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The Flower Recipe Book
Flower arranging has never been simpler or more enticing. The women behind Studio Choo have created a flower-arranging bible for today's aesthetic, filled with an array of stunning, easy-to-find flowers and hundreds of step-by-step photos.
The 125 arrangements run the gamut of styles and techniques: some are wild and some are structured; some are time-intensive and some are astonishingly simple. Each one is paired with a "flower recipe'; ingredients lists specify the type and quantity of blooms needed; clear instructions detail each step; and 400 photos show how to place every stem. Readers will learn how to work with a single variety of flower to great effect, and to create vases overflowing with layered blooms. To top it off, the book is packed with ideas for unexpected vessels, seasonal buying guides, a source directory, a flower care primer, and all the design techniques readers need to know.
The 125 arrangements run the gamut of styles and techniques: some are wild and some are structured; some are time-intensive and some are astonishingly simple. Each one is paired with a "flower recipe'; ingredients lists specify the type and quantity of blooms needed; clear instructions detail each step; and 400 photos show how to place every stem. Readers will learn how to work with a single variety of flower to great effect, and to create vases overflowing with layered blooms. To top it off, the book is packed with ideas for unexpected vessels, seasonal buying guides, a source directory, a flower care primer, and all the design techniques readers need to know.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published April 2, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
July 9, 2017
Hmm. I've long argued that crafts should be taught as recipes. And this book shows that the strategy is effective for flower arranging, too. But the book is def. flawed, imo.
There are no hints towards suppliers. I do not agree that these 'ingredients' are easy to find, as the blurb says. I also doubt that most of us can find such lovely vessels, unless we've been collecting from thrift stores and yard sales for years. And although I like the creativity of using branches of ripe lemons, artichokes skewered to be stemmed, kale, and other unexpected ingredients, most of the arrangements have to quite large to accommodate these items as accents.
I do like the idea of using rosemary... many folks who grow it get healthy bushes and grow more than they can use and share, and it does look nice in the arrangements (and likely smells great, too).
Anyway, I think my main difficulty is not that some of these are casual to the point of messy, or that they're asymmetrical. It's that they're *excessively* asymmetrical - to the point that, as best as I can tell, they would not look good from any other angle or against any other background (or in any other vessel, as I noted above). Otoh, my rather conservative mother likes them, so who knows.
I suppose someone who is both 1. already confident in their creative talents and 2. new to the specific art of flower arrangement might be able to draw inspiration from this. The Craspedia set, seven single stems in five (drilled) wood slices, is nifty. The mini wreath, mainly rosemary with a few gardenias and lisianthus is darling. Lisianthus is a flower that looks a lot like my favorite kind of rose, and might even be plantable in Carson City.
I do appreciate the note about the toxicity of floral foam, and will know to use frogs and other tools recommended.
In fact, I suppose I'm getting some ideas, and could buy a bunch of silk flowers and try to have fun making interesting arrangements with them. So, it's not a bad book. But there are probably lots of better ones. Def. try before you buy.
There are no hints towards suppliers. I do not agree that these 'ingredients' are easy to find, as the blurb says. I also doubt that most of us can find such lovely vessels, unless we've been collecting from thrift stores and yard sales for years. And although I like the creativity of using branches of ripe lemons, artichokes skewered to be stemmed, kale, and other unexpected ingredients, most of the arrangements have to quite large to accommodate these items as accents.
I do like the idea of using rosemary... many folks who grow it get healthy bushes and grow more than they can use and share, and it does look nice in the arrangements (and likely smells great, too).
Anyway, I think my main difficulty is not that some of these are casual to the point of messy, or that they're asymmetrical. It's that they're *excessively* asymmetrical - to the point that, as best as I can tell, they would not look good from any other angle or against any other background (or in any other vessel, as I noted above). Otoh, my rather conservative mother likes them, so who knows.
I suppose someone who is both 1. already confident in their creative talents and 2. new to the specific art of flower arrangement might be able to draw inspiration from this. The Craspedia set, seven single stems in five (drilled) wood slices, is nifty. The mini wreath, mainly rosemary with a few gardenias and lisianthus is darling. Lisianthus is a flower that looks a lot like my favorite kind of rose, and might even be plantable in Carson City.
I do appreciate the note about the toxicity of floral foam, and will know to use frogs and other tools recommended.
In fact, I suppose I'm getting some ideas, and could buy a bunch of silk flowers and try to have fun making interesting arrangements with them. So, it's not a bad book. But there are probably lots of better ones. Def. try before you buy.
February 16, 2015
I'm a floral designer, and am always looking for inspiration for weddings and events for which I create designs. This book was highly reviewed and also beautiful, so I decided it was worth taking home.
The photos in this book are beautiful. Even if you only have a passing interest in flowers and floral design, this could still be a great coffee table book. It would also be the perfect gift for someone interested in said areas. I plan on using mine for work, but when I'm not using it as a resource, I already have a place set up to display it.
I like the types of arrangements in this book, however, it is a very specific style, and one that I think will become dated with time. However, right now it is trending, and as a result, it's useful. Because I don't feel like it'll always be relevant, I only gave it four stars, but I am glad I purchased it regardless.
My favorite part of this book, aside from the photos, is that the authors took time to identify different types of flowers. There are some stems in their examples that I wouldn't think to use, at least not in the way they did. I'm very glad to see how creative they were in their arrangements, and how they also created simple examples as well. Because there is a mixture of arrangements of varying difficulties (if you can call it that), this book would be accessible to many individuals.
The only downside, aside from the style of the arrangements becoming dated eventually (but is that really a drawback, since that happens with any type of style?), is that the stems themselves may not be available everywhere. So for those who want to actually recreate every arrangement, or even just some of the arrangements in this book, this is something to consider.
Anyway, beautiful and aesthetically pleasing, as well as relevant for my job. A win-win for me!
The photos in this book are beautiful. Even if you only have a passing interest in flowers and floral design, this could still be a great coffee table book. It would also be the perfect gift for someone interested in said areas. I plan on using mine for work, but when I'm not using it as a resource, I already have a place set up to display it.
I like the types of arrangements in this book, however, it is a very specific style, and one that I think will become dated with time. However, right now it is trending, and as a result, it's useful. Because I don't feel like it'll always be relevant, I only gave it four stars, but I am glad I purchased it regardless.
My favorite part of this book, aside from the photos, is that the authors took time to identify different types of flowers. There are some stems in their examples that I wouldn't think to use, at least not in the way they did. I'm very glad to see how creative they were in their arrangements, and how they also created simple examples as well. Because there is a mixture of arrangements of varying difficulties (if you can call it that), this book would be accessible to many individuals.
The only downside, aside from the style of the arrangements becoming dated eventually (but is that really a drawback, since that happens with any type of style?), is that the stems themselves may not be available everywhere. So for those who want to actually recreate every arrangement, or even just some of the arrangements in this book, this is something to consider.
Anyway, beautiful and aesthetically pleasing, as well as relevant for my job. A win-win for me!
August 1, 2014
Inspiring pictures and some truly fabulous ideas for vases and arrangements. It was informative to see the step-by-step process used to create the arrangements. I particularly liked how she used succulents in some of her bouquets, mostly because I have a ton of them :-). Definitely worth "reading".
Even so, If I were to actually spend money buying flowers I'd buy a made-up arrangement because I will never have the artistic skill to make something professionally pretty, in spite of the instructions.
Even so, If I were to actually spend money buying flowers I'd buy a made-up arrangement because I will never have the artistic skill to make something professionally pretty, in spite of the instructions.
December 6, 2021
Gorgeous book! As an illiteracy in botany I am recently very much into flower arrangements. I bought this book simply to learn the names of all the flowers and leaves and grasses, and enjoy the pretty pictures of bouquets. They annotated each material in many pages. I’m happy to learn what I wanted to learn from the book.
I understand it would be hard to find all materials for any of the bouquets if you don’t live next to an extensive flower market. But it’s good to get inspired by the examples regarding color and flower materials combinations.
I understand it would be hard to find all materials for any of the bouquets if you don’t live next to an extensive flower market. But it’s good to get inspired by the examples regarding color and flower materials combinations.
June 15, 2026
I've read a lot of books on flower arrangements (and I do mean a lot) and this one is quite possibly my new favorite. It's layout is brilliant. Are peonies what's blooming in your garden? Lupine? Chrysanthemum? This is listed alphabetically so instead of thumbing through the whole book to find an example of how to use that particular flower, it's a piece of cake to locate. And the recipes are stunning and easy to master! Plus all the tidbits in the beginning are actually helpful without being overly wordy. Bless! This book takes the cake.
November 4, 2019
The pictures alone make this a book I would recommend.
For years I've thought about getting into floral design. It may not be in the cards for me, but I really enjoyed this book. I doubt I could easily get most of these "ingredients" here in Canada, so I think it would be difficult for me to work through this book.
For years I've thought about getting into floral design. It may not be in the cards for me, but I really enjoyed this book. I doubt I could easily get most of these "ingredients" here in Canada, so I think it would be difficult for me to work through this book.
June 28, 2017
Stunning photography and step by step instruction. Quite a few blooms are not ones I'm likely to find near where I live. On the fence about owning a copy.
March 17, 2018
More inspirational than practical unless you have access to a well stocked flower market. Still, given its excellent photography, it’s a lovely book to leaf through on a winter day.
April 8, 2018
A gorgeous book full of flower eye-candy. It doesn't have a lot of text but shows how to put arrangements together step by step.
June 2, 2018
Stunning and inspiring arrangements. I love the recipes and the photography is outstanding.
March 12, 2020
Just dreamy. So many beautiful arrangements demystified.
April 4, 2021
An interesting perspective on flower arrangement. Beautiful to see the arrangements as ingredients before completion.
June 23, 2023
Absolutely stunning floral design with beautiful photos to help illustrate. I loved this book.
February 27, 2025
Some ideas are using flowers that bloom at very different time. Very hard to achieve the results if you grow your own flowers
July 23, 2026
This book is beautiful and filled with lovely arrangements. Not always seasonal and does not give variety info which would be nice.
November 16, 2021
Love this book. I will go back to it to use it as a reference again and again.
August 7, 2016
This book really spoke to me!
Harampolis and Rizzio compare floral design with cooking. They start with a few basics--materials, "ingredients," cutting techniques--then move on to the recipes. So they start with a certain flower, then they show how to arrange it in 3 different ways: on its own, "with company," and for special occasions. They use flowers and plants readily available to me, and the recipes list numbers of stems of each one needed. Then they show step-by-step, with clear color photos, how to put the arrangement together, including how to prepare the container, etc.
They use quite a few succulents, which I find intriguing and want to try. The containers look like things I could find at my local thrift store.
After reading this book I want to try the recipes! The arrangements were usually fairly simple, with a limited number of stems used, but the finished products are stunning. They make it look like even I could get results like that. I want to work my way through the whole book!
For more reviews, and my progress on the flower recipes, go to my blog: www.ofbooksandblooms.com
Harampolis and Rizzio compare floral design with cooking. They start with a few basics--materials, "ingredients," cutting techniques--then move on to the recipes. So they start with a certain flower, then they show how to arrange it in 3 different ways: on its own, "with company," and for special occasions. They use flowers and plants readily available to me, and the recipes list numbers of stems of each one needed. Then they show step-by-step, with clear color photos, how to put the arrangement together, including how to prepare the container, etc.
They use quite a few succulents, which I find intriguing and want to try. The containers look like things I could find at my local thrift store.
After reading this book I want to try the recipes! The arrangements were usually fairly simple, with a limited number of stems used, but the finished products are stunning. They make it look like even I could get results like that. I want to work my way through the whole book!
For more reviews, and my progress on the flower recipes, go to my blog: www.ofbooksandblooms.com
July 16, 2013
Wonderful book for someone just getting into flower arranging. Outlines a variety of tools used as well as nicely labeling the flowers and ways to arrange them. Instructions were clear and the photos simply but beautifully done. The flowers are listed in alphabetical order, easy to search for a specific flower. Doesn't include every flower, but the main ones likely to be easily found regardless of location. Focuses mainly on fresh flowers but the information could be modified and used for silk flowers as well. Found it to be one of the better arrangement books, will likely use as a great reference book.
April 24, 2013
Great spin on a craft book. I was intrigued by the title calling it a recipe book, how fun! This is the first floral arrangement book I've read and I think I can understand the balance aspect of floral design much better after reading this book since it gives you step by step instructions with pictures.
I withheld a star due to some of the ingredients being hard to find in smaller cities and rural communities and the composition of the large photos sometimes being awkward or nonexistent.
I withheld a star due to some of the ingredients being hard to find in smaller cities and rural communities and the composition of the large photos sometimes being awkward or nonexistent.
August 5, 2016
I got this book as a xmas gift its got lots of cute nice pics but its not very helpful when designing My main complaint is its al looseey designing with not allot of elements or principles of design like balance,, focal point,,, it also uses allot of materials never seen which means you cant get it because I found out its not commercially grown.. so it was a quick read but I nevcer refer to it Maybe the next one will be more helpful..(
May 3, 2013
Really creative book about the art of flower arranging. It was presented as a "recipe" book. Each of the items in the flower arrangement was like a recipe. The photography was very lively and colorful.
Currently Reading
November 4, 2013Broke my good intention to only get books from the public library when I saw this book by my favorite floral designers. So sad they moved out of our neighborhood but really happy to have their book to try to replicate some of their work at home.
December 30, 2014
This is a surprise iBook I found and I'm so happy I did. The photography is beautiful and many of these varieties are growing in my garden. Can't wait until spring so I can try some of these spectacular arrangements.
March 5, 2013
Some beautiful arrangements but many contain things that I doubt I'd be able to find!
May 16, 2013
Lovely Book. Great ideas!
October 13, 2013
Pretty and inspiring - but not inspiring enough to go out and make the bouquets!
November 6, 2013
I didn't particularly like the flower arrangements (their recipes) but I did get some ideas about what flowers I might want to grow in a cutting garden.
February 4, 2022
Simply lovely. I adore the simplicity of these arrangements and the whimsical placement of the each stem. Makes me want to buy fresh flowers every day!
June 12, 2014
This is my kind of craft book. It's like a cook book for floral design and every picture is gorgeous.
Want to Read
October 29, 2014This book is a dream.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews