Pretty Dirty - by Melanie Stapleton (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Pretty Dirty is no ordinary flower book: it's a richly illustrated ode to the life cycle of flowers, from how they've grown to arranging them in unique ways, to their inevitable decomposing and disposal.

Melanie Stapleton, of floral studio Cecilia Fox, is a tireless advocate for making the flower industry more sustainable. Pretty Dirty is richly illustrated with beautiful images of flowers in the wild, floral collaborations, both by Mel and her 'flower folk' from around the world, as well as stylized images of compost and floral waste that prove beauty is not just in the eye of the beholder. Presented with a flat-lay format and exposed stitching this is a stunning package that reflects the book's innovative content. Mel shares her tips and tricks from a lifetime spent with flowers and feature stories from some of her favorite 'flower folk', from the growers and wholesalers to other florists and those leading the charge on changing this pretty dirty industry.

Flower Folk featured:

Lisa Waud (Detroit)
Ren MacDonald-Balasia, Renko (LA/Hawaii)
Liza Lubell, Garbage Goddess (New York)
Hattie Fox, Hattie Fox Studio (London)
Hannah Martin, COM: POST (London)
Chloe Szukilojc, CS Studio (Dubai)
Christy Ralphs, Nourish Gardens (Aotearoa New Zealand)
Mandy Purvis, Organic Herbs and Seedlings (Aotearoa New Zealand)
Isabel Johnston and Lydia Reusser, Isadia (Aotearoa New Zealand)
Wayne Horrobin and Sarah Hodge, Horrobin and Hodge (Aotearoa New Zealand)
Meg and Joe, Monvale Flowers (Monvale, Australia)
Kristy Tippett, Soho Rose Farm (Drysdale, Australia)
Tamsin Carvan (East Gippsland, Australia)
Rita Feldmann, Sustainable Floristry Network (Victoria, Australia)
Sophie Wolanski, Muck Floral (Sydney, Australia)
Azzmin Rayment, Braer (Byron Bay, Australia)
Katie Marx (Naarm/Melbourne, Australia)
Shahn Stewart, Alchemy Orange (Naarm/Melbourne, Australia)

About the Author

Melanie Cecilia Stapleton is the founder of Cecilia Fox, a creative floral studio. She began her career in floristry at the tender age of 16 in Aotearoa New Zealand. Moving to London and working under some of the city's most renowned florists, she found her love of event work. In 2004, she founded Cecilia Fox in Melbourne, Australia, and quickly gained a reputation for her creative and experimental botanical work. Growing to become one of Australia's most influential florists, her work has graced large-scale events and weddings at Australia's most sought-after events and venues. Dedicated to the growth and success of her industry, Mel turned her attention to how her work and the flower world could be more sustainable.

Mel creates dreamscapes of nature in the form of botanical arrangements and installations, seeking beauty in the unlikely and the untamed. A deep respect for the past, present and future of the natural world informs every element of her designs. Her studio is now based in her native home of Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland), Aotearoa New Zealand, where she holds floral workshops in addition to her floral design work.