Clare Nolan is a very talented lady. Not only is she a stylist, writer and former lifestyle editor of YOU magazine, she is an author, a mentor, a teacher and a gardening whiz! She has brought all of these talents together in her newly published book In Bloom – Growing, harvesting and arranging flowers all year round.
The cover is beautiful – rich with colour and the detail of those sumptuous peonies and roses. Inside is full of stunning floral photography, all styled and shot by Clare herself, and her words convey the passion she has for growing her own flowers and the enjoyment gained from cutting those blooms to fill her home with.
The book itself is a chunky tome; one that will be referred to again and again as you navigate creating your own cutting garden and require Clare’s guidance or reassurance. She begins with how to get started – planning your garden as well as tools and where to source your seeds and plants. This is followed by sections on annuals and biennials, bulbs, perennials, shrubs & trees, foliage & fillers and finally how to harvest and arrange your homegrown blooms.
General advice is given initially for each type, before Clare focusses in on specific flowers – providing growing tips, her favourite varieties and how to harvest them. Her styling experience comes into play in the final section of the book with an array of ideas and inspiration for displaying your flowers to maximum effect.
I love a book that does more than just one thing, and this ticks all the boxes in terms of providing masses of practical advice but also bundles of visual inspiration. I dream of a garden that provides me with beautiful flowers all year round so I can curb my shop bought habit, so this book is going to be invaluable in leading me towards that goal! Thank you Clare for creating this bible for aspiring flower growers!
In Bloom is published by Kyle Books and is now available to purchase online or from all good bookshops.
