The lotus, lily, sunflower, opium poppy, rose, tulip and orchid. Seven flowers: seven stories full of surprise and secrets.
Where and when did these flowers originate? What is the nature of their power and how was it acquired? What use has been made of them in gardens, literature, and art? These are both histories and detective stories, full of incident, unexpected revelations, and irony. The opium poppy, for example, returned to haunt its progenitors in the West; and while Confucius saw virtue and modesty in his native orchids, the ancient Greeks saw only sex. These are flowers of life and death; of purity and passion; of greed, envy, and virtue; of hope and consolation; of the beauty that drives men wild. All seven demonstrate the enduring ability of flowers to speak metaphorically-if we could only decode what they have to say.
"Jennifer Potter is a wonderful writer on the history and culture of plants, plantsmen, and gardens... Any gardener, of the practical or armchair variety, will love this beautifully written survey."
Good Book Guide
"Endlessly beguiling... Potter's range of reference is huge, from Dante to Ginsberg, from the flower-and-bird paintings of the Song dynasty to Manet and from early Christianity to Hindu creation myths... Every page yields up some delicious nuggets"
Gardens Illustrated
"This literary delight will surely become compulsory reading for flower enthusiasts everywhere...
Accompanied by magnificent colour plates and botanical etchings, this book is a voyage of discovery. A thoroughly rewarding read."
