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Naomi Slade’s ‘Chrysanthemums’ Book: A Love Letter to the Misunderstood Flower

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“Chrysanthemums are long overdue for a revival,” says garden writer Naomi Slade, the author of the new book Chrysanthemums: Beautiful Varieties for Home and Garden, which is out in the U.S. now and launching in the U.K on September 12. “They’ve gotten this reputation of being workhorse flowers that are not very special,” she says. “In fact, they’re incredibly special and really interesting.”

Because chrysanthemums, or mums as they’re often called, are easy to grow and last for ages, they’ve become ubiquitous in commercial floristry. Some cut flower growers, however, have caught the heirloom chrysanthemum bug, and with the help of Slade’s book, more people will soon discover how exciting chrysanthemums can be.

Photography by Georgianna Lane from Chrysanthemums: Beautiful Varieties for Home and Garden by Naomi Slade, courtesy of Gibbs Smith Books. 

Slade says she was excited to discover the PIP series of commercially-grown chrysanthemums, including
Above: Slade says she was excited to discover the PIP series of commercially-grown chrysanthemums, including ‘PIP Salmon, above. “Its creamy apricot blooms have a deeper caramel stripe,” Slade writes, “The lightly brushed streaks add detail without being fussy, and impart a gentle texture that helps the flower blend with other components of a bouquet.”

Slade attributes the growing enthusiasm for chrysanthemums in part to the recent popularity of dahlias. “Chrysanthemums have all the good qualities that dahlias have,” Slade enthuses. “They pick beautifully, they photograph well, they’re wonderful for arranging. And there’s this whole other bunch of chrysanthemums, which are also hardy garden plants. So, it’s like dahlias plus.” 

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