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The Orchid Expert
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*Amazon: £2.98
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 Customer Reviews
good reference to a beginner, 01 Mar 2004
Having bought my first greenhouse and full of enthusiasm and eager to grow everything, I found this book to be a great companion.
Divides the seasons, indicates suitable seeds and plants to grow, and give the absolute beginner like myself, a direction without too much information and technical plant info too soon!
thank you, my greenhouse is currently full of seedlings in February!
A very good basic guide, 11 May 2003
I particularly liked this book because it is not devoted to the choices of greenhouses - like most people, mine came with the house. I wanted a book that would get straight into the basics and this book does that. The photographs are very clear and the 'tips' sections on most pages are like having your own garden expert on hand. Each season's tasks are covered with lots of relevant facts and tips. All in all a wothwhile book for learning the basics that ensures that your greenhouse is used for more than just tomatoes!
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Customer Reviews
good reference to a beginner, 01 Mar 2004
Having bought my first greenhouse and full of enthusiasm and eager to grow everything, I found this book to be a great companion.
Divides the seasons, indicates suitable seeds and plants to grow, and give the absolute beginner like myself, a direction without too much information and technical plant info too soon!
thank you, my greenhouse is currently full of seedlings in February!
A very good basic guide, 11 May 2003
I particularly liked this book because it is not devoted to the choices of greenhouses - like most people, mine came with the house. I wanted a book that would get straight into the basics and this book does that. The photographs are very clear and the 'tips' sections on most pages are like having your own garden expert on hand. Each season's tasks are covered with lots of relevant facts and tips. All in all a wothwhile book for learning the basics that ensures that your greenhouse is used for more than just tomatoes!
A must-have for orchid beginners, 11 Aug 2004
Well written book with good advice (mostly first-hand experience) and facts for orchid beginners. There is a description of how to measure light in 'foot-candles' using a camera! This is extremely practical and useful as most culture-sheets for orchids come with a description of light requirement with 'foot-candles' as a unit. This piece of information is sadly missing in most orchid guide books.
A Wonderful, Addictive & Beautiful Book !, 08 Jul 2003
I was born in Malaysia and grew up surrounded by orchids growing wild in our gardens. When we moved back to UK my mother always had exotic plants in the house but orchids never survived well. I recently moved into my new home and my fiance bought me 4 different species of beautiful Phalenopsis orchids. I knew that I needed a guide book to ensure I took care of them well and the few that I had were of no real use to a beginner until this one arrived! It is a fantastic book with easy and direct instructions on how to care for the different species of orchids. The photographs are beautiful and it is also written so wonderfully. This book is the bible for all orchid lovers and those wanting to start an orchid collection. Although, I am already discussing with my fiance about building my orchid greenhouse!
WONDERFUL!, 22 Oct 2000
This was the first orchid book I ever got and even tho I now have plenty more it still is my favorite one! The pictures are beautiful and the book is easy to read. Every time I read it it leaves me with a feeling that I really can do this too , and do it succesfully! I think this is a perfect book for any orchid-lover! WOW!
The book made me salivate to start an orchid collection, 28 Feb 1999
My amatuer gardening career spans a period of 40 years. In all that time, my interests did not include orchids until about 3 months ago. I purchased one plant and decided I needed to find a book for novices. Orchids Simplified is a wonderful book for a beginner. I found the book well organized, highly detailed without being boring or overly technical. The author displayed his great knowledge, devotion to orchids and delightful sense of humor throughout the text. In my opinion with the suggestions of the author, I will make fewer mistakes (but definitely make mistakes) because of the information contained in the book. The photographs are beautiful and I appreciated a glossary of terms and definitions.
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Customer Reviews
good reference to a beginner, 01 Mar 2004
Having bought my first greenhouse and full of enthusiasm and eager to grow everything, I found this book to be a great companion.
Divides the seasons, indicates suitable seeds and plants to grow, and give the absolute beginner like myself, a direction without too much information and technical plant info too soon!
thank you, my greenhouse is currently full of seedlings in February!
A very good basic guide, 11 May 2003
I particularly liked this book because it is not devoted to the choices of greenhouses - like most people, mine came with the house. I wanted a book that would get straight into the basics and this book does that. The photographs are very clear and the 'tips' sections on most pages are like having your own garden expert on hand. Each season's tasks are covered with lots of relevant facts and tips. All in all a wothwhile book for learning the basics that ensures that your greenhouse is used for more than just tomatoes!
A must-have for orchid beginners, 11 Aug 2004
Well written book with good advice (mostly first-hand experience) and facts for orchid beginners. There is a description of how to measure light in 'foot-candles' using a camera! This is extremely practical and useful as most culture-sheets for orchids come with a description of light requirement with 'foot-candles' as a unit. This piece of information is sadly missing in most orchid guide books.
A Wonderful, Addictive & Beautiful Book !, 08 Jul 2003
I was born in Malaysia and grew up surrounded by orchids growing wild in our gardens. When we moved back to UK my mother always had exotic plants in the house but orchids never survived well. I recently moved into my new home and my fiance bought me 4 different species of beautiful Phalenopsis orchids. I knew that I needed a guide book to ensure I took care of them well and the few that I had were of no real use to a beginner until this one arrived! It is a fantastic book with easy and direct instructions on how to care for the different species of orchids. The photographs are beautiful and it is also written so wonderfully. This book is the bible for all orchid lovers and those wanting to start an orchid collection. Although, I am already discussing with my fiance about building my orchid greenhouse!
WONDERFUL!, 22 Oct 2000
This was the first orchid book I ever got and even tho I now have plenty more it still is my favorite one! The pictures are beautiful and the book is easy to read. Every time I read it it leaves me with a feeling that I really can do this too , and do it succesfully! I think this is a perfect book for any orchid-lover! WOW!
The book made me salivate to start an orchid collection, 28 Feb 1999
My amatuer gardening career spans a period of 40 years. In all that time, my interests did not include orchids until about 3 months ago. I purchased one plant and decided I needed to find a book for novices. Orchids Simplified is a wonderful book for a beginner. I found the book well organized, highly detailed without being boring or overly technical. The author displayed his great knowledge, devotion to orchids and delightful sense of humor throughout the text. In my opinion with the suggestions of the author, I will make fewer mistakes (but definitely make mistakes) because of the information contained in the book. The photographs are beautiful and I appreciated a glossary of terms and definitions.
Great for any level , 30 May 2008
Bought this for both myself and my sister. Brilliant. Would highly recommend for anyone who is interested in orchids, whatever the level. We are both hooked and my collection is now getting out of control, but without this book I would not have had the courage to move out of my comfort zone and try new species.
Absolute must have Orchid bible!, 28 Aug 2007
This book covered everything what I wanted to know - from history where and when orchid facination began, different climate as natural home for orchids through care, cultivation, propagation... to recognition of most popular genera of orchids with absolutely stunning photos. Some rare orchids are covered as well. I would recommend this book to everyone, weather you are new to the orchids or established grower!!
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Customer Reviews
good reference to a beginner, 01 Mar 2004
Having bought my first greenhouse and full of enthusiasm and eager to grow everything, I found this book to be a great companion.
Divides the seasons, indicates suitable seeds and plants to grow, and give the absolute beginner like myself, a direction without too much information and technical plant info too soon!
thank you, my greenhouse is currently full of seedlings in February!
A very good basic guide, 11 May 2003
I particularly liked this book because it is not devoted to the choices of greenhouses - like most people, mine came with the house. I wanted a book that would get straight into the basics and this book does that. The photographs are very clear and the 'tips' sections on most pages are like having your own garden expert on hand. Each season's tasks are covered with lots of relevant facts and tips. All in all a wothwhile book for learning the basics that ensures that your greenhouse is used for more than just tomatoes!
A must-have for orchid beginners, 11 Aug 2004
Well written book with good advice (mostly first-hand experience) and facts for orchid beginners. There is a description of how to measure light in 'foot-candles' using a camera! This is extremely practical and useful as most culture-sheets for orchids come with a description of light requirement with 'foot-candles' as a unit. This piece of information is sadly missing in most orchid guide books.
A Wonderful, Addictive & Beautiful Book !, 08 Jul 2003
I was born in Malaysia and grew up surrounded by orchids growing wild in our gardens. When we moved back to UK my mother always had exotic plants in the house but orchids never survived well. I recently moved into my new home and my fiance bought me 4 different species of beautiful Phalenopsis orchids. I knew that I needed a guide book to ensure I took care of them well and the few that I had were of no real use to a beginner until this one arrived! It is a fantastic book with easy and direct instructions on how to care for the different species of orchids. The photographs are beautiful and it is also written so wonderfully. This book is the bible for all orchid lovers and those wanting to start an orchid collection. Although, I am already discussing with my fiance about building my orchid greenhouse!
WONDERFUL!, 22 Oct 2000
This was the first orchid book I ever got and even tho I now have plenty more it still is my favorite one! The pictures are beautiful and the book is easy to read. Every time I read it it leaves me with a feeling that I really can do this too , and do it succesfully! I think this is a perfect book for any orchid-lover! WOW!
The book made me salivate to start an orchid collection, 28 Feb 1999
My amatuer gardening career spans a period of 40 years. In all that time, my interests did not include orchids until about 3 months ago. I purchased one plant and decided I needed to find a book for novices. Orchids Simplified is a wonderful book for a beginner. I found the book well organized, highly detailed without being boring or overly technical. The author displayed his great knowledge, devotion to orchids and delightful sense of humor throughout the text. In my opinion with the suggestions of the author, I will make fewer mistakes (but definitely make mistakes) because of the information contained in the book. The photographs are beautiful and I appreciated a glossary of terms and definitions.
Great for any level , 30 May 2008
Bought this for both myself and my sister. Brilliant. Would highly recommend for anyone who is interested in orchids, whatever the level. We are both hooked and my collection is now getting out of control, but without this book I would not have had the courage to move out of my comfort zone and try new species.
Absolute must have Orchid bible!, 28 Aug 2007
This book covered everything what I wanted to know - from history where and when orchid facination began, different climate as natural home for orchids through care, cultivation, propagation... to recognition of most popular genera of orchids with absolutely stunning photos. Some rare orchids are covered as well. I would recommend this book to everyone, weather you are new to the orchids or established grower!!
The House Plant Expert, 28 Aug 2008
A great book to have with you in the home, very easy to read and understand.
Contains all the information on plants and the ideal location in the home without going into too much detail.
I have found this book very easy to use and to help me identify plants that I have been unsure of and solutions to problems like yellow leaves etc and when to feed.
Useful... but not visually updated since 1982, 14 Jun 2005
Hmm... a hard one to review, as there is so much in here which is useful both to the avid indoor gardener, and novice alike.
The book, originally published in 1982 looks tired, and could have been easily updated with better graphics and photographs... illustrating ideas with (then) contempory photo's was a ground breaking step, now it looks odd. Very American in its idea's as well, and not terribly relevant to U.K. interiors.
Still, it has clear to follow guides, a useful little problem's page, and some nice illustrations.
Could however have been updated in order to be as valuable now as it was when I was starting out my indoor adventures.
Useful... but dated., 14 Jun 2005
This is the second book on houseplants by the author... the first being amazingly successful, and published worldwide.
The most useful bits are the small photo's by which you can attempt to identify the plants you want to find out about.
The photo's though are very grainy, and poor quality in my opinion, and not too good. There is poor cross linking, and the book looks very dated indeed, despite being recently written.
It shows ideas as to where plants can go, using original 1970's-early 1980's photographs, and as such looks horrendously outdated. The language though is clear, and it has the occasional little gem. Buy if you have the series of books, to complete the set, otherwise think carefully. Having said that, this is a unique book, and useful in its own way.
Excellent for beginners and experts alike, 08 Apr 2001
These books are just brilliant. Easy to read and even easier to understand, they explain everything you need to know about most [if not all] of the plants you're likely to try and raise at home. We borrowed a couple of these a few years ago, and have been itching to buy our own ever since. We'd only ever seen them in garden centres before [and sometimes at rather inflated prices...] Maybe now that Amazon's stocking them, we'll finally get the ones we want.
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Product Description
Even for someone who is rather proud of their arrangement of hanging baskets and tubs, this book is a great read. As with all Dr Hessayon's books the illustrations and clear instructions are what first appeal, but in this case the real bonus is the enormous fund of ideas it offers, all in coloured photographs. From car tyres to wooden troughs--if you can grow a plant in it, it's in here! A huge variety of containers are suggested for all kinds of situations, from a flat with no garden to a mansion with terraces. Full information for planting is given for flowering bulbs, annuals, perennials and trees, shrubs and bonsai, photographed in an ambitious variety of containers and locations. In addition to the ornamental garden there is a great section of container-grown fruit, vegetables and herbs--particularly valuable for the gardener cook with a limited space. All in all this is a delightful and handy book which really inspires you to make container growing a feature of every garden and available space, 12 months of the year. An excellent quick reference title for your bookshelf and one appropriate and appealing to gardeners of all standards. --T W Falinska
Customer Reviews
good reference to a beginner, 01 Mar 2004
Having bought my first greenhouse and full of enthusiasm and eager to grow everything, I found this book to be a great companion.
Divides the seasons, indicates suitable seeds and plants to grow, and give the absolute beginner like myself, a direction without too much information and technical plant info too soon!
thank you, my greenhouse is currently full of seedlings in February!
A very good basic guide, 11 May 2003
I particularly liked this book because it is not devoted to the choices of greenhouses - like most people, mine came with the house. I wanted a book that would get straight into the basics and this book does that. The photographs are very clear and the 'tips' sections on most pages are like having your own garden expert on hand. Each season's tasks are covered with lots of relevant facts and tips. All in all a wothwhile book for learning the basics that ensures that your greenhouse is used for more than just tomatoes!
A must-have for orchid beginners, 11 Aug 2004
Well written book with good advice (mostly first-hand experience) and facts for orchid beginners. There is a description of how to measure light in 'foot-candles' using a camera! This is extremely practical and useful as most culture-sheets for orchids come with a description of light requirement with 'foot-candles' as a unit. This piece of information is sadly missing in most orchid guide books.
A Wonderful, Addictive & Beautiful Book !, 08 Jul 2003
I was born in Malaysia and grew up surrounded by orchids growing wild in our gardens. When we moved back to UK my mother always had exotic plants in the house but orchids never survived well. I recently moved into my new home and my fiance bought me 4 different species of beautiful Phalenopsis orchids. I knew that I needed a guide book to ensure I took care of them well and the few that I had were of no real use to a beginner until this one arrived! It is a fantastic book with easy and direct instructions on how to care for the different species of orchids. The photographs are beautiful and it is also written so wonderfully. This book is the bible for all orchid lovers and those wanting to start an orchid collection. Although, I am already discussing with my fiance about building my orchid greenhouse!
WONDERFUL!, 22 Oct 2000
This was the first orchid book I ever got and even tho I now have plenty more it still is my favorite one! The pictures are beautiful and the book is easy to read. Every time I read it it leaves me with a feeling that I really can do this too , and do it succesfully! I think this is a perfect book for any orchid-lover! WOW!
The book made me salivate to start an orchid collection, 28 Feb 1999
My amatuer gardening career spans a period of 40 years. In all that time, my interests did not include orchids until about 3 months ago. I purchased one plant and decided I needed to find a book for novices. Orchids Simplified is a wonderful book for a beginner. I found the book well organized, highly detailed without being boring or overly technical. The author displayed his great knowledge, devotion to orchids and delightful sense of humor throughout the text. In my opinion with the suggestions of the author, I will make fewer mistakes (but definitely make mistakes) because of the information contained in the book. The photographs are beautiful and I appreciated a glossary of terms and definitions.
Great for any level , 30 May 2008
Bought this for both myself and my sister. Brilliant. Would highly recommend for anyone who is interested in orchids, whatever the level. We are both hooked and my collection is now getting out of control, but without this book I would not have had the courage to move out of my comfort zone and try new species.
Absolute must have Orchid bible!, 28 Aug 2007
This book covered everything what I wanted to know - from history where and when orchid facination began, different climate as natural home for orchids through care, cultivation, propagation... to recognition of most popular genera of orchids with absolutely stunning photos. Some rare orchids are covered as well. I would recommend this book to everyone, weather you are new to the orchids or established grower!!
The House Plant Expert, 28 Aug 2008
A great book to have with you in the home, very easy to read and understand.
Contains all the information on plants and the ideal location in the home without going into too much detail.
I have found this book very easy to use and to help me identify plants that I have been unsure of and solutions to problems like yellow leaves etc and when to feed.
Useful... but not visually updated since 1982, 14 Jun 2005
Hmm... a hard one to review, as there is so much in here which is useful both to the avid indoor gardener, and novice alike.
The book, originally published in 1982 looks tired, and could have been easily updated with better graphics and photographs... illustrating ideas with (then) contempory photo's was a ground breaking step, now it looks odd. Very American in its idea's as well, and not terribly relevant to U.K. interiors.
Still, it has clear to follow guides, a useful little problem's page, and some nice illustrations.
Could however have been updated in order to be as valuable now as it was when I was starting out my indoor adventures.
Useful... but dated., 14 Jun 2005
This is the second book on houseplants by the author... the first being amazingly successful, and published worldwide.
The most useful bits are the small photo's by which you can attempt to identify the plants you want to find out about.
The photo's though are very grainy, and poor quality in my opinion, and not too good. There is poor cross linking, and the book looks very dated indeed, despite being recently written.
It shows ideas as to where plants can go, using original 1970's-early 1980's photographs, and as such looks horrendously outdated. The language though is clear, and it has the occasional little gem. Buy if you have the series of books, to complete the set, otherwise think carefully. Having said that, this is a unique book, and useful in its own way.
Excellent for beginners and experts alike, 08 Apr 2001
These books are just brilliant. Easy to read and even easier to understand, they explain everything you need to know about most [if not all] of the plants you're likely to try and raise at home. We borrowed a couple of these a few years ago, and have been itching to buy our own ever since. We'd only ever seen them in garden centres before [and sometimes at rather inflated prices...] Maybe now that Amazon's stocking them, we'll finally get the ones we want.
Practical information in a glance, 10 Apr 2001
For anyone starting out in gardening, I would recommend this book for its practical info and coverage of all aspects regarding containers. From beginning to end, from utensils to choosing plants to types of soil to the containers themselves, the user-friendly text provides answers to all the questions and difficulties encountered.
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Customer Reviews
good reference to a beginner, 01 Mar 2004
Having bought my first greenhouse and full of enthusiasm and eager to grow everything, I found this book to be a great companion.
Divides the seasons, indicates suitable seeds and plants to grow, and give the absolute beginner like myself, a direction without too much information and technical plant info too soon!
thank you, my greenhouse is currently full of seedlings in February!
A very good basic guide, 11 May 2003
I particularly liked this book because it is not devoted to the choices of greenhouses - like most people, mine came with the house. I wanted a book that would get straight into the basics and this book does that. The photographs are very clear and the 'tips' sections on most pages are like having your own garden expert on hand. Each season's tasks are covered with lots of relevant facts and tips. All in all a wothwhile book for learning the basics that ensures that your greenhouse is used for more than just tomatoes!
A must-have for orchid beginners, 11 Aug 2004
Well written book with good advice (mostly first-hand experience) and facts for orchid beginners. There is a description of how to measure light in 'foot-candles' using a camera! This is extremely practical and useful as most culture-sheets for orchids come with a description of light requirement with 'foot-candles' as a unit. This piece of information is sadly missing in most orchid guide books.
A Wonderful, Addictive & Beautiful Book !, 08 Jul 2003
I was born in Malaysia and grew up surrounded by orchids growing wild in our gardens. When we moved back to UK my mother always had exotic plants in the house but orchids never survived well. I recently moved into my new home and my fiance bought me 4 different species of beautiful Phalenopsis orchids. I knew that I needed a guide book to ensure I took care of them well and the few that I had were of no real use to a beginner until this one arrived! It is a fantastic book with easy and direct instructions on how to care for the different species of orchids. The photographs are beautiful and it is also written so wonderfully. This book is the bible for all orchid lovers and those wanting to start an orchid collection. Although, I am already discussing with my fiance about building my orchid greenhouse!
WONDERFUL!, 22 Oct 2000
This was the first orchid book I ever got and even tho I now have plenty more it still is my favorite one! The pictures are beautiful and the book is easy to read. Every time I read it it leaves me with a feeling that I really can do this too , and do it succesfully! I think this is a perfect book for any orchid-lover! WOW!
The book made me salivate to start an orchid collection, 28 Feb 1999
My amatuer gardening career spans a period of 40 years. In all that time, my interests did not include orchids until about 3 months ago. I purchased one plant and decided I needed to find a book for novices. Orchids Simplified is a wonderful book for a beginner. I found the book well organized, highly detailed without being boring or overly technical. The author displayed his great knowledge, devotion to orchids and delightful sense of humor throughout the text. In my opinion with the suggestions of the author, I will make fewer mistakes (but definitely make mistakes) because of the information contained in the book. The photographs are beautiful and I appreciated a glossary of terms and definitions.
Great for any level , 30 May 2008
Bought this for both myself and my sister. Brilliant. Would highly recommend for anyone who is interested in orchids, whatever the level. We are both hooked and my collection is now getting out of control, but without this book I would not have had the courage to move out of my comfort zone and try new species.
Absolute must have Orchid bible!, 28 Aug 2007
This book covered everything what I wanted to know - from history where and when orchid facination began, different climate as natural home for orchids through care, cultivation, propagation... to recognition of most popular genera of orchids with absolutely stunning photos. Some rare orchids are covered as well. I would recommend this book to everyone, weather you are new to the orchids or established grower!!
The House Plant Expert, 28 Aug 2008
A great book to have with you in the home, very easy to read and understand.
Contains all the information on plants and the ideal location in the home without going into too much detail.
I have found this book very easy to use and to help me identify plants that I have been unsure of and solutions to problems like yellow leaves etc and when to feed.
Useful... but not visually updated since 1982, 14 Jun 2005
Hmm... a hard one to review, as there is so much in here which is useful both to the avid indoor gardener, and novice alike.
The book, originally published in 1982 looks tired, and could have been easily updated with better graphics and photographs... illustrating ideas with (then) contempory photo's was a ground breaking step, now it looks odd. Very American in its idea's as well, and not terribly relevant to U.K. interiors.
Still, it has clear to follow guides, a useful little problem's page, and some nice illustrations.
Could however have been updated in order to be as valuable now as it was when I was starting out my indoor adventures.
Useful... but dated., 14 Jun 2005
This is the second book on houseplants by the author... the first being amazingly successful, and published worldwide.
The most useful bits are the small photo's by which you can attempt to identify the plants you want to find out about.
The photo's though are very grainy, and poor quality in my opinion, and not too good. There is poor cross linking, and the book looks very dated indeed, despite being recently written.
It shows ideas as to where plants can go, using original 1970's-early 1980's photographs, and as such looks horrendously outdated. The language though is clear, and it has the occasional little gem. Buy if you have the series of books, to complete the set, otherwise think carefully. Having said that, this is a unique book, and useful in its own way.
Excellent for beginners and experts alike, 08 Apr 2001
These books are just brilliant. Easy to read and even easier to understand, they explain everything you need to know about most [if not all] of the plants you're likely to try and raise at home. We borrowed a couple of these a few years ago, and have been itching to buy our own ever since. We'd only ever seen them in garden centres before [and sometimes at rather inflated prices...] Maybe now that Amazon's stocking them, we'll finally get the ones we want.
Practical information in a glance, 10 Apr 2001
For anyone starting out in gardening, I would recommend this book for its practical info and coverage of all aspects regarding containers. From beginning to end, from utensils to choosing plants to types of soil to the containers themselves, the user-friendly text provides answers to all the questions and difficulties encountered.
One of the Better Books on the Subject, 31 Oct 2007
The old adage never judge a book by its cover, fortunately does not apply with this offering. True, the cover will have anyone interested in the subject smacking their lips, but the content is just as good and the book is by Graham Charles, a well respected name in cacti circles.
The book certainly is not up there with the `Cactus Family' or the `Cactus Lexicon' and does not even try to compete with these expensive and truly comprehensive volumes but what it does it does well. It is not aimed at any specific section, i.e. those starting out in the hobby or the more experienced. It is simply a well written and well illustrated book, with many colored photographs to add emphasis to the informative text. It is worth a place in anyones bookcase.
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The House Plant Encyclopedia
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Customer Reviews
good reference to a beginner, 01 Mar 2004
Having bought my first greenhouse and full of enthusiasm and eager to grow everything, I found this book to be a great companion.
Divides the seasons, indicates suitable seeds and plants to grow, and give the absolute beginner like myself, a direction without too much information and technical plant info too soon!
thank you, my greenhouse is currently full of seedlings in February!
A very good basic guide, 11 May 2003
I particularly liked this book because it is not devoted to the choices of greenhouses - like most people, mine came with the house. I wanted a book that would get straight into the basics and this book does that. The photographs are very clear and the 'tips' sections on most pages are like having your own garden expert on hand. Each season's tasks are covered with lots of relevant facts and tips. All in all a wothwhile book for learning the basics that ensures that your greenhouse is used for more than just tomatoes!
A must-have for orchid beginners, 11 Aug 2004
Well written book with good advice (mostly first-hand experience) and facts for orchid beginners. There is a description of how to measure light in 'foot-candles' using a camera! This is extremely practical and useful as most culture-sheets for orchids come with a description of light requirement with 'foot-candles' as a unit. This piece of information is sadly missing in most orchid guide books.
A Wonderful, Addictive & Beautiful Book !, 08 Jul 2003
I was born in Malaysia and grew up surrounded by orchids growing wild in our gardens. When we moved back to UK my mother always had exotic plants in the house but orchids never survived well. I recently moved into my new home and my fiance bought me 4 different species of beautiful Phalenopsis orchids. I knew that I needed a guide book to ensure I took care of them well and the few that I had were of no real use to a beginner until this one arrived! It is a fantastic book with easy and direct instructions on how to care for the different species of orchids. The photographs are beautiful and it is also written so wonderfully. This book is the bible for all orchid lovers and those wanting to start an orchid collection. Although, I am already discussing with my fiance about building my orchid greenhouse!
WONDERFUL!, 22 Oct 2000
This was the first orchid book I ever got and even tho I now have plenty more it still is my favorite one! The pictures are beautiful and the book is easy to read. Every time I read it it leaves me with a feeling that I really can do this too , and do it succesfully! I think this is a perfect book for any orchid-lover! WOW!
The book made me salivate to start an orchid collection, 28 Feb 1999
My amatuer gardening career spans a period of 40 years. In all that time, my interests did not include orchids until about 3 months ago. I purchased one plant and decided I needed to find a book for novices. Orchids Simplified is a wonderful book for a beginner. I found the book well organized, highly detailed without being boring or overly technical. The author displayed his great knowledge, devotion to orchids and delightful sense of humor throughout the text. In my opinion with the suggestions of the author, I will make fewer mistakes (but definitely make mistakes) because of the information contained in the book. The photographs are beautiful and I appreciated a glossary of terms and definitions.
Great for any level , 30 May 2008
Bought this for both myself and my sister. Brilliant. Would highly recommend for anyone who is interested in orchids, whatever the level. We are both hooked and my collection is now getting out of control, but without this book I would not have had the courage to move out of my comfort zone and try new species.
Absolute must have Orchid bible!, 28 Aug 2007
This book covered everything what I wanted to know - from history where and when orchid facination began, different climate as natural home for orchids through care, cultivation, propagation... to recognition of most popular genera of orchids with absolutely stunning photos. Some rare orchids are covered as well. I would recommend this book to everyone, weather you are new to the orchids or established grower!!
The House Plant Expert, 28 Aug 2008
A great book to have with you in the home, very easy to read and understand.
Contains all the information on plants and the ideal location in the home without going into too much detail.
I have found this book very easy to use and to help me identify plants that I have been unsure of and solutions to problems like yellow leaves etc and when to feed.
Useful... but not visually updated since 1982, 14 Jun 2005
Hmm... a hard one to review, as there is so much in here which is useful both to the avid indoor gardener, and novice alike.
The book, originally published in 1982 looks tired, and could have been easily updated with better graphics and photographs... illustrating ideas with (then) contempory photo's was a ground breaking step, now it looks odd. Very American in its idea's as well, and not terribly relevant to U.K. interiors.
Still, it has clear to follow guides, a useful little problem's page, and some nice illustrations.
Could however have been updated in order to be as valuable now as it was when I was starting out my indoor adventures.
Useful... but dated., 14 Jun 2005
This is the second book on houseplants by the author... the first being amazingly successful, and published worldwide.
The most useful bits are the small photo's by which you can attempt to identify the plants you want to find out about.
The photo's though are very grainy, and poor quality in my opinion, and not too good. There is poor cross linking, and the book looks very dated indeed, despite being recently written.
It shows ideas as to where plants can go, using original 1970's-early 1980's photographs, and as such looks horrendously outdated. The language though is clear, and it has the occasional little gem. Buy if you have the series of books, to complete the set, otherwise think carefully. Having said that, this is a unique book, and useful in its own way.
Excellent for beginners and experts alike, 08 Apr 2001
These books are just brilliant. Easy to read and even easier to understand, they explain everything you need to know about most [if not all] of the plants you're likely to try and raise at home. We borrowed a couple of these a few years ago, and have been itching to buy our own ever since. We'd only ever seen them in garden centres before [and sometimes at rather inflated prices...] Maybe now that Amazon's stocking them, we'll finally get the ones we want.
Practical information in a glance, 10 Apr 2001
For anyone starting out in gardening, I would recommend this book for its practical info and coverage of all aspects regarding containers. From beginning to end, from utensils to choosing plants to types of soil to the containers themselves, the user-friendly text provides answers to all the questions and difficulties encountered.
One of the Better Books on the Subject, 31 Oct 2007
The old adage never judge a book by its cover, fortunately does not apply with this offering. True, the cover will have anyone interested in the subject smacking their lips, but the content is just as good and the book is by Graham Charles, a well respected name in cacti circles.
The book certainly is not up there with the `Cactus Family' or the `Cactus Lexicon' and does not even try to compete with these expensive and truly comprehensive volumes but what it does it does well. It is not aimed at any specific section, i.e. those starting out in the hobby or the more experienced. It is simply a well written and well illustrated book, with many colored photographs to add emphasis to the informative text. It is worth a place in anyones bookcase.
house plant beginner, 10 Aug 2008
This is an excellent book for someone who is completely new to house plants as it has got plenty of colour pictures of each plant as well as lots of information on how to care and look after your plants .
Truly an encyclopedia, and a very useful practical guide to house plant gardening, 14 Apr 2008
This is the first book I ever bought on gardening since I live in a flat and houseplants is all I can do. After that I started doing other things as well, such as herbs in containers, and I have bought more gardening books on different topics. But this book has stayed the only book I need for looking after my houseplants.
The book, first of all, teaches you what a house plant really is. It is a plant, like any other plant, only found in other countries with different climates and brought over to colder countries. So the main thing one needs to understand about them, is that they are plants with specific environment needs. The book covers a bit of the history of house plants, and for every house plant it tells you where they come originally from - which is a very useful thing to know.
This book is an encyclopaedia, because it contains information about hundreds of plants. I don't imagine all house plants in the world are in this book, but I still have to come across a house plant that was not in it.
And it is also a very good practical manual on house plants, because it contains practical information on everything you need to do to look after your houseplants: watering, feeding, repotting, training, propagation, pruning, pests and diseases... The more practical bits of information on these subjects are printed in orange pages that are easy and quick to locate. The instructions are kept clear and simple, and are accompanied with graphs.
The writing is clear and the book is full of gorgeous pictures.
This is a very nice book and a very good buy.
Very usful for anyone wanting to grow plants successfully, 05 Sep 2001
Excellent information on hundreds of plants, including watering, light and feeding needs, repotting and propagation of each. Includes sections about buying tips, history, poisonous plants and the structure of plants. Each plant entry has colourful pictures which helped me identify plants whose name I did not know. Each entry also includes helpful tips which the author gained through experience. I am finding the care of my houseplants much easier now and I have managed to save plants which were dying. I am also propagating some plants successfully using the tips given by the author. It is really an encyclopedia.
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Customer Reviews
good reference to a beginner, 01 Mar 2004
Having bought my first greenhouse and full of enthusiasm and eager to grow everything, I found this book to be a great companion.
Divides the seasons, indicates suitable seeds and plants to grow, and give the absolute beginner like myself, a direction without too much information and technical plant info too soon!
thank you, my greenhouse is currently full of seedlings in February!
A very good basic guide, 11 May 2003
I particularly liked this book because it is not devoted to the choices of greenhouses - like most people, mine came with the house. I wanted a book that would get straight into the basics and this book does that. The photographs are very clear and the 'tips' sections on most pages are like having your own garden expert on hand. Each season's tasks are covered with lots of relevant facts and tips. All in all a wothwhile book for learning the basics that ensures that your greenhouse is used for more than just tomatoes!
A must-have for orchid beginners, 11 Aug 2004
Well written book with good advice (mostly first-hand experience) and facts for orchid beginners. There is a description of how to measure light in 'foot-candles' using a camera! This is extremely practical and useful as most culture-sheets for orchids come with a description of light requirement with 'foot-candles' as a unit. This piece of information is sadly missing in most orchid guide books.
A Wonderful, Addictive & Beautiful Book !, 08 Jul 2003
I was born in Malaysia and grew up surrounded by orchids growing wild in our gardens. When we moved back to UK my mother always had exotic plants in the house but orchids never survived well. I recently moved into my new home and my fiance bought me 4 different species of beautiful Phalenopsis orchids. I knew that I needed a guide book to ensure I took care of them well and the few that I had were of no real use to a beginner until this one arrived! It is a fantastic book with easy and direct instructions on how to care for the different species of orchids. The photographs are beautiful and it is also written so wonderfully. This book is the bible for all orchid lovers and those wanting to start an orchid collection. Although, I am already discussing with my fiance about building my orchid greenhouse!
WONDERFUL!, 22 Oct 2000
This was the first orchid book I ever got and even tho I now have plenty more it still is my favorite one! The pictures are beautiful and the book is easy to read. Every time I read it it leaves me with a feeling that I really can do this too , and do it succesfully! I think this is a perfect book for any orchid-lover! WOW!
The book made me salivate to start an orchid collection, 28 Feb 1999
My amatuer gardening career spans a period of 40 years. In all that time, my interests did not include orchids until about 3 months ago. I purchased one plant and decided I needed to find a book for novices. Orchids Simplified is a wonderful book for a beginner. I found the book well organized, highly detailed without being boring or overly technical. The author displayed his great knowledge, devotion to orchids and delightful sense of humor throughout the text. In my opinion with the suggestions of the author, I will make fewer mistakes (but definitely make mistakes) because of the information contained in the book. The photographs are beautiful and I appreciated a glossary of terms and definitions.
Great for any level , 30 May 2008
Bought this for both myself and my sister. Brilliant. Would highly recommend for anyone who is interested in orchids, whatever the level. We are both hooked and my collection is now getting out of control, but without this book I would not have had the courage to move out of my comfort zone and try new species.
Absolute must have Orchid bible!, 28 Aug 2007
This book covered everything what I wanted to know - from history where and when orchid facination began, different climate as natural home for orchids through care, cultivation, propagation... to recognition of most popular genera of orchids with absolutely stunning photos. Some rare orchids are covered as well. I would recommend this book to everyone, weather you are new to the orchids or established grower!!
The House Plant Expert, 28 Aug 2008
A great book to have with you in the home, very easy to read and understand.
Contains all the information on plants and the ideal location in the home without going into too much detail.
I have found this book very easy to use and to help me identify plants that I have been unsure of and solutions to problems like yellow leaves etc and when to feed.
Useful... but not visually updated since 1982, 14 Jun 2005
Hmm... a hard one to review, as there is so much in here which is useful both to the avid indoor gardener, and novice alike.
The book, originally published in 1982 looks tired, and could have been easily updated with better graphics and photographs... illustrating ideas with (then) contempory photo's was a ground breaking step, now it looks odd. Very American in its idea's as well, and not terribly relevant to U.K. interiors.
Still, it has clear to follow guides, a useful little problem's page, and some nice illustrations.
Could however have been updated in order to be as valuable now as it was when I was starting out my indoor adventures.
Useful... but dated., 14 Jun 2005
This is the second book on houseplants by the author... the first being amazingly successful, and published worldwide.
The most useful bits are the small photo's by which you can attempt to identify the plants you want to find out about.
The photo's though are very grainy, and poor quality in my opinion, and not too good. There is poor cross linking, and the book looks very dated indeed, despite being recently written.
It shows ideas as to where plants can go, using original 1970's-early 1980's photographs, and as such looks horrendously outdated. The language though is clear, and it has the occasional little gem. Buy if you have the series of books, to complete the set, otherwise think carefully. Having said that, this is a unique book, and useful in its own way.
Excellent for beginners and experts alike, 08 Apr 2001
These books are just brilliant. Easy to read and even easier to understand, they explain everything you need to know about most [if not all] of the plants you're likely to try and raise at home. We borrowed a couple of these a few years ago, and have been itching to buy our own ever since. We'd only ever seen them in garden centres before [and sometimes at rather inflated prices...] Maybe now that Amazon's stocking them, we'll finally get the ones we want.
Practical information in a glance, 10 Apr 2001
For anyone starting out in gardening, I would recommend this book for its practical info and coverage of all aspects regarding containers. From beginning to end, from utensils to choosing plants to types of soil to the containers themselves, the user-friendly text provides answers to all the questions and difficulties encountered.
One of the Better Books on the Subject, 31 Oct 2007
The old adage never judge a book by its cover, fortunately does not apply with this offering. True, the cover will have anyone interested in the subject smacking their lips, but the content is just as good and the book is by Graham Charles, a well respected name in cacti circles.
The book certainly is not up there with the `Cactus Family' or the `Cactus Lexicon' and does not even try to compete with these expensive and truly comprehensive volumes but what it does it does well. It is not aimed at any specific section, i.e. those starting out in the hobby or the more experienced. It is simply a well written and well illustrated book, with many colored photographs to add emphasis to the informative text. It is worth a place in anyones bookcase.
house plant beginner, 10 Aug 2008
This is an excellent book for someone who is completely new to house plants as it has got plenty of colour pictures of each plant as well as lots of information on how to care and look after your plants .
Truly an encyclopedia, and a very useful practical guide to house plant gardening, 14 Apr 2008
This is the first book I ever bought on gardening since I live in a flat and houseplants is all I can do. After that I started doing other things as well, such as herbs in containers, and I have bought more gardening books on different topics. But this book has stayed the only book I need for looking after my houseplants.
The book, first of all, teaches you what a house plant really is. It is a plant, like any other plant, only found in other countries with different climates and brought over to colder countries. So the main thing one needs to understand about them, is that they are plants with specific environment needs. The book covers a bit of the history of house plants, and for every house plant it tells you where they come originally from - which is a very useful thing to know.
This book is an encyclopaedia, because it contains information about hundreds of plants. I don't imagine all house plants in the world are in this book, but I still have to come across a house plant that was not in it.
And it is also a very good practical manual on house plants, because it contains practical information on everything you need to do to look after your houseplants: watering, feeding, repotting, training, propagation, pruning, pests and diseases... The more practical bits of information on these subjects are printed in orange pages that are easy and quick to locate. The instructions are kept clear and simple, and are accompanied with graphs.
The writing is clear and the book is full of gorgeous pictures.
This is a very nice book and a very good buy.
Very usful for anyone wanting to grow plants successfully, 05 Sep 2001
Excellent information on hundreds of plants, including watering, light and feeding needs, repotting and propagation of each. Includes sections about buying tips, history, poisonous plants and the structure of plants. Each plant entry has colourful pictures which helped me identify plants whose name I did not know. Each entry also includes helpful tips which the author gained through experience. I am finding the care of my houseplants much easier now and I have managed to save plants which were dying. I am also propagating some plants successfully using the tips given by the author. It is really an encyclopedia.
Don't bother, 31 Jul 2008
Don't waste your money. VFT seeds are viable for only a few months and these packs have usually been sitting on a shelf for long periods.
They also take 3 to 4 years to come to maturity. 4 seeds is unbelievably stingy as well!
Just buy an adult plant for a fiver.
I Think I bought Bird Seed, 19 Mar 2008
I bought my seeds, read the book, followed instructions to the letter and out of 4 seeds didnt get one plant !
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Customer Reviews
good reference to a beginner, 01 Mar 2004
Having bought my first greenhouse and full of enthusiasm and eager to grow everything, I found this book to be a great companion.
Divides the seasons, indicates suitable seeds and plants to grow, and give the absolute beginner like myself, a direction without too much information and technical plant info too soon!
thank you, my greenhouse is currently full of seedlings in February!
A very good basic guide, 11 May 2003
I particularly liked this book because it is not devoted to the choices of greenhouses - like most people, mine came with the house. I wanted a book that would get straight into the basics and this book does that. The photographs are very clear and the 'tips' sections on most pages are like having your own garden expert on hand. Each season's tasks are covered with lots of relevant facts and tips. All in all a wothwhile book for learning the basics that ensures that your greenhouse is used for more than just tomatoes!
A must-have for orchid beginners, 11 Aug 2004
Well written book with good advice (mostly first-hand experience) and facts for orchid beginners. There is a description of how to measure light in 'foot-candles' using a camera! This is extremely practical and useful as most culture-sheets for orchids come with a description of light requirement with 'foot-candles' as a unit. This piece of information is sadly missing in most orchid guide books.
A Wonderful, Addictive & Beautiful Book !, 08 Jul 2003
I was born in Malaysia and grew up surrounded by orchids growing wild in our gardens. When we moved back to UK my mother always had exotic plants in the house but orchids never survived well. I recently moved into my new home and my fiance bought me 4 different species of beautiful Phalenopsis orchids. I knew that I needed a guide book to ensure I took care of them well and the few that I had were of no real use to a beginner until this one arrived! It is a fantastic book with easy and direct instructions on how to care for the different species of orchids. The photographs are beautiful and it is also written so wonderfully. This book is the bible for all orchid lovers and those wanting to start an orchid collection. Although, I am already discussing with my fiance about building my orchid greenhouse!
WONDERFUL!, 22 Oct 2000
This was the first orchid book I ever got and even tho I now have plenty more it still is my favorite one! The pictures are beautiful and the book is easy to read. Every time I read it it leaves me with a feeling that I really can do this too , and do it succesfully! I think this is a perfect book for any orchid-lover! WOW!
The book made me salivate to start an orchid collection, 28 Feb 1999
My amatuer gardening career spans a period of 40 years. In all that time, my interests did not include orchids until about 3 months ago. I purchased one plant and decided I needed to find a book for novices. Orchids Simplified is a wonderful book for a beginner. I found the book well organized, highly detailed without being boring or overly technical. The author displayed his great knowledge, devotion to orchids and delightful sense of humor throughout the text. In my opinion with the suggestions of the author, I will make fewer mistakes (but definitely make mistakes) because of the information contained in the book. The photographs are beautiful and I appreciated a glossary of terms and definitions.
Great for any level , 30 May 2008
Bought this for both myself and my sister. Brilliant. Would highly recommend for anyone who is interested in orchids, whatever the level. We are both hooked and my collection is now getting out of control, but without this book I would not have had the courage to move out of my comfort zone and try new species.
Absolute must have Orchid bible!, 28 Aug 2007
This book covered everything what I wanted to know - from history where and when orchid facination began, different climate as natural home for orchids through care, cultivation, propagation... to recognition of most popular genera of orchids with absolutely stunning photos. Some rare orchids are covered as well. I would recommend this book to everyone, weather you are new to the orchids or established grower!!
The House Plant Expert, 28 Aug 2008
A great book to have with you in the home, very easy to read and understand.
Contains all the information on plants and the ideal location in the home without going into too much detail.
I have found this book very easy to use and to help me identify plants that I have been unsure of and solutions to problems like yellow leaves etc and when to feed.
Useful... but not visually updated since 1982, 14 Jun 2005
Hmm... a hard one to review, as there is so much in here which is useful both to the avid indoor gardener, and novice alike.
The book, originally published in 1982 looks tired, and could have been easily updated with better graphics and photographs... illustrating ideas with (then) contempory photo's was a ground breaking step, now it looks odd. Very American in its idea's as well, and not terribly relevant to U.K. interiors.
Still, it has clear to follow guides, a useful little problem's page, and some nice illustrations.
Could however have been updated in order to be as valuable now as it was when I was starting out my indoor adventures.
Useful... but dated., 14 Jun 2005
This is the second book on houseplants by the author... the first being amazingly successful, and published worldwide.
The most useful bits are the small photo's by which you can attempt to identify the plants you want to find out about.
The photo's though are very grainy, and poor quality in my opinion, and not too good. There is poor cross linking, and the book looks very dated indeed, despite being recently written.
It shows ideas as to where plants can go, using original 1970's-early 1980's photographs, and as such looks horrendously outdated. The language though is clear, and it has the occasional little gem. Buy if you have the series of books, to complete the set, otherwise think carefully. Having said that, this is a unique book, and useful in its own way.
Excellent for beginners and experts alike, 08 Apr 2001
These books are just brilliant. Easy to read and even easier to understand, they explain everything you need to know about most [if not all] of the plants you're likely to try and raise at home. We borrowed a couple of these a few years ago, and have been itching to buy our own ever since. We'd only ever seen them in garden centres before [and sometimes at rather inflated prices...] Maybe now that Amazon's stocking them, we'll finally get the ones we want.
Practical information in a glance, 10 Apr 2001
For anyone starting out in gardening, I would recommend this book for its practical info and coverage of all aspects regarding containers. From beginning to end, from utensils to choosing plants to types of soil to the containers themselves, the user-friendly text provides answers to all the questions and difficulties encountered.
One of the Better Books on the Subject, 31 Oct 2007
The old adage never judge a book by its cover, fortunately does not apply with this offering. True, the cover will have anyone interested in the subject smacking their lips, but the content is just as good and the book is by Graham Charles, a well respected name in cacti circles.
The book certainly is not up there with the `Cactus Family' or the `Cactus Lexicon' and does not even try to compete with these expensive and truly comprehensive volumes but what it does it does well. It is not aimed at any specific section, i.e. those starting out in the hobby or the more experienced. It is simply a well written and well illustrated book, with many colored photographs to add emphasis to the informative text. It is worth a place in anyones bookcase.
house plant beginner, 10 Aug 2008
This is an excellent book for someone who is completely new to house plants as it has got plenty of colour pictures of each plant as well as lots of information on how to care and look after your plants .
Truly an encyclopedia, and a very useful practical guide to house plant gardening, 14 Apr 2008
This is the first book I ever bought on gardening since I live in a flat and houseplants is all I can do. After that I started doing other things as well, such as herbs in containers, and I have bought more gardening books on different topics. But this book has stayed the only book I need for looking after my houseplants.
The book, first of all, teaches you what a house plant really is. It is a plant, like any other plant, only found in other countries with different climates and brought over to colder countries. So the main thing one needs to understand about them, is that they are plants with specific environment needs. The book covers a bit of the history of house plants, and for every house plant it tells you where they come originally from - which is a very useful thing to know.
This book is an encyclopaedia, because it contains information about hundreds of plants. I don't imagine all house plants in the world are in this book, but I still have to come across a house plant that was not in it.
And it is also a very good practical manual on house plants, because it contains practical information on everything you need to do to look after your houseplants: watering, feeding, repotting, training, propagation, pruning, pests and diseases... The more practical bits of information on these subjects are printed in orange pages that are easy and quick to locate. The instructions are kept clear and simple, and are accompanied with graphs.
The writing is clear and the book is full of gorgeous pictures.
This is a very nice book and a very good buy.
Very usful for anyone wanting to grow plants successfully, 05 Sep 2001
Excellent information on hundreds of plants, including watering, light and feeding needs, repotting and propagation of each. Includes sections about buying tips, history, poisonous plants and the structure of plants. Each plant entry has colourful pictures which helped me identify plants whose name I did not know. Each entry also includes helpful tips which the author gained through experience. I am finding the care of my houseplants much easier now and I have managed to save plants which were dying. I am also propagating some plants successfully using the tips given by the author. It is really an encyclopedia.
Don't bother, 31 Jul 2008
Don't waste your money. VFT seeds are viable for only a few months and these packs have usually been sitting on a shelf for long periods.
They also take 3 to 4 years to come to maturity. 4 seeds is unbelievably stingy as well!
Just buy an adult plant for a fiver.
I Think I bought Bird Seed, 19 Mar 2008
I bought my seeds, read the book, followed instructions to the letter and out of 4 seeds didnt get one plant !
The House Plant Expert, 28 Aug 2008
A great book to have with you in the home, very easy to read and understand.
Contains all the information on plants and the ideal location in the home without going into too much detail.
I have found this book very easy to use and to help me identify plants that I have been unsure of and solutions to problems like yellow leaves etc and when to feed.
Useful... but not visually updated since 1982, 14 Jun 2005
Hmm... a hard one to review, as there is so much in here which is useful both to the avid indoor gardener, and novice alike.
The book, originally published in 1982 looks tired, and could have been easily updated with better graphics and photographs... illustrating ideas with (then) contempory photo's was a ground breaking step, now it looks odd. Very American in its idea's as well, and not terribly relevant to U.K. interiors.
Still, it has clear to follow guides, a useful little problem's page, and some nice illustrations.
Could however have been updated in order to be as valuable now as it was when I was starting out my indoor adventures.
Useful... but dated., 14 Jun 2005
This is the second book on houseplants by the author... the first being amazingly successful, and published worldwide.
The most useful bits are the small photo's by which you can attempt to identify the plants you want to find out about.
The photo's though are very grainy, and poor quality in my opinion, and not too good. There is poor cross linking, and the book looks very dated indeed, despite being recently written.
It shows ideas as to where plants can go, using original 1970's-early 1980's photographs, and as such looks horrendously outdated. The language though is clear, and it has the occasional little gem. Buy if you have the series of books, to complete the set, otherwise think carefully. Having said that, this is a unique book, and useful in its own way.
Excellent for beginners and experts alike, 08 Apr 2001
These books are just brilliant. Easy to read and even easier to understand, they explain everything you need to know about most [if not all] of the plants you're likely to try and raise at home. We borrowed a couple of these a few years ago, and have been itching to buy our own ever since. We'd only ever seen them in garden centres before [and sometimes at rather inflated prices...] Maybe now that Amazon's stocking them, we'll finally get the ones we want.
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|
|
 |
|
|
|
Customer Reviews
good reference to a beginner, 01 Mar 2004
Having bought my first greenhouse and full of enthusiasm and eager to grow everything, I found this book to be a great companion.
Divides the seasons, indicates suitable seeds and plants to grow, and give the absolute beginner like myself, a direction without too much information and technical plant info too soon!
thank you, my greenhouse is currently full of seedlings in February!
A very good basic guide, 11 May 2003
I particularly liked this book because it is not devoted to the choices of greenhouses - like most people, mine came with the house. I wanted a book that would get straight into the basics and this book does that. The photographs are very clear and the 'tips' sections on most pages are like having your own garden expert on hand. Each season's tasks are covered with lots of relevant facts and tips. All in all a wothwhile book for learning the basics that ensures that your greenhouse is used for more than just tomatoes!
A must-have for orchid beginners, 11 Aug 2004
Well written book with good advice (mostly first-hand experience) and facts for orchid beginners. There is a description of how to measure light in 'foot-candles' using a camera! This is extremely practical and useful as most culture-sheets for orchids come with a description of light requirement with 'foot-candles' as a unit. This piece of information is sadly missing in most orchid guide books.
A Wonderful, Addictive & Beautiful Book !, 08 Jul 2003
I was born in Malaysia and grew up surrounded by orchids growing wild in our gardens. When we moved back to UK my mother always had exotic plants in the house but orchids never survived well. I recently moved into my new home and my fiance bought me 4 different species of beautiful Phalenopsis orchids. I knew that I needed a guide book to ensure I took care of them well and the few that I had were of no real use to a beginner until this one arrived! It is a fantastic book with easy and direct instructions on how to care for the different species of orchids. The photographs are beautiful and it is also written so wonderfully. This book is the bible for all orchid lovers and those wanting to start an orchid collection. Although, I am already discussing with my fiance about building my orchid greenhouse!
WONDERFUL!, 22 Oct 2000
This was the first orchid book I ever got and even tho I now have plenty more it still is my favorite one! The pictures are beautiful and the book is easy to read. Every time I read it it leaves me with a feeling that I really can do this too , and do it succesfully! I think this is a perfect book for any orchid-lover! WOW!
The book made me salivate to start an orchid collection, 28 Feb 1999
My amatuer gardening career spans a period of 40 years. In all that time, my interests did not include orchids until about 3 months ago. I purchased one plant and decided I needed to find a book for novices. Orchids Simplified is a wonderful book for a beginner. I found the book well organized, highly detailed without being boring or overly technical. The author displayed his great knowledge, devotion to orchids and delightful sense of humor throughout the text. In my opinion with the suggestions of the author, I will make fewer mistakes (but definitely make mistakes) because of the information contained in the book. The photographs are beautiful and I appreciated a glossary of terms and definitions.
Great for any level , 30 May 2008
Bought this for both myself and my sister. Brilliant. Would highly recommend for anyone who is interested in orchids, whatever the level. We are both hooked and my collection is now getting out of control, but without this book I would not have had the courage to move out of my comfort zone and try new species.
Absolute must have Orchid bible!, 28 Aug 2007
This book covered everything what I wanted to know - from history where and when orchid facination began, different climate as natural home for orchids through care, cultivation, propagation... to recognition of most popular genera of orchids with absolutely stunning photos. Some rare orchids are covered as well. I would recommend this book to everyone, weather you are new to the orchids or established grower!!
The House Plant Expert, 28 Aug 2008
A great book to have with you in the home, very easy to read and understand.
Contains all the information on plants and the ideal location in the home without going into too much detail.
I have found this book very easy to use and to help me identify plants that I have been unsure of and solutions to problems like yellow leaves etc and when to feed.
Useful... but not visually updated since 1982, 14 Jun 2005
Hmm... a hard one to review, as there is so much in here which is useful both to the avid indoor gardener, and novice alike.
The book, originally published in 1982 looks tired, and could have been easily updated with better graphics and photographs... illustrating ideas with (then) contempory photo's was a ground breaking step, now it looks odd. Very American in its idea's as well, and not terribly relevant to U.K. interiors.
Still, it has clear to follow guides, a useful little problem's page, and some nice illustrations.
Could however have been updated in order to be as valuable now as it was when I was starting out my indoor adventures.
Useful... but dated., 14 Jun 2005
This is the second book on houseplants by the author... the first being amazingly successful, and published worldwide.
The most useful bits are the small photo's by which you can attempt to identify the plants you want to find out about.
The photo's though are very grainy, and poor quality in my opinion, and not too good. There is poor cross linking, and the book looks very dated indeed, despite being recently written.
It shows ideas as to where plants can go, using original 1970's-early 1980's photographs, and as such looks horrendously outdated. The language though is clear, and it has the occasional little gem. Buy if you have the series of books, to complete the set, otherwise think carefully. Having said that, this is a unique book, and useful in its own way.
Excellent for beginners and experts alike, 08 Apr 2001
These books are just brilliant. Easy to read and even easier to understand, they explain everything you need to know about most [if not all] of the plants you're likely to try and raise at home. We borrowed a couple of these a few years ago, and have been itching to buy our own ever since. We'd only ever seen them in garden centres before [and sometimes at rather inflated prices...] Maybe now that Amazon's stocking them, we'll finally get the ones we want.
Practical information in a glance, 10 Apr 2001
For anyone starting out in gardening, I would recommend this book for its practical info and coverage of all aspects regarding containers. From beginning to end, from utensils to choosing plants to types of soil to the containers themselves, the user-friendly text provides answers to all the questions and difficulties encountered.
One of the Better Books on the Subject, 31 Oct 2007
The old adage never judge a book by its cover, fortunately does not apply with this offering. True, the cover will have anyone interested in the subject smacking their lips, but the content is just as good and the book is by Graham Charles, a well respected name in cacti circles.
The book certainly is not up there with the `Cactus Family' or the `Cactus Lexicon' and does not even try to compete with these expensive and truly comprehensive volumes but what it does it does well. It is not aimed at any specific section, i.e. those starting out in the hobby or the more experienced. It is simply a well written and well illustrated book, with many colored photographs to add emphasis to the informative text. It is worth a place in anyones bookcase.
house plant beginner, 10 Aug 2008
This is an excellent book for someone who is completely new to house plants as it has got plenty of colour pictures of each plant as well as lots of information on how to care and look after your plants .
Truly an encyclopedia, and a very useful practical guide to house plant gardening, 14 Apr 2008
This is the first book I ever bought on gardening since I live in a flat and houseplants is all I can do. After that I started doing other things as well, such as herbs in containers, and I have bought more gardening books on different topics. But this book has stayed the only book I need for looking after my houseplants.
The book, first of all, teaches you what a house plant really is. It is a plant, like any other plant, only found in other countries with different climates and brought over to colder countries. So the main thing one needs to understand about them, is that they are plants with specific environment needs. The book covers a bit of the history of house plants, and for every house plant it tells you where they come originally from - which is a very useful thing to know.
This book is an encyclopaedia, because it contains information about hundreds of plants. I don't imagine all house plants in the world are in this book, but I still have to come across a house plant that was not in it.
And it is also a very good practical manual on house plants, because it contains practical information on everything you need to do to look after your houseplants: watering, feeding, repotting, training, propagation, pruning, pests and diseases... The more practical bits of information on these subjects are printed in orange pages that are easy and quick to locate. The instructions are kept clear and simple, and are accompanied with graphs.
The writing is clear and the book is full of gorgeous pictures.
This is a very nice book and a very good buy.
Very usful for anyone wanting to grow plants successfully, 05 Sep 2001
Excellent information on hundreds of plants, including watering, light and feeding needs, repotting and propagation of each. Includes sections about buying tips, history, poisonous plants and the structure of plants. Each plant entry has colourful pictures which helped me identify plants whose name I did not know. Each entry also includes helpful tips which the author gained through experience. I am finding the care of my houseplants much easier now and I have managed to save plants which were dying. I am also propagating some plants successfully using the tips given by the author. It is really an encyclopedia.
Don't bother, 31 Jul 2008
Don't waste your money. VFT seeds are viable for only a few months and these packs have usually been sitting on a shelf for long periods.
They also take 3 to 4 years to come to maturity. 4 seeds is unbelievably stingy as well!
Just buy an adult plant for a fiver.
I Think I bought Bird Seed, 19 Mar 2008
I bought my seeds, read the book, followed instructions to the letter and out of 4 seeds didnt get one plant !
The House Plant Expert, 28 Aug 2008
A great book to have with you in the home, very easy to read and understand.
Contains all the information on plants and the ideal location in the home without going into too much detail.
I have found this book very easy to use and to help me identify plants that I have been unsure of and solutions to problems like yellow leaves etc and when to feed.
Useful... but not visually updated since 1982, 14 Jun 2005
Hmm... a hard one to review, as there is so much in here which is useful both to the avid indoor gardener, and novice alike.
The book, originally published in 1982 looks tired, and could have been easily updated with better graphics and photographs... illustrating ideas with (then) contempory photo's was a ground breaking step, now it looks odd. Very American in its idea's as well, and not terribly relevant to U.K. interiors.
Still, it has clear to follow guides, a useful little problem's page, and some nice illustrations.
Could however have been updated in order to be as valuable now as it was when I was starting out my indoor adventures.
Useful... but dated., 14 Jun 2005
This is the second book on houseplants by the author... the first being amazingly successful, and published worldwide.
The most useful bits are the small photo's by which you can attempt to identify the plants you want to find out about.
The photo's though are very grainy, and poor quality in my opinion, and not too good. There is poor cross linking, and the book looks very dated indeed, despite being recently written.
It shows ideas as to where plants can go, using original 1970's-early 1980's photographs, and as such looks horrendously outdated. The language though is clear, and it has the occasional little gem. Buy if you have the series of books, to complete the set, otherwise think carefully. Having said that, this is a unique book, and useful in its own way.
Excellent for beginners and experts alike, 08 Apr 2001
These books are just brilliant. Easy to read and even easier to understand, they explain everything you need to know about most [if not all] of the plants you're likely to try and raise at home. We borrowed a couple of these a few years ago, and have been itching to buy our own ever since. We'd only ever seen them in garden centres before [and sometimes at rather inflated prices...] Maybe now that Amazon's stocking them, we'll finally get the ones we want.
Disappointing..., 28 Sep 2008
While this book does contain some useful information, much of it is simplified and superficial, and the book contains very little information you couldn't find on the internet. I am disappointed in the overall contents, for 2 reasons:
1) Some of the information is simplified, to the point of being inaccurate. For instance, early on, the book makes reference to "checking your credit score from one of the agencies", which is incorrect - there is no such thing as a credit rating or score, only a file, and each credit agency holds a different file, so you should check ALL the agencies' files on you, not just one. This is a really important distinction, and makes me worry that other information has been over-simplified or is inaccurate. On occasion, the author just skips sections altogether (eg. ISA mortgages), on the basis that they are too complicated to explain. The book barely mentioned brokers, and the work they do, despite the fact that they're instrumental in finding the best mortgage.
2) Much of the advice is a statement of the obvious. The reader is told that one should make sure one is "mature" before buying a house - several pages are dedicated to churning out the same obvious advice. Some of the check-lists are also pretty uninspired.
Overall, I feel like I've learnt very little from reading this, than I didn't already know.
This book might be useful for those who know absolutely nothing about house-buying or mortgages. For anyone else, it sounds over-simplistic, and sometimes borders on the bleedin' obvious. There are some useful comments, but I'm not sure they're worth the cost of the book.
An Excellent guide for FTB's, 26 Feb 2007
Recently purchased this to help in buying our first house. Has proved to be an excellent resource with a clear and very well layed out information for every step you need to take. I would say this book is more for the FTB than investor although there is many chapters which are dedicated to those intrested in Buy to Let / Holiday lets / Commercial lets with information on how to obtain property not advertised on the open market.
All in all a recommended read!
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