Steel Nibs Are Sprouting: New Dalit Writing From South India

Growing flowers to cut and enjoy at home can sharpen our awareness of the world around us and make us more attuned to nature. We find it impossible to walk anywhere without spotting a prized rose in a front garden, a brassica gone to seed on a neighbouring allotment plot or a weedy verge in a carpark and considering its potential for cutting.

Tuning into the flowering seasons, observing and being compassionate to nature and seeking beauty in the unexpected not only makes us better gardeners but custodians of the planet. Camila and Marianne

Like the food revolution that focuses on provenance, locality, climate and sustainability, Camila and Marianne use these principles to address the flower market. With not much space, it is possible to use the flowers from your garden to decorate your home as well as giving bunches to friends and family instead of buying cellophane wrapped flowers from the shops that may have been covered in pesticides and travelled many miles to get to you.

Flowers are something we are irresistibly drawn to and turn to at the milestone moments of our lives, at births, marriages and deaths, to connect with an estranged friend, to send love or say were sorry. They colour our most formative experiences and are our gateway to finding our own personal relationship with the planet we inhabit. No matter the size of your garden, this practical, but approachable guide will instill the confidence in you to grow flowers to bring into your home and enjoy all year round.