I love the beautiful decorating books in our collection and enjoy reviewing the new ones. Many of them are glossy and shallow confections which I still appreciate if I like the design style portrayed. A picture says a thousand words and all that.

Every now and again, one of the pretty ones offers a little more than I expected and that’s a treat. Like this one.

Bringing Nature Home is a new book about flower arrangement that combines the talents of a lifestyle photographer with floral and prop arrangers.

They have chosen common flowers from garden and meadow, arranged them with inspired simplicity and placed them in lovely, uncomplicated room settings which are as intriguing as the arrangements.

As well, they provide information about the historical cultivation of the flowers and their place in art and literature.

A graceful branch of bleeding heart is tucked into each of a pair of modern white vases that complement an art grouping. Bleeding heart is combined with daffodils, pansies and Solomon’s seal for another charming kitchen bouquet. You see it again mixed with tulips, crab apple blossoms and geranium leaves in a sturdy pottery container set on an end table.

Along the way you learn, among other things, that there are more than 25,000 cultivars of daffodils and have been reminded of a famous Wordsworth poem.

The book is a beautiful page turner with arrangements organized by season. And it all looks so effortless.

“This would make a great gift book,” said Janet, an Arts Department colleague. I agree.

- Jane