The Gardener's Guide to Succulents is a stunning visual reference identifying over 125 plants from 40 different genera of succulents and cacti. Fleshy, spiny, hairy, flowering--and coming in every imaginable shape, color and size--this plant family has captured the affection of plant enthusiasts all over the world. This book provides a beautiful overview of the diversity that succulents have to offer, presenting a wide variety of popular plants to help you create striking, aesthetically pleasing compositions. This succulent guide includes information about: What each variety needs and where it thrives Plant characteristics, with ratings on ease of growth and maintenance requirements Ideas for group plantings and illustrated tips on indoor planting Striking identification photos, rich in color and contrast This succulent encyclopedia is a useful resource for everyone--from cacti beginners looking to decorate their living space to serious gardeners hoping to expand their succulent plantings.

Container Succulents is the perfect book for container gardening beginners who don't have a lot of space to work with. The beautiful photographs of succulent decor are sure to inspire your inner gardener, interior designer and all-around house plant lover. Learn how to care for and display individual succulent varieties, or get creative with groupings that combine multiple plants with complementary colors, shapes and sizes. Whether you prefer a garden that is simple or intricate, this book covers all the basics of container selection and succulent care to ensure healthy plants. This book shows you how to: Use the colors and textures of your containers to enhance the tones and textures of the succulents to create stunning visual combinations Repurpose old cans and kitchenware to create interesting and healthy new homes for your succulents Use unconventional and openwork containers (like an antique birdcage) to add a new dimension to a composition Plant succulents in antique urns and pedestals for a touch of the unexpected Use traditional planters and baskets to create interesting design effects Create attractive soil surfaces and use cuttings to create original arrangements And much more! Each arrangement includes a "floor plan" showing you how to mix the colors, shapes and textures in ways that are pleasing to the eye and healthy for the plants. A reference guide to over 120 succulent varieties explains the different plants' characteristics to help you create compatible groupings. Even succulent beginners can get involved in this low-maintenance gardening trend. With the help of this inspirational guide, anyone can have a beautiful succulent garden in no time at all!

Make inexpensive projects with a Japanese aesthetic--whether you're an interior designer, avid gardener, small space enthusiast or gardening beginner! Colorful and hardy succulent plants are perfect for creating Japanese-style Bonsai and Ikebana arrangements. Stylish Succulents presents a totally new approach to container gardening. Trendy, low maintenance succulents come in hundreds of different colors, sizes, shapes and textures--making each project one-of-a-kind. Every design is carefully explained using detailed step-by-step instructions and photos: How to choose succulents and containers to match your personal space and mood How to utilize empty wall spaces to make dramatic hanging planters How to make a lovely wreath for the holidays How to create thoughtful and inexpensive succulent gifts for plant lovers Gardeners of every level can create these miniature works of art using with relatively little time and money. The possibilities are truly endless!

This book tells the awe-inspiring stories of bonsai and penjing trees in the collection of the National Arboretum in Washington D.C. It details their valuable role in international diplomacy and as instruments of American presidential influence. It also describes their inclusion in world's fair exhibitions, in Asian-inspired gardens around the country, and as a window onto the extensive cultivation of bonsai in North America today. An extensive first-hand account by Dr. John L. Creech is included about the first extraordinary gift of 53 bonsai from Japan to the U.S. in 1976 which prompted the founding of the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum. Bonsai & Penjing, Ambassadors of Beauty and Peace describes how Chinese penjing and North American bonsai were later added to the Museum, making its collection the most comprehensive in the world. Stories of individual trees and forest plantings are featured, as are the roles played by the skilled and talented creators of these living art forms--people such as John Naka, Saburo Kato, Yuji Yoshimura, Harry Hirao, and Dr. Yee-Sun Wu. Armchair travelers can experience what a visit to the Museum is like, including the discovery of its remarkable viewing stones. Bonsai & Penjing, Ambassadors of Beauty and Peace will delight anyone intrigued by these living works of art and curious about the stories they bring to life.

Adored for their charming shapes and colors, respected for their resilience and adaptability, and just plain fun to have around--succulents are the hottest home gardening trend today. A Beginner's Guide to Succulent Gardening is a friendly guide to popular succulents, walking novices through all the basics, like: Choosing your succulents--from Hens and Chicks (Echeveria) to bristly flowering cactus varieties Mixing the right soils for your succulents and preparing the growing environment Easy potting and transplanting techniques Succulent care--including watering, fertilizing and providing the right amount of sun for each variety Understanding peak periods as well as seasonal traits and needs, so you can have a beautiful succulent garden year-round This book contains all sorts of helpful tips on what to look for when buying a plant, how to troubleshoot when your succulent shows signs of distress, how to trim the leaves and stems, and how to start new plants from cuttings. Clear diagrams and at-a-glance fact sheets for each variety, as well as inspirational photos of attractively and happily-housed succulents, fill the pages of this book. Now is the time to give succulents a try! Let A Beginner's Guide to Succulent Gardening be your guide to get you started and grow your indoor garden one succulent at a time.

I loooooove air plants but have killed every one I have ever bought. This book is perfect for people like me. --Desire to Inspire blog

Succulents for Beginners is the perfect introduction to this friendly and forgiving plant family. Misa Matsuyama--the bestselling author of The Gardener's Guide to Succulents--shows you how to plant and maintain the most popular varieties of succulents and cacti with reassuring advice and minimum fuss. This book has over 200 clear, color photos and illustrations and is absolutely packed full of all the basic information you need to keep succulents thriving, including: A detailed month-by-month growing guide explaining all the planting and maintenance steps--everything from propagating and basic watering to repotting and group planting A clear overview of the basic seasonal types and most popular succulent families and their particular characteristics Which plants, tools, soils, and containers to use for the best results Answers to frequently asked questions, giving clear, concise solutions to the most common issues encountered by beginners A special section on how to create a healthy environment for your plants so you can enjoy them for many years to come Inspiring and creative ways to display your succulents in different rooms and locations--indoors or outdoors The month-by-month format and simple, yet thorough, instructions will have you referring to this handy resource again and again. Gorgeous photos and helpful tips invite you to bring more and more of these plants into your life.

Two expert horticulturists show how to create container gardens of vegetables, herbs, fruits, and edible flowers. Two-color line art and halftones throughout.

Hey, houseplant lovers: Are you ready to up your growing game? Whether your green thumb is weathered and worn or shiny and new, get ready to branch out and step into the world of growing your own herbs—indoors! There’s no better place to start this adventure than with Herbal Houseplants. Inside the beautifully illustrated pages, author and expert herbalist Susan Betz lets you in on a little secret: Herbs make great houseplants. And, you don’t need fancy grow lights, expensive potting soil, or high-end equipment to grow them. All you need is a sunny windowsill and the right plant. Learn which herbs perform best as houseplants, how to care for them, and even how to harvest and use your homegrown herbs for culinary creations, household cleaning products, herbal teas, handmade crafts, and more. In Herbal Houseplants you’ll learn: The basics of caring for herbs indoors How to keep indoor herbs productive and pest free Tips for choosing the best herbs for indoor growing Essential advice for watering, fertilizing, and harvesting Dozens of recipes and DIY projects for enjoying your herbal harvest How to grow exotic herbs, like patchouli, tulsi, and Corsican mint From parsley and thyme to sage and lemongrass—and many herbs in between—tending and enjoying herbal houseplants pays big rewards for little effort.

Go beneath the soil with this hand-drawn guide! This book is sure to become your go-to reference for all things bonsai. Beautifully illustrated with details and views a camera simply can't show, Introduction to Bonsai offers a unique and insightful look at these mini ecosystems. This complete guide contains all the information you need to create and maintain your own bonsai: Handy monthly bonsai maintenance schedules detail proper watering, pruning, wiring, transplanting and other upkeep activities throughout the year Leaves, fruits, flowers, and processes are presented up-close to help make growing and upkeep as successful and simple as possible Diagrams show where, how much, and in what direction pruning, wiring, watering and other maintenance should be performed Clear, detailed illustrations of every part of the bonsai ensure that you'll see everything you need to see, exactly as you need to see it--making this a great resource for collectors and enthusiasts at all levels Learn the specific ways to care for more than 40 types of popular bonsai trees, including: Flowering Bonsai--cherry blossom, dogwood, azalea and lilac Fruiting Bonsai--crab apple, persimmon, Chinese quince and burning bush Coniferous and Deciduous Bonsai--maple, Japanese beech, black pine and salt cedar Prepared by the editors of Japan's popular Bonsai Sekai (Bonsai World) magazine,this handbook is designed to make care and maintenance easy for bonsai beginners--from seeds to root systems and from basic watering to your first transplant.