Florets - Floral Quote - # 160 - by Jane Packer

'Florets - Floral Quote' is a series of blog posts where I feature quotes by authors - mostly well known - but you will also find some obscure ones.

All the authors have written one or several books about flowers, green plants, gardening, interior styling or interior design. Many are experts in their field but what is the most important is that they are all passionate about flowers and plants.

I love books and in my ever growing library I look for quotes that I hope will be both inspiring and be useful while arranging flowers or green plants in your home.

*****

The author I'm featuring here is Jane Packer who is sadly no longer with us, but her work and books are still here to inspire us and show us how to work with flowers.

I have many of her books but my favourite is her last book At Home With Flowers. Here is a short quote from the back of the dust jacket: " ...Jane Packer chooses the flowers she loves best and shows how to use them to bring colour, variety and style to every corner of the home."

"One of the quickest ways to make a living room feel special is to use flowers. They remind us of the natural world, the changing seasons and the planet that we live on. 

Your living room may be large or small but, whatever its size, it should be a space that makes everyone in the family feel relaxed and comfortable. The best living rooms always appear cosy and welcoming, no matter what season it is. We often choose to accessorize with cushions, lamps or other bits and pieces, but I believe that it's flowers that truly bring a living room to life." 

~ Jane Packer ~

[Jane Packer (1959-2011): British top London florist, founder of Jane Packer Flowers and Flower School; and author of thirteen books.]

[Quote: From Jane Packers last book At Home with Flowers (2011). Published by Ryland Peters and Small.]

[House Plant: Ficus lyrata (Fiddle Leaf Fig).]

[Styling and photography: © Ingrid Henningsson/Of Spring and Summer.]

Florets - Floral Quote - # 142 - by Jane Packer

'Florets - Floral Quote' is a series of blog posts where I feature quotes by authors - mostly well known but you will also find some obscure ones.

All of them have written one or several books about flowers, gardening, interior styling or interior design. Many are experts in their field but what is the most important is that they are all passionate about flowers.

I love books and in my ever growing library I look for quotes that I hope will be both helpful and useful for everybody who is arranging and styling flowers.

" In the kitchen, it's fun to use containers that give a nod and a wink to their surroundings. Search your cupboards for quirky kitchenware such as tea caddies or coffee pots, or wash out and reuse glass food jars or milk bottles. Enamelled jugs are the perfect home for a sheaf of tulips, and you can pop a dome-shaped posy of sweet williams into a colourful glass sundae dish. Vintage coffee cans are the ideal receptacles for sooty-eyed anemones or a single luscious camelia."

~ Jane Packer ~ 

[Jane Packer (1959-2011): British top London florist, founder of Jane Packer Flowers and flower school; and author of thirteen books.]

[Quote: From Jane Packers last book At Home with Flowers (2011).]

[Flowers: I have used a beautiful pale blue hydrangea. Flower from my local flower stall in North London.]

[Vases/Containers: A vintage silver plated sugar bowl found at one of the many London car boot sales.]

[Props: Vintage blue and white china gravy drainers found at London antique markets.]

[Styling and photography: © Ingrid Henningsson/Of Spring and Summer.]

*****

Enjoy your flower arranging and have a fabulous and floral weekend!

Thank you for visiting 'Of Spring and Summer' - I will be back tomorrow morning with another Floral Media. I'm reviewing a brand new book by the photographer Georgianna Lane. It's called Paris in Bloom and will be published on March 14th.

I'm looking forward to seeing you back here then.

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

*****

P. S. Did you know that you can subscribe to receive a notification via email whenever I have a new blog post. Just fill in your email address at the top of my blog on the right.

P. S. If you are looking for more floral inspiration you can go over and have a look at my Pinterest boards. I now have just over 12 000 followers and around 200 boards all relating to flowers, flower styling and flower arranging. There are boards on individual flowers and shows how to arrange them. Other boards show different ways of using vases and containers. Simply click on the link below and it will take you straight there.

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ofspringsummer/

Florets - Floral Quote - # 119 - by Jane Packer

"We're used to having floral arrangements in our halls and living rooms, but people don't always think of putting flowers in the bedroom. I think it's a great shame, as even the tiniest posy of fresh flowers on the bedside table or dressing table allows you to revel in the beauty of flowers close up. You can have some fun with containers too. For this more private area of the home, I love dainty vases in sugared-almond pastels or vintage-style pressed glass - after all, one woman's kitsch is another woman's treasure!"

~ Jane Packer ~

[Jane Packer: (1959-2011) British florist and founder of Jane Packer Flowers and flower school and author of thirteen books.]

[Quote from: Fast Flowers by Jane Packer (2000).]

[Flowers: Pink Hydrangea and white Anemone.] 

[Vase/Container: Vintage basket.]

[Styling and photography: © Ingrid Henningsson/Of Spring and Summer.]

I hope you are enjoying your weekend - maybe doing some gardening or flower arranging - or just spending time with family and friends!

Thank you for visiting 'Of Spring and Summer' - I will be back on Monday with another 'Tiny Blooms' blog post. 

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

[Styling and photography © Ingrid Henningsson/Of Spring and Summer.]

P. S. Did you know that you can subscribe to receive a notification via email whenever I have a new blog post. Just fill in your email address at the top of my blog on the right.

For more floral inspiration you can follow me on:

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Florets - Floral Quote - # 107 - by Jane Packer

"Ranunculus - With their dense tiers of petals, these opulent flowers are reminiscent of ladies' ballgowns, looking their best when open and "full-skirted": sometimes, the fragile stems look as if they cannot support the weight of the petals. The wide variety of colours available makes ranunculus versatile: en masse they can look very modern, or placed in a rustic jug and mixed with other flowers they take on a charming cottagey look."

~ Jane Packer ~ 

[Jane Packer: (1959-2011) British florist and founder of Jane Packer Flowers and flower school and author of thirteen books.]

[Quote from: Fast Flowers by Jane Packer (2000).]

[Flowers: Deep pink ranunculus.] 

[Vase/Container: Blue Willow ware enamelled jug .]

[Styling and photography: © Ingrid Henningsson/Of Spring and Summer.]

Have a lovely floral day and enjoy your flower arranging!

I'm back tomorrow with more floral delights from Of Spring and Summer.

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

You can also find me on:

Instagram - https://instagram.com/ofspringandsummer/

Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/ofspringsummer/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ingrid.henningsson

Florets - Floral Quote - # 94 - by Jane Packer

"Vibrant, clashing colours - scarlets, vermilion, crimson, shocking pinks, sapphire blues, sherbet oranges, acid yellows ans lime greens - capture the spirit of city life. Whether you use them in harmonizing shades of a single colour or in startling, breathtaking combinations, flowers in the city should always look strong and contemporary. You can use flowers to create many moods - elegant, chic, ethnic, exotic, serene or sophisticated - all to enhance their surroundings. Use them to bring out the colours in a nearby painting or to complement a collection of objects. Flowers particularly suited to metropolitan living have strong shapes and definite personalities - tulips (Tulipa), roses (Rosa), ranunculus (Ranunculus), gerbera (Gerbera), amaryllis (Hippeastrum and orchids (Cymbidium) all fit the bill."

~ Jane Packer ~

[Jane Packer: (1959-2011) British florist and founder of Jane Packer Flowers and flower school and author of thirteen books.]

[Quote from: Living with Flowers by Jane Packer (1997).]

[Flowers: Deep pink hydrangea and tulips.] 

[Vase: Alvar Aalto white Savoy vase.]

[Styling and photography: © Ingrid Henningsson/Of Spring and Summer.]

Have a fabulous floral Sunday!

I'll see you again next week.

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

You can also find me on:

Pinterest:   https://www.pinterest.com/ofspringsummer/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ofspringandsummer/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ingrid.henningsson

Florets - Floral Quote - # 91 - by Jane Packer

" When it comes to choosing flowers for the living room, first consider your space. It's essential to select blooms that coordinate with the other colours in the room. Although I usually like to ring the changes, I have to admit that at home I turn to the same old favourites time and time again - dramatic, luxurious red blooms such as roses or amaryllis, largely due to the fact that they are perfectly offset by the moody grey shade of my sitting room walls."

~ Jane Packer ~ 

[Jane Packer (1959-2011): British florist and founder of Jane PackerFlowers and flower school, author of thirteen books.]

[Quote from: At Home With Flowers (2011) by Jane Packer.]

[Flowers: White Amaryllis.]

[Container: Vintage clear glass cylindrical container - that holds the tall Amaryllis stems upright.]

[Styling and Photography © Ingrid Henningsson/Of Spring and Summer.]

Have a wonderful floral Sunday!

I will be back tomorrow Monday with the last post of the month - 'Flowers of the Month' - I'll be showing all the flower arrangements I have featured on the blog during November .

~ xoxo ~

Ingrid

[Styling and Photography: © Ingrid Henningsson/Of Spring and Summer.]

You can also find me on:

Instagram - https://instagram.com/ofspringandsummer/

Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/ofspringsummer/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ingrid.henningsson

Arrange Your Flowers! - # 6 - 12 Favourite Flower Arranging Books

Here are 12 of my favourite flower arranging and floral styling books.

The first four are all a bit cutting edge when it comes to flower arranging - some are modern and contemporary in style others are more romantic and incorporating lots of vintage containers.


Vintage Flowers (2011) this is the London florist Vic Brotherson's first book - choosing, arranging and displaying lush arrangements in vintage containers. Vic's very funky flower shop Scarlet and Violet, based in north west London, is full of vintage vases and containers. 
Here is my book review of her book. 

Vintage Wedding Flowers (2014) also by Vic Brotherson - romantic and beautiful summer arrangements - but not just for weddings. Vic did the very romantic wedding flowers for the model Kate Moss's wedding in 2011. 

Decorate with Flowers (2014) by Holly Becker - who writes the blog Decor8 and Leslie Shewring - who writes the blog A Creative Mint - creative ideas for flowers and containers and how to place them around the home. 
Here is my book review of their book. 

Flower Power (2007) by Swedish florist Malin Hidesäter and photographer Anna Skoog - bouquets and simple arrangements. Malin now works with Blomsterfrämjandet, who promotes cut flowers and house plants in Sweden. Blomsterfrämjandet do yearly trend reports that are worth having a look at - it's in Swedish - so you will have to do a translation.

The next four are all about how to bring nature indoors and making very natural and seasonal arrangements.

A Year in Flowers (2012) by Shane Connolly - seasonal flowers arranged in very natural and unfussy ways. Shane was the Artistic Director for all the floral arrangements at the Royal Wedding in 2011 for the Duchess of Cambridge. 

Bringing Nature Home (2012) by Ngoc Minh Ngo - floral arrangements inspired by nature. Arrangements by Nicolette Camille of the Brooklyn based Little Flower School. 
Here is my book review of the book. 

The Flower Recipe Book (2013) by Alathea Harampolis and Jill Rizzo - 100 easy-to-create arrangements set out as recipes - like a cookbook. They are the founders of Studio Choo, a San Francisco based floral design studio. 
Here is my book review of their book. 

Inspire - The Art of Living with Nature (2014) by Willow Crossley - 50 projects to bring the outside in. Willow shows you how to decorate your home using flowers, foliage and foraged finds. This is Willow's second book, her first was called The Art of Handmade Living (2012). 

The last four books are more about traditional flower arranging - all written by well established florists in the UK and America. 

At Home with Flowers (2011) by Jane Packer - beautifully simple arrangements for every room in the house. Jane's last book and I think her best. 
Here is my book review of her book.

Flowers Chic and Cheap (2010) by New York florist Carlos Mota - arrangements with flowers picked from the market or backyard.

Flowers Every Day (2012) by Paula Pryke - creative ideas for simple, modern flowers for your home. Paula mixes bought flowers with flowers from her garden. 
Here is my book review of her book. 

Simple Flower Arranging (2014) by Mark Welford and Stephen Wicks - Step-by-Step Design and Techniques. Sixty stylish arrangements - bouquets, small vases and table centrepieces.Their shop Bloomsbury Flowers is in Covent Garden and they have now opened a second location in Ham Yard also in the middle of London.

Have a Lovely Floral Day!

I will be back with more 'Arrange Your Flowers!' in January - in the meantime I'll see you on Friday with another 'A Bunch for the Weekend'.

~ xoxo ~

Ingrid

[Styling and photography © Ingrid Henningsson for Of Spring and Summer.]

Florets - Floral Quotes - Five Favourites

Sadly it's the end of Florets - my weekly Sunday post with floral quotes - at least for know. I've been writing it for the last two years and have clocked up close to a hundred quotes.

I would like to thank all of you who so loyally have followed Florets and made many kind comments.

I wanted to show you the quotes that has been the most popular among you guys - they are by Grace Bonney, Rachel de Thame, Shane Connolly, Paula Pryke and Jane Packer. 

"Few things bring a room to life or add that last special something like a beautiful arrangement of flowers. My personal obsession with fresh flowers and potted plants led me to add two floral columns to Design*Sponge and drag several of my editors along to countless flower arranging classes so we could learn more. For some people, flower arrangements can be somewhat daunting, but they can be easy, and exiting to create." 

~ Grace Bonney ~

[Grace Bonney - American, founder of the blog Design*Sponge and author of Design*Sponge at Home.]

[Quote: from Design*Sponge at Home.]

[Foliage: Pittosporum.]

[Containers: Vintage metal milk jugs.]

[Other props: Painted wood panelling, painted wooden cubes and vintage apothecary funnel.]

The transient nature of dazzling autumn colour is a great part of its appeal. You cannot expect to capture something so beautiful and ephemeral, and the inescapable fact that it will never again appear quite the same is somehow reassuring. Seize the moment, look long and hard, commit the view to memory, take a photograph - for the resplendent scene you see today may be gone tomorrow.

~ Rachel de Thame ~ 

[Rachel de Thame - British gardener, author of three books, Gardener's World presenter and designer of the flowers for The Royal Barge at Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant in 2012.]

[Quote: from Rachel de Thame's Top 100 Star Plants.]

[Flowers: Dahlia 'Arabian Night', Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight' and grapes from Vitis vinifera.]

"Watching nature and being aware of the seasons also makes flower choice so much simpler. 

After many years in the business, I am still amazed how a few stems of flowers can bring life to even the most unprepossessing space. A breath of fresh air in every sense of the word. And often it IS just a few stems that are needed.

Just a single flower can remind me of a whole garden or a few papery leaves, an autumn wood."

~  Shane Connolly ~

[Shane Connolly - florist and event designer; he designed the flowers for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's wedding in 2011, author of A Year in Flowers, Table Flowers and The Language of Flowers.] 

[Quote from A Year in Flowers by Shane Connolly.]

Flowers: One stem of purple hydrangea.]

[Vase: Vintage jar from Kew's seed bank with the original handwritten labels.]

[Other vintage props: flower painting, fabric ribbon, Victorian metal grate, bone necklaces, book, fabric covered jewellery box, 1940's belt buckle, Art Nouveau ashtray, round miniature black wooden box and kilim rug.]

"Colour is the most important element in any flower arrangement because it sets the mood of the display - the colour can be vibrant and arresting or calm and soothing. The technical skills involved in arranging flowers can be learned but I believe we are born with our own personal response to colour. The way we 'see' colour can be very different from the next person and what one person may consider to be bright and colourful, another may consider garish."

~ Paula Pryke ~

[Paula Pryke - British, London based florist, founder of Paula Pryke Flower School and author of fifteen books.]

[Quote: from Living Colour by Paula Pryke.]

[Flowers: Orange Chrysanthemums.]

[Vase: Vintage clear glass apothecary jar.]

[Other Props: Rag weaving from Anthropologie.]

[Styling and photography: © Ingrid Henningsson for Of Spring and Summer.]

" One of the quickest ways to make a living room feel special is to use flowers. They remind us of the natural world, the changing seasons and the planet that we live on. We often choose to accessorize with cushions, lamps or other bits and pieces, but I believe that it's flowers that truly bring a living room to life."

~ Jane Packer ~

[Jane Packer - (1959-2011) British florist and founder of Jane Packer Flowers and flower school, author of thirteen books.]

[Quote from Jane Packer at Home with Flowers.]

[Flowers: purple stock flowers.]

[Vintage props: Light green Art Nouveau glass vase, French window shutters and book by Dante.]

[Styling and photography by Ingrid Henningsson for Of Spring and Summer.] 

Have a wonderful Floral Sunday!

~ xoxo ~

Ingrid

[All images: Styling and photography © Ingrid Henningsson for Of Spring and Summer.]

Florets - Floral Quote - # 72 - by Jane Packer

"Scabiosa were once my very favourite flower - I just couldn't believe the detail of each fragile flowerhead. This was back at the very beginning of my career when there wasn't as big a choice of flowers as there is now. Even now, when I see the first scabiosa of the season I can't help but smile. I am reminded of my past love for them and I always take a bunch home where I can admire them all day"

~ Jane Packer ~

[Jane Packer: (1959-2011) British florist and founder of Jane Packer Flowers and flower school, author of thirteen books.]

[Quote from: At Home with Flowers by Jane Packer.]

[Flowers: Pink Scabiosa/Pincushion flowers.]

[Vase: Swedish vintage aluminium coffee pot.]

[Styling and photography © Ingrid Henningsson for Of Spring and Summer.]  

I'm back from my summer break and will be posting some more lovely 'Florets' - floral quotes by florists, garden writers and other flower lovers. I hope you'll enjoy them!

Wishing You a Wonderful Floral Sunday!

xoxo Ingrid

Florets - Floral Quote - # 68 - by Jane Packer

"Although nowadays you can get many flowers all year around, at Jane Packer we try to use those that are in season. There are a few wonderful 'luxury' flowers that appear for a few short weeks only every year, such as peonies or lily-of-the-valley. They can sometimes be obtain out of season, but tend to be very expensive and often the quality isn't great. Many of these flowers have a very short vase life - stocks or lily-of-the-valley, for example. Just enjoy them as a fleeting pleasure and don't expect them to last, or you'll be disappointed."  

~ Jane Packer ~ 

[Jane Packer: (1959-2011) British florist and founder of Jane Packer Flowers and flower school, author of thirteen books.]

[Quote from: At Home with Flowers by Jane Packer.]

[Flowers: Pink and purple stock flowers.]

[Vase: Pink flower pot from Homebase.]

[Vintage props: A selection of vintage grain sacks.]

[Styling and photography © Ingrid Henningsson for Of Spring and Summer.]

Florets - Floral Quote - # 61 - by Jane Packer

" I love entertaining and find that one of the quickest ways to dress the living room for a party is to use seasonal flowers. In springtime, fragrant blooms add an extra dimension - think of the heady perfume of hyacinths and narcissus. Also available at this time of year are branches of blossom, pussy willow or sticky bud, all of which can create dramatic display while offering good value for money. If you are lucky enough to have an ornamental fruit tree in your garden, snap of a couple of branches and bring them indoors for a breath of springtime."

~ Jane Packer ~

[Jane Packer: (1959-2011) British florist and founder of Jane Packer Flowers and flower school, author of thirteen books.]

[Quote from: Jane Packer At Home With Flowers.]

[Flowers: Pussy willow branches.]

[Vase: Tall antique crystal vase.]

[Other props: Painted wooden board.]

[Styling and photography © Ingrid Henningsson for Of Spring and Summer.]

Have a Wonderful Floral Sunday!

See you again next week!

xoxo Ingrid

Florets - Floral Quote # 48 by Jane Packer

"For me, the entrance hall is one area of my home that cries out for fresh flowers. It's the place where I welcome my guests, and I enjoy transforming it with the use of flowers. After all, first impressions count, and you never know who is going to pop round for a visit! I love using scented blooms in the hallway to greet you with their evocative perfume when you step through the front door after a long hard day. My favourites would have to be lavender, sweet peas, peonies, Paperwhite narcissus and hyacinths."

~ Jane Packer ~ 

[Jane Packer: (1959-2011) British florist and founder of Jane Packer Flowers and Jane Packer Flower School; author of thirteen books.]

[Quote: from At Home With Flowers by Jane Packer.]

[Flowers: White Hyacinths.]

[Vase: Blue glass bowl by Swedish glass artist Bertil Vallien.] 

[Styling and photography © Ingrid Henningsson for Of Spring and Summer.]

Have a Wonderful Floral Sunday!

Back soon!

xoxo Ingrid

Florets - Floral Quote by Jane Packer

" One of the quickest ways to make a living room feel special is to use flowers. They remind us of the natural world, the changing seasons and the planet that we live on. We often choose to accessorize with cushions, lamps or other bits and pieces, but I believe that it's flowers that truly bring a living room to life."

~ Jane Packer ~

[Jane Packer - (1959-2011) British florist and founder of Jane Packer Flowers and flower school, author of thirteen books.]

[Quote from Jane Packer at Home with Flowers.]

[Flowers: purple stock flowers.]

[Vintage props: Light green Art Nouveau glass vase, French window shutters and book by Dante.]

[Styling and photography by Ingrid Henningsson for Of Spring and Summer.]