Courtesy Martha Stewart
What do you hope readers will take away from your book?
Gardening brings me so much joy, as do the flowers that I grow and arrange. My hope is that those who buy and read this book can not only learn some new techniques but find their own joy through gardening and flower arranging as well.
How is this book different from others you’ve written on flowers and gardens?
Martha’s Flowers is my first book solely dedicated to growing flowers and making arrangements. The book is organized by season, starting with Spring and ending with Early Autumn, which allows readers to take in all the unique bounty of each season’s blooms. This is also the first book I’ve ever co-written with my dear friend Kevin Sharkey, who created most of the arrangements photographed in the book.
In Martha's Flowers you talk about the importance of keeping a calendar so that you know when to expect certain blooms. Do you favor or recommend a certain style of calendar? What works best?
Something big and clear that you can look at from above. I want to be able to see all the days of the month and take little notes for each season and flower.
What tools does a novice gardener need to start his or her first flower garden?
First you need pruners for general cutting of flowers and snipping of branches and trees. I like Japanese hand tools, which serves as a cultivator, a weeder and a hole digger. I also suggest standard three-prong cultivators in a couple of different handle lengths, which are essential for keeping soil aerated and fresh. And of course a really good trowel is essential.
What do you see as some of the most common mistakes people make when arranging flowers for display in the home?
Often times people choose and arrange one flower – one variety in one color. While this can certainly be beautiful, we don’t want our readers to shy away from trying new things. I encourage playing with texture, color and the vessels in which you create your arrangements.
Martha's Flowers is co-written by Kevin Sharkey. Pictured here with Martha Stewart.
Do you have a favorite flower? If so, what is it and why is it a favorite?
That’s so hard for me, I love all flowers. Some of my favorites, which you’ll see in the book, are fritillaria and daffodils and rhododendron and lilacs and peonies…too many to choose just one.
Is this your first trip to St. Louis? If so, is there something in particular about our city that you're curious to see or learn about while you're here?
I’ve been before and am looking forward to seeing the city again. I love to experience the local cuisine in cities I don’t get to visit so often.
