Pittsburgh, PA (August 5, 2014): Windowsill arranging: it’s an art form! Garden writer and naturalist Nancy Ross Hugo practices a form of floral design that is simple, pure and spontaneous. Nothing formal here. Her small, evocative arrangements, created on the narrow platform of a windowsill, reflect what is going on in her garden and neighborhood. In Windowsill Art: Creating One-of-a-Kind Natural Arrangements to Celebrate the Seasons (St. Lynn’s Press, September 2014), Hugo opens our eyes to the unexpected beauty and whimsy of the bits of nature at our feet: the leaves, seedpods, flowers, fruits, vegetables and twigs. She shows us how to find and display these small delights for a unique and personal kind of art – one that mirrors the rhythms of life around us.
Forget the anxiety that comes along with formal flower arranging. This form of floral design requires little time, effort and plant material. Hugo emphasizes the joy of the process, the endless creative possibilities and the value of “keeping it small and simple.” She uses bottles, jars and vases to showcase her “found” elements and encourages readers to do the same. In Hugo’s hands, a beet, a blade of grass or a pile of apple skins can become the focal point of an arrangement. With her gentle guidance we learn why some containers work better than others, how to combine materials – and simple techniques to enhance creative possibilities.
Windowsill Art is illustrated with 174 full-color photographs, including a month-by-month gallery of windowsill arrangements through the year.
Kind words for the book:
“What could be better than a windowsill full of garden treasures ready for their close-up? It’s time to get rid of those dusty African Violets and bring something fresh into your home.”
~ James Baggett, Editor of Country Gardens magazine
“I love this book and all it represents – a ‘slow flowers’ practice for the naturalist, gardener, and artist.”
~ Debra Prinzing, author of Slow Flowers and The 50-Mile Bouquet
Nancy Ross Hugo is the author of five books about gardening and natural history. The former garden columnist for the Richmond Times-Dispatch and education manager at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, Hugo teaches floral design to amateurs and experts and conducts workshops throughout the mid-Atlantic. Her daily blog, Windowsill Arranging, which she began in 2011, now includes over 1,000 posts showcasing her daily arrangements. To learn more about the author, visit nancyrosshugo.com.
St. Lynn’s Press is located in the eclectic South Side neighborhood of Pittsburgh: 3846 South Water Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15203. For additional information, please contact us by phone (412) 381 9933 or fax (412) 381 9935. Or visit our website, stlynnspress.com.
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About the Book:
Windowsill Art: Creating One-of-a-Kind Natural Arrangements to Celebrate the Seasons
Nancy Ross Hugo
ISBN: 978-0-9892688-5-1
$18.95 US/ $19.95 Canada
Hardcover, 192 pages
St. Lynn’s Press
www.stlynnspress.com