The Unexpected Houseplant: 220 Extraordinary Choices for Every Spot in Your Home

A good book, if I don't feel like the target audience. I'm not an outdoor gardener looking to liven chilly months with overwintered outdoor plants. As a cramped apartment dweller, none of my plants can get a summer break outdoors, and Tovah's admonishment that no one needs grow lights just isn't the case with only northern windows. Nevertheless, some of her suggestions will do well with a northwestern window and some aggressive pruning to combat etoilation, from prior experience. Moreso than a guide to particular plants, however, this book is a guide to how to get houseplants to work for you. From my own experience, you really do need to -love- your plants to make them live. My finicky maidenhairs are resplendent with fronds, and the temperamental tropicals are taking over, but the humdrum, basic begonia has only two leaves, and the "can you take care of this for me until I can take it back -- (five years later it's still here)" Aloe is going brown. Tovah also explains her particular situation, and repeats it often - cold, dim winters, and summers outdoors. And this is important - as she highlights - because you really need to know your home's environment to know what plants to keep (and where). My own thoughts have never jived with the "disposable houseplant" ideology, as best evidenced by some hyacinth I forced in February that is still in my kitchen (why cut down the leaves if it's still growing?). But she makes a good case for growing some plants I've always wanted indoors, even though I have no outdoors they can head to after that. There's a decent focus on flowers, which I can't do because of allergic-to-everything housemates, in case that is also your situation, be forewarned. Of course, flowers are the big attention-grabbers in any garden, so it makes sense. Of the "plants that are sold as houseplants" expect to see few of the "easy care" options, but of course, that's kind of the point-- dracaenas are never unexpected. Many are the notoriously difficult: gardenias, jasmines, calatheas and croton get mentions, but the easy-for-any-conditions-plants are mostly pepperomias, bromiliads and sanseviera. Admittedly, quite a few of the plants are still easy, but they are usually sold for outdoor purposes, or mail-order-only exotics. There's a bit about basic care near the end, and it's decent. She is the sort who keeps everything organic - pesticides, dirt, etc. So don't expect tables about which chemical for what pest or whathaveyou. As for my critiques: well, as mentioned earlier, this book seems to -expect- a house to work with. Since she keeps few plants indoors for the summer, many of her choices would be exceedingly impermanent in dim indoor lighting. She wants you to have an eastern- or western- exposure (or maybe south). Since she doesn't run much heat, she seems to underestimate how much some plants need humidity that they just won't get in the average home. All the photos, though beautiful, look staged. I want to see where the plant grows day-in and day-out, so that I can judge the light it's getting versus what I can give it. Other than those modest complaints, the book is fun funny, and maybe it can light a passion in your heart to try houseplants again!

This is an ideal book for people looking for something to inspire them to think outside of the box when it comes to houseplants. A small fuschia in a decorative pot on the windowsill, who would've thought? A row of cypress plants for an evergreen border look? However, I have years of carnivorous plant experience so I find it hard to believe her trumpet plants look that good in only partial sun. A Venus flytrap would, but not the others. Trumpet plants love full sun and are difficult to look their best in the home in all but the sunniest windows. Other than that, it is full of ideas with care instructions for houseplants you may not have thought of using in the home, plus some standards. But the standards often have a twist to them--different varieties, etc. She has lists of nurseries for the plants in the back of the book if you have trouble finding the variety that you will inevitably fall in love with in the photos. She is a chatty writer so someone looking for a straight how-to may be frustrated as she give tips throughout the book in addition to her how-to part in the back. My favorite tip is on watering--almost fill the pot to the brim once and then stop!! She also has a section on plants she can never get to work for her. So forget the hibiscus. Or take it on as a personal challenge from her. :) The photography is really beautiful. Really beautiful. And at least half the reason I broke down and bought the book after taking it out of the library for extended periods of time for two winters in a row. Very inspirational and a definite find for those of us who feel they have been there and done that when it comes to houseplant ideas.

Nice enough book, wish that there were more pictures and less wordiness. I understand that the authors objective was to share her experience with certain plants in her home. I read through the whole book, or as much as I could, and wished for less stories, less about moving outdoor plants in for the New England winter. Some of the plants are not generally available locally, so it is frustrating to order from specialty greenhouses. Some of these plants I wouldn't bother with anyway. Would rather have had more variety of plants and general growing conditions.

I was delighted with Tovah Martin's book for several reasons. Of course the illustrations are both lovely and practical. The photography both sets off the plants and shows realistically how a plant can be placed in the home. There are a number of plants that I have grown, but the book gave me both hints for their care and new ideas. What I like best about the book its this: Martin's plants are real! obviously she knows how to bring out the best in a plant. But her specimens are definitely not the typical overlush, over fertilized, over pruned, root bound house plants plants bought in floral shops, nurseries, and big stores. They are real. Now that I have read her book, I don't have to feel inferior because my beloved plants do not look like magazine illustrations. They are happy and healthy and natural looking, as Martin's plants are. The book also inspired me to try some plants that I have not grown before--including some not in the book! Why not! If bulbs can be forced indoors during winter, then some vines or woodland plants might be just the thing for a bare space or a low-lit corner of the house. A good book inspires you not only with what is in it, but with what your mind can do with the ideas it germinates. Martin's use of different pot shapes is delightful, and I will certainly vary some pots now, although I try to keep to a strict color scheme for the pots. Her arrangement of plants by season is unusual and helpful in a new way. But, understand, that you won't find the usual index of plants that like sun, like dry, etc. The information is all in the descriptions of the plant, but you'll need to read the text to discover it. Finally, the prose is lovely. Martin is enthusiastic and lyrical about her plants. The information for growing them is embedded in the charm of her descriptions. I enjoyed her writing on both the level of helpful text and beautiful writing about a subject dear to her. I would not recommend this book for the conventional basic how-to plant guide. But I strongly recommend it as a beautiful addition to a nicely stocked library on plants and gardening for a fresh and helpful guide providing new ideas.

Just completed a wonderful "garden room" space in our home over the holidays. The Unexpected Houseplant arrived at the perfect time! Received the book yesterday, during the arctic blast that has hit the Midwest, Northeast/Mid-Atlantic and even into the South...and enjoyed the evening curled up in a blanket reading this book in my inspired garden room appreciating the plant life around me and planning for a few recommended additions. Thoroughly enjoyed the informative nature and the conversational style each section provides. The one houseplant reference book that will remain the go to...written in a manner that will "stick" in my head. Will be sure to recommend to my family/friends. Well done!

good information and beautiful photos; sometimes irritating prose

Tovah Martin really knows her stuff. On top of that she knows how to present all you need to know about each plant in a lighthearted, easy to read but not frivolous way. Her comments on the plants she suggests are full of her own experience with each one, not only hits and successes but also misses and disasters. I don't know any other houseplant book that gets so personal about the plants. As well as her discussion about each plant the author gives for many of them a concise page with the details of how to grow them, and their likes and dislikes. The photos are mostly of whole plants in home-like settings, giving a much better idea of how they might look in your own home than some other house plant books. Throughout the book you will learn about the author's many years of making friends with her houseplants, and she provides a section on how to care for yours. I found that I was familiar with many of the plants the author suggests, but not all, and that many of the ones I had not considered in the past sound very appealing. This is definitely a book to read and enjoy, and probably to tempt you into trying some of her Unexpected Houseplants. I recommend this book to anyone who has even a few houseplants.

I have read several of Her books and this is another winner. She writes so well and really captures what creating and maintaining an indoor garden is like with all its joys and pitfalls. As usual, there are a lot of great ideas, so much useful info and many new fabulous plants.

There is no better author when it comes to house plants. She should be called the Plant Whisperer. Love her kit tie too.

Really enjoyed this as I was looking for a book to show me a different way of using houseplants stylishly. A number of inspiring photographs but more importantly the writer shares her enthusiasm and approach. Bought it for £2.32 on offer as an ebook and I am very pleased.

would recomend to my plant loving friends as an exciting book to show you how to make the most of displaying your plants

Excellent

A lovely book for those who like unusual houseplants. It will encourage you to have a go at growing something different indoors. Pictures are beautiful.