Flower Arranging

Flower Arranging (1989) by Jane Newdick and Neil Sutherland (Colour Library Books). ISBN: 0862837553.

Remember when flower arranging was considered both an art and a competitive sport? This glossy late-80s number arrives like a time capsule from the days of Dynasty hair, pastel bridesmaids’ dresses, and wicker everything. Jane Newdick provides the prose, Neil Sutherland the pictures, and together they serve up an avalanche of chrysanthemums, lilies, and the occasional bit of fern that looks like it came straight out of your nan’s hallway.

Inside you’ll find the whole arsenal of floral warfare: sprays, cascades, posies, and those oddly triangular constructions that suggest someone was thinking more about Euclidean geometry than roses. The photos are peak 1989—soft focus, bold colour saturation, and the faint suggestion that every bouquet is about to appear on Through the Keyhole. The text is cheerfully practical, explaining how to make arrangements look effortless while actually requiring twenty-seven pins, three types of foam, and a sturdy vase you’ll probably break within a week.

Condition: Good. Which in Crappy Old Books language means it’s all intact, the binding holds, and you can flip through without being showered in potpourri dust. Expect some shelfwear, perhaps a faint whiff of perfume (the Avon kind, not the Jo Malone kind), and the sense that this book once lived in a living room where Country Living magazines were carefully fanned out on the coffee table.

The dust jacket, if it still clings on, may show signs of having defended itself against a pot plant or two. But fear not—the content is undiminished: glossy photos, bold captions, and instructions that may inspire you to hack at your garden like an overenthusiastic Edward Scissorhands.

A perfect specimen for collectors of 80s lifestyle books, lovers of kitsch, or anyone who enjoys the idea of flower arranging as both a pastime and a minor domestic power move. Another bloom plucked fresh from the slightly dusty shelves of Crappy Old Books, where every petal tells a story.

Keep browsing: See more Crafts books Other books by Jane Newdick and Neil Sutherland