healing with flowers: the power of floral medicine

A lavishly illustrated look at the mythological, historical origins, healing powers and medicine of flowers.

The healing power of flowers permeates every aspect of our lives. Flowers help us mark every event and ceremony from birth to death and bring us joy and solace throughout the years. They have inspired poets, authors and artists and come to symbolise the whole range of human experience. From exuberant red peonies to sweet-smelling primroses, exotic lilies and heavenly-scented roses, flowers have the power to reconnect us with the conscious intelligence of nature that we are a part of and to heal our ills in a myriad of ways.

Healing with Flowers is Anne McIntyre’s revised and expanded edition of her previous work The Complete Floral Healer and it tells us the story of flowers and reminds us of their significance, which is as powerful today as it was in ancient times. Beautifully illustrated with vibrant colour photographs by Julie Bruton-Seal, the book explores sixty-four flowers from around the world - from Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) to Heartsease (Viola tricolor) alongside chapters on edible flowers, growing and gathering and distilling flowers. Each flower entry reveals the plant’s historical and folkloric importance, details the modern medicinal use of the flower as a herbal remedy relating to its biochemical constituents, and explores its use in aromatherapy, homoeopathy and as a flower essence. A deeper understanding of the unique character of each flower - its story, personality and energy - is woven through this book and is a key resource for anyone who loves flowers, as well as gardeners and herbalists alike.

Anne McIntyre is a Fellow of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists, a Member of the Ayurvedic Professionals Association, and a Member of the College of Practitioners of Phytotherapy. She has been practicing herbal medicine and Ayurveda for forty years and lives and works in Gloucestershire. She gives evening talks and runs regular courses in herbal medicine and Ayurveda for both practitioners and lay people.