Chrysanthemums

The underestimated Chrysanthemum is the epitome of both flamboyance and style with it's many varieties and shapes: chronicled beautifully in Naomi Slades Chrysanthemums.The next title in Pavilion's best-selling series of stylish floral guides, Chrysanthemums celebrates the versatility and variety of this familiar yet surprising bloom.As a life-giving herb in ancient China, a cultural emblem in Japan and a design icon of the Arts and Crafts movement, the chrysanthemum has been lauded through the ages. Yet in recent years it has gained a reputation as something of a workhorse among cut flowers, thanks to its reliable, long-lasting blooms and sturdy stems. More recently, resurgent interest in heritage varieties and new developments in growing and propagating have meant that the future of the flower is changing. As a cut flower, the exotic, decadent blooms and adaptable sprays of buttons are winning hearts and attracting new admirers, while the hardy and tenacious garden varieties are experiencing a long-overdue resurgence.Chrysanthemums explores cultivated chrysanthemums in all their glory, from the rare and interesting to the glamorous and ubiquitous, via those that are simply excellent garden plants. It delights in their form, fragrance and colour, digs into their history and rejoices in one of the finest cut flowers around.The huge variety of the genus Chrysanthemum is illuminated in captivating text by gardening journalist, author and designer Naomi Slade, while the elegant and characterful blooms are captured in gorgeous colour by photographer Georgianna Lane.The chrysanthemum is the perfect flower for weddings, gift bouquets and to brighten your home, and with expert advice and commentary, this book is ideal for anyone wanting to propagate, grow, cut, or simply admire this fabulous bloom.