[.ca] A Passion for Flowers (ISBN 0067575137)

The Ultimate Gift for the Lover of Beauty:
Carolyne Roehm demonstrates her exquisite taste from the very first page of this lavish book. Organized by season, each chapter celebrates the beauty of all sorts of blossoms in stunning arrangements. These arrangements are lush and full and show an artist's mastery of texture and extraordinary combination of color. The photos are reminiscent of the sumptuousness of the movie, The Age of Innocence, with lovely gilded gold, crystal and porcelain containers. The photography truly is breathtaking and includes not only close ups of the bouquets but also glimpses of elegantly set dining tables, gorgeously furnished rooms and spacious gardens. Her prose is poetry, but also practical in the sections on containers, elements of style and basics. A better book on flower arranging couldn't possibly exist.

The Bible of Flower Arranging.:
As an avid gardener and reader, it was such a pleasure to find a reference book that not only told me things I didn't know, but gave my eyes pleasure in the process. I am buying several for all my friends. This one will stay on my shelf for the rest of my life.

Simply Breathtaking.:
This book was given to me as a birthday gift, and I am still in awe at my good fortune. Not only is the floral design breathtaking, Ms. Roehm gives excellent design tips on color, which vase to use, what flowers work best with each other, and on conditioning flowers whether they be cut from your own garden or purchased through a wholesale flower market. The title of this book is so perfect, as it is truly about flowers and style, and it's well worth the price.

Incredible photography of the most beautiful flowers:
The flowers depicted in this book gave their lives for a truly noble cause and have been honored appropriately by the photographer. Quite simply they were displayed and photographed in the most beautiful fashion possible. Perhaps the key word there is fashion -- Carolyn Roehm has the experience and eye for fashion, having been a former designer, and that experience may be what enabled her to display the flowers in a way that truly does them justice. I coveted this book for a long while, having seen it in a bookstore, and couldn't get it out of my mind. Now that I own it, I consider myself very fortunate indeed. The book is divided into the four seasons. Particularly strong are the photos depicting the flowers prevalent in Fall and Spring. The smoky greens, yellows, oranges, reds, and browns of the Fall months's foliage manage to look festive and lovely despite their representing the waining of life until the Spring. The photos of lilacs and daffodils in the section on Spring make one hopeful for the end of winter and make one realize why all that shivering is eventually worthwhile. I loved this book and recommend it heartily for anyone who loves pretty flowers and doesn't particularly have any special horticultural knowledge.

**Fantastic Photos**:
This book is a joy- the vibrant photos actually helped me through the long Pennsylvania winter. Lots of great tips on arrangements- from colors and containers. I envy Roehme's budget for entertaining!