Growing Wonder | Felicia Alvarez

Growing Wonder | Felicia Alvarez

Growing Wonder: A Flower Farmer's Guide to Growing Roses

Third-generation farmer Felicia Alvarez demystifies the art of growing roses for both amateurs and professionals.

Garden roses are a class unto themselves, combining romance, nostalgia, incredible beauty and unparalleled fragrance. With the publication Growing Wonder: A Flower Farmer's Guide to Growing Roses, florists, avid gardeners and flower farmers who yearn to grow garden roses as cut flowers now have an essential handbook to guide their efforts. 

Growing Wonder introduces a new voice to the rose gardening  arena with author Felicia Alvarez. Owner of Menagerie Farm & Flower in California's Sacramento Valley, Alvarez is a garden rose expert, cut flower grower, nursery woman and educator of all things roses. "The goal of Growing Wonder is to demystify rose growing and teach home gardeners and flower farmers my proven approach to deepen their love affair with roses," she says.

She operates Menagerie Academy, teaching rose lovers around the world through her online school and through in-person workshops at her farm.  Growing Wonder makes Alvarez's seasoned advice and relatable insights accessible to anyone.

Growing Wonder is filled with 100 vivid photographs, both instructional and inspirational, which illustrate selection, growing, care, harvesting and floral design steps. A photographic gallery features 60 of Alvarez's favorite garden roses for cutting and design -- in color palettes ranging from white and cream to burgundy and wine, each personally evaluated by Alvarez at her farm.

The 152-page book also covers the "Life Cycle of a Rose," a glossary of terms, step-by-step how-to's for planting and pruning garden roses, a monthly care chart by zone, a resource section and useful nutrient and soil charts. Alvarez even helps readers identify their own rose personality.

Growing Wonder is also Alvarez's love letter to roses and the role they have played in her life. She writes about the generations of family who have influenced her, from her Spanish grandparents' farming skills and her mother's passion for rose-growing, to her two young sons who now play on the same land where Alvarez was raised. 

Alvarez writes, "Garden roses are part of my history: in my childhood throwing petals to the wind with abandon, and as an adult farmer harvesting fresh-cut roses every day. A garden rose is so much more than a list of traits, but the feeling that washes over you when you inhale the deep breath of its intoxicating scent is truly like a warm hug welcoming you home."

PRE ORDER your autographed copy here - A collaboration with Felecia means we are so fortunate to have autographed copies, and they are exclusive in New Zealand to Puriri Lane @ Addenbrooke.

This book is not launched until 22 March but will not be available in New Zealand until end of June early July due to COVID-19 shipping issues. We only have a limited number available so don't delay in placing a pre order if you think this book is for you as extensive delays mean we are unclear as to when this will next be available.

Accolades for Growing Wonder

"This beautiful book is vivid, approachable, and full of delight. Growing Wonder reads like I'm actually walking through the rose fields with Felicia, learning her vast array of knowledge while feeling completely cared for and at home with her. Included are gorgeous spreads and explanations of rose types, growing habits, personalities, and care guides that delight your eye visually and empower you to confidently grow roses of your own. You will leave this book feeling deeply informed by its breadth of wisdom and return to it often for its inspiring, rose-rich beauty and personable guidance." -  JEN LAGEDROST CAVENDER, Nectar + Bloom

"Felicia is truly the queen of roses and I have been looking forward to her book for years now. Growing Wonder is practical, down-to-earth, and filled with expert rose growing advice for every size garden and experience level." -  ERIN BENZAKEIN, Floret Flower Farm and author of Discovering Dahlias

 

"What a wonderful book. Growing Wonder is absolutely inspiring, and I can sense Felicia's enthusiasm for roses on every page as she shares her contagious passion – a passion that made me want to grow more and more roses. I love her journey with roses and how they have been so present during her life. I am sure Felicia's roses chose her to be the guardian of their beauty and to share them with the world." - GABRIELA SALAZAR, La Musa de las Flores

 

"When it comes to roses, Felicia is the authority. Before meeting her I HATED roses and intentionally removed every rose bush from every property I ever owned. I didn't even like them in vases. Then I met Felicia and my world changed! She introduced me to the true beauty and diversity of roses beyond the supermarket, and once I saw and sniffed my first David Austin

 

About the Author:
Felicia Alvarez is a third-generation farmer and floral entrepreneur. Her favorite memories as a child were tending to her grandmother’s farm garden filled with fragrant garden roses, kindling a love of flowers that made her an avid gardener and in 2014 an accidental rose farmer. Through Menagerie Farm & Flower, her specialty farm and rose nursery based in the Sacramento Valley, Alvarez hand selects unique bare root rose plants and potted garden roses to supply to garden lovers across the United States. The farm also produces specialty flowers, French Prunes, assorted stone fruits, nuts, and rice on more than 100 acres of beautiful California farmland.​ Through Menagerie Academy, Felicia shares her passion for nature, art, science, and farming, teaching both beginning and experienced gardeners and farmers from across the country. She makes her home on the farm with her husband and two young sons.


Leave a comment

Please note, comments must be approved before they are published

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.