In A Passion for Flowers, Carolyne Roehm teaches readers how to create arrangements that set off a flower's natural beauty. She discusses the overall features of dozens of the most popular flowers and helps readers understand how these elements relate to each other. Though the book is filled with ideas for brightening holidays and special occasions, Roehm stresses that the magic of flowers should be enjoyed year-round. Organized by season to profile the blossoms as they come into their glory, bouquet "recipes" with step-by-step instructions are sprinkled throughout along with special care instructions for more sensitive blooms. Sections detailing containers, conditioning flowers and elements of floral design are included at the end of the book. A Passion for Flowers features 250 breathtaking photographs and is a treasure trove of knowledge and inspiration that will help readers stop and smell the roses every day.

This is a notebook (complete with grid paper for planning, lined pages for notes, and pouches for clippings), garden-design and flower color-combination guide, garden journal, recipe book--in essence, it's an idea book, a place to record your ideas and learn from Roehm's. The grounds of her Connecticut home, Weatherstone, serve as the canvas for her botanical muse. In the course of showing off her gardening victories, as well as admitting to her failures, we get chapters on Roehm's potager, inspired by Louis XIV's geometrically laid-out kitchen garden at Versailles; her quest for the perfect perennial border; the extreme state of her hydrangea envy and rose obsession; details of a Fourth of July celebration and a summer wedding held at Weatherstone; odes to peaches, corn, and tomatoes; and an "end paper" on the dread Japanese beetle.

All this, along with abundant color photos, recipes, floral-arrangement tips, and helpful hints like how to make your own floral preservative, make this inaugural installment in the Notebook series (Fall is next, of course) a unique addition to any avid gardener's library. --Stefanie Durbin

As a gardener, I feel a certain sadness as I am forced to break a bond that I have spent the spring and summer nurturing. Although it is easy for one to become nostalgic during this time, it is necessary to move forward because it is crucial to prepare for the long winter that lies ahead ... although those beautiful blooms are a long way off and we must put our garden to bed, we shift to a new buzz of life that is brought about by the gathering of family and friends under one roof for the holidays.

Arranged by individual plants--dahlias and chrysanthemums can be counted on for their late-fall showiness--as well as specific projects and festivities, including Halloween, bulb planting, and Thanksgiving, each chapter offers a host of ideas for savoring autumn's flavor through arts and crafts projects, practical gardening tips, succulent recipes, and creative entertaining advice. Celebrate Turkey day in style with elegant place cards--easily created with a rubber stamp and ecru stationary--that compliment lemon leaf, eucalyptus berry, and autumn-hued rose table arrangements, while a menu of poisson with rosemary and sage, potato and parsnip purée, and pumpkin soufflé--all clearly spelled out in Roehm's meticulous recipes--would make any family thankful. With full-color photographs, pockets for storing ideas and graph paper for planning--not to mention useful lists to help you organize events and gardening chores--the Fall Notebook is as glorious to look at as it is practical to use.

Separate areas focus on individual types of blooms--all the spring classics are here, including daffodils, tulips, pansies, and peonies. Discussion is mainly about the arranging and choosing of plants--for details on such practicalities as pest control or bulb rot, look elsewhere. Even a few favorite seasonal edibles are addressed--recipes for rhubarb, strawberries, and asparagus will have your mouth watering, and most, such as simple Rhubarb Bread, are straightforward and without a lot of extra steps. In all sections, the photographs are lush and light-filled, and seem evenly mixed between close-ups full of incredible detail and larger shots that provide a sense of a plant's overall effect in a garden. Detailed lists of possible plant choices are given for each category, limited to the author's favorites from her own gardens--with 3,000 tulips in the world to choose from, you'll be glad for the restraint Roehm shows in including only 62. A delightful way of containing all of spring's bounty into one book, this scrapbook will provide you with one special place for keeping your ideas, notes, and memories of the season. --Jill Lightner

Not to be outdone are the holidays, namely Christmas, New Year's and Valentine's Day, which Roehm illustrates down to the finest detail. From delectable meals and to-die-for decorations to vibrant floral arrangements and millennial good-luck gifts, everything one needs to plan and execute the finest of gatherings is covered, complete with clear recipes and instructions. Full-color photographs accompany Roehm's musings, along with pockets for storing ideas and "additional notes/inspirations/remember next year" lists for recording personal thoughts, making the Winter Notebook ideal for organizing one of the busiest seasons of the year. --Stefanie Hargreaves