"Every garden can prove a veritable treasure-trove, a source of gorgeous decorations for the home and beautiful gifts all year 'round. Even for those with modest gardens - and for those too who have no garden of their own but instead rely on their florist and local nursery - common winter greens or simple summer blossoms can be the inspiration for creations that range from sweet to stately and splendid. Suzanne F. Bales, an avid gardener with more than 10 acres that thrive under her care, offers scores of original ideas that have delighted her friends, guests and family for years." "With such charming and easy projects as garlands to decorate the mantelpiece, holiday wreaths and tips on forcing bulbs, Suzie Bales celebrates the winter season. Pine-cone ornaments encrusted with birdseed are a naturalists delight, designed to hang outdoors to comfort our feathered friends. Spring brings pots of primroses, miniature arrangements and the simple joy of potting up seedlings for summer's promise. Summer spills over with bloom, from pretty floral headbands and pins to a miniature garden as a centerpiece. The crisp days of autumn encourage us to save every remembrance of a warmer season's bounty, with flavored oils and vinegars, fragrant herb bundles and wreaths and the rich color of regal branches laden with ornamental berries. Winter is the time to enjoy dried everlastings in handsome arrangements, and the unexpected pleasure of branches and bulbs brought early into bloom. Finally, a full chapter, "The Gardener's Cupboard," explains the basics of successful cut flower conditioning and arranging, with checklists of essential supplies, fragrant flowers and even a guide to the old-fashioned language of flowers."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved