Books by Naomi Slade always delight but this tome on ranunculus was particularly welcome on a cold, soggy week. Colourful and entertaining, it is the perfect introduction to what is a wide-ranging family, numbering both florist favourites and flowers considered weeds among its members.
Ranunculus, or buttercups, span the meadow variety beloved of children – who hasn’t done the liking for butter trick with a buttercup under the chin – right through to the cultivated forms that grace Instagram grids.
(I was given a copy in return for a fair review.)
Indeed, so vast is the subject the book covers “a number of selected highlights, rather than aiming for encyclopaedic detail”.
Ranunculus opens with a history of the flower – there are fossilised remains of a plant similar to a buttercup dating back to 125 million years ago. There’s information on the science behind why a Ranunculus acris, the meadow buttercup, glows, the botanical make-up of plants, how they are grown commercially and the best way to cut and arrange them.
Strangely, given that they are poisonous, ranunculus have been used in traditional medicine, often with dire results, while folklore suggests they will stop fairies stealing cattle.
The different flowers, mainly the showy R. asiaticus varieties, are grouped into Exquisite, Captivating, Stylish and Luscious with each entry giving a description of the flower and cultivation notes.
Other details cover the background to names, who bred the variety, where applicable, and whether it’s available for the home gardener – many are grown purely for the floristry industry, including ‘Felicidade’ with its pink-edged cream petals, and the green and white ‘Igloo’.
We meet ‘Bianco’ – “the white by which all other whites are measured.” – ‘Fanny’ an outrageous “vision of ruffled fuschia and pistachio”, and ‘Libros’, which has scent to add to its golden colour.
Less forward but equally exquisite members of this family include R. alpestris, a dainty alpine that is one of the easier forms to grow unlike R. glacialis, which needs conditions similar to its native mountain home to thrive, and aquatic plants both for huge lakes and smaller pools. Less welcome in a domestic garden is R. repens, the creeping buttercup that will quickly colonise a border.
Exquisite photographs by Georgianna Lane make this a sumptuous read, while the language is entertaining. We’re told that as it ages ‘Tuareg’ “becomes vast and cabbagey, throwing up its skirts to reveal frilly knickers and petticoats aplenty”. Meanwhile, ‘Ramila’ is “fabulous fluffy and riotously ruffled”.
Choosing varieties and cultivation notes, including growing R. asiaticus for an event, complete what is a great introduction to these beautiful plants.
Ranunculus by Naomi Slade with photography by Georgianna Lane is published by Pavilion with an RRP of £25.
All photographs in this post are copyright of Georgianna Lane.
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