RHS Practical House Plant Book: Choose the Best, Display Creatively, Nurture and Care, 175 Plant Profiles

226 Pages·2018·63.53 MB·English

by  Fran Bailey

ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY
PRACTICAL
HOUSE
PLANT B
O
O
K
CHOOSE THE BEST DISPLAY CREATIVELY
NURTURE & CARE 175 PLANT PROFILES
FRAN BAILEY & ZIA ALLAWAY

ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY
PRACTICAL
HOUSE
PLANT B
O
O
K
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ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY
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ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY
PRACTICAL
HOUSE
PLANT B
O
O
K
FRAN BAILEY
ZIA ALLAWAY
RHS CONSULTANT: CHRISTOPHER YOUNG
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CONTENTS
6 Introduction
8 DESIGNING WITH HOUSE PLANTS 50 HOUSE PLANT PROJECTS
10 The art of house plant design 52 Desertscape
12 The rules of house plant design 56 Air plant stand
14 Understanding scale 60 Macramé hanger
16 Designing with scale 64 Open bottle terrarium
18 Understanding shape 68 Willow climbing frame
20 Designing with shape 72 Succulent wreath
22 Understanding colour 76 Kokedama fern
24 Designing with colour 80 Moss picture frame
26 Understanding texture 84 Dry terrarium
28 Designing with texture 88 Wood-mounted orchid
30 Understanding containers 92 Living space divider
32 Designing with containers 96 Propagation shelf
36 Designing for bright light
38 Designing for low light
40 Designing for humidity
42 Designing for your space
44 Designing for wellbeing

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100 PLANT PROFILES 176 CARE AND CULTIVATION
102 Bromeliads 178 Buying a new house plant
106 Bulbous plants 180 Getting the light right
110 Orchids 182 Check the temperature
116 Other flowering plants 184 How to water your house plants
126 Ferns 188 Feeding your plants
130 Palms 190 Choosing compost for your plants
134 Trailing and climbing plants 192 Pots and repotting
142 Carnivorous plants 194 Keeping your plants in shape
146 Foliage plants 196 How to make an orchid reflower
162 Cacti 198 How to grow bulbs indoors
166 Succulents 200 Propagate from stem cuttings
174 Air plants 202 Propagate from leaf cuttings
204 Propagate with water
205 Propagate by dividing plants
206 Propagate from offsets
208 Propagate from seed
210 What’s wrong with my plant?
212 Dealing with care-based problems
214 Dealing with common diseases
216 Dealing with common pests
220 Index
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6
INTRODUCTION
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Science has proved it: house plants make us happier and
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B healthier. When studies tell us that plants can purify the air,
T lift our mood, and reduce our stress levels, we have every
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A reason to fill our homes with wonderful, happiness-inducing
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P plants of every shape, size, and colour.
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With so many different varieties on offer, there is a plant – or
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H twenty – to suit everyone: elegant, blossoming orchids; dinky
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A little cacti and succulents; delicate trailing plants; floor-standing
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palms and foliage plants… the list goes on and on. It’s hard to
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C resist the urge to simply fill any and every available surface
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R with a random assortment of greenery, but the best house
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S plant displays are those that go that one step further: thoughtful,
H curated arrangements that can create a mood within a home,
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be it a cosy little oasis or a dramatic, architectural plant display.
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7
As much as we may want to, we can’t all turn our homes into
a full-scale botanical garden. Instead, we need to be a little
more inventive. Poor light? Look for unfussy foliage plants, such
as cast iron plants or snake plants, that can survive in a shadier
spot. No free surface space? Plant up a miniature garden inside
a glass terrarium, or go all-out and create a hanging garden with
macramé planters and kokedama.
And, once you’ve designed your plant-filled home, how exactly
do you keep the plants in peak condition? With this book, you’ll
be able to care for whichever plants you choose, keep them
healthy and strong, and take cuttings to share with friends and
family (or to grow your own collection). Treat your plants well
and, no matter how large or small your collection, you’ll be
rewarded with an indoor garden you can enjoy for years to come.
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