A Sweet Floral Life

A Passion for Flowers


To live in Amsterdam is to be surrounded by history and flowers. From the iconic seventeenth-century canals to the houses that line them, the past lingers on architectural facades and further below, submerged in the wooden beams that hold this city only slightly above water. Each day, I wake to the chime of the Westerkerk bell tower, which has been ringing since the early 1600s. Its daily companionship is a call to remain present in the sounds, smells, beauty, and trade that created and continues to embody the identity of my charming city. As I mount my bicycle to visit the Saturday morning flower market, I anticipate filling my basket with the last of the Netherlands famous tulips, frilly ranunculus, and maybe a few early peonies if I am lucky. These glorious blossoms are only a few among the many choices of locally grown flowers that are my country s point of pride. I arrive early and without expectations, ready to let the colors, textures, and forms on display call to me as I visit with my favorite vendors.

My selections barely fit into my bicycle s basket, and I must mind the cobblestone bumps as I journey back home to my atelier. Depending upon my projects, some weeks I require two trips: the first batch of flowers hastily deposited into the foyer while I return to the market to collect the remaining bundles necessary for my tasks.

Once home, I climb the narrow steps of our eighteenth-century merchant house to the upper floor and emerge onto the roof that towers over the gates of the city. Up here with the full scope of Amsterdam s canals in view, I observe the pots in my rooftop garden that overflow with seasonal plants developed at the hands of multigenerational Dutch farmers. I pluck a few blossoms and bring them back to the sink, admiring how their wild and windblown character mingles with their highly cultivated cousins.

I settle into an afternoon of quiet solitude with a warm cup of tea by my side,

Natasja Sadi

A Sweet Floral Life is pure magic. Page after gorgeous page, you feel as if you are spending the afternoon in Natasja s cozy home atelier. Brimming with history, wisdom, and inspiration, this book invites you to step into her flower-filled world of wonder and sumptuous beauty. Ariella Chezar, author of The Flower Workshop and Seasonal Flower Arranging

A Sweet Floral Life is full of fascinating historical information, exquisite photography, and endless inspiration. Beginning with the complicated colonial history of the Netherlands, Natasja relates her family s immigration from the sugarcane fields of Suriname to her current home in Amsterdam. She generously shares lessons in arranging live blooms from the market as well as creating the magical sugar flowers for which she is known the world over. This is an essential resource for flower and sweets lovers everywhere. Frances Palmer, author of Life in the Studio: Inspiration and Lessons on Creativity

Ever since discovering Natasja Sadi s extraordinary gifts as an artist, I have followed her work and her exploration of her beautiful city of Amsterdam with such joy. This is the book I had hoped for from Natasja, and I am so happy it is here! It is just what we need right now, to lift us up with its extraordinary beauty and inspiration. Wendy Goodman, New York magazine