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

“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 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.”