of flowers and us: ‘flora culture,’ with christin geall

I’VE BEEN DIGGING into a diverse and compelling collection of essays in a recent book that’s centered on the subject of flowers—everything from topics like their breeding, to which species we covet most of all, to some of the downsides of the massive floral industry, including ubiquitous plastics used in propagation and flower arranging, or how the branding of plants has limited the palette. The author, Christin Geall, calls the book “Flora Culture: How Flowers Shape Our World” an abecedarium (yes that’s a word), since the entries are arranged alphabetically. She also calls it a manifesto. She made time recently to tell us some of the tales within in. Christin Geall’s work focuses on the intersections of nature, culture, and horticulture, and her latest book,  “Flora Culture: How Flowers Shape Our World” (affiliate link) is no exception. (Above, a photo she took of a collection of cultivars of tulips and more from her garden.) Plus: Comment in the box near the bottom of the page for a chance to win a copy of “Flora Culture.” Read along as you listen to the June 15, 2026 edition of my public-radio show and podcast using the player below. You can subscribe to […] The post of flowers and us: ‘flora culture,’ with christin geall appeared first on A Way To Garden.