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!!

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!!

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!

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!!

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.

In Beth Chatto's Gravel Garden the author takes her work with ecological planting to a new level. Ecological planting essentially means establishing an environment for the plants in which they will grow well with minimum interference; or rather, to put it the other way round, it means using those plants whose native habitat most closely resembles the soil and climatic conditions of your garden. Beth Chatto has spent many years cultivating a largely dry, stony garden in Essex, the soil of which, she says, looks "just like the beach at nearby Frinton-on-Sea". Her experiences with drought-resistant planting have been recorded in The Damp Garden and The Dry Garden. The removal of a car-park gave her the opportunity to experiment on an unprecedented scale, and so the Gravel Garden was begun. Inspired by a trip to the mountains of New Zealand and an unplanned encounter with Derek Jarman's shingle garden, it is entirely unwatered, even in times of drought; its governing image being a dried-up river bed. The results, far from being arid, are of extraordinary richness. Beth Chatto's planting style is characterised by flowing forms, drifts of colour, plants growing through each other and establishing new relationships in the course of the year. The quality of attention she devotes to individual plant species and their habits, as she describes the development of the Gravel Garden, is one of the most outstanding things about this remarkable book. --Robin Davidson

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!!

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.

A lavishly-illustrated inspiration of a book, 28 Mar 2001
Beth Chatto's glorious gravel garden appears to defy the conditions in which it grows, and this is the story of how she came to make it. Crammed with detail, well-described illustrations, and full of little gems of useful information, it is an inspiration to all gardeners, especially those of us who struggle with hot, dry summers in the south of England. Plants for each season are lovingly described, with special favourites given their own mini-chapters. Tucked away at the end is a chapter about her newest, scree garden - if only there was more. Let's hope her next book is already being written - this is a garden I for one would love to know more about!

A real gardeners' book, 28 Jan 2001
As always with books written by Beth Chatto, it is an engaging read and lavishly illustrated. A record of real gardening recording both triumphs and disappointments. But above all this book is about the plants. Beth Chatto is a true plants woman and in a league of her own. This book is an inspiration to us all.

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!!

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.

A lavishly-illustrated inspiration of a book, 28 Mar 2001
Beth Chatto's glorious gravel garden appears to defy the conditions in which it grows, and this is the story of how she came to make it. Crammed with detail, well-described illustrations, and full of little gems of useful information, it is an inspiration to all gardeners, especially those of us who struggle with hot, dry summers in the south of England. Plants for each season are lovingly described, with special favourites given their own mini-chapters. Tucked away at the end is a chapter about her newest, scree garden - if only there was more. Let's hope her next book is already being written - this is a garden I for one would love to know more about!

A real gardeners' book, 28 Jan 2001
As always with books written by Beth Chatto, it is an engaging read and lavishly illustrated. A record of real gardening recording both triumphs and disappointments. But above all this book is about the plants. Beth Chatto is a true plants woman and in a league of her own. This book is an inspiration to us all.

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!

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!!

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.

A lavishly-illustrated inspiration of a book, 28 Mar 2001
Beth Chatto's glorious gravel garden appears to defy the conditions in which it grows, and this is the story of how she came to make it. Crammed with detail, well-described illustrations, and full of little gems of useful information, it is an inspiration to all gardeners, especially those of us who struggle with hot, dry summers in the south of England. Plants for each season are lovingly described, with special favourites given their own mini-chapters. Tucked away at the end is a chapter about her newest, scree garden - if only there was more. Let's hope her next book is already being written - this is a garden I for one would love to know more about!

A real gardeners' book, 28 Jan 2001
As always with books written by Beth Chatto, it is an engaging read and lavishly illustrated. A record of real gardening recording both triumphs and disappointments. But above all this book is about the plants. Beth Chatto is a true plants woman and in a league of her own. This book is an inspiration to us all.

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!

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 !

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!!

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.

A lavishly-illustrated inspiration of a book, 28 Mar 2001
Beth Chatto's glorious gravel garden appears to defy the conditions in which it grows, and this is the story of how she came to make it. Crammed with detail, well-described illustrations, and full of little gems of useful information, it is an inspiration to all gardeners, especially those of us who struggle with hot, dry summers in the south of England. Plants for each season are lovingly described, with special favourites given their own mini-chapters. Tucked away at the end is a chapter about her newest, scree garden - if only there was more. Let's hope her next book is already being written - this is a garden I for one would love to know more about!

A real gardeners' book, 28 Jan 2001
As always with books written by Beth Chatto, it is an engaging read and lavishly illustrated. A record of real gardening recording both triumphs and disappointments. But above all this book is about the plants. Beth Chatto is a true plants woman and in a league of her own. This book is an inspiration to us all.

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!

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 !

not a bad book but nothing you cant get from a copy of weed world magazine, 23 Apr 2008
generaly ok book but you find yourself thinking that it really is just a few articles that should be in magazine sold for half the price. Bought cheap it is a bargain but would feel robbed if i paid full price. I dont feel any of the rooms were all that speacial either ive seen better a lot better. Do not buy this book if looking for a grow guide keep looking this is not the one for you.

Basic and Technical Guide, 16 Feb 2003
Marijuana Success Indoors: Garden Tours and Tips is a magazine-sized look behind closed doors into twelve indoor home gardening operations of real people, complete with easy-to-follow how-to instructions for replicating these successful setups. See how they maximize space and lighting to increase quality and yield in both soil and hydro.

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!!

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.

A lavishly-illustrated inspiration of a book, 28 Mar 2001
Beth Chatto's glorious gravel garden appears to defy the conditions in which it grows, and this is the story of how she came to make it. Crammed with detail, well-described illustrations, and full of little gems of useful information, it is an inspiration to all gardeners, especially those of us who struggle with hot, dry summers in the south of England. Plants for each season are lovingly described, with special favourites given their own mini-chapters. Tucked away at the end is a chapter about her newest, scree garden - if only there was more. Let's hope her next book is already being written - this is a garden I for one would love to know more about!

A real gardeners' book, 28 Jan 2001
As always with books written by Beth Chatto, it is an engaging read and lavishly illustrated. A record of real gardening recording both triumphs and disappointments. But above all this book is about the plants. Beth Chatto is a true plants woman and in a league of her own. This book is an inspiration to us all.

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!

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 !

not a bad book but nothing you cant get from a copy of weed world magazine, 23 Apr 2008
generaly ok book but you find yourself thinking that it really is just a few articles that should be in magazine sold for half the price. Bought cheap it is a bargain but would feel robbed if i paid full price. I dont feel any of the rooms were all that speacial either ive seen better a lot better. Do not buy this book if looking for a grow guide keep looking this is not the one for you.

Basic and Technical Guide, 16 Feb 2003
Marijuana Success Indoors: Garden Tours and Tips is a magazine-sized look behind closed doors into twelve indoor home gardening operations of real people, complete with easy-to-follow how-to instructions for replicating these successful setups. See how they maximize space and lighting to increase quality and yield in both soil and hydro.

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.

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!!

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.

A lavishly-illustrated inspiration of a book, 28 Mar 2001
Beth Chatto's glorious gravel garden appears to defy the conditions in which it grows, and this is the story of how she came to make it. Crammed with detail, well-described illustrations, and full of little gems of useful information, it is an inspiration to all gardeners, especially those of us who struggle with hot, dry summers in the south of England. Plants for each season are lovingly described, with special favourites given their own mini-chapters. Tucked away at the end is a chapter about her newest, scree garden - if only there was more. Let's hope her next book is already being written - this is a garden I for one would love to know more about!

A real gardeners' book, 28 Jan 2001
As always with books written by Beth Chatto, it is an engaging read and lavishly illustrated. A record of real gardening recording both triumphs and disappointments. But above all this book is about the plants. Beth Chatto is a true plants woman and in a league of her own. This book is an inspiration to us all.

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!

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 !

not a bad book but nothing you cant get from a copy of weed world magazine, 23 Apr 2008
generaly ok book but you find yourself thinking that it really is just a few articles that should be in magazine sold for half the price. Bought cheap it is a bargain but would feel robbed if i paid full price. I dont feel any of the rooms were all that speacial either ive seen better a lot better. Do not buy this book if looking for a grow guide keep looking this is not the one for you.

Basic and Technical Guide, 16 Feb 2003
Marijuana Success Indoors: Garden Tours and Tips is a magazine-sized look behind closed doors into twelve indoor home gardening operations of real people, complete with easy-to-follow how-to instructions for replicating these successful setups. See how they maximize space and lighting to increase quality and yield in both soil and hydro.

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.

The presentation often gets in the way, 03 Dec 2008
A very large format book, Cacti and Succulents provides a plant directory along with care and cultivation directions, and suggestions as to how to grow the plants. The introduction explains what cacti and succulents are as well as showing plants in their natural habitat. The section Design Ideas contains suggestions for growing the plants outdoors, indoors and in various containers. Under Care and Cultivation it ranges from suggestions for tools and equipment and soil mixes to maintenance, propagation and pests and diseases, and more. Also included is a glossary, lists of plants for various purposes, and an index. The mai bulk of the book however comprises the Plant Directory, an alphabetical listing of Cacti followed by the other succulents. The book includes 700 photographs, which in addition to showing specific species includes pictures of plants in habitat, in garden and indoor settings, and step by step sequences for various care procedures.

The information contained seems sound and helpful, although often quite general, and sometimes incomplete. For example in the plant directory each plant has a brief description and a few notes on cultivation, along with minimum temperatures, but not always, occasionally some of that information is not provided. The section on pests and diseases offers general rather than specific control methods, and some well tried non-chemical remedies are not mentioned. In the section of Plant Lists under species with large flowers neither Echinopsis nor Lobivia is mentioned, yet some species with smaller flowers are. Including as it does only 400 varieties there are obviously going to be many plants excluded, but I find it surprising that genera such as Lophophora and Melocactus are not to found in the book. Many genera are represented by just one species. While some recent name changes have been adopted, this had not been done for all plants; and there are no synonyms provided, so if you don't know the current name you will have difficulty finding it.

The overall presentation seems to be aiming for attractive rather than practical; I find it a little chaotic. The plant directory particularly I find distracting with its variable layout, pictures presented in rectangular and round format along with cut-out pictures of varying sizes, and the type often with excessive line spacing. Elsewhere the presentation can be brash; it does not have the feel of an instruction manual but a rather popular magazine.

While useful and informative, this is perhaps a book which will appeal more to the beginner or casual collector. For those unfamiliar with the cacti and other succulents it is maybe a book that will inspire the reader to learn more and look further; but it is not perhaps the book one will turn to for specific research. In conclusion, the serious or experienced collector I suspect will be somewhat irritated by various aspects of the book, along with the omissions and often general or even scant plant information.

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!!

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.

A lavishly-illustrated inspiration of a book, 28 Mar 2001
Beth Chatto's glorious gravel garden appears to defy the conditions in which it grows, and this is the story of how she came to make it. Crammed with detail, well-described illustrations, and full of little gems of useful information, it is an inspiration to all gardeners, especially those of us who struggle with hot, dry summers in the south of England. Plants for each season are lovingly described, with special favourites given their own mini-chapters. Tucked away at the end is a chapter about her newest, scree garden - if only there was more. Let's hope her next book is already being written - this is a garden I for one would love to know more about!

A real gardeners' book, 28 Jan 2001
As always with books written by Beth Chatto, it is an engaging read and lavishly illustrated. A record of real gardening recording both triumphs and disappointments. But above all this book is about the plants. Beth Chatto is a true plants woman and in a league of her own. This book is an inspiration to us all.

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!

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 !

not a bad book but nothing you cant get from a copy of weed world magazine, 23 Apr 2008
generaly ok book but you find yourself thinking that it really is just a few articles that should be in magazine sold for half the price. Bought cheap it is a bargain but would feel robbed if i paid full price. I dont feel any of the rooms were all that speacial either ive seen better a lot better. Do not buy this book if looking for a grow guide keep looking this is not the one for you.

Basic and Technical Guide, 16 Feb 2003
Marijuana Success Indoors: Garden Tours and Tips is a magazine-sized look behind closed doors into twelve indoor home gardening operations of real people, complete with easy-to-follow how-to instructions for replicating these successful setups. See how they maximize space and lighting to increase quality and yield in both soil and hydro.

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.

The presentation often gets in the way, 03 Dec 2008
A very large format book, Cacti and Succulents provides a plant directory along with care and cultivation directions, and suggestions as to how to grow the plants. The introduction explains what cacti and succulents are as well as showing plants in their natural habitat. The section Design Ideas contains suggestions for growing the plants outdoors, indoors and in various containers. Under Care and Cultivation it ranges from suggestions for tools and equipment and soil mixes to maintenance, propagation and pests and diseases, and more. Also included is a glossary, lists of plants for various purposes, and an index. The mai bulk of the book however comprises the Plant Directory, an alphabetical listing of Cacti followed by the other succulents. The book includes 700 photographs, which in addition to showing specific species includes pictures of plants in habitat, in garden and indoor settings, and step by step sequences for various care procedures.

The information contained seems sound and helpful, although often quite general, and sometimes incomplete. For example in the plant directory each plant has a brief description and a few notes on cultivation, along with minimum temperatures, but not always, occasionally some of that information is not provided. The section on pests and diseases offers general rather than specific control methods, and some well tried non-chemical remedies are not mentioned. In the section of Plant Lists under species with large flowers neither Echinopsis nor Lobivia is mentioned, yet some species with smaller flowers are. Including as it does only 400 varieties there are obviously going to be many plants excluded, but I find it surprising that genera such as Lophophora and Melocactus are not to found in the book. Many genera are represented by just one species. While some recent name changes have been adopted, this had not been done for all plants; and there are no synonyms provided, so if you don't know the current name you will have difficulty finding it.

The overall presentation seems to be aiming for attractive rather than practical; I find it a little chaotic. The plant directory particularly I find distracting with its variable layout, pictures presented in rectangular and round format along with cut-out pictures of varying sizes, and the type often with excessive line spacing. Elsewhere the presentation can be brash; it does not have the feel of an instruction manual but a rather popular magazine.

While useful and informative, this is perhaps a book which will appeal more to the beginner or casual collector. For those unfamiliar with the cacti and other succulents it is maybe a book that will inspire the reader to learn more and look further; but it is not perhaps the book one will turn to for specific research. In conclusion, the serious or experienced collector I suspect will be somewhat irritated by various aspects of the book, along with the omissions and often general or even scant plant information.


A history tour through a kitchen garden, 15 Feb 2006
This book is a delight to read. Each page unfolds with a little information about the design and evolution o