The Encyclopedia of Flowers is the perfect blend of form and function. A recent collaboration between floral artist Makoto Azuma and photographer Sunsuke Shiinoki, the volume features more 2,000 flowers, indexed by their scientific names.
Azuma, who owns Jardins des Fleurs in Tokyo, explores opposing forces in his design and is inspired but, as he says, “not constrained by,” ikebana principles. Designed by Kenya Hara, the book itself mimics the look of Jardin des Fleurs: cold gray concrete and black walls littered with verdant stems and colorful blooms. For more, see Azuma’s Art Nouveau-inspired design in a piece he did for Perrier Jouet’s Blanc de Blancs.
Above: A page from the encyclopedia. Photograph via Lars Müller Publishers.
Above: Encyclopedia of Flowers is $85 from Terrain and also available on Amazon.
Above: A look inside the encyclopedia at images of passion vine and budding hyacinth.
Above: A display of Kenya Hara’s thoughtful and pared down design.
(N.B.: For more books on gardening and outdoor design, see 27 more Required Reading posts in our archive.)
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