In a format that has enchanted readers for 90 years, each of Barker. Published in 1923, Flower Fairies of the Spring was the first of Cicely Mary Barker's iconic Flower Fairies books. Flowers were a dominant theme in Victorian art and lietrature, as well as seeing a revival with the decorative arts adn art nouveau movements, so even though she chose to pair them alongside the more whimsical fairies, Barker also shows a shift in trends in the art world and an expansion on an established theme. With fresh new title pages and endpapers, reset text and printed on a fine quality paper, these new editions make a charming gift for all Flower Fairy enthusiasts. I'm not plant expert, but Barker also seems to have chosen her specimens carefully - the poems tell us of these plants' early flowering cycles, and the brief introduction tells us how closely she worked with the staff at Kew Gardens. Some of the other flower fairy collections are dominated by green tones (more plant than flower, to be honest), but in true spring fashion Barker's first set of fairies are a riot of colours from the purple primroses to the yellow daffodils. Cicely Mary Barker published her first Flower Fairies book in 1923 she received £25 for Flower Fairies of the Spring, a collection of twenty-four paintings and illustrations. Her poems are forgettable, but the colourful charm of the springtime flowers is instantly uplifting. Bursting on to the scene like Spring itself, with her bevy of spring themed flower fairies, it is no wonder that Cicely Mary Barker saw near instantaneous success.
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