The Flower Show: But make it (mostly) fiction
Florals? For Spring? Groundbreaking.
It’s Chelsea flower show this week and the area is in bloom… with women in floral dresses. If you’ve not been clinking a glass of English sparkling by a living wall, then what have you been doing with your week?
But whether you’re a flower obsessive or just like your gardens fictional and full of metaphors, here’s something for you. In honour of the show, we’ve picked a handful of books that rival Chelsea’s best borders.
Because the only vibe for the long weekend is a book you want to sit in a garden with and read for hours.
In honour of the show, here are 5 books to rival Chelsea’s borders
The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng
Set in postwar Malaysia, where a woman apprentices herself to a Japanese gardener. One of the books we gifted at our wedding. This will make you want to pack it all up, move to Malaysia, and learn to garden.
The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller
A secret-filled family drama set around a summer house in the woods. Tangled roots, hidden paths, and emotional overgrowth.
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
A classic, and for good reason. The quiet magic of a walled garden, and families, and secrets.
The Garden Against Time by Olivia Laing
Part memoir, part cultural history, this is a philosophical wander through landscape, loss, and the politics of beauty, via her restoration of a walled garden in Suffolk.
Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake
A mind-expanding dive into the hidden lives of fungi. A reminder that the most vital things often grow underground. Winner of the Royal Society prize 2021.
Looking for your next read to plant on the windowsill (or in your weekend bag)?
The Pre-Loved Bookshop - A slower, more sustainable way to discover books. Second-hand, community powered, £4 a title, 15% donated. Visit the shop.
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The Slow Down Book Club - A 10-week reading journey, curated by us. Join the waitlist for the next one.
Say goodbye to bad recommendations and hello to a better reading experience 👇