Though essential to our existance, plants get sidelined in the hustle and bustle of city life. The revolutionary concept of 'eco-landscaping' heralds the effort to bring greenery back into the concrete jungle we inhabit. Plants: Why You Can't Live Without Them explores how our homes and offices can be made healthier and more cheerful with plants.

Air-conditioned rooms, synthetic building materials and inadequate ventilation cause numerous respiratory and nervous disorders. The mere presence of plants has been proved to lessen enviornmental pollution, increase labour productivity and reduce the cost of healthcare.Plants also provide medical herbs and nutritious food that go a very long in extending our lifespan.From the refreshening up of indoor space, to creating a variety of gardens, and to natural methods of waste recycling, Plants elaborates the diverse means by which to enhance our living.

Produced after many years of scientific research and data collection, this book is a comprehensive study of the amazing benefits of plants, which are nature's gift to us and provide us sustenance.

We have grown so accustomed to sharing our houses with plants that it may be surprising to learn that it was only in the last century that plants began to move indoors. The story of how this came to pass is an engrossing and complex one, involving many separate strands: the horticultural explosion of the Victorian period, stimulated by the plant hunters of the golden age, changing styles of architecture, new techniques of heating and lighting, the cultural values implicit in home design and decoration, and the changing role of women.

Tovah Martin weaves these strands together in a chronological account of the introduction of houseplants in America, starting with the first bulbs brought indoors for forcing, through the successive introductions of ever more exotic plant materials, including the proliferation of ferns. It is a story equally rich in plant lore and insights into American culture. "Once Upon a Windowsill" is one of those books that manage, through a perceptive examination of a seemingly odd topic, to shed surprising light on a much larger subject. This is an important and fascinating work of social history."

This is an idea source for horticultural therapy programs, schools, senior care facilities and individuals of all ages and abilities. These projects and plant related activities range from easy to difficult, and each has a touch of whimsy. The authors explain that whimsy is the counterpoint to the serious work of being human. These projects were designed by professional horticultural therapists to be fun while serving as great physical, mental and social exercises for everyone. Contains four kinds of activities Plant projects with creative activities and care notes accompanying each one. Craft activities range from creating a "Peace Card" to "Turning Your Problems into Compost." Quizzes on everything from garlic to coconuts. These are great conversation starters. Short stories that can be read aloud to a group or individually while waiting for the plants to grow. These are great springboards for discussion. There is also a comprehensive list of both safe and dangerous plants. Teachers, home schoolers, activity professionals, counselors, horticultural therapists, family caregivers and individuals of all ages will find these pages of value. The focus is on empowerment and creativity.

Jim Hole looks at locations and areas inside of your home and helps you with the selection of great plants for a variety of indoor locations and situations

So you want to decorate every nook and cranny in every room of your home with foliage or flowers. Maybe you just want to take care of the dish garden, African violet, or green, leafy thing that used to have flowers. You got a plant for your anniversary, for Mother's Day or from the funeral and don't know what to do with it. I can help.
Can you think of any other activity you can do, in any weather, twelve months a year, at any age, regardless of physical limitation, whether you live alone or with someone? Can you name any other living thing that has been proven, both medically and scientifically, to enhance your surroundings, decrease blood pressure and stress, while cleaning the very air you breathe? Whether you want to recreate the Puerto Rican rainforest in your living room or just add a few accents to spice up your decor, houseplants can do it all.
You could move your teenager to the garage so you can use his bedroom as a greenhouse, and that might not be a bad idea. Transforming the second bathroom into your very own seed-starting hothouse is probably out of the question, but adding bloomin' color to the dining room table or a topiary to the buffet is a great first step that can lead to who knows where. You say you've always wanted an orchid? You'll find that they are not as difficult and mysterious as you thought. Yes, even you can raise an orchid
So how can houseplants create this wonderful environment in your home? It is both cheap and easy. You just need to know how, and that is what this book is all about.

Daar is 'n geskikte huisplant vir omtrent elke omgewing. Hierdie aanskoulike plantgids met volkleurfoto's sal jou help om gemaklik en vinnig een te kies wat jou behoeftes pas. Of jy nou soek na kleurvolle loof, 'n aanloklike blommegeur, iets vir die badkamer, glashuisplante, iets om die huis op te vrolik in die winter, of 'n amper onvernietigbare kaktus - Huisplante het die antwoord. Kies uit die alfabetiese lys van meer as 150 plante geredelik in die handel beskikbaar. Elkeen van die plante groei maklik, is bestand teen plae en plantsiektes, en vertoon pragtig.

The Royal Horticultural Society's definitive guide to propagating, nurturing, and designing with more than 200 cacti and succulents.

How can you encourage your bunny ear cactus to flower and flourish? What is the best method for propagating an echeveria or kalanchoe? What exactly are living stones, and where do they grow in the wild?

RHS Practical Cactus & Succulent Book is the ultimate reference book for cactus and succulent enthusiasts. An extensive illustrated plant directory profiles more than 200 succulent and cactus varieties, with instructions on how to grow each one.

Show off your plants with inspirational display ideas and step-by-step projects. Follow simple propagation steps to increase your cacti and succulent collection for free. Keep your plants healthy with advice and tips for care and cultivation.

Drawing on the unrivalled expertise of the Royal Horticultural Society, RHS Practical Cactus & Succulent Book is everything a cactus-lover needs.

Make your home your happy place with house plants. Bring the outside in. This gorgeous guide features over 80 indoor plants that will turn your house into a happy, healthy, healing home. Discover plants that will clean the air you breathe, help you get a good night's sleep, reduce stress and anxiety, help you get well soon, boost your brain power and bring greater joy and wellbeing into your life. From cacti and succulents to ferns and palms; flowering plants and foliage - find the perfect house plants for your living room, bathroom, bedroom and even your workspace. Bring the joy of the outdoors in and harness the natural healing power of plants. Features: Over 80 plants and their wellbeing benefits, A guide to choosing your plants and pots, Essential care instructions (indoor plants are so easy to look after!), and Simple propagation techniques to share your plants with friends

Fresh is simply best. To get the tastiest, most nutritious produce, you have to grow your own, and in a cold climate this presents unique challenges. Fresh from the Garden will help you extend the growing season to produce the best vegetables, berries, and herbs, right in your own backyard. The guide includes more than 150 edible plants and helps you decide which varieties to choose; where and how to plant, tend, and harvest them; and what to do with your bounty. Fresh from the Garden is a clear, concise guide, with nutrition information tables and hundreds of helpful color photographs. Drawing on more than fifty years of gardening-and nearly as many years writing on the subject-John Whitman describes various methods of planting to make the most of different sites, whether in containers, raised beds, or on level ground, and takes into consideration the abbreviated growing season and longer summer days. He discusses the merits of starting from seed indoors or outdoors, the making and uses of compost, and measures for keeping a garden healthy, from mulching and fertilizing to crop rotation and winter protection. Included in his wealth of knowledge is a generous listing of more than 1,700 varieties of vegetables, berries, and herbs, from the best known to the highly unusual, including hybrid and heirloom varieties. He covers the specifics of cultivation, nutritional values, storage techniques, and culinary usage. Dedicated to organic practices, for the health of gardener and garden alike, the information and advice in Fresh from the Garden will enrich the experience of cold climate gardeners.