The on again/off again rain this week has made me think more about our focus on indoor life. In Calgary, we can’t count on a long hot summer to spend outdoors on patio or deck. Our climate has us scurrying for cover most of the year.

Because of this, I feel anxious if I’m not outside enjoying a beautiful day. It’s like I’m not grateful enough to the gods for it, and they might deprive me of future fine days as punishment for my ingratitude. I have observed this in others as well. I think it's a defining characteristic of being Calgarian.

So I say to you, if you have beautiful flowers in your garden, don’t think twice about lopping them off in their prime and bringing them inside for rainy-day pleasure. Or sunny-day pleasure, if you are bold enough to defy the weather gods.

At the Library, we have more than 150 titles about flower arrangement and they are an inspiring lot. However, I have specifically selected a few more titles that show you how to make clever arrangements work with the décor of a room.

Easy flowers: ideas for every room in your home (2003) “is a book about how not to arrange flowers”. There are no strict rules of arrangement. The focus is on making a match between the flowers and the container and fitting the result into an appropriate setting. For example, in a room dominated by dark heavy furnishings, a stunning array of parrot tulips fills a large black ceramic vase. A mass of grape hyacinths pack a tall glass vase and decorate a kitchen counter.

In Flowers by Design (2003), author and designer Jeff Leatham brings a sculptor’s approach to his chosen media. He begins by analysing a room, assessing, for example, its mood and light sources and looks for bold, dramatic shapes to accentuate the spaces. This book will impress those seeking both beauty and drama.

Living Art: Style Your Home with Flowers (2010) features stunning creations by a floral designer who revels in the total sensual experience offered by flower arrangements. This a house tour book where the focus is on the flowers and both the homes and flowers are fabulous.

Next week: French Country