Why do buttercups glow when held beneath your chin? Why are bluebells known as fairy phones? Why are foxgloves sometimes given the ominous name ‘Deadman’s Bellows’? And what is the true meaning of a rose?

This book was very informative and beautifully made! A must-read for anyone who loves folklore and mythology!

Thank you to Netgalley and Leaping Hare Press for this ARC.
This book is beautifully illustrated and well laid out. The folk stories themselves were charming, not too lengthy and very easy to read, adding a ritual after each one was a nice touch that I've not yet seen in other works like this one.
I liked that the genus, brief physical description, folklore meaning and origin were included separately from the story itself, it makes it easy to come back to if needed.
A definite must-read for anyone interested in the shadow lives of plants, gardening, horticulture and anything in that realm!

An interesting book with lots of cool flower information. I enjoyed the illustrations, too. Could be enjoyed by children, teens, and adults.

A gorgeous collection of flower facts and fairy tales, Floral Folklore is perfect for the nature lover in your life. The illustrations are absolutely beautiful and the stories are wonderfully paced. This would be a great bedtime story book.

Very cute and interesting book. A lot of nice art and interesting stories. You can sorta tell where the medicinal part of some of the plants comes into play. Would recommend.

Alison Davies' "Floral Folklore" is a charming exploration of the myths, legends, and symbolism surrounding over 40 common and captivating plants. More than just a botany book, it's a captivating tapestry woven with history, folklore, and a touch of magic.

What captivated me:

Unique perspective: Davies breathes new life into familiar blooms, revealing their fascinating cultural significance.
Beautifully written: The prose is engaging and evocative, transporting you to a world where flowers whisper secrets.
Organized for easy exploration: Divided by season, the book allows you to delve into blooms associated with each time of year.
Things to Consider:

Focus on cultural narratives: While the book mentions some practical uses of plants, the primary focus is on folklore and symbolism.
Light on scientific details: Readers seeking in-depth botanical information may want to look elsewhere.
"Floral Folklore" is a perfect book for nature enthusiasts, folklore aficionados, and anyone who appreciates the beauty and mystery of the natural world. It's a delightful weekend read or a charming coffee table companion that will make you see your garden in a whole new light.

Highly recommend for gardeners, folklore lovers, and anyone who enjoys a captivating blend of nature and storytelling.

I can say definitively that the organization of this book was amazing. From the way that Davies separated the flowers into the seasons that they bloom in to the way the stories within these seasons flow between each other. It was very well done. The art work was phenomenal and added to the stories being told as well. My main issue was the “location” section of the flowers descriptions. I found it would have been more helpful to the readers understanding if this section had told us when/where in more detain. Instead of stating Greece, she could have stated it was from Ancient Greece. There were also small spelling errors and sometimes in the Greek myth sections she would use Roman myth terms. Venus is the Roman goddess. Aphrodite would be the correct name to use.

This book was really fun and the illustrations were so pretty. I liked how the information for each flower was given under the heading of the season in which you would normally see the flower in nature. Each flower's folklore is unique and the meaning behind their names was interesting to learn. I am going to tell my friends about this book for sure!

This book is adorable. It features each plant with folklore stories and ways to use each plant.

Booksource: Netgalley in exchange for review.

Sooo beautiful! I really want a physical copy of this book. I am still reading it, but so far I have loved every piece of information it has given me

A very well executed original idea! The stories are not too short and not too long, spanning over many different cultures and believes. The illustrations are very cute and fit the overall theme perfectly. Something a person might rarely buy for themselves, but a perfect gift for lovers of folklore and flowers, to dive into the magical world of floral symbols and their meanings.

I enjoyed this book. I love how we got stories from a lot of different countries, including Greece, Korea, India, Italy, etc. As someone who loves folklore and mythology, this book was right up my alley!

I will say that I found some of the stories a bit difficult to get through or hard to take seriously, especially the Lavender one featuring a story about Cleopatra. It just didn't sit well with me. And at least two had a tale mentioned as being from Greece, yet the Roman names were used.

I still enjoyed it, however, and the little activities found at the end of the sections were a fun addition. I recommend this for anyone interested in flowers and folklore, just be sure to take the stories with a grain of salt.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Gorgeous illustrations paired with the scientific name, description of the plant, and origin of the folklore with a brief description of said folklore. This book is a stunning, immersive deep dive any plant lover need in their library.

When I first read the sinopsys, what mostly caught my attention was the sentence “After reading this book, you’ll never look at a bunch of flowers the same way again”. I thought that was such a bold statement and I wondered why. Would it really have that effect on me? And honestly, it did.

This book explores the folklore behind flowers, organizing them by the seasons they belong to. It also offers various meditations and useful advice. I never thought I would be intrigued by a book about flowers, but I was pleasantly surprised. I truly enjoyed it. Moreover, the visuals are absolutely stunning, featuring amazing artwork.

*Thanks to Quarto Publishing Group for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Dive into the folklore of flowers in this handy book. About 40 plants divided by seasons are presented, with their scientifical names and meanings before its story takes the page. The myths's origins are from all over the world, making us travel and discover the world. Each flower ends with an exercise or a ritual (for kindness, self love, flexibility...) depending on the flower's meaning and myth. I'll admit this last part was not my cup of tea, and I found them kind of repetitive, the intention being the one thing that really matters.
I really enjoyed discovering more about these plants and their folklore, this is a book you'll want to keep in your bookshelf or on your coffee table and read from time to time when wondering about a flower.

Humans have given meanings and stories to plants and flowers for thousands of years, whether they’re myths about Ancient Greek Gods who pecked out the eyes of anyone who dared move the sacred but thorny Peony plant, or 19th-century superstitions of how flowers could foreshadow love, life or death. After reading this book, you’ll never look at a bunch of flowers the same way again!

This is a really special book! I enjoyed all the info, folklore and origin stories for these plants. The artwork was also very beautiful. Thank you for letting me view and review an ARC of this book.

Davies has collated an interesting range of folklore stories revolving around and including various plants from around the world. Some are well-known, well=recognised stories, others are more obscure, and each is followed by a little affirmation. I'll be honest, I found the affirmation a little odd; it was almost as though this book was trying to stray into self-help, which was a little confusing. But overall, it's a decently informative, well-illustrated collection.

This is such a beautiful book, full of gorgeous facts and folklore about so many different species of flowers and plants.

If you love nature, being outdoors and want to immerse yourself even more to the natural world then this is the book for you!

Thank you to NetGalley & Quarto for the DRC!

I very nice, well tought book! It was a nice read, the information about plants was simple to understand, yet enjoyable to read for a non0fiction book!