The arrangements in Constance Spry’s books are wonderful of course: beautiful and interesting and thought-provoking. Sometimes weird and other-worldly. You can study them and learn from them. It’s like the difference between enjoying a mindless flick through Living Etc and poring over World of Interiors.
But her writing is an equal joy. I adopt this quote as something of a motto for life, let alone flowers.
Her books are clever and useful and life-affirming if you are interested in the fabric of life and the seasons as they pass.
I love this bit from How to do the Flowers, talking about how flowers relate to their context. It must be suitable, dear.
“I know a green room, so soft, quiet and peaceful that a vase of bright carnations would destroy its quality. I know of a bare attic-like room where one small vase of gay flowers makes it look furnished and decorated. I know also of a modern chromium touched studio where only brilliant colour and clean cut line have anything to say at all, where a tender arrangement of roses or pinks would be as unsuitable as a feather boa on a lift-girl’s uniform.”
I wish we still had lift girls and I love that flowers can have something to say in a place.
Byrd & Spry 