The inspirational DIY guide for painting a stunning portrait in houseplants. Hot Pink Limeade, Café Au Lait, Raspberry Margarita . . . wait, are we talking about plants here? It’s not often that we think of decorative houseplants as “delicious,” but in Plant by Numbers, there’s no denying that author Steve Asbell makes his powerful debut as a “gourmet chef” of the floral color palette. With his unique and fun recipe-style approach, visually tantalizing full-color photography, and crystal-clear step-by-step instructions, Asbell takes interior container gardening to a sophisticated but foolproof new level. Each of the 50 projects within features a comprehensive shopping list and functional plant-a-gram (that’s a custom planting diagram), showing you precisely how to plant the container combinations to achieve the most beautiful results in your living space. Even better, interiorscaping has never been more affordable: you’ll impress friends, family, and visitors with your luxurious-looking interior plant designs, and you won’t break the bank in the process. You’ll be entertained while you do it, too: Asbell’s signature wit and original planting projects—with titles like “Flavor Trippin’,” “Jurassic Spark,” “Shower Caddy,” and “Femme Fatale”—make the beautiful designs in Plant by Numbers as much fun to read as they are to plant. With this book as a guide, container gardening really is as simple as making art with a paint-by-numbers kit.
“Shows us how to garden like our ancestors gardened . . . with just four basic hand tools, and with little or no electricity or irrigation.” —Carol Deppe, author of The Resilient Gardener In hard times, the family can be greatly helped by growing a highly productive food garden, requiring little cash outlay or watering. This book shows that any family with access to 3-5,000 sq. ft. of garden land can halve their food costs using a growing system requiring just the odd bucketful of household wastewater, perhaps two hundred dollars’ worth of hand tools. Gardening When It Counts helps readers rediscover traditional low-input gardening methods to produce healthy food. Currently popular intensive vegetable gardening methods are largely inappropriate to the new circumstances we find ourselves in. Crowded raised beds require high inputs of water, fertility and organic matter, and demand large amounts of human time and effort. Prior to the 1970s, North American home food growing used more land with less labor, with wider plant spacing, with less or no irrigation, and all done with sharp hand tools. But these sustainable systems have been largely forgotten. Designed for readers with no experience and applicable to most areas in the English-speaking world except the tropics and hot deserts, Gardening When It Counts is inspiring increasing numbers of North Americans to achieve some measure of backyard food self-sufficiency. “Delightfully informative and abundantly rich with humor and grandfatherly wisdom. A must-read for anyone wanting a feast off the land of their own making.” —Elaine Smitha, host of the “Evolving Ideas” cable talk show and author of If You Make the Rules, How Come You’re Not Boss?
Texas Gardener’s Handbook is filled with need-to-know information from popular Texas gardening experts. Each includes his or her collective wisdom in a complete guide for Texas gardeners. In addition to hundreds of proven plants, this resource has monthly to-do calendars for each of more than ten plant categories, from annuals to vines. Full-color photos and expert advice assist gardeners with the proper care and timing for everything from planting to watering. Information on gardening with less water addresses the challenges of gardening in Texas.
Identifying and Harvesting Edible and Medicinal Plants in Wild (and Not So Wild) Places shows readers how to find and prepare more than five hundred different plants for nutrition and better health. It includes information on common plants such as mullein (a tea made from the leaves and flowers suppresses a cough), stinging nettle (steam the leaves and you have a tasty dish rich in iron), cattail (cooked stalks taste similar to corn and are rich in protein), and wild apricots (an infusion made with the leaves is good for stomach aches and digestive disorders). More than 260 detailed line drawings help readers identify a wide range of plants -- many of which are suited for cooking by following the more than thirty recipes included in this book. There are literally hundreds of plants readily available underfoot waiting to be harvested and used either as food or as a potential therapeutic. This book is both a field guide to nature's bounty and a source of intriguing information about the plants that surround us.
A look at animals and plants from the point of view of their amazing scientific adaptations. Join bestselling author Steve Mould to uncover nature's greatest scientists, engineers, and mathematicians from plants that can count to architect insects. If you thought all scientists wear white coats and work in labs, think again! Meet amazing engineers, such as the spiders who build immense webs from different kinds of silk; funky physicists, like the bats that can see with sound; and surprising chemists, such as the corpse flower that smells like smelly socks to attract insects to pollinate it! The science behind each genius adaptation is explained clearly in Steve Mould's trademark humorous style and you'll be amazed by nature's solutions to some of the world's trickiest problems. Clever Creatures is a brilliant introduction to some of nature's cleverest animals and plants. You'll never look at nature the same way again!
Definitive gardening advice - along with a story or two - for the novice or expert from one of the nation's most-trusted, and Grumpy, sources. Gardeners from across the country have turned to Southern Living Senior Garden Editor Steven Bender - known affectionately as "The Grumpy Gardener" - for his keen knowledge and gardening know-how with equal doses sarcasm and sidesplitting humor for nearly 35 years. Finally, the collected wit and wisdom of the magazine's most irreverent and beloved columnist can be found in a single A - Z volume, providing gardeners from coast-to-coast with his valuable tips for planting, troubleshooting, and growing flowers, vegetables, shrubs, trees and more, all delivered in his signature cantankerous style. Sidebars throughout the book - "Ask Grumpy" - help readers tackle common garden problems ("How do I get ride of little house ants?"), and readers from the past 35 years take part in the book when Grumpy shares his favorite reader's responses to some of his advice, his favorite rules for gardening, and Q & A's covering your favorite plants and flowers are all inside. Additionally, beautiful line-drawings and illustrations throughout make the book as beautiful to look at as well as entertaining to read. The Grumpy Gardener is sure to become the most trusted tool in your gardening shed!
The founder of Tofurky reveals how an idealistic hippie living in a treehouse created a global brand—and sold millions of products without selling out. In this entertaining memoir, Seth Tibbott reveals how he achieved overnight success—but only after fifteen years of intrepid failure. He tells the triumphant tale of how a self-described hippie with no business training but plenty of enterprising goals grew a $2,500 startup into a global brand and ushered in a plant-based foods renaissance along the way. Tibbott took home a grand total of $31,000 in his first nine years of striving to bring to the people a nearly unknown soy product—tempeh—he knew in his gut was revolutionarily tasty. He eschewed a buttoned-up lifestyle and resided in tipis, trailers, and a treehouse; rented workspace to piano-repairing circus clowns; and even briefly counted the infamous Rajneeshees as clients. Tibbott was never one to chase the money or try to fit in. Instead, he built a business that fit him. Thus Tibbott discovered the “secret sauce” ingredients that took his now-international brand from fameless to fame-ish to famous: bootstrapping, building business intuition, and staying true to his belief in eco-friendly practices. In Search of the Wild Tofurky proves that a good idea can change the world and make money, no matter the naysayers or the sometimes-harsh twists and turns of the unconventional path. “Expert advice and inspiration from a most unconventional source . . . An education in the business of ethics.” ―Eric C Lindstrom, author of The Skeptical Vegan
A look at animals and plants from the point of view of their amazing scientific adaptations. Join bestselling author Steve Mould to uncover nature's greatest scientists, engineers, and mathematicians from plants that can count to architect insects. If you thought all scientists wear white coats and work in labs, think again! Meet amazing engineers, such as the spiders who build immense webs from different kinds of silk; funky physicists, like the bats that can see with sound; and surprising chemists, such as the corpse flower that smells like smelly socks to attract insects to pollinate it! The science behind each genius adaptation is explained clearly in Steve Mould's trademark humorous style and you'll be amazed by nature's solutions to some of the world's trickiest problems. Wild Scientists is a brilliant introduction to some of nature's cleverest animals and plants. You'll never look at nature the same way again!
Packed with superb color photographs, this detailed manual is the definitive guide to help water gardeners select, cultivate, and care for aquatic plants. Extensive fully illustrated directories list commonly available submerged aquatic plants for ornamental ponds, floating aquatics, hardy and tropical water lilies, lotuses, marginal aquatics, and water irises.
Explore the origins of Earth's plant life . . . with a talking ficus leaf! In this full-color graphic novel, Leif the leaf takes readers on a magical (and miraculous) journey, revealing how small specks of ancient moss grew into massive rain forests. With laugh-out-load text and colorful comic book art, this book is sure to sprout any reader's interest in science--and grow their love for planet Earth.
This is a must-have book of great gardening ideas for banishing slugs, snails, aphids, ants, cats and squirrels etc., plus many fun, money-saving and innovative tips for growing healthier plants in your garden. It is brought to life by some wonderful, humorous cartoon illustrations, novice and experienced gardeners alike will find this a rewarding read. Did you know that...
Nature's strangest plants. Herb-harvesting trespassers. Rattlesnakes curled in planter beds. Stoners fumbling with hydroponic systems. Semi-tame backyard buzzards. And the fire of the century. This is not a typical garden book. Plantsman: Notes from a California Garden Designer follows avid plant collector and landscaper Steve Harbour through a year of gardening exploits, beginning in early January when he gardens in shorts and a tee-shirt and ending in December as he empties his torched greenhouse after a tragic wildfire. In between, Harbour: Designs entire gardens without a preconceived plan. Discovers metal bands cutting into one of California's rarest plants. Frightens mountain lions. Discovers an endangered plant species sprouting in his garden. Tours a hippie garden. Deliberates the fate of a beautiful garden after its creator dies. Digs moats to drown gophers. Creates an eclectic landscape bordering a wilderness area. Advises a lost family in the mountains. They don't follow his advice. Ruminates on the Secret Life of Plants. Avoids police barricades to learn the fate of his fire-ravaged home. Struggles to outwit homeowners' associations. Watches a hawk swoop out of the sky to devour a favorite blue jay. And basks in the perfect days of each season. Through it all, Harbour discusses Mediterranean gardens, desert landscape design, native plants, garden exhibits, good plants, problem plants, roses, shopping nurseries for bargains, gaining inspiration from nature, gardening in each season, creating wildlife habitats, choosing landscape professionals, and landscaping in fire country. Plantsman reads like a good travel narrative while offering pages of expert gardening advice. The adventure begins just outside the back door.
A wealth of information on natural resources for the serious outdoors person.' As a child growing up in the Victorian countryside, taking a walk with dogs and friends on the weekends, it seemed natural to pick up a stout gumtree stick and arm oneself against the poisonous serpents one sometimes encountered, to be used as a sword against imaginary, unseen threatening foes, or merely to swipe the heads off unsuspecting everlasting daisies. The selection of this implement is an act that I believe reverberates back through time, to the beginnings of man’s ascent to civilisation. The brandishing of a piece of wood, to be used as a weapon or tool, is fundamental to human reality on this planet. As a child I wondered at the production of leather articles from the skins of animals, the glorious dyes the matriarchs of the family produced in our sad old T shirts, and the herbs that were rubbed on our cuts and insect bites to stop the bleeding and stinging. We made ‘cubbies and shacks in the bush, produced little fires and cooked our jam sandwiches skewered onto green forked sticks. A broken shoe was tied back together with a piece of bush string, Wattle gum was chewed instead of chewing gum, and saponin containing leaves used to wash our dirty hands. This was my reality as a child, and it set me on a pathway of resisting the claustrophobic entrapments of our modern age, in search of a more natural and fulfilling connection to our world. Since then, after extensive travels on this continent, I have relocated to the exciting tropical forests of Northern Australia, and continue the search for those plants that are of benefit to mankind. This search is raw and grounding, a holistic pathway to a more connected life on our beautiful planet. And so, I present here those tropical plants that I have found to historically have benefitted man in so many wondrous ways. ‘An excellent guide to the multitude of products that plants provide us with to enhance the quality of our lives.’ —Thomas Bauer, PhD, FRGs. A wealth of informed resources for the serious outdoors person, woodworkers, craftspeople, hikers, campers, and survivalists and an education tool for children’s camps and activities, military training programmes, and extreme expedition adventure.
Packed with superb color photographs, this detailed manual is the definitive guide to help water gardeners select, cultivate, and care for aquatic plants. Extensive fully illustrated directories list commonly available submerged aquatic plants for ornamental ponds, floating aquatics, hardy and tropical water lilies, lotuses, marginal aquatics, and water irises.
This book introduces you to an interesting group of plants, from the mighty redwoods to the sharp needled spruces. It examines the various types of conifers, their reproductive methods, and how they get their energy. It also looks at the ecological importance of these woody plants and how they are used in industry. Did You Know? &&/UL&& The tallest living thing on Earth is a coast redwood, measuring a height of about 380 feet (115 meters). Most conifers keep their leaves throughout the year. The cones of some pine trees can reach 5 feet (1.5 m) long.
This book introduces you to an interesting group of plants, from the mighty redwoods to the sharp needled spruces. It examines the various types of conifers, their reproductive methods, and how they get their energy. It also looks at the ecological importance of these woody plants and how they are used in industry. Did You Know? &&/UL&& The tallest living thing on Earth is a coast redwood, measuring a height of about 380 feet (115 meters). Most conifers keep their leaves throughout the year. The cones of some pine trees can reach 5 feet (1.5 m) long.
Completely revised and expanded, Pests of Landscape Trees and Shrubs, 3rd Edition, is a comprehensive, how-to integrated pest management (IPM) resource for landscapers, arborists, home gardeners, retailers, and parks and grounds managers. This easy-to-use guide covers hundreds of insects, mites, nematodes, plant diseases, and weeds that can damage California landscapes. The book's 435 pages present the practical experience and research-based advice of more than 100 University of California (UC) and industry experts, including: • Pest-resistant plants and landscape design • Planting, irrigating, and other cultural practices that keep plants healthy • Conserving natural enemies to biologically control pests • Efficient monitoring so you know when to act • Selective pesticides and when their use may be warranted • Numerous references to regularly-updated, online guides with more pesticide choices and the latest IPM practices Inside you'll find: • 575 high-quality, color photographs to help you recognize the causes of plant damage and identify pests and their natural enemies. 140 more than the previous edition! • 101 line drawings and charts of pest biology and control techniques • Problem-solving tables to help you diagnose the pests and maladies of more than 200 genera of alphabetically-listed trees and shrubs Also in the 3rd Edition are dozens of newly added pests, including those affecting azaleas, camellias, hibiscus, camphor, eucalyptus, liquidambar, oaks, maples, palms, pines, olive, roses, and sycamores.
Identifying and Harvesting Edible and Medicinal Plants in Wild (and Not So Wild) Places shows readers how to find and prepare more than five hundred different plants for nutrition and better health, including such common plants as mullein (a tea made from the leaves and flowers suppresses a cough), stinging nettle (steam the leaves and you have a tasty dish rich in iron), cattail (cooked stalks taste similar to corn and are rich in protein), and wild apricots (an infusion made with the leaves is good for stomach aches and disgestive disorders). More than 260 detailed line drawings help readers identify a wide range of plants -- many of which are suited for cooking by following the more than thirty recipes included in this book. There are literally hundreds of plants readily available underfoot waiting to be harvested and used either as food or as a potential therapeutic. This book is both a field guide to nature's bounty and a source of intriguing information about the plants that surround us.
Now in a special updated 6th edition with a new formula for complete organic fertilizer, this complete guide to organic vegetable gardening addresses issues of soil, seeds, compost, and watering. Growing Vegetables West of the Cascades evolved from a self-published pamphlet to the master guide to organic vegetable gardening over the past 35 years. Steve Solomon, who founded the Territorial Seed Company, was one of the early proponents of organic gardening, and the first to codify and refine the best practices of small-plot vegetable gardening in the Pacific Northwest. The approaches to understanding and preparing soils, composting, chemical-free fertilizers, efficient uses of water, and garden planning are universal to any climate or region. Solomon gets specific in his extensive advice on growing specific crops--from tomatoes and beans to kale and turnips--in the gentle maritime Northwest climate. He lays out the principles, but advocates that readers think for themselves and grow their gardens as they see fit.
Identifying and Harvesting Edible and Medicinal Plants in Wild (and Not So Wild) Places shows readers how to find and prepare more than five hundred different plants for nutrition and better health. It includes information on common plants such as mullein (a tea made from the leaves and flowers suppresses a cough), stinging nettle (steam the leaves and you have a tasty dish rich in iron), cattail (cooked stalks taste similar to corn and are rich in protein), and wild apricots (an infusion made with the leaves is good for stomach aches and digestive disorders). More than 260 detailed line drawings help readers identify a wide range of plants -- many of which are suited for cooking by following the more than thirty recipes included in this book. There are literally hundreds of plants readily available underfoot waiting to be harvested and used either as food or as a potential therapeutic. This book is both a field guide to nature's bounty and a source of intriguing information about the plants that surround us.
Minnesota Flora: An Illustrated Guide to the Vascular Plants of Minnesota is the first modern, comprehensive guide to the vascular flora of Minnesota, including keys, descriptions, illustrations, and county distribution maps for over 1,900 plant species in 141 plant families and more than 700 genera. Includes: Keys to Minnesota's vascular plant families, genera and species Organized into four major groups: Ferns and Fern Relatives, Conifers, Dicots, Monocots Over 1,900 species described, including a map of county distribution in Minnesota Illustrated with hundreds of line drawings Conservation status in Minnesota (endangered or threatened) Native, introduced, or invasive in Minnesota Wetland indicator status Habitat information Glossary of botanical terms Fully indexed for ease-of-use
Wetland and Aquatic Plants of the Northern Great Plains is a comprehensive field guide to over 500 vascular plant species found in the wetland and aquatic habitats of North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Great Plains portions of Montana and Wyoming. Based on the the ground-breaking 1993 publication Aquatic and Wetland Vascular Plants of the Northern Great Plains by Gary E. Larson, this new field guide is fully illustrated with color photographs, distribution maps, and updated to reflect current taxonomic nomenclature and family assignments. Also included are keys, a glossary, and index.
Thank you for visiting our website. Would you like to provide feedback on how we could improve your experience?
This site does not use any third party cookies with one exception — it uses cookies from Google to deliver its services and to analyze traffic.Learn More.