Seeing Flowers: Discover the Hidden Life of Flowers

By Teri Dunn Chace and Photography by Robert Llewellyn Published in 2013

This book is organized by twenty-eight plant families (from Amaryllis to Viola) which include many of our most recognized and lovely flowers. Not only is this book a fountain of information about these flower families, but the photographs are just astounding in detail and at times almost ethereal.

It was a surprise to me to learn of the various plants that are included in each family described. For example, the first family, Amaryllidaceae, which not only includes the Amaryllis, but also Daffodils, Snowdrops, Red spider lily, Paper-whites, and Naked ladies.

Asteraceae (the Daisy Family) is also quite diverse: Purple cone flower, Spirea japonica, Goldenrod, Sunflowers, Cornflower, Ageratum, Thistle, Chicory, etc.  The author notes that the Daisy name comes from Old English “Day’s Eye” because the English Daisy stays open from dawn to dusk.   You may remember the childhood chant “He loves me, he loves me not.  The author explains that because the number of petals is uneven as the petals as counted or pulled off, the chant will always end with “he loves me.”  How sweet!

Another item of interest to me is how the author makes a connection between different members of a particular family by the shared physical structure.  For example, each member of the Lily family has six-part flowers (three petals and three sepals or six petal-like tepals) and six stamens.  In contrast, members of the Geranium family have five petals, five sepals, stamens in groups of five, pistils with five styles and five seeds per pistil.

There are many interesting facts about each of the flower families. Even the last flower family in the book, the Viola family (Violaceae), is unusual in its own way.  For instance, this family includes some shrubs and trees found in the tropics but rarely cultivated.

If you read this book, I know you will enjoy it for its fascinating text and its incredible photos.

— Reviewed by Holly Sparrow, Headwaters Master Gardener