would be remiss of me not to include one of my own, which is the cut flower planter by Ross Chandler. This is a as Amazon says a beautiful planner designed by fieldgate flowers to help to shore cutting garden

success for everyone. fieldgate Flowers owned by Ross Chandler is a flower farm based in Buckinghamshire that has been growing and harvesting cut flowers for over 10 years, Roz prides herself not only in thriving, successful flower firm, but also in running online courses to teach everyone to grow their own flowers for profit or for pleasure. So I'm going to say that the planner

includes month by month jobs to do in every all purchase. Every month there'll be a list of tasks to include general maintenance, pests and diseases to look out for and sowing and planting recommendations to loads of space to record your sowing and planting. And we've included more space for the 2024 version. It includes all about annual cut flower recommendations, it includes recommendations on

perennials and foliage. It has a British flower guide, month by month what's in season on when it's got areas to make a record of your patch and also take any learnings forward to the next season. Quite often what we do is we make a learning and we don't note it down and then we forget. So our learnings for this year, for instance, from our farm are things that we definitely don't want to grow going into 2024 and on that list are calendula as the orange

cleanser. I think it's called African Prince negotiator ona and yellow croissants. I have no idea how the yellow presents made their way onto the farm. I didn't think they were yellow, but like oh, so each year there are things that you might want to make a note of. And then you want to make a note of you know, successional, planting dates and all of that thing. And that's great in the cut flower planner. So I hope you'll you'll have a

look at that one. Oh, and one more book that I've written I've only done two honestly, is the seat of ours. Now participants came across from all corners of the UK, US and Europe to join an eight month course in cut flowers in February 2021. It was during COVID and from homes in many acres in Scotland to apartment blocks in London with rented raised bed. They all had a common love of flowers. But to be honest, I was quite humbled by all of this but these people found so much more than just

growing cut flowers. This book details some of their lives and experiences as they learned not only to grow cut flowers, but a great deal about themselves and one another. They found a community full of inspiration and confidence and regardless of their initial reasons for joining the course they thrive. Seek devise includes stories of bereavement, sadness, joy, laughter, at a time when the world was facing restrictions in so many ways due to COVID-19.

This was a time to rediscover nature and the simple joys in life. And I love it. And I still love this book and I'm humbled by it. And there's still a lovely read. I had a podcast with Dr. Richard flexed and quite recently a GP a part time GP. We've talked about the time of COVID and how he became interested in therapeutic gardens at this time, and it reminded me about how humbling growing cut flowers can be. Thank you very much. I hope you've enjoyed there my initial

recommendations on books. So do dive in this autumn and winter, sit in front of the fire and have a good read