How have you liked Seven Flowers? Did you dive in or have you had to take it slowly? Potter gives you LOTS of information, we know. It may be hard to digest it all, but we hope you’ve learned a few new things and gained more appreciation for these amazing flowers. Here are some questions to think about – we’d love to hear your thoughts! And BOY are there some beautiful books regarding flowers! Be sure to check out the further reading suggestions!
This month our featured illustrator is Portland-based, Yas Imamura of Quill and Fox, a long-time favorite of Brittany’s. She’s created a beautiful poster with a quote from the book:
“It isn’t enough to let the flowers bloom; we must decode what they have to say.”
Get the free Seven Flowers bookmark download on the next page!
Discussion Questions
1. The author chose the Orchid as the last of her seven flowers, admitting it was the one that surprised her the most! Did one of these seven flowers surprise you? Did you learn something that made you think differently about that favorite flower in your garden??
2. Potter also wrote in her foreword: “Some flowers are inevitably missing; had space permitted, I would like to have included western carnations, eastern peonies and chrysanthemums, and plants endemic to the southern hemisphere, such as banksias, proteas and the waratah.” (I had to look that last one up…) Is there a flower that you would have included? Is there one blooming plant that has meant so much to you, that you would include as a flower that shaped YOUR corner of the world?
3. While flowers are a symbol of many things good and beautiful, darker connotations have existed as well: the dangers of the Opium Poppy; several centuries of Chinese foot binding, which transformed girls’ feet into ‘golden lotuses’; Tulip Mania – the greed and abandon that led to a nationwide financial collapse, just to name a few. Did any of these leave you in disbelief?? What did you think about seeing the “dark side” (ha!) of these beautiful plants?
To purchase this print check out our Print Shop
To download a free version of the bookmark click here
Here are some further reading suggestions: (and even one from last year’s Lars Book Club!)
The Tulip: The Story of the Flower That Has Made Men Mad by Anna Pavord
The Botany of Desire: A Plant’s-Eye View of the World by Michael Pollan
Meaningful Bouquets: Create Special Messages with Flowers by Leigh Okies and Lisa McGuinness (Both a glossary and beautiful bouquet DIY!)
The Meaning of Flowers and The Meaning of Herbs both by Gretchen Scoble (Check ebay; these may be out of print!)
Garden Flora: The Natural and Cultural History of the Plants in Your Garden by Noel Kingsbury (an alphabetical encyclopedia with gorgeous illustrations and photos)
Photography by Anna Killian | Post by Julie Richardson | Artwork by Yas Imamura of Quill & Fox