Theology of Home IV: Arranging the Seasons

by Emily Malloy, Carrie Gress (Foreword)

What we cannot see in our Creator, we can see in His creation. It is with the gift of the flower—a powerful representation of the love of God—that we can bridge not only home and garden but also the eternal and the everyday.

In this fourth installment of Theology of Home , Emily Malloy explores the vibrancy and life of the garden. With her expertise as a florist, Malloy brings a wealth of practical ideas for incorporating flowers into our homes as we march through both nature’s seasons and the Church’s liturgical calendar. Yet this edition, like the rest of the series, does not stop at the material level. Remembering mankind’s beginnings in the Garden of Eden, Arranging the Seasons highlights our intrinsic need for beauty within the human heart.

Explored within this edition of Theology of Home are the deeper questions of life, family, love, and God that animate our efforts to cultivate the earth. In simple and small ways, it will inspire us to layer our lives and homes with the intangibles that turn the stuff of matter into a song. 

Genres: Nonfiction

296 pages, Hardcover

Published September 5, 2023

Reviews

[Kileen Medearis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book so much, I'll read it over and over. It's just what I needed during these wintery months to have me longing for the beauty of Spring and Summer.

[Evelyn Hernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

The spiritual element wasn’t as good as the pervious books of the series but I did grow in appreciation of gardens and flowers which is fun!

[Kristen Beckman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, some lovely food for thought, albeit with lower than expected visual appeal. Theology of Home 1 and 2 were beautifully photographed, and although the homes showcased were not quite relatable for me personally, the images were inspiring and the writing kept my interest at a decent pace. This book, while the beauty of the mundane was captured in the photographs and the simple floral designs were sweet, it was a little less inspiring than I was expecting. I was not expecting large, showy designs, on the contrary, I was glad to see simpler designs that I might try, but after awhile, all the photographs of the florals seemed too similar, and the writing felt repetitive down to the wording across chapters (i.e., themes of anticipation, rebirth, hope).

TL;DR: okay writing, okay photos, borrow it from the library

[Emma Sotomayor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Theology of Home IV merges flower arranging with the beauty of liturgy and Catholic theology. Malloy uses the rhythms of the seasons and church holidays to inspire lovely flower designs and sweeping descriptions of nature and the peace of Christian life.

This book was beautifully written. It offered a place of serenity and enjoyment of nature in the midst of hectic life. Malloy incorporates the Church calendar in her discussions of the seasons and faith, making for a very thoughtful approach to flower arranging.

I only wish there was a bit more about flower arranging itself. Some of the tips on design seemed rather short; I would have liked to have more ideas suggested and practical tasks to try.

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful book.

I have always wanted to learn more about flowers. I love arranging store-bought bouquets. I learned ways to make them last longer, ways to arrange, things to look for, and so much more.

This book can be read cover to cover or by finding the time of year you want to know more about or are currently in.

Even better was the way the author tied the beauty of the Catholic faith to nature and flowers.

I could spend hours just studying the gorgeous photos included in this book. I know I will reference it many times in the future.

Thank you to TAN Books for the copy of the beautiful volume. All views are my honest opinion.

[Lora]

I enjoyed another Theology of Home book before. Somehow, this one wasn't working for me. I think the flower-centric themes just didn't work for me. I was enjoying the more general parts about each season, but I kept getting irritated about well written parts about flowers. I like flowers. But, apparently, not that much.
Flowers, Catholic spirituality, lovely photography, seasonal lay out to the book. Beautiful cover.

[Shanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed all the thoughtful and reflective books in this series. This one, which focuses on flowers through the calendar year, was lovely and inspired me with new ideas for arrangements at home.

[Cherie Spellman · Rating 2 out of 5]

I listened to the audio version and would guess that the hard copy would be a better experience. I see this book more of a coffee table book to pick up and grab and spend a few moments on, but not much of substance.

[Hannah Rivera · Rating 5 out of 5]

So poetic!

[Arjaye-Rose Brewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful book which I have enjoyed reading with a cuppa each month. Filled with beautiful descriptions, ideas for ways to decorate and focus on the beauty of each of the seasons. Paired with lovely photographs in each section.

A book I highly recommend and look forward to referring back to in the future.