BOOK REVIEWS

Living Colour

Paula Pryke
Distributed by Reed Books
$NZ69.95

EVEN if you have only a passing interest in floral design, this quality new book by one of London's leading florists will have you out in the garden, armed with a pair of secateurs, determined to recreate these beautiful and innovative arrangements for yourself.

Living Colour is packed with original and achievable ideas using all sorts of garden produce as well as cut flowers. For example, who would have thought of using fat, round summer squashes for vases? Or bundling baby leeks around soft pink hippeastrums? Or adding apples, kale and furry purple basil to a basket arrangement?

Some of Paula Pryke's ideas might seem a little way out at first, but wait until you see the results. The reason they work is because of her ingenious use of colour themes - which is what this new book focuses on.

There are plant palettes to suit each season, making for a useful reference guide. Plus, each colour in her top 20 is covered in depth, with tips on how to go about maximising the impact of a fresh bouquet, whether it is a simple posy or a complicated table arrangement.

I fell in love with the dusky black combinations of black callas, roses and berries.

Living Colour also features truly stunning photos by David Loftus, one of the UK's top photographers.

Weekend Gardener, Issue 90, January 17-30, 2002, Page 26

Reproduced with permission from the former Weekend Gardener magazine. The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the RNZIH