Anne Moyer Halpin

Directly or indirectly, plants provide most of our food, and the green plants supply all of our oxygen. This material brings modern "ecology" sciences to bear in the rich perduring and intense relationship between us and plants.

Chapters 1-3 introduces the "world of plants". This introduction conveys information that will make one want to share one's home with plants. Also acquainting the reader with basics of light, moisture, humidity and soil.

Chapters 4-9 explain cultural techniques for indoor gardening, such as mixing soils, potting, propagating, and controlling pests and diseases by organic means.

Chapters 10-24 cover 14 types of plants: foliage plants, ferns, flowering, gesneriads, bromeliads, cacti and succulents, edibles, herbs, bulbs, orchids, trees and shrubs, bonsai, miniature plants, carnivorous, and aquatic.

Chapters 25-29 discuss best use of specific indoor environments: light gardens, terraria, dish gardens, indoor spaces, window sills, and both solar and traditional greenhouses.

Chapter 30 is a Designers discussion - provides a psychological, aesthetic and functional view of plant uses in the home: design qualities, color, texture, form, size, qualities of the rooms, presentations, plans.

The penultimate Part is an Encyclopedia of House Plants. Includes color photos and cultural information about 252 plants suitable for indoors, with bibliography, index of common plant names, and general index.… (mehr)