Cozy Summer Reading List: Nine Books About Flowers, Plants & Herbs
by Staff Writer
When it comes to creating a cozy home environment, few things rival the charm of lush, green plants. They bring life into a room, purify the air, and add a touch of nature’s tranquility to our everyday spaces. But have you ever considered the equally delightful experience of curling up with a good book about plants?
For those who cherish cozy small-town living, especially here in the South, reading about plants can be an enchanting and enriching pastime. Let’s explore some of the reasons you should add books about plants, flowers and herbs to your cozy summer reading list.
The Joy Of Plant-Themed Books
There’s something inherently soothing about plants. Whether it’s the intricate beauty of a fern’s fronds or the robust vitality of a blooming sunflower, plants have a way of captivating our senses and grounding us in the present moment. Plant-themed books capture this essence beautifully. From lush photography and detailed illustrations to inspiring narratives and practical advice, these books offer a sanctuary of calm and curiosity.
For the avid gardener, books on plants provide endless inspiration and knowledge. They can introduce new species to cultivate, innovative gardening techniques to try, and creative ways to incorporate greenery into home décor. For those new to the world of plants, these books serve as a gentle introduction, demystifying the art of plant care and showcasing the joy of nurturing living things.
Why The Interest In Plant-Themed Reading?
The rising interest in plant-themed books is part of a broader trend towards embracing nature and its myriad benefits. In our fast-paced, technology-driven world, there’s a growing desire to reconnect with the natural environment. This yearning is particularly strong in the cozy small-town settings of the South, where the pace of life allows for deeper appreciation of the simple pleasures.
Reading about plants taps into this desire in a unique way. It combines the intellectual stimulation of learning with the sensory pleasure of visually stunning images and the emotional comfort of engaging stories. Plant-themed books often blend science, art, and personal anecdotes, creating a multifaceted reading experience that appeals to a wide audience.
Benefits Of Reading Plant Books For Cozy Living
- Educational Enrichment: Plant books are a treasure trove of knowledge. They educate readers about different plant species, their needs, and their benefits. This knowledge can be both practical, enhancing one’s gardening skills, and intellectually satisfying, deepening one’s understanding of the natural world.
- Stress Reduction: Much like the presence of actual plants, reading about plants can be incredibly relaxing. The act of reading itself is a known stress-reliever, and when combined with the soothing subject matter of plants, it can significantly enhance one’s sense of calm and well-being.
- Inspiration for Home Décor: Plant-themed books are brimming with ideas for incorporating greenery into home décor. From arranging succulents on a windowsill to creating a lush indoor garden, these books offer endless inspiration for making a home feel more cozy and inviting.
- Enhanced Connection to Nature: Reading about plants fosters a deeper connection to nature. It encourages mindfulness and appreciation for the intricate beauty and life cycles of the plant world. This connection can be especially meaningful in small-town settings, where the natural landscape is an integral part of the community’s charm.
- Community Engagement: Sharing a love of plant books can also be a wonderful way to connect with others. Whether through local book clubs, gardening groups, or online forums, discussing plant-themed books can build a sense of community and shared passion.
A Life In The Garden by Barbara Damrosch
One of America’s most well-known and bestselling gardening writers shares her reflections and advice on finding joy in the garden
In A Life in the Garden, horticultural icon Barbara Damrosch imparts a lifetime of wisdom on growing food for herself and her family. In writing that’s accessible, engaging, and elegant, she welcomes us to garden alongside her. Personal, thoughtful, and often humorous, this book offers practical DIY insights that will delight gardeners, cooks, and small-scale farmers. With a personal and sometimes irreverent tone, Barbara expresses the pleasure she takes in gardening, the sense of empowerment she finds in it, and the importance of a partnership with the real expert: nature.
Black Flora by Teresa J. Speight
Black Flora is the first book to feature profiles of contemporary Black experts innovating in the world of flowers. Author and longtime gardener, Teresa Speight, offers a beautiful intersection of flowers and community. This book is a homecoming, one that unearths the floral legacies of the past and present, while providing a source of inspiration for younger generations of plant-lovers seeking examples of successful Black floral artists and entrepreneurs.
With photos and insights from over 20 growers, florists, and designers from around the US, each with a deep reverence for nature, Black Flora showcases a range of floral expertise. And as visionary horticulturalist and garden historian, Abra Lee, reflects in her foreword, the community represented in Black Flora has an important significance both today, and in garden history.
Both a celebration of now and a vision for the future, Black Flora honors floriculture’s creative vanguard.
Earthly Utopias: Sacred Gardens Of The World by Yolanda Zappaterra
This rich, beautiful book takes readers from the mountains of Kashmir to a repurposed castle in the west of Ireland, as it tours the most magnificent sacred gardens in the world.
Elements from religious gardens – from labyrinths and grottos to monastic herb gardens and geometrical patterns – have long been familiar in garden design, as has the tradition of seeking spiritual enlightenment through nature. But this book takes the reader straight to the source, showcasing the best gardens designed and informed directly by religious and spiritual teachings.
These include functional gardens created by monks for sanctuary, medicine and food; the sacred bathing pools of Tirta Gangga in Bali; and the kare-sansui garden at Ryōan-ji, informed by Zen Buddhism. Many are ancient sites full of myth, others have been lovingly restored from ruin, and some have been newly created in recent years in a bid to get closer to the Divine, through traditional religion or the worship of nature itself.
Earthly Utopias visits cathedrals, monasteries, and ruined abbeys; temples, mausoleums, and shrines; forests, islands, and deserts, in search of these sacred gardens. And each one serves as a prime example of how religion, philosophy, and spirituality can inform and inspire beautiful garden design.
Growing Herbs for Heath, Wellness, Cooking and Crafts by Kim Roman
From soil preparation, lighting, how often to water, pests and disease prevention, important things to know when planting indoors verses outdoors, and more, expert gardener and author Kim Roman shares invaluable tips inside this book to help you produce high-yield quality herbs at home.
Kim also shares quick reference charts and plant profiles for 51 of today’s most popular herbs, in addition to a few of her favorite recipes where herbs are the star ingredient, including marinades, salad vinaigrettes, infused oils, delicious cocktails or mocktails, herbed and plain focaccia bread, teas, and more! You’ll also learn how you can enhance your crafting projects by adding herbs.
How Herbs Healed The World by Connor Smith
Herbs are wonderful things. Without them so much would not be possible. With the advance of science over the last two hundred years these once mystical plants have changed and saved countless lives, vastly improving our standard of living while providing us all with a much richer, healthier diet. Today, we take for granted a world full of life-saving drugs, luxury cosmetics and exotic foods.
This fascinating book will tell this story: revealing how poisons once used by the ancient Romans such as Deadly Nightshade are now being used in modern medicine or how the herbs used by indigenous people around the world have provided remedies for countless illnesses. It will explore the myths and legends behind herbs such as the infamous Mandrake and how herbs such as Yarrow are still being used to treat wounds today, just as they were thousands of years ago; and it will show how exotic herbs from across the globe have enriched our lives and delve into the origins of the culinary herbs that everyone knows and loves.
Making Fairy Garden Accessories: 22 Enchanting Projects for Your Backyard by Andrew & Anna-Marie Fahmy
Authors Anna-Marie and Andrew Fahmy combine their two passions, the outdoors and crafts, providing step-by-step instructions on how to create one-of-a-kind fairy garden crafts. These projects are beginner friendly with only one requirement: bring your imagination!
Inside this 128-page book, you’ll learn about different techniques and materials like working with twigs and sticks, unpolished rocks, types of moss, acorn caps, pinecones, glue guns, square pegs, and other accessories easily found at your local craft or hobby store.
The projects include small and large houses for fairies, pixies, or gnomes, with the home accessories they will need to live comfortably, including doors, window, chairs, tables, bookshelves, and more, plus tips for lighting your creations so your fairy friends will feel warm and welcome. Also included is a stunning inspirational gallery of fairy gardens, houses, and hand-made accessories showing different styles, materials, and display ideas.
Nettle Power: Forage, Feast & Nourish Yourself With This Remarkable Healing Plant by Brigitte Mars
Nettle Power is a fascinating exploration of the many uses of nettle for food, medicine, and fiber. A plentiful wild plant with a long history of use by both European and Native American herbalists, nettle helps soothe skin conditions, strengthen bones, increase milk production in lactating mothers, restore the nervous system, purify the blood, and boost the immune system, among its many benefits.
The plant’s sting is easily neutralized by blanching and author Brigitte Mars shares a range of recipes for using the nutrient-dense green leaves as a tasty substitute for spinach or chard in salads, soups, and main dishes, along with healing recipes for teas, tinctures, juices, and elixirs. Colorful illustrations and curious facts and lore make this a highly browsable and useful handbook for foraging, herb, and natural health enthusiasts.
Say It with Flowers: Notes from Real People and the Bouquets They Inspired by Kelsie Hayes
Since opening NYC-based flower shop POPUPFLORIST, owner Kelsie Hayes has collected the most memorable notes customers have written to accompany an arrangement. These messages range from congratulatory to endearing, hilarious, condoling, sexy, apologetic, and even mysterious, and they offer a peek into the private lives of everyday people. This petite gift book collects 52 of these anonymous notecards, each paired with a flower arrangement inspired by the sender’s words and designed with POPUPFLORIST’s signature flair.
A glossary shares the meanings of different flowers to help you create your own arrangements for big life moments, from birthdays to births to breakups. A sweet gift alongside a vase of blooms, this charming hardcover is as inspiring as it is entertaining, and offers expert guidance on how to “say it with flowers” by arranging your own meaningful bouquets.
The Vedge Bar Book By Plant-Based Cocktails and Light Bites For Inspired Entertaining by Rich Landau, Kate Jacoby, Brian Bolles and Ginevra Reiff
A good drink is an indulgent sensory experience worth savoring―and no cocktail party or afternoon tipple is complete without a tasty snack or two. This all-vegan collection of 75 stunning contemporary cocktails and simple yet sophisticated bar snacks, from the team behind the bar at Philadelphia’s critically acclaimed Vedge, is a must-have for holiday hosts, cocktail connoisseurs, and plant-based foodies alike.
The Vedge Bar Book goes beyond the classics, offering unique (and often surprising) flavor combinations you’ll find nowhere else―and will have to sip to believe. To help you round out your next cocktail party there are elevated plant-based bites and bar snacks that can be mixed and matched however you like. The chapters are divided by season, so you can sip and snack all year long.
Incorporating plant-themed books into your reading repertoire is a delightful way to enhance your cozy living experience. These books offer more than just information; they provide inspiration, relaxation, and a deeper connection to the natural world.
Whether you’re an experienced gardener or a curious newcomer, the world of plant books has something to offer everyone. So, next time you’re looking for a cozy read, consider reaching for a book about plants. You might just find that the green on the pages brings a little more green into your life.
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