Gardening | Inspiration blooms in new book on growing, arranging flowers

Like any good how-to book, “Floret Farm’s A Year in Flowers” offers helpful lists and detailed instructions.

Subtitled “Designing Gorgeous Arrangements for Every Season,” it brims with inspiration for gardeners, arrangers and anyone who loves flowers.

What really make this new book wonderful, though, are the passion and personality of its author, Erin Benzakein, a top farmer-florist and the founder of Floret Flower Farm in Washington state.

In addition to being a gifted grower and designer, she also is a natural coach and teacher. With an attitude of “If I did it, you can, too,” she isn’t afraid to describe her early challenges or to share the techniques she developed after frustrating trial and error.

Not only will readers learn how to make tabletop arrangements, seasonal wreaths and more, but, under Benzakein’s inspiring instruction, they also will gain confidence and harness their creativity.

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“A Year in Flowers” shows and tells what, when and how — whether your goal is to arrange blooms that you purchase at a farm stand, make bouquets for friends and family with flowers from your own garden, or even try your hand at selling.

Expertly photographed by her husband, Chris, Benzakein walks you through every step of the process. Lilacs in spring, zinnias in summer, chrysanthemums in autumn and evergreens in winter all find their way into her lush, graceful arrangements.

Years ago, as a young mom struggling to find her way, Benzakein knew she wanted to do something with flowers — but what? The concept of raising, arranging and selling local, seasonal flowers was still in its infancy, but, thankfully, she didn’t let that stop her.

I bet she wishes she could go back in time to tell her younger, uncertain self, “Hey, guess what — you’re going to write a book, and it’s going to make the New York Times Best Seller List.”

In news that Floret’s blog describes as “unheard of for a book about flowers,” that’s exactly what happened on March 1: “A Year in Flowers” ranked sixth in “Advice, How-to and Miscellaneous.”

“Everyone told us it couldn’t be done and that this book would never make the top 10,” the blog adds.

That’s the spirit that makes Benzakein come alive for readers — and that will encourage their own talents to flower.

Diana Lockwood, a freelance writer covering gardening topics, posts on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mrsgardenperson.

• Because daffodils are among the cut flowers that emit a toxic sap, Benzakein recommends giving them special treatment.

“Daffodils should be cut and placed in their own separate bucket and left to rest for 3 to 4 hours before mixing with other (floral) ingredients.”

• Although amaryllis look stunning in arrangements, they tend to be top-heavy.

“To prevent stems from collapsing under their own weight, slip a long, thin bamboo skewer through the hollow stem; secure with a cotton ball.”

• Floret Farm is often asked which cut flowers are easiest to grow from seed. “Without fail, our answer is always cosmos.”

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