Orchids, the epitome of floral beauty, have long inspired poetry, adventure, art and scientific discovery. In Orchid Muse, historian and home orchid grower Erica Hannickel brings together fascinating tales of the orchid-smitten throughout history, along with tips on growing the exotic blooms at the centre of each account. Consider, for instance, Empress Eugenie and Queen Victoria, the two most powerful women in nineteenth-century Europe, who shared a passion for Coelogyne cristata. John Roebling, builder of the Brooklyn Bridge, and Raymond Burr, the actor famed for playing Perry Mason, cultivated thousands of orchids, introducing captivating new and unusual species. Transporting the reader from hazardous Amazonian journeys to a seedy dime museum in Gilded Age New York's Tenderloin, from the glories of the palace gardens of Chinese Empress Cixi to the island of Bourbon, where the vanilla orchid thrives, Orchid Muse spans the world, exploring our enduring fascination with these exquisite flowers.

Make your garden flourish with these 300 easy and inexpensive gardening hacks to help your plants blossom-perfect for any green thumbs, first-time horticulturalists, or reluctant gardeners! Think you don't have a green thumb? Think again! No matter your gardening woes, Gardening Hacks has the solution. Perfect for all gardening skill levels whether you're starting your first garden, looking to expand your crop, or simply searching for ways to make it easier to care for your extensive plant collection, you'll find everything you need to know to make your garden grow. Gardening Hacks includes helpful tips like: -Saving your eggshells, which can serve as everything from an organic seed starter to a natural snail and slug repellent. -Adding a pinch of cinnamon to help prevent fungal diseases that might prevent your plants from maturing. -Using the newspaper to help deter weeds from sprouting. -Creating your own DIY seed packet catalog to help keep your seeds organized as your garden grows. -And many more! No matter the size of your garden-from a small herb collection to an extensive variety of fruits and vegetables to any indoor plant that needs some perking up-Gardening Hacks will make your plants flourish!

From star flower farmer Erin Benzakein comes this gorgeous calendar to enhance the entire year with natural beauty. With lush photography of magnificent blooms and seasonal gardening tips for every month, this is the perfect calendar for any flower lover.

The word "meadow" conjures images of wide expanses of land, but a mini meadow - a kind of informal flower garden started with seed sown directly into the soil - can be any size; plus, it's fun, easy to grow, and good for the planet. With as little as 50 square feet and for less than GBP15, gardeners can plant a colourful meadow that demands little in the way of space, mowing, or maintenance, uses less water than a traditional lawn, and provides habitat for pollinators - not to mention a natural exploration space for children. From choosing the right variety of seeds, preparing the soil, sowing evenly, and watering well, author Mike Lizotte guides readers through the process of successfully creating a miniature meadow that suits their climate, soil, and growing goals, whether planting to beautify a hellstrip, halt erosion, fill a boggy spot, or establish a nesting area for bees and butterflies. Mini Meadows offers gardeners of all levels the keys to creating, caring for, and reaping the rewards of thriving meadows through the seasons, year after year.

Learn How to Grow Flowering Plants "Anyone wanting to get started with a flower garden will find plenty of expert guidance here." Publishers Weekly #1 Best Seller in Annual Flowers Gardening, Bulb Flower Gardening, and Perennial Gardening. In the mountains of Asheville, NC, Niki Irving's boutique flower farm grows specially cut, mountain-fresh flowers with sustainable, natural practices. Now, she brings her organic gardening techniques to your home, helping you grow, harvest, and arrange lush, seasonally inspired flowers. Revel in flowering plants. This beautifully photographed book features simple, and engaging know-how enabling you to grow, harvest, and arrange a cutting garden of flowers. An instructional guide to gardening for beginners or if you're looking to hone your botanical skills, Growing Flowers teaches everything from caring for a cut flower garden to making simple-yet-gorgeous flower arrangements and botanical bouquets. An indispensable gardening guide for homebody horticulturists and floral foragers. A flower book with a whimsical twist, Growing Flowers is a go-to reference for those new to herb and flower gardening. Discover flower arranging techniques using blooms, greenery, and even artichokes, vines and berries. Learn about tools of the trade. Get down and dirty with dirt, seasonal rotation, starting from seeds and/or seedlings, and more. Inside find: Explanations of soil types and soil preparations A list of seasonal flowers such as peonies or garden roses for the spring and sunflowers and dahlias for the summer and fall Basic knowledge to create flower bouquets that include things like sprigs of greenery and even attractive weeds Growing Flowers is a wonderful addition to any collection of garden books. If you're looking for gardening gifts for gardeners or enjoy flowering plant books and flower books like Floret Farms Cut Flower Garden book, Floret Farm's A Year in Flowers, or The Flower Gardener's Bible, you'll love Growing Flowers.

An easy to use and comrehensive primer on the perennials that grow best in Georgia. Over 380 perennials suited to the region; 530 brilliant full-color photographs; info opn planting, growing, recommended varieties, problems and pests; detail on light, water and nutrient needs and how and when to start your plants. A Quick Reference chart provides info at a glance on color, blooming, height, hardiness and light & soil requirements

The dahlia, a flower that was once thought of as old-fashioned, has surged in popularity over the past few years due to the development of new varieties and an uptick in appreciation from Royals and celebrities. They appear in a broad spectrum of beautiful colours and eccentric shapes, and thanks to their long flowering time they are garden crop favourites. This inspirational book explores every aspect of the dahlia from its history to its sustainable cultivation.

No flower, whether in a garden or as a cut flower in a vase, is as well-known and as varied in shape and colour as the tulip. Once the most expensive flower bulb in the world, this ever-cheerful member of the Lily family is defined by its vibrant hues and simple sophistication of form. In this newly-designed classic of floral photography, Peter Arnold captures the tulip in all its beauty and diversity. From familiar to exotic tulip varieties, his exquisite tulip pictures are supplemented with new texts, including a Foreword by Sir Elton John. A winning book for all gardeners, flower lovers, and fans of art and flower photography. Text in English and German.

Looking to bring some outside greenery indoors? Maybe you already have an indoor garden and are looking to create a botanical jungle.  Whatever the case may be, houseplants are an ideal inexpensive way to beautify your dwelling. You’ll be rewarded with purer air and you’re sure to enjoy watching your plant sprout, climb, and even flower.

Of course, before you start working on crafting a greenhouse, you need to know what kinds of plants you can grown in your home and which plants are best suited to your taste and style. Houseplants For Dummies introduces dozens of different foliage plants, flowering plants, cacti, and exotic varieties. Your green thumb is sure to get even greener once you’ve read about:

• Houseplant basics
• Identifying indoor microclimates
• Indoor plant “biographies”
• Differentiating between direct, indirect, and low light
• Watering needs
• Rules of fertilizing
• Temperature and growing cycles

Houseplants For Dummies is packed with houseplant growing techniques, tips, tricks, and even goes the extra mile with a chapter devoted to the various ways you can display houseplants if you’re looking for some bragging rights! Whether you’re new to the world of houseplant basics or you’re a seasoned gardener, you’ll get the “inside dirt” on topics such as:

• Various potting soil mixes
• Preparing plants for indoor life
• Cleaning, pruning, and staking
• Propagating houseplants
• Dealing with pests and diseases
• Building your own controlled climate
• And much more

The material is arranged into six clear and helpful sections: houseplant basics, houseplant profiles, growing essentials, potted plant maintenance, houseplant settings, and valuable ideas – each section helping you create your own indoor forest. Even if you’re convinced you have a black thumb, Houseplants For Dummies will have you living among the green in no time!

Over the past four or five years in the UK, the grow-your-own phenomenon has meant that more and more people have been producing their own food. From salads and root crops to apples, cucumbers, squashes and strawberries, home-grown food is enjoyed in ever-increasing quantities. And why not? Growing your own provides exercise, nutritious food, and gardeners can choose their favourite varieties for taste or yield. But what about those who want to grow their own, but perhaps have a small garden, and do not want to lose its decorative appeal? How can they combine growing their own food with flowers and colour? Growing for Food and Colour shows that it really is possible to cultivate fruits, vegetables and herbs alongside flowers - and that the beauty of the garden can be enhanced rather than compromised by productive plants. Following the advice in this book will enable the reader to enjoy home-grown food that is fresher, healthier and tastier - but which also looks fantastic.

In this classic 1960s gardening book, Margery Fish's advice and enthusiasm for horticulture has stood the test of time and remains a go-to book for green-thumbed gardeners today. She guides the reader through techniques for creating and maintaining a cottage garden with humour and ease, perfect for both beginners and experienced gardeners.In her imaginative adaption of the traditional cottage garden style that she saw disappearing around her, she brought together old-fashioned plants and contemporary plants in the same vein. Today's mixed borders are a direct descendant of the style Margery Fish created at East Lambrook Manor in Somerset, now once again open to the public.Cottage Garden Flowers covers plants that grow easily and naturally in British soil, including easy, adaptable bulbs, perennials and shrubs, such as Astrantia, columbines, daffodils, daisies, Dianthus, foxgloves, hollyhocks, Japonica, old roses, Phlox, Primula, or Virburnum. No longer in danger of being forgotten, these traditional flowering plants have now res-established their place at the heart of garden design. Graham Rice, the widely published gardening author and the former London Evening Standard gardening correspondent, has reviewed the plant names in the original text, providing a plant name section at the back of the book. This allows readers to identify current plants from the old Latin names within the text.

"The Edible Flower Garden" is a beautiful collection of flowers that can be used for cookery: from candied violets and roses to decorate appetizers and cakes, to nasturtiums for a colorful shrimp salad, to day lily buds, pink clover, and wild mustard flowers that are tossed together in a spectacular stir-fry.

Roses represent love and beauty. Their colours and fragrance create the standard by which many other flowers are measured. Cultivated around the world for perfume, roses have a sweet and unforgettable scent. However, many would-be rose gardeners believe that roses require constant care and lavish doses of sprays and chemicals. Roses do require attention, but their glorious flowers make all your efforts worthwhile, and the roses in this book were chosen because they are tried-and-true, proven performers. Of the many types of plants that grow in our gardens, herbs and edible flowers hold a very special place. People use herbs and edible flowers to heal their bodies, calm their minds, add fragrance to their homes, and flavour and preserve their foods - herbs improve the quality of our lives. This colourful, photo-filled book takes the guesswork out of gardening with the easiest-to-grow and best-performing roses, herbs, and edible flowers. No trial and error - get it right the first time!

Campanulas have long been a gardeners' favourite, their spectacular summer performance earning them a place in the herbaceous border year after year. Here their lesser-known relatives, the smaller dwarf campanulas, take centre stage. Everyone who grows campanulas will enjoy this book, finding uses for the diminutive yet exuberant forms at the front of the border as well as in rock gardens, alpine houses, troughs, and containers. More than 200 "Campanula" species and hybrids are described, and specialists and collectors will delight in the descriptions of rare and little-documented plants and devour the information about the plants' wild habitats. Color photographs enhance the text, encouraging gardeners to experiment with dwarf campanulas in a wide range of garden situations and appreciate the diversity of this rewarding group of plants.

This is an illustrated guide to varieties, cultivation and care, with step-by-step instructions and over 170 beautiful photographs. Features: everything you need to know at a glance in one handy and magnificently illustrated practical guide; full photographic directory of over 50 varieties, including single zonal, double zonal, dwarf zonal, rosebud zonal, regal, angel, decorative, scented leaf and stellar; step-by-step guidance on planting, propagating and growing pelargoniums, and controlling pests and diseases; tips for growing and displaying pelargoniums outside and indoors, in beds, hanging baskets and window boxes; for each variety, full botanical information is provided on history, growth, hue, height, spread and suitability; and a highly accessible guide to some of the most popular flowering plants, celebrating their diversity and beauty. Pelargoniums are one of the most cherished groups of garden plants. They are particularly renowned for the impact of their vibrant flowers, their pretty leaves and rich aromatic scent, and they thrive both outdoors and inside. This book guides you through the simple techniques involved in growing and propagating these decorative plants, and illustrates some of the most popular cultivars. It includes a history of pelargoniums, with advice on how to recognize the different types. A fully illustrated plant directory describes over 40 recommended varieties, together with expert advice on selecting the best ones, planting them in beds and hanging baskets, and dealing with pests and diseases. The book will help you to create pretty displays indoors, in conservatories, on windowsills or as outdoor plants.

Birches or Betula are among the most attractive and common trees in the landscape and in gardens. The Genus Betula is the first monograph published on this plant group, the species of which have been notoriously difficult to identify. Accounts are given of all known birches found in Europe, Asia and North America, both white and brown barked, and a key for their identification. An invaluable tool for arboriculturalists and professional and amateur gardeners, and will also appeal to lovers of botanical art.

Snowdrops are one of the best loved, most popular and widely grown of all bulbous plants. This book celebrates their beauty and magical annual resurrection. This newly updated and expanded edition of this best-selling book introduces the twenty known species and has been updated to cover more than 2,400 named snowdrops. Discover the vast range of shapes, sizes and markings of these beautiful flowers. With information on cultivation and planting, detailed descriptions, informative drawings and interesting anecdotes - this will be an invaluable companion for all gardeners, and will inform and delight both the aspiring and seasoned galanthophile.

Of the 25,000 known species of bee worldwide, only seven species are honeybees. Bees and plants have a sophisticated and delicate symbiosis. In recent years, the shrinking of green spaces has endangered the honeybee. Now Planting for Honeybees shows you how you can help these delightful pollinators to flourish by creating a garden as a habitat for them. No matter how small or large your space - from a window ledge in the city to a country garden - Sarah Wyndham Lewis offers practical advice on which plants to grow, and when and where to plant them. Charmingly illustrated with delicate drawings, this a jewel of a guide to treasure.

Most people think of spring-flowering plants when bulbs are mentioned, yet among summer- and autumn-flowering bulbs, there is great diversity and beauty to be found. This volume contains a photographic catalogue of over 50 varieties of summer bulbs. For each variety, there is full botanical information on growth, spread, size and flowering. There is step-by-step photographic guidance on growing and caring for summer bulbs, including pruning, harvesting for culinary use, and propagating.

Flamboyant, intriguing, beautiful and exotic, orchids have evolved to become the largest family of plants in the world. This classic book, written by two of the world's leading orchid authorities and now updated, presents everything you need to know to identify, choose and display these delightful flowers successfully. It contains guidance on tools and equipment; feeding and watering; and dealing with pests and diseases. A directory describes and illustrates a wide range of species and hybrids, providing information on habitat, size, flowering time and growing requirements. With over 600 exquisite photographs, this is the definitive guide to growing these well-loved plants.