It may not be the latest book out there being published circa 2005 but its a good design style number. There is always a place for classical always a place for traditional and Bart works on the edge of both.... yet he sends out great contemporary pieces that will last long, design wise, shares his respect for colour from blanc through rouge to moody amber and brun. We like this book for its sustainabily,style as aforementioned ,and that Bart as one of Belgium's quiet Designers teaches,is published regularly in a Floral Design magazine and he's become of late a huge Design Master and teacher in Brazil now too.... what more is there to say ?

GEERT PATTYN's BIRTHDAY CALENDAR created by Green Academy Belgium to celebrate ALL Birthdays . A timelees calendar... made to record birth days .. it works like this there is a small drop down flap with the first six months printed on one side and the second six months on the reverse for recording names on dates .... this can then be left showing to remind one of birht dates or folded up and hidden amongst the images..... delicious images has artfully put together... Pure contemporary images of flowers, leaves and botanicals on each page, 32 images in all . These can be flipped over one by one to follow the seasons through the year or as you wish by favourites, peonies roses green leaves? You choose . The format gives you a never ending source of delight. A perfect birth day gift or simply..... A unmistakeablely lovely unique gift.

We were over the Moon to receive this from our friend Sakul Intakul mostly because it shows another design side of him ... his former books , Tropical Colours especially , Modern Thai Living and Colour Your Moods sent a refreshing shot of life in Thailand with flowers through us and the Floral World...With his innate ability to make more with less he made a masses of friends.. here now in this new book he shares his passion for the traditional forms ,techniques and patterns of Thai Floral art he learned from the Florists of the Inner Royal Thai Court. What we get is a heady mix of Thai Flower Culture at its purest side by side and his new interpretations, turning pedestrals , garlands, small floral offerings and accessories into marvellous inspirational works and offering at glimpse at the possibilities that can motivate the inner cretive in us all. We dream of being nearby the wafting perfume of one of his gardenia window pendants and watch his floral floats lazily drift by. Starry and divine Jasmine , fragrant gardenias ,exquisite handsewn orchid petals.lotus flowers are everywhere ..The book ist only a wonderful cultural tribute but a sensual treat..we're sure you will catch a puff of perfume like we do each time we turn each page, the work is so evocative.

We love the books put out by Mami Flower Design school, not only because we have visited them all at the school in Tokyo and made great friends there with the talented people and teachers but also because in a harried world these books give us great rest. The work from this school and its publications is always clear, fresh,uncontaminated and natural, despite being as clever one could say... Even if you never copy closely we are sure you will be motivated at the potential each piece suggests .If you are interested in the concept and practice of Natural Flower Supports you cannot go further than MFDSl and Keiko Okaedo one of its leading research designers...in her book she shows us collection of ways to go about securing materials in ones designs with natual materials..these secrets of nature she shares . She also makes a strong point that technique is not enough to succeed , what we must all cultivate is, an eye for discovery with the ultimate reality being that we can lead a vivid and charmed life through flowers. Sense and sensitivity, and to quote her..."the more we experience being moved the more beautiful things there are that we are able to be moved by."

Carl is a practised l florist with a shop overflowing with flowers, plants and a collection of containers to cry with delight and despair over so super ,special and original is everything he has chosen...all of which reflects his eye for the design and decoration The idea to make this book came from his prestigious design work for one of the leading restaurants in Belgium, De Karmeliet the three star Michellin restaurant of Geert Van Hecke in Brugge. The connection between , food, flowers and style is very important to Belgians and they have high expectations of all three. Carl in his book has managed to distill his work in these worlds into the pages of his book..Expect to see a variety of table designs to modify , think about , see close ups where techniques are at work,copy them maybe,while he shows simple ideas you wonder why you hadnt thought about them yourself and complex ones you would rather not..

This is a special book not the least because its a French publication which seems to have been only found in France. Not now though we hunted it out and bring it to the fore. And Why? One its was the project of Emila Oliverio, one of the countries most interesting florists, where she has gathered a group of lesser known beyond Frances floristt colleagues , show their "art de vivre" thorough of their choice of seasonal materials. We get to see Spring, Summer ,Fall and Winter through each florist hear,s hands and eyes . Its an interesting abstract and an arresting collection of works which lift the spirt in their respect and sensitivity to nature in the simplest and charming way. No frills no trensetters extras just pure natural bouquets. This book is for florists of course but also Gardeners and flower lovers alike.

What can one say but hooray to another book from Moniek Vanden Berghe whom we consider to be the Contessa of Wedding flower Design in Europe..yes we do say that with assuredness ...... this is her third and latest book and it is overflowing with new ideas and the most delectable colour harmonies to ever be found in a floral design book Besides her prestige and profession as a florist we have often said she works like a Jeweler so detailed and intricate are her designs, well now add to that Painter or indeed Musician.Her selection of flowers, leaves, sprigs and berries become perfectly balanced bouquets, treasures of melodious colour and texture. Her designs and forms which we think are her signature of originality are surprising and fresh as ever.One day we mean to count how many different ideas she has and continues generously to give to the world in her way and just like her first two books . Flowers 1 and flowers 11 this ,is swarming with images cover to cover . A must- have ediiton to keep up a collection of Vanden Berghes ouvre ,the most interesting and personalized, recognizable yet intimate approach to Floristry yet.

One of the staple earlier books for Mami Flower design Schools .A nifty little volume which introduces the special MFDS approach to working with all Plant material and how to anchori it in the least obtrusive way possible. Hanakaburi, natural flower supports are easy to recognise and restful to the eye to observe and especially respectful of the materials one works with . When ever we open a book from Mami we feel a sense of correctness and appropriateness in how work. A simple book but worth its weight in gold coins and a prayer in any florists library.

This we found this book in Belgium and its excitingly from Hungary , once spied we grabbed it immediately -absolutley because of the hidden romance and mystery we just knew it would contain. and we were right. Its one of the most exciting books we have comer across this year just oozing with originality, high style ,fantasy, colour, radiance, .Is voluptuious ,sumputuious and glamourous and the photographs suggestive of a world that could be true, may not be but probably is...its cultural feast of flowers for occassions and festivities for a country not much known about except for cliches of exquisite violinists and heavily accented old world dowgers, spas, dark histories and hot goulash..but it in this book of course flowers reign supreme, grandly and with such aplomb. A cooperation between Belgian Florist Franky Bolingh and Hungarian ...its a marriage of like minds and souls and the work is as rich as you can imagine. A treat of the highest.

Its hard to find new words, phrases, or songs to sing in praise of the Miracle makers work....Isabel did a y good book review in the Spring issue of USA , Flower magazine 2010 you can find it on the net at www.flowermagazine.com but whatever we have to say here.... its all been said and done before by us and othere threefold.. We just add to this ..BUY y.... A Daniel Ost book is like a Chanel bag or a Gingko tree or a good Fountain pen..he too is about style quality and class in design..we cant say more and like with some of his work , using less is more...so say us.

Katrien Vandierendonck is a designer less known, less seen out of Belgium which has nothing to do with talents hidden..she is busy in Belgium with 101 floral occupations with a Television in programme in Belgium, odd workshops , Expo events and her delicious garden. That she has collected together a book full of ideas for out door design is to be expected fromh someones whose heart is in her garden.In Belgium the concept and decoration of an Outdoor room is as important as any indoor one and the view from the windows,taking in the outdoor furniture ,tables , topiary , art pieces, ponds are places to set dress. Accordingly in this country , a new design occupation is developing that of the Outdoor designer ..but back to the book.. Mis en scenes created by Katrien include picnics,,things for halloween even ,garden rooms (orangeries in Europe)in luscious french style, ideas for winter tables(with birds in mind) party tables and feasts and more ....Her romantic approach will catch you somewhere even if you area vowed minimalist( she has some ideas for you too). Katrien says to us "we do not only want to being natures beauty inside our homes , our nests but also give the newly invented beauty(our work ) back to her ."A lovely approach.

This we found in France . its not a new book but its good book. If you are curious about French Floral design this is a great place to begin especially in terms of Flower for weddings(and cocktail and soirees, they tell us in the introduction! ).We love the bold elegant designs which even if you live in far way New Zealand or the tip of Tasmanian which is as far from France as one can get from a certain perspective the ideas are adaptable.Joie de vivre leaps at us from some pages and wildly full and abundant bouquets, pretty hairpieces ,tiaras and corsages and lots of things for men and boys.We have our favourites we would love to wear have and hold ourselves..we are sure you will have some you would like to make too.

Floral structures are the in-thing which is interesting in a world when anything seems to go any which way in Floristry these days in the name of creativity. Here two adventurous French florists set out on a path where they introdue you to a great idea using a structure at a time as a base They simply make at base then decorate it. and the point about these bases is of course you can use them over and over again . The idea of the books shows how one can dress the base several different ways and they show you some of their examples<.br>
Using this novel approach and by their inspiring choice of form and materials your own piece could be the fifth and sixth in a series of your own designs begining with the initial base as they do . Muriel Le Couls and Gil Boyard, both Meilleur Ouvrier de France acheivers designed these structures to use with tables, flat surfaces and buffets in mind but they could be used in exhibition work, competitions and for anywhere a certain emphasis on new design is appropriate.Joy in this book is that it leaves the florist space to go even further r and create something even brighter and more personal . A book brimful of creative ideas and possibilities galore.Dare to try? This along with Hanakaburi 100 are the most popular books on site .

Geert Pattyns small sized book is a bumper of Christmas ideas.. from ribboned wreaths to sparkling necklaces, boxes, baubles and bouquets made with wonderful Christmassy materials. He uses Wax, sugar cubes,ribbons, glass tubes, golden wire with all the plant materials one can imagine that are available for a Northern Hemisphere Christmas.(and maybe your garden ) We have chose red, white and blue images from the book to look at here.......and of course our glowing reccomendations for anything this Belgian gifted florist and designers does are legendary.