Black Flora

by Teresa J. Speight

[annieb123]

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Black Flora is a collection of profiles featuring nearly 2 dozen floriculture allied artists of color showcasing their artistry & talent, collected and curated by Teresa J. Speight. Released 22nd Oct 2024 by Hachette on their Timber Press imprint, it's 208 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. 

This is a beautifully made and well laid out homage to the horticultural arts and artists at the cutting edge. The entries are lavishly illustrated, with many full page color photos. They represent a number of styles and aesthetics - mostly (but not all) on the avant garde end of the spectrum. The book is full of inspiration. Each of the entries includes specific information about the srtist/designer/farmer/entrepreneur. The text entries also include short biographies about them and their journeys to get to where they are.

The appendices include an abbreviated resources and links list for retailers and suppliers. It's slanted toward readers in North America. Notably, the book lacks an index. It's not a crippling deficiency, but it was a notable omission.

Five stars. This would make a superlative selection for gardening aficionados, a special gift, students, designers/horticulturists, library use, or as a beautiful coffee-table book to enjoy and revisit. This one has high "re-readability". 

Disclosure: I received an eARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.