If you think of flower arranging as an occupation for florists in pursuit of the perfect dome, think again. Because there is a generation of radical new artists who are reinventing what it means to arrange flowers, many of them inspired by the Japanese art of ikebana. Since its origins in the 6th century, ikebana has been as much a philosophy as an art, with its roots in Zen Buddism and a reverence for nature. Over hundreds of years it has developed a complex set of unwritten rules, that take a lifetime to master. But in recent years the distinctive look of ikebana – with its love of the asymmetric shapes to be found in nature and its willingness to embrace simple, natural materials – has found a new audience and opened the eyes of a generation of artists to a new way of working with flowers.

This book showcases a selection of this new wave of floral artists, from Tokyo to New York. The authors Victoria Gaiger and Tom Loxley – the editors of the award-winning rakesprogress, the UK’s leading independent magazine about the art of gardens, plants and flowers – have talked to 25 of the most exciting young florists working today about their art and inspiration. It includes an introduction to the history and evolution of Japanese floral art and beautiful images of the artists’ studios and their floral creations.