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Flower Fix: Modern arrangements for a daily dose of nature
The Flower Fix presents wild inspiration and modern arrangements by Swallows and Damsons florist Anna Potter, with beautiful photography by India Hobson.
Blousy blooms, speckled branches, rich foliage and delicate petals; nature has the power to inspire and energise, calm and soothe, focus and still. Anna has harnessed this magic with 26 tailor-made combinations of flowers to bring a floral boost to your home, no matter what your mood.
With easy-to-find seasonal blooms, found items such as twigs and dried fruit, and any assortment of containers, discover how simple it is to bring a little bit of nature’s mystery into the everyday. Spanning all seasons and including both larger installations and smaller, simpler projects, there is something for anyone looking to play, experiment and create atmosphere with flowers.
Get your daily flower fix with these and more inspiring arrangements:
Inspire Playfulness is a spring arrangement to bring joy, featuring lilac, roses, ranunculus, poppy, narcissi and forget-me-nots.
Flowers for Gratitude is a mix of summer’s bounty to inspire thankfulness, including garden rose, daucus, echinacea and chocolate sunflower.
Find Beauty in the Everday is a colourful arrangement to bring a fresh perspective, featuring autumn foliage, hydrangea, dahlia, crab apple and rosehip.
The Shape of Self-Expression is a circular wreath design to express individuality, with holly, lamb’s ear, yellow holly berries, twigs and dried seedheads, and ivy berries.
Blousy blooms, speckled branches, rich foliage and delicate petals; nature has the power to inspire and energise, calm and soothe, focus and still. Anna has harnessed this magic with 26 tailor-made combinations of flowers to bring a floral boost to your home, no matter what your mood.
With easy-to-find seasonal blooms, found items such as twigs and dried fruit, and any assortment of containers, discover how simple it is to bring a little bit of nature’s mystery into the everyday. Spanning all seasons and including both larger installations and smaller, simpler projects, there is something for anyone looking to play, experiment and create atmosphere with flowers.
Get your daily flower fix with these and more inspiring arrangements:
Each project lists the equipment, flowers and foliage needed to start the project along with step-by-step instructions. You’ll also find a guide to basic flower arranging; notes on colour palettes and how to use colour; and a flower glossary listing the colour, seasonal availability and vase life of each flower.
Be led by the flowers, foliage, stems, follow their shapes and form, feel their weight and heft to create versions of these gorgeous arrangements that are uniquely your own.
Be led by the flowers, foliage, stems, follow their shapes and form, feel their weight and heft to create versions of these gorgeous arrangements that are uniquely your own.
- GenresGardeningNonfiction
208 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 30, 2019
19 people are currently reading
139 people want to read
About the author
Anna Potter
17 books3 followersAnna Potter is a founder of Swallows & Damsons a UK based flower shop with a worldwide reach of over 180k followers on Instagram (January 2019) after completing a Fine Art degree at Sheffield Hallam University, Anna began her journey in floral design, learning whilst working in various flower shops. Founded in 2008 Swallows & Damsons has remained a little flower shop in the heart of the community whilst contributing internationally to Design Sponge, Food 52, Domino Magazine and creating content for Gucci and Architectural Digest. Other features include Elle Decoration, The Telegraph and Milk Decoration. Known for bringing an unexpected and uniquely wild feel to floristry Potter moves beyond the confines of blooms in floral decoration, incorporating a wealth of natural products and curiosities. Celebrating imperfections, subtlety in colour and form in her designs, with inspiration from the rich darkness of Dutch still life paintings. Swallows & Damsons are modern day influencers in a new wave of floral art and design.
find us on Instagram @swallowsanddamsons
find us on Instagram @swallowsanddamsons
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
August 6, 2019
***Advance Review Copy generously provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I have to say; all those arrangments are just so pretty!
I really enjoyed going through this, looking at the various arrangments. However, I very quickly realised that this craft is not for me. At all.
Favourite part is probably the "basic skills", and also the glossary of flowers is a pretty handy thing.
I have to say; all those arrangments are just so pretty!
I really enjoyed going through this, looking at the various arrangments. However, I very quickly realised that this craft is not for me. At all.
Favourite part is probably the "basic skills", and also the glossary of flowers is a pretty handy thing.
June 27, 2019
I am amazed that this book maintained my interest and was a constant delight whenever I picked it up.
I would never have imaged this kind of book could have stimulated my sense of nature and the environment. Helped me to focus on life and death, ethereal things, literature and Dutch masterpieces.
I have gained a sense of place, structure, design and presentation.
Now if the author was baking cakes and the book contained all the practicalities from ingredients, cooking methods and mouth-watering pictures I could understand why I had fallen in love with them and would want to see flour on her nose and taste her chocolate cake fresh from the oven.
I fail to comprehend why Anna has so bewitched me with a different type of flour and placed me under her spell with evergreens and foraged foliage with recourse to mistletoe or wine.
This is a lovely book that makes the garage bouquets as redundant as packet mix buns.
Anna is a designer first and foremost with an eye for colour and a creative gene few possess. Yet this book will inspire the most incompetent of would-be flower arrangers to not only see but also believe.
With each wonderfully illustrated arrangement, floral design or wreath the author takes us through the process. With a poem, literary quote or passage we follow her inspiration. How the flowers, containers, colour and most surprisingly the placement comes together. With throw away comments about the names of the blooms, Japanese culture or her own inspiration we learn so much. We quickly learn nothing is wasted and everything from flowers to her words recorded are well chosen. She is a natural communicator and teacher, generously sharing her thoughts and mistakes. She spends time detailing the ingredients, the method, the skills needed to bring it all together. The captured images in the photographs bring the still life to a vivid picture of floral delight. You can almost smell the blooms but you see it in it’s setting and have individual processes or single flower pictured independently.
She takes us through this again and again. Highlighting seasons, colours, the visual space and explaining that any display is a living testament to nature and resonates both new life and decay.
Just when you could keep reading and seeking out her latest project the book draws to a close with the most important elements. Having been inspired by words and pictures we now are provided the motivation and belief we too can achieve.
A glossary of terms and techniques and list of flowers and suitable alternatives. What to use when and where. How to buy, collect, gather and forage. Why sustainability is all about in season rather than gathering just figure 0 model stems off the florist’s catwalk.
I loved this book. I’m not aware of any of the arrangements were completely edible but I know how to prepare old man’s beard without being poisoned and other aspects about the most unusual blossoms and flowers.
This would make an ideal gift. While a cook book could not save a starving man this book will inspire, delight and enable the most humble of people to see beauty and display it within their homes.
I would never have imaged this kind of book could have stimulated my sense of nature and the environment. Helped me to focus on life and death, ethereal things, literature and Dutch masterpieces.
I have gained a sense of place, structure, design and presentation.
Now if the author was baking cakes and the book contained all the practicalities from ingredients, cooking methods and mouth-watering pictures I could understand why I had fallen in love with them and would want to see flour on her nose and taste her chocolate cake fresh from the oven.
I fail to comprehend why Anna has so bewitched me with a different type of flour and placed me under her spell with evergreens and foraged foliage with recourse to mistletoe or wine.
This is a lovely book that makes the garage bouquets as redundant as packet mix buns.
Anna is a designer first and foremost with an eye for colour and a creative gene few possess. Yet this book will inspire the most incompetent of would-be flower arrangers to not only see but also believe.
With each wonderfully illustrated arrangement, floral design or wreath the author takes us through the process. With a poem, literary quote or passage we follow her inspiration. How the flowers, containers, colour and most surprisingly the placement comes together. With throw away comments about the names of the blooms, Japanese culture or her own inspiration we learn so much. We quickly learn nothing is wasted and everything from flowers to her words recorded are well chosen. She is a natural communicator and teacher, generously sharing her thoughts and mistakes. She spends time detailing the ingredients, the method, the skills needed to bring it all together. The captured images in the photographs bring the still life to a vivid picture of floral delight. You can almost smell the blooms but you see it in it’s setting and have individual processes or single flower pictured independently.
She takes us through this again and again. Highlighting seasons, colours, the visual space and explaining that any display is a living testament to nature and resonates both new life and decay.
Just when you could keep reading and seeking out her latest project the book draws to a close with the most important elements. Having been inspired by words and pictures we now are provided the motivation and belief we too can achieve.
A glossary of terms and techniques and list of flowers and suitable alternatives. What to use when and where. How to buy, collect, gather and forage. Why sustainability is all about in season rather than gathering just figure 0 model stems off the florist’s catwalk.
I loved this book. I’m not aware of any of the arrangements were completely edible but I know how to prepare old man’s beard without being poisoned and other aspects about the most unusual blossoms and flowers.
This would make an ideal gift. While a cook book could not save a starving man this book will inspire, delight and enable the most humble of people to see beauty and display it within their homes.
May 13, 2020
This beautiful book is definitely not a step-by -step for the domestic flower-arranger. Many of the projects are situated in industrial settings – a plaster factory, for example – and there’s a lovely big floral ‘installation’ in a bathroom – filling the entire bathtub! There is some useful practical information at the back of the book but, overall, it’s inspirational rather than instructive.
October 24, 2020
One of my favorite books I’ve read this year. I really really enjoyed it. The book is an instructional guide to floral arranging, kind of. The author talks about her philosophy of life, history, art and design. Also beautiful photographs of the projects. I was surprised this was printed in matte bc it seems like it would lend itself to a glossy format because the pictures are so beautiful and detailed.
June 2, 2024
The Flower Fix is lushly photographed and beautiful to look at. Anna Potter writes about how she chooses material for her floral arrangements and refers in detail to specific flowers and colors. The pictured arrangements range in size from small to huge; one of them fills an old-fashioned clawfoot bathtub. The back of the book elaborates on techniques for securing flowers and foliage to vessels or building frames of chicken wire to support larger arrangements. While I enjoyed reading and poring over the photographs, I wouldn't say this is a practical book. Even the smallest bouquet has 20 roses in it, making it prohibitively expensive. This is a great book for inspiration, though.
May 12, 2019
Fabulous book on modern floral arrangements and installations inspired by nature and flower lore. Pitted throughout with wonderful literary quotes the book contains 26 projects to get you started. The gorgeous photography will inspire you to explore your own floral creativity and build your own permanent structures for your home. You may even be inclined to take the authors advice and like the changing seasons watch the fading floral blossoms.
*arc from Netgalley
*arc from Netgalley
May 25, 2019
Anna Potter’s instructive manual shows flower arrangements from the plain & petite, to elaborate grand designs meant to fill a room. Her use of both live blooms, fresh wildflowers along with dried grasses, fruits and even a whimsical live snail will provide you with lots of ideas to take your bouquets to the next level. Four flowerlike stars! #TheFlowerFix
May 28, 2019
I will never be able to arrange flowers as Mrs. Potter does, but this book was good for my eyes and also it was full of very nice sentences from famous author, so I really enjoyed it.
Non saró mai capace di sistemare i fiori come fa l'autrice, ma questo libro é stato un balsamo per gli occhi ed un piacere da leggere per via delle frasi tratte dalle opere di famosi autori che accompagnavano le bellissime foto, quindi devo dire che mi é proprio piaciuto.
THANKS NETGALLEY FOR THE PREVIEW!
Non saró mai capace di sistemare i fiori come fa l'autrice, ma questo libro é stato un balsamo per gli occhi ed un piacere da leggere per via delle frasi tratte dalle opere di famosi autori che accompagnavano le bellissime foto, quindi devo dire che mi é proprio piaciuto.
THANKS NETGALLEY FOR THE PREVIEW!
April 19, 2020
Lots of enthusiasm and plenty of inspiration
Lovely arrangements and a lively style. Do be aware that most of the designs featured require chicken wire, so if you don't have or want it, you'll be taking ideas but not following her instructions.
Lovely arrangements and a lively style. Do be aware that most of the designs featured require chicken wire, so if you don't have or want it, you'll be taking ideas but not following her instructions.
June 15, 2019
The Flower Fix is an inspirational book, with both actual flower arrangements and some basic skills that could be okay to know. The book had great tutorials and I liked the touch of using seasonal flowers. An added bonus was the quotes.
May 11, 2019
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
The Flower Fix is a new tutorial and style book for flower arranging in the home setting. Author Anna Potter is the owner of Sheffield floral boutique Swallows and Damsons. Due out 30th May 2019 from Quarto on their White Lion imprint, it's 208 pages and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats.
The author has an art and design background and it shows. There are no cookie-cutter bland arrangements here. They're beautiful, well curated, and in a number of styles. The tutorials are very specific and include materials lists which include the flowers and species used. These are -not- all easily sourced. To recreate the arrangements from the book, the reader must either live in an area with a large flower market and/or be a keen gardener with a large cutting garden. Even so, some materials will need to be sourced elsewhere since the growing conditions for the items used in the arrangements run the gamut from temperate to tropical. The arrangements themselves run the gamut from traditional to avant garde. The author's sense of color is flawless. There are arrangements here which would look perfectly at home painted into a renaissance masterpiece. They're arranged thematically. The ebook version includes an interactive table of contents and index. I especially enjoyed the chapter heading quotes. They're also very well curated with an eclectic mix of artists, philosophers, and cultural icons included.
So many of us today live in relatively sterile surroundings, boxed in and with very little contact with the natural world. This book allows the reader to get a dose of nature up close as well as providing an outlet for creativity. There also seem to be very few modern books written about flower arrangement and the cut flower aesthetic. This book fills that niche quite well. Even if the reader isn't planning on recreating the arrangements in the tutorials identically, there's a lot of material here which can be adapted to the reader's purpose and available materials.
The weakest element of the entire book for me was the cover which (to me) looks cluttered and chaotic. The black anthuriums used in the cover arrangements are darned cool though.
Four stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
The Flower Fix is a new tutorial and style book for flower arranging in the home setting. Author Anna Potter is the owner of Sheffield floral boutique Swallows and Damsons. Due out 30th May 2019 from Quarto on their White Lion imprint, it's 208 pages and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats.
The author has an art and design background and it shows. There are no cookie-cutter bland arrangements here. They're beautiful, well curated, and in a number of styles. The tutorials are very specific and include materials lists which include the flowers and species used. These are -not- all easily sourced. To recreate the arrangements from the book, the reader must either live in an area with a large flower market and/or be a keen gardener with a large cutting garden. Even so, some materials will need to be sourced elsewhere since the growing conditions for the items used in the arrangements run the gamut from temperate to tropical. The arrangements themselves run the gamut from traditional to avant garde. The author's sense of color is flawless. There are arrangements here which would look perfectly at home painted into a renaissance masterpiece. They're arranged thematically. The ebook version includes an interactive table of contents and index. I especially enjoyed the chapter heading quotes. They're also very well curated with an eclectic mix of artists, philosophers, and cultural icons included.
So many of us today live in relatively sterile surroundings, boxed in and with very little contact with the natural world. This book allows the reader to get a dose of nature up close as well as providing an outlet for creativity. There also seem to be very few modern books written about flower arrangement and the cut flower aesthetic. This book fills that niche quite well. Even if the reader isn't planning on recreating the arrangements in the tutorials identically, there's a lot of material here which can be adapted to the reader's purpose and available materials.
The weakest element of the entire book for me was the cover which (to me) looks cluttered and chaotic. The black anthuriums used in the cover arrangements are darned cool though.
Four stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
April 30, 2019
Such an interesting book. I’m not sure what I was expecting. It is a lot of things in one. I can’t imagine that everything will appeal to everyone.
Editorial - The writing is what I enjoyed. Potter sprinkles in well-coordinated quotes, book references and historical points.
Creativity - I feel like much of Potter’s editorial is encouraging the reader to be creative. It is because of that approach that I am perplexed that she provides a shopping list for each arrangement. I can truly appreciate all of her arrangements, and I am inspired by them. However, I can’t imagine repeating any of them.
Arrangements - As stated above, the floral arrangements are inspiring. My arrangements seem to include a handful of flower types, with one flower type becoming the star of the show. Potter’s arrangements have so many more dimensions. And while some arrangements may have a star, the effect is much more subtle.
Basic Skills - As much as I didn’t see the need for instructions to recreate each arrangement, I love part 2 of the book outlining ‘basic skills.’ It contains a practical approach to many of the fundamentals to flower arranging that the average flower admirer never sees. I felt like Potter was letting me in on some trade secrets.
Editorial - The writing is what I enjoyed. Potter sprinkles in well-coordinated quotes, book references and historical points.
Creativity - I feel like much of Potter’s editorial is encouraging the reader to be creative. It is because of that approach that I am perplexed that she provides a shopping list for each arrangement. I can truly appreciate all of her arrangements, and I am inspired by them. However, I can’t imagine repeating any of them.
Arrangements - As stated above, the floral arrangements are inspiring. My arrangements seem to include a handful of flower types, with one flower type becoming the star of the show. Potter’s arrangements have so many more dimensions. And while some arrangements may have a star, the effect is much more subtle.
Basic Skills - As much as I didn’t see the need for instructions to recreate each arrangement, I love part 2 of the book outlining ‘basic skills.’ It contains a practical approach to many of the fundamentals to flower arranging that the average flower admirer never sees. I felt like Potter was letting me in on some trade secrets.
April 29, 2019
3.5 stars!
I like arts & crafts books that focus on using elements from nature, and was very excited that the publishers granted me this wish on Netgalley! The photography in this book is gorgeous, and I absolutely love the quotes. Inspirational quotes in books are always a good thing. I always like a good quote.
The tutorials are specific, and include the exact type of flowers the author used, as well as the exact materials she used to create containers and vases. I wish the tutorials had been less specific, and included techniques and tips that people could use for a variety of flowers. I would have liked a more generic approach. I was easily able to apply some of the instructions in the book to materials and flowers that are available to me. This book definitely inspired me to become more creative with flower arrangements.
One of my favorite aspects of the book was how to create unique vases, and tips on how to incorporate different colors into the arrangements. The overall style was very organic, natural, and even a bit rustic--a style I'm fond of.
I like arts & crafts books that focus on using elements from nature, and was very excited that the publishers granted me this wish on Netgalley! The photography in this book is gorgeous, and I absolutely love the quotes. Inspirational quotes in books are always a good thing. I always like a good quote.
The tutorials are specific, and include the exact type of flowers the author used, as well as the exact materials she used to create containers and vases. I wish the tutorials had been less specific, and included techniques and tips that people could use for a variety of flowers. I would have liked a more generic approach. I was easily able to apply some of the instructions in the book to materials and flowers that are available to me. This book definitely inspired me to become more creative with flower arrangements.
One of my favorite aspects of the book was how to create unique vases, and tips on how to incorporate different colors into the arrangements. The overall style was very organic, natural, and even a bit rustic--a style I'm fond of.
May 5, 2019
Such a beautiful book and beautifully illustrated! I love flowers and always have flowers on display in various parts of my home. I am not so good at putting a display together as much as i do try. Having read this book, it makes it all look so easy and hopefully i can get some sort of resemblance to what i see in this book. This is a must have book for anyone who enjoys flower arranging. Recommended.
My thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for my copy. This is my honest review, freely given.
My thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for my copy. This is my honest review, freely given.
June 11, 2019
The Flower Fix by Anna Potter is crammed with numerous floral arrangement ideas that should spark the creative juices when it comes to arranging flowers. The two things I really liked about Potter's book was the Basic Skills and Glossary of Flowers chapters. In the basic skills chapter the author explains how to create frames such as a free-standing or wreath structure to use in floral arranging. In the Glossary of Flowers chapter the author tells about various flowers including the length of time for their use.
Recommend.
Review written after downloading a galley from NetGalley.
Recommend.
Review written after downloading a galley from NetGalley.
July 10, 2019
The Flower Fix is a beautiful book for sure. The photography is gorgeous and the copy and quotes are very inspirational but, the flowers and arrangements are very classical, not comparable with the image on the cover at all. They feel much more like flower arrangements from old paintings. It might become a new trend but, I personally prefer a more minimalistic approach.
Besides, even in a floral country like the Netherlands, where I live the flowers used are not easy to purchase. Creating bouquets and wraths like these will quickly add up.
Besides, even in a floral country like the Netherlands, where I live the flowers used are not easy to purchase. Creating bouquets and wraths like these will quickly add up.
June 12, 2019
Whilst the flower arrangement projects are lovely, what I really like about this book is the easy going and informative style of writing, decorating and thinking behind the projects.
I enjoyed the adventure into the colour and use of the seasons, and the thinking outside the square aspect of arranging the follows
There are detailed information on copying the arrangements in the book, but the book is more than this.
I enjoyed the adventure into the colour and use of the seasons, and the thinking outside the square aspect of arranging the follows
There are detailed information on copying the arrangements in the book, but the book is more than this.
July 22, 2023
Very inspirational, I love the way she uses pieces and let’s nature be nature. The book is filled with beautiful quotes about flora and fauna, further inspiring the creation of unique arrangements. Part 2 of this book contains all the information you’d need to build successful arrangements, including tools and a vase life glossary.
October 8, 2025
This is such a beautiful book. While I might not go on to create such big floral arrangements, I have learnt there's more that I can do with the flowers that come from my garden. Particularly exciting now I am growing more in my garden. The photographs are as stunning as the floral illstallations and make it such a nice book to look through from time to time.
June 11, 2019
I used this book for inspiration. Too many tight arrangements needing wire or support caused me to give it a lower rating. I did like the unconventional materials she used, as well as a stunning mantelpiece with multiple vases holding a single stem.
July 31, 2019
A very informative book I found myself learning so much with this reading.. really well categorised, this means easy to find randomly things if ever want to go back for something in specific, and the writing its really easy to understand... love it
July 12, 2019
This book is lovely, but I have decided that formal flower arranging just isn't my thing. So, 3.5 stars for its execution, but only 2.5 stars for its usefulness to me personally.
July 25, 2019
I enjoyed this book very much - floristry is a relaxing hobby and I loved the photos and clear instructions - it was inspiring and motivated me to be more creative in my floral designs
November 5, 2019
There are some beautiful pictures in this book. But I found that it was a bit too advanced for me. I like the last chapter that covered the basics of floral arrangements.
Read
January 1, 2020Absolutely breathtaking book, I gave it away to a friend who does flower arranging because it is well beyond my abilities.
January 4, 2020
Beautiful book, highly recommend
Brilliant! Pictures are beautifully taken and plenty of details and methods included ! Worth the read and can't wait to start creating
Brilliant! Pictures are beautifully taken and plenty of details and methods included ! Worth the read and can't wait to start creating
February 23, 2022
some of installations too grand/messy for home use
January 15, 2024
I loved this book and will return to it for inspiration! I enjoyed the author's ruminations on life, nature, and how the two interact, as well as how that outlook influenced her design choices in each arrangement. Though informational detail felt a bit lacking (it would be nice, for example, if there were identification images of each plant used) and the arrangements were more inspirational than attainable for most budgets (and spaces), the designs were gorgeous and sure to spark imagination and creativity.
August 17, 2019
Part one is the arrangements and part two is basic skills - used to having it the other way around. With some of the information in the second part, it would make sense to have a side note or have it as part one. What I do like about the projects, you are getting the same colour or similar colours in the same section which is nice.
March 10, 2020
This book is heartbreakingly gorgeous. It reads like a diary/cookbook/novel all in one. Can’t recommend it enough.
Thanks to #NetGalley, I had an advanced PDF to read and review.
*All opinions are my own and I was not required to post a positive review. *
Thanks to #NetGalley, I had an advanced PDF to read and review.
*All opinions are my own and I was not required to post a positive review. *
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews