Title: Birkenhead Blooms
Subtitle: The floral art of Alyson Kessel
Author: Alyson Kessel
Publisher: Randomhouse Struik
Imprint: Lifestyle
Cape Town, South Africa 2011
ISBN 9781770078512 / ISBN 978-1-77007-851-2
Hardcover, 21 x 21, 144 pages, 150 colour illustrations
A room to Liz Biden, owner of Birkenhead, the top-level hotel in Hermanus, South Africa, is not fully dressed, fully alive, without flowers. In all three properties in The Royal Portfolio, flowers set the mood and establish a feeling of beauty and luxury. In fact, she simply could not imagine her hotels without them. The style of Birkenhead House and Villa is a mix of clean contemporary white enlivened with plush fabrics, colourful antiques and paintings. Author Alyson Kessel understands this aesthetic perfectly and for the past six years her strikingly modern floral designs have worked beautifully to complement and enhance these interiors. Her book on flower arranging contains easy step-by-step instructions on how to achieve beautiful flower arrangements for a variety of vases and containers and as well will appeal to people seeking inspiration to create modern and stylish flower combinations.
Foreword Musings
The basics
Equipment Preparation and care
Unexpected combinations
Stems and leaves
Support systems
Cubes and tubes
Tall and slim
Wide and flat
Clusters, tiers and multiples
Finishing touches
Napkins ideas
Interiors
Weddings
Inspirations
Acknowledgements