Fascinating Stories of Our Most-Loved Houseplants

The Hidden Histories of Houseplants

The Hidden Histories of Houseplants explores 20 of the world&rsquo;s most common houseplants.This book isn&rsquo;t just a dry exploration of historical cultivation; the narrative explores the plants&rsquo; places in social history, science and culture, showcasing the most fascinating elements of each plant&rsquo;s story, be it the exploration as to why Monstera deliciosa have holes in their leaves, whether houseplants have the ability to count, or why Calathea leaves open during the day and close up at night.Accompanied by stunning illustrations, each text takes the reader on a journey through time, history and culture, told by the most universally binding objects in our homes from London to Beijing &ndash; houseplants.

Alice and Maddie Bailey quite literally hail from a London plant and flower dynasty &ndash; their grandfather was a Dutch flower merchant and nursery owner, and their mother the celebrated horticulturalist and author Fran Bailey &ndash; Maddie and Alice Bailey head up Forest London, a cult plant and homewares shop with two sites in South London, along with a flower shop. With a lifelong and in-depth knowledge of houseplants, the sisters sell anything from the Insta-ubiquitous monstera to the kinds of cacti that the ever-growing plant-nerd community hunt high and low for. Their first book, The Green Indoors, was published by Hardie Grant in May 2021.

Finding the Right Plants for Your Home Environment

The Green Indoors

The Green Indoors is a useful guide on how to find perfect plant matches for your home environments with a sustainable and innovative approach.Focussing on working with the plants you already own, the book is divided in chapters detailing all the possible conditions: Extreme Sun/Heat, Dry Air/Central Heating, Deep Shade, High Humidity, Draughty, Cold.By matching awkward spaces in your home with environments in the natural world, this book shows you how to relocate plants to improve their growth and help them thrive.Features an extensive section with informative plant profiles that include their origin, easy-to-follow tips on feeding and watering, optimum conditions, prospective growth, and is concluded by a helpful troubleshooting chapter dealing with common problems, and what to try when all hope is lost.

Full of gorgeous photography, illustrations, tricks and tips, the book is a godsend for those who fear that where houseplants are concerned, they are the grim reaper.

Hailing from a London plant and flower dynasty &ndash; their grandfather was a Dutch flower merchant and nursery owner, and their mother the celebrated horticulturalist and author Fran Bailey &ndash; Maddie and Alice Bailey head up Forest London, a cult plant shop with two sites in South London.

Maddie Bailey

Alice Bailey

Fascinating Stories of Flora

The Hidden Histories of Flowers reveals the captivating world of flowers. From the symbolism and meaning behind flowers and how these have evolved over time, to how humans interact with flowers based on cultural and geographical differences, and how flowers have been coveted for their medicinal aspects as well as for their visual merits, The Hidden Histories of Flowers showcases fascinating details of flowers and our relationship with them. If you find yourself wondering about the deeper meanings behind flowers and are keen to investigate their inner workings and place in history, The Hidden Histories of Flowers is the perfect place to begin your exploration.

Alice Bailey

Books by Alice Bailey

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