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At the end of the year, we look back and make a top list of Thursd's favorite books. Must-reads, must-haves, collector's items, beauties, educational books, whatever the reason may be... Make sure you get your hands on them.
Thursd's Favorite Books
Famous designers, intriguing designers, floral educational programs, flower organizational groups, ... many people have a reason to publish a book. Thursd made a top list of titles.
1. Flower Flash
Flower Flash, the new book by Lewis Miller, the celebrated floral designer, and "Flower Bandit" himself, an intimate and joyous behind-the-scenes look at his signature Flower Flashes as they introduced bright moments of natural beauty into the city when they were needed most.
Before dawn one morning in October 2016, renowned New York-based floral designer Lewis Miller stealthily arranged hundreds of brightly colored dahlias, carnations, and mums into a psychedelic halo around the John Lennon memorial in Central Park. The spontaneous floral installation was Miller's gift to the city—an effort to spark joy during a difficult time. Nearly five years and more than ninety Flower Flashes later, these elaborate flower bombs—bursts of jubilant blooms in trash cans, over bus canopies, on construction sites and traffic medians—have brought moments of delight and wonder to countless New Yorkers and flower lovers everywhere, and earned Miller a following of dedicated fans and the nickname the "Flower Bandit."
After New York City entered a lockdown, Miller doubled down, creating Flower Flashes outside hospitals to express gratitude to frontline health workers and throughout the city to raise spirits. This gorgeous and poignant visual diary traces the phenomenon from the first, spontaneous Flower Flash to the even more profound installations of the pandemic through a kaleidoscopic collage of photos documenting the Flower Flashes, behind-the-scenes snapshots, Miller's inspiration material, fan contributions, and more.
2. The EMC Trend Report 2022
"Defining a trend is not an exact science, but first of all, a challenge. The emotional "gut feeling" trends imply is combined with the rational thinking of the facts. It is a balanced exercise that becomes a skill after years of experience and insight into the trend concept."
An Theunynck
“At last, all floral trends have been bundled, so that you can give your creative process a boost. Moreover, the trends are compiled by and for floral designers and everyone who loves flowers. With concrete tips about which flowers and green materials to use for each trend.”
Confidently navigate through the new floral trends for 2022!
Four new trends are discussed in detail:
Respire
Blooming Benevolence
Gentle Caress
Inspirited You
Look at our inspiring mood boards and trend colors. And also all insights and the EMC perspective on the trends.
There are 80 pages of practical information and concrete tips for materials, patterns, flowers, and plants.
Use it as a tool to spark creativity and a roadmap for marketing that will put you ahead in your market.
The EMC Trend Report 2022 is a publication of Fleur Créatif Magazine in collaboration with EMC.
3. Framing Floral Techniques
Renee Tucci Aifd’s book, Framing Floral Techniques, is a “must-have” for your personal library. Beautifully illustrated and well thought out, it includes lots of practical ideas for both the novice and the more advanced designer. Plus it’s a great visual companion to the AIFD Guide to Floral Design.
With easy steps, the how-to’s and technical tips allow you to follow and/or add your own signature style to the projects.
Jenny Thomasson
"I highly recommend Renee’s book and hope you’ll celebrate the holidays by getting yourself a copy or sending a gift to a friend who loves floral design. You can order it here and request Renee autograph it."
I want to invite you also to check out my own book: Perishable Poetics, published last year:-)
Perishable Poetics: Manifesting Emotion through Contemporary Floral Design - by Jenny Thomasson
In an invitation to expand and liberate your creative voice in floral design, Jenny Thomasson (AIFD, PFCI, EMC) generously unfolds the artistic process that has made her a rising star in the industry through 40+ beautifully shot compositions. The delicacy, intensity, and cyclical temporality of flowers mirror our deepest emotions—making them a potent source of inspiration and innovation. In over 200 lustrous color photos, Thomasson shares how she uses emotion to push the boundaries of contemporary floral design. Infused with hand-drawn conceptual sketches and notes, and incorporating a wide breadth of techniques, forms, and materials, this warmly personal guide offers an intimate insight into the evolution of a professional floral arrangement. Perishable Poetics is a beautifully photographed artwork as well as a radiant, invaluable creative resource for those who work in, are inspired by or are finding their voice in floral design.
4. International Floral Art 2021-2022
They say this is the leading reference in the international world of floral art!
International Floral Art is a bi-annual anthology of the fantastic and inexhaustible possibilities of working with flowers. It is a state-of-the-art collection of floral art and at the same time, it is an ode to the colorful diversity of nature and a celebration of human creativity and inventiveness. Each edition of International Floral Art is a cross-sectional look at the floral world: it is a synopsis of both up-and-coming and well-established designers. The 2021–2022 edition is another must-have and proves right away that COVID-19 was no match for creativity!
It is not a practical manual with step-by-step instructions, nor a themed book or a monograph of a particular floral artist. It is a depiction of very personal creations, phenomenally portrayed and most of them not commissioned. Add to this the international context, where people within the same discipline experience an identical universal floral language and you get a very exciting platform.
5. A Life in Flowers: Lessons and Affirmations from the Garden
"Twenty-eight years in the making!! Today we released my first book, A Life In Flowers. Emotions have been running high around here, so much to be grateful for, so much still to do. I spend a lot of time focusing on gratitude; if I didn't, I would be swept away by the tears. Thankful to everyone that has supported our family, this company, and my crazy dreams!!! Way to go, Evan Chapple; look at all WE did!!! A huge thanks to my publishers and editors BLOOM Imprint, Debra Prinzing, Robin Fogel Avni."
A Life in Flowers: Lessons and Affirmations from the Garden
Wedding and event florist and founder of the Chapel Designers floral community, Holly is a creative visionary and a highly recognized and sought-after floral designer whose work has been published in countless prestigious publications and top industry blogs. Learn about Holly's floral journey, the inspiring story of Hope Flower Farm, and the values of hospitality, creativity, and community that embody her life in flowers.
A dedicated mother of 7, wife, and entrepreneur, Holly is a longtime resident of Loudoun County Virginia. With over 25 years of successful business experience behind her, Holly now serves as a teacher, speaker, and mentor for other professionals in the wedding industry. Holly currently sits on a trend report board with industry leaders, owns and operates Hope Flower Farm, and has launched her own product line with Syndicate Sales.
Her innovations and creativity are inspiring the world of floristry. Holly’s signature characteristics are quality, clarity of vision, and an impeccable eye for design. Based on her incredible and unique sense of style, the term “Hollyish” emerged in 2011 as a way of describing designs that possess the elegance, beauty, and creativity of those designs that leave Holly’s studio.
6. RHS Encyclopedia of Plants & Flowers
The latest, update of the best-selling highly illustrated garden plant reference, featuring more than 8,000 plants and 4,000 photographs.
Choose the right plants for your garden and find all the inspiration and guidance you need with The RHS Encyclopedia of Plants & Flowers.
With expert advice from the RHS, this best-selling book features a photographic catalog of more than 4,000 plants and flowers, all organized by color, size, and type, to help you select the right varieties for your outdoor space. Explore and discover perennials, bulbs, shrubs, and trees, succulents, and ornamental shrubs, all showcased in mesmerizing, full-color photography. Browse this photographic catalog to find at-a-glance plant choice inspiration, or use the extensive plant dictionary to lookup more than 8,000 plant varieties and the best growing conditions.
This updated edition features the latest and most popular cultivars, with more than 1,400 new plants added, as well as fresh photography, comprehensive hardiness ratings, and a brand-new introduction.
Fully comprehensive yet easy to use, the RHS Encyclopedia of Plants & Flowers is the inspirational, informative guide every gardener needs on their bookshelf.
BLOOM’s VIEW Wedding n°7
This yearbook combines the latest trends in bridal floral art.
BLOOM’s VIEW Wedding 21 – Floral Design, Trends, Lifestyle
More than ever, couples are dreaming of getting married! So many brides and grooms, who have been waiting for months for “life after corona”. Not only event planners are predicting a big run on weddings. Florists are also hoping they will be able to make up lost time and see an avalanche of orders as a reason for rejoicing! To help with interim consulting and to give some new ideas for wedding flower wishes, BLOOM’s has infused this issue with lots of new content.
Included in this issue are, among others, colorful ideas for lovely spring weddings, weddings in the vital and energetic greenery style, ideas for celebrations in styles between baroque and boho, weddings in summery meadows, fancy weddings in the cheerful and uncomplicated look of Frida Kahlo or weddings with cool blue flowers. So much inspiration for the most beautiful day in the life of your customers!
8. The Art of Wearable Flowers
Finally, there is a book full of floral accessories, from jewelry to hairdressing ideas. The more than 40 creations are explained step-by-step and supplemented with a list of necessities and styling tips. You will also find information about the tools used, the design techniques, and how to keep your creations beautiful.
Floral Rings, Bracelets, Earrings, Necklaces, and More!
The Art of Wearable Flowers reveals the secrets to creating gorgeous floral accessories that you can wear.
This guidebook provides how-tos for 40 floral wearables, including an eye-catching succulent ring, gorgeous hyacinth hoop earrings, a fabulous petal necklace, and a luxurious headpiece, plus bracelets, corsages, headbands, and more.
Renowned floral artist Susan McLeary shares this stunning collection of 40 flower- and plant-based designs that you can try out for yourself.
Each project includes an ingredients list, styling tips, and easy-to-follow instructions paired with step-by-step photographs.
This flower arrangement book gets the ultimate makeover to elevate every outfit with natural beauty
Filled with essential information on tools, design techniques, and plant care, making it easy to create these remarkable arrangements at home
A wonderful gift for the florist-frequenter!
9. The Flower Hunter: Seasonal Flowers Inspired by Nature and Gathered From the Garden
In The Flower Hunter, Lucy Hunter takes us on an inspirational journey through a year in her garden and artist’s studio set among the mountains of North Wales.
Lucy's evocative, gently humorous words accompany her glorious photographs and exquisite floral arrangements, as she encourages the reader to marvel at the intricate cycles of the natural world, develop their own innate creativity, and look for beauty in the everyday. Her garden provides the raw materials for Lucy's floral artistry—breathtaking naturalistic arrangements with all the painterly beauty and flourishes of Dutch still life. Simple projects accompany Lucy’s text, from drying garden flowers for an autumnal wreath to make your own journals and natural dyes to assembling lavish arrangements that showcase the voluptuous beauty of garden roses. Lucy believes that we all have a creative voice buried deep within. The Flower Hunter will encourage you to find your own creativity and help it to blossom.
10. Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • In her latest book, Brené Brown writes, “If we want to find the way back to ourselves and one another, we need language and the grounded confidence to both tell our stories and be stewards of the stories that we hear. This is the framework for meaningful connection.”
In Atlas of the Heart, Brown takes us on a journey through eighty-seven of the emotions and experiences that define what it means to be human. As she maps the necessary skills and an actionable framework for meaningful connection, she gives us the language and tools to access a universe of new choices and second chances—a universe where we can share and steward the stories of our bravest and most heartbreaking moments with one another in a way that builds connection.
Over the past two decades, Brown’s extensive research into the experiences that make us who we are has shaped the cultural conversation and helped define what it means to be courageous with our lives. Atlas of the Heart draws on this research, as well as on Brown’s singular skills as a storyteller, to show us how accurately naming an experience doesn’t give the experience more power—it gives us the power of understanding, meaning, and choice.
Brown shares, “I want this book to be an atlas for all of us, because I believe that, with an adventurous heart and the right maps, we can travel anywhere and never fear losing ourselves.”
