Aotearoa in Bloom: A history, culture and practical uses of New Zealand's flowers

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Rachel Clare Tryphena Cracknell

Aotearoa in Bloom

Name: Aotearoa in Bloom
Price: 55 AUD
Availability: PreOrder
ISBN: 9781775542681

A history, culture and practical uses of New Zealand's flowers

Rachel Clare, Tryphena Cracknell

$55

Hardback

Forthcoming
Pre-Order now

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English

Harper Collins
31 March 2026

Botanical art; Botany & plant sciences; Gardening; Gardening: flowers

Lushly illustrated book about the history and uses of many of New Zealand's native flowering plants and trees, including their significance in te ao Māori.

He puāwai, he kōrero. For every flower, a story.

Did you know that Aotearoa has more than 2000 species of flowering plants, and that more than 80 per cent of them are found nowhere else on Earth?

This book invites you on a botanical hīkoi through Aotearoa's flowers. Discover where they grow, when they bloom, the roles they play in their ecosystems, and which ones you can grow in your garden. From native mistletoes and around 120 orchid species to the fuzzy edelweiss, the iconic pōhutukawa and the precious ngutukākā, which is almost extinct in the wild, you will learn about their ornamental and practical uses and their significance in te ao Māori.

Explore the stories behind their names and how these plants have taken root in our modern cultural identity. Combining photographs with historic botanical drawings, Aotearoa in Bloom weaves together stories of people and plants. Part social history, part gardening guide, this special book is a blossoming celebration of Aotearoa's unique natural heritage.

By: Rachel Clare, Tryphena Cracknell
Imprint: Harper Collins
Country of Publication: New Zealand
ISBN: 9781775542681
ISBN 10: 1775542688
Pages: 288
Publication Date: 31 March 2026
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Rachel Clare is a gardening writer who is obsessed with flowers. She has written hundreds of articles on botanical subjects ranging from kowhai to compost, and is associate editor of Kiwi Gardener magazine, a former editor of Get Growing e-zine and OrganicNZ magazine, and former deputy editor of NZ Gardener magazine. She is passionate about connecting tamariki with te taiao the natural world, and her children's book Play Wild: Nature Craft Projects for Tamariki was a Storylines Notable Book in 2024, and a finalist in the 2025 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults and in the NZ Book Lovers Awards. She grew up in Ahuriri Napier and has been friends with Tryphena Cracknell since she was 13 years old. Tryphena Cracknell (Rongomaiwahine) is a passionate gardener, crafter and foodie. She has spent a large part of her career working in museums and art galleries as a curator, historian and kaitiaki for amazing taonga tuku iho. Her published writing tends to focus on art, textiles, Maori arts practice and contemporary jewellery. She writes a regular column on native plants for Kiwi Gardener magazine and sometimes still moonlights as a curator. In recent years, she has worked in conservation, caring for flora and fauna, including as operations manager for the Department of Conservation in Rekohu Chatham Islands.