flavours
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Capturing the beauty of nature in homes and gardensTRANSCRIPT
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flavoursCapturing the beauty of nature
in homes and gardens
It manifests in earthquakes, volcanoes, thunderstorms and whirling oceans. However, its true force is not found
in those brutal displays of power. The true force of nature is found in the result of those destructive winds, quakes and waves; LIFE. It is found in the sheer and quiet beauty of a single flower or a delicate butterfly. In colourful fish, extravagant birds, patterned seashells and voluptuous plants; in the shape of stones and the formation of rocks. In a feather, owing its colours to insects and plants, eaten by its owner. Millions of years of evolution have passed to shape the inhabitants and living organisms on our planet the way we know them today.
Every individual has its own natural history and purpose. What is more interesting than inspecting all forms, shapes, colours and texture in nature’s kingdom? It seems to be an endless collection of increasingly surprising details and colour combinations. The deeper you study these subjects, the more you will want to know about it; it all just makes you realise that there is more to discover. This book was created to share the passion to closely inspect the ever changing flavours of our earth.
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fl oursavCapturing the beauty of nature
in homes and gardens
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— Ueli Signer
TIME GOES BY SO QUICKLY IN OUR DAILY RUSH. TO SLOW DOWN THIS SPEEDING TRAIN, WE LOVE TO WORK WITH NATURE. FLOWERS IN PARTICULAR SHOW US HOW SHORT LIFE AND HOW PRECIOUS BEAUTY CAN BE.
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FLOWERS STAY WITH US FOR A MONTH, A WEEK OR ONLY ONE DAY. CAPTURING THEIR BEAUTY IS ONE OF MY MAIN MOTIVATIONS TO MAKE THESE PHOTOS.
- Jeannine Govaers
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FLOWERS, SEASHELLS, FEATHERS, ROCKS, FILLED GLASS DOMES, BIRD CAGES, TREES,CANDLES - COLLECT NATURAL AND MANMADE UNIKA TO CREATE YOUR PERSONAL TREISURE.- Florian Seyd
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VRAAG OF HIER EEN TEKST GEPLAATST KAN WORDEN. JA DAT KAN.
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AS A CHILD I DREAMT ABOUT BEING A TREASURE HUNTER. LOOK AT ME NOW - IT HAS BECOME MY PROFESSION.
— Florian Seyd
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FLOWERS ARE ALMOST LIKE
PEOPLE.EVERY SEASON
BRINGS ITS OWN
MOOD.
— Florian Seyd
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FLOWERS ARE A GIFT FROM NATURE, SHOWING ALL COLORS WE CAN IMAGINE AND MORE. TAKE IT INTO YOUR HOME TO SHARE ITS JOY AND BEAUTY.
— Ueli Signer
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— Jeannine Govaers
FLOWERS SHOW ALL ASPECTS OF LIFE: EXTREME BEAUTY, OUTSTANDING BEHAVIOUR, SURPRISING FORMS, CLEAR SIMPLICITY, OVERWHELMING SENSUALITY, STRANGE INSANITY, TERRIFYING LONELINESS AND DEATHLY DESTRUCTION.
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TODAY’S TASK
TAKE A FLOWER IN YOUR HAND
AND LOOK AT IT FOR FIVE
MINUTES.
—Ueli Signer
NOW THERE’S SOME TRUE BEAUTY.
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WHEN MY SNOWDROP COLLECTION COMES UP IT MAKES MY HEART JUMP. I LOVE IT.
—Ueli Signer
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NATURE IN ALL ITS
FACETS, NEVER ENDING EXPLORATION OF UNKNOWN
FORMS OF LIFE.
CAN YOU EVER GET ENOUGH
OF IT?— Florian Seyd
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Florian Seyd and Ueli Signer are both florists and decorators from the bottom of their hearts. For
different reasons they grew up with a deep love and admiration for nature, especially flowers. Growing up in the small village of Gonten, Switzerland, Ueli was completely engulfed by nature. To him, nature was plentiful, accessible and tranquilising. Florian, on the other hand grew up in the German industrial city of Essen and learned about nature mainly through books and on weekend strolls with his parents. To him, nature seemed scarce, distant but very captivating. Ueli eventually decided to train as a gardener and later found an even greater passion in flower arrangement. His early apprenticeships would lead him to work in 6 different European countries (including The Netherlands), where the young Ueli would learn both the local culture and language. It was clear to Florian at a very
early age that his dream was to become a florist. After school, when other children normally played, he began working at a local flower shop. After graduating from high school, he trained as a florist and later decided to obtain more experience in The Netherlands, where he received his florist master degree. Both of them fell in love with Amsterdam and stayed much longer than they had ever planned, working for a leading florist. After a few years in The Netherlands, they decided to start their own business. They hoped that their creative work with flowers and plants would enable them to realise each client’s dreams and desires. Driven by their enduring passion to explore new ideas and test uncharted limits, their works have taken them all across the world to Europe, North American and as far as Asia and Africa. Although Ueli Signer and Florian Seyd are not involved with the daily running of their own flower shop, they showcase
and share their ideas, creations, and objects of interest (collected during their many travels abroad) at the bi-annual event “the Wunderkammer”. “The Wunderkammer” is a temporary shop set in Amsterdam and opened for only a week at a time - each time at a new venue. Ueli and Florian use this event as a platform to express and share their creative mindsets with the hope of bringing their friends and customers one small step closer to the nature that they both grew to love.
FLORIAN SEYD & UELI SIGNER
Florian Seyd & Ueli SignerBuiksloterdijk 144 1025 WB AmsterdamThe Netherlandswww.florianseyd.comwww.uelisigner.comwww.shop-for-a-week.com
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Florian Seyd & Ueli Signer
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INDEX
page 8 / 9Desert rose and marble egg
page 10Cyclamen europaeum
page 11Tulipa “Super Parrot”, Taraxacum officinale seedhead
page 12Paeonia suffruticosa
page 14Strelitizia reginae, Gerbera Hybrids, Gloriosa lutea, Aconitum napellus Flower Council of Holland
page 16 / 17Masdevallia “Angel Frost”
page 19Tulipa Hybrids
page 20 / 21Lilium Hybrid, Viburnum opulus, Echinops ritro, Rosa multiflora, Gladiolus Hybrid Flower Council of Holland
page 22 / 23Phalaenopsis, Cattleya, Vanda and Cymbidium Hybrids
page 24Chaenomeles japonica, Tulipa Hybrids
page 25Chaenomeles speciosa “Nivalis”, Narcissus “Ziva”
page 27Adiantum pedatum, Salix alba
page 28 / 29Tillandsia dyeriana, Anthurium clarinervium, Aconitum napellus “Bicolor”, Gloriosa lutea, Dianthus “Prado”, Agave americana Flower Council of Holland
page 30 / 31Private collection
page 33Chaenomeles japonica
page 34 / 35Lilium “Gluhwein”, Echinops ritro, Euonymus europaeus, Malus “Red Sentinel” Flower Council of Holland
page 37Lilium “Souvenir”, Lilium “Shocking”, Aster chinenesis Flower Council of Holland
page 38Phalaenopsis Hybrids
page 39Phalaenopsis Hybrids and Cymbidium Hybrids
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page 40 / 41Syringa vulgaris, Tulipa “Angelique”, Tulipa “Webers Parrot”
page 42 Phalaenopsis, Cattleya and Cymbidium Hybrids
page 43“Dark Blue Magic” Vanda
page 45Galanthus nivalis
page 46 / 47Private collection
page 49Dianthus Hybrids, Gloriosa rothschildiana, Caladium Hybrid, Gerbera Hybrid; Flower Council of Holland
page 50Artwork in private residence
page 51Angiopteris erecta
page 52Amorphophallus titanum
page 54Private collection
page 55Astilboides tabularis
page 56Tacca chantrieri, Banksia grandis seedhead
page 57Sauromatum venosum
page 58Private collection
page 59Lilium “Shocking”, Kniphofia uvaria
page 60Protea cyranoides “Alba”, Ammi majus
page 62Taraxacum officinale seedhead
page 63Dianthus “Prado”
page 64Colchicum autumnale
page 65Amsonia tabernaemontana, Viburnum opulus var. opulus, Cattleya Hybrid
page 67Tulipa “Snow Parrot”
page 68 / 69Private collection
page 70 / 71Tulipa “Maureen”, Tulipa “Flaming Parrot”, Prunus avium, Syringa “Madame Lemoine”Flower Council of Holland
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page 72Anthurium “Arrow”
page 73Private collection
page 74 / 75Tulipa Hybrids
page 76Sauromatum venosum, Brugmansia aurea, Beta vulgaris “Bright Lights”
page 77Private collection
page 78 / 79Tacca chantrieri
page 80 / 81Tulipa Hybrids
page 82Myosotis sylvatica
page 83Aeonium tabuliforme
page 85Amorphophallus titanum, Agave attenuata, Bombax ellipticum
page 86Tulipa “Green Wave”
page 90Tulipa “Mistress”, Narcissus Hybrid, Matthiola incana, Viburnum opulus var. opulus
page 91Tulipa “Maureen”, Fothergilla major, Fritillaria pallidiflora, Fritillaria pinardii
page 92 Private garden
page 93Anthurium species, Sarracenia leucophylla, Sarracenia flava, Fritillaria species
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page 96 / 97Cucumis sativus var. sikkimensis, Agave americana
page 98Poncirus trifoliata
page 99Dianthus Hybrids, Dendrobium Hybrid
page 100 / 101Curcuma zedoaria, Begonia Rex HybridsFlower Council of Holland
page 103Galanthus nivalis, G.”Viridapice”, Galanthus elwesii, Galanthus nivalis “Flora Pleno”
page 88Tulipa “Mistress”
page 89Tulipa “Inzell”
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page 104Private garden
page 105Dioscorea elephantipes, Ceropegia fusca, Adenium arabicum
page 106 / 107Lilium “Casablanca”, Symphoricarpus albus, Scabiosa caucasia, Scabiosa atropurpurea, Virburnum opulusFlower Council of Holland
page 108 / 109Lilium “Casablanca”, Symphoricarpus albus, Scabiosa caucasia, Scabiosa atropurpurea, Virburnum opulusFlower Council of Holland
page 110 / 111Gerbera Hybrids, Gloriosa lutea, Dianthus Hybrid, Cucumis species Flower Council of Holland
page 112 / 113Paphiopedilum” American Hybrids”, Anthurium hookeri
page 115Sea Urchin
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Jeannine Govaers is a photographer with strong imaging abilities. She is fascinated by the predictability and force of autonomous worlds or the current state of the Indian tribes in the Amazon area or flowers in the market. She is amazed and surprised at the power of the individual, animal or plant that remains pure in the world as chaotic organism. The beauty and autonomous force of humans and nature that are used in all facets by people to retain a wonderful unique identity. Her photos are powerful images with a subtle twist; when it is studied in detail, the true implication of the image becomes clear and the photos appear to be a collection of minute subtle details that illustrate a powerful personal search for meaning. (Herman Lamers)
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEANNINE GOVAERS
Jeannine Govaers photographyRuyschstraat 39 II 1091 BS AmsterdamThe [email protected]
CREDITS
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CONCEPT AND DESIGN BY MENDO
MENDO in Amsterdam is a graphic design agency and a bookshop. This unusual combination adds value to both disciplines. The design background enables MENDO to make a critical selection from the large supply of creative books on architecture, interior design, fashion, photography, graphic design and XL-books. At the same time, the unique design of the shop, with the actual selection of creative books, is an inspirational work environment for the design agency. MENDO then also feels that it is only natural that it starts creating books with the concept and design of Flavours.
MENDOBerenstraat 11 1016 GG AmsterdamThe Netherlandswww.mendo.nl
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THANKS TO... ... all the Dutch horticulturists who spent enormous effort to grow some of the world’s finest flowers, to the Flower Council of Holland for letting us create some of their visual output, to MENDO for creating this book, to Mr Alex Lau / Hong Kong for great support, to Jan Wolters and Magnus Martinsson for their appearance in the book, and last, but not least, to all of our friends and families that made and shaped us to what we are. Best regards,Ueli Signer, Jeannine Govaers and Florian Seyd
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ARRANGEMENTS & COMPOSITIONSFlorian Seyd & Ueli SignerBuiksloterdijk 144 1025 WB AmsterdamThe Netherlandswww.florianseyd.comwww.uelisigner.comwww.shop-for-a-week.com
© Florian Seyd & Ueli Signer, Amsterdam
PHOTOGRAPHYJeannine Govaers photographyRuyschstraat 39 II 1091 BS AmsterdamThe Netherlandswww.jeanninegovaers.com
© Jeannine Govaers, Amsterdam
CONCEPT & DESIGNMENDOBerenstraat 11 1016 GG AmsterdamThe Netherlandswww.mendo.nl
© MENDO BV, Amsterdam PRINTINGSpinhex & IndustrieStrekkerweg 41 1033 DA AmsterdamThe Netherlands www.spinhex-industrie.nl Pictures and text rights all reserved for all countries. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever. All right reserved.
While we strive for utmost precision in every detail, we cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies or any subsequent loss or damage arising from this.
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in homes and gardens
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