Whether designing a planted space or using the language of flowers to create beautiful art, Sarah Holland provides guidelines for building a nurturing practice with gorgeous photographs and soothing, clear prose in The Pressed Flower Handbook: Simple Methods for Connecting with Nature and Preserving the Beauty of the Garden Through the Seasons.
Holland begins with the garden and intention, moves on to equipment and the basics of flower pressing, and follows up with advanced techniques, the language of flowers, and how to embrace the seasons in the work. Step-by-step instructions with photo accompaniment are easy to follow and full of tips and invitations to experiment. The best advice in this handbook is adaptable and practical: spend a little time in the garden each day, even if making just one cut; use what's at hand rather than investing immediately; imperfect botanicals are great for practicing. She offers starter projects ideal for crafting with the seasons.
One part manual, one part meditation, The Pressed Flower Handbook is a pleasure to read and a guide to finding the same joy in nature through art. Readers will be inspired to stop and press the flowers. --Suzanne Krohn