Official Review: Houseplants 101 by Peter Shepperd

[Brendan Donaghy]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Houseplants 101" by Peter Shepperd.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Houseplants 101: How To Choose, Style, Grow, And Nurture Your Indoor Plants is the latest in a series of plant books by Peter Shepperd. If you’re thinking of buying some plants for your home and are looking for some guidance on the subject, then look no further. You’ll find all the advice you need inside the pages of this delightful book. The book is aimed primarily at people who are novices in this field, the type of person who has tried keeping houseplants in the past but found that they were more of a "plant murderer" (page 9) than a plant nurturer. The author hopes his easy-to-follow guide will persuade these people to have another go. The author also provides plenty of ideas and tips for the more skilled plant enthusiast.

The book consists of six chapters, bookended by an introduction and a conclusion. Total beginners in this field may find the first two chapters of greatest interest, as they cover basic care for houseplants and the best ones to buy. Readers more knowledgeable about plants may find they learn new things from the chapters covering topics like edible plants, succulents, how to re-pot plants, and plants with which to style your house. The book is packed full of scientific information and practical tips. The text is accompanied by more than fifty photographs that add splashes of color to the book.

I loved this author’s style of delivery. He has a light, humorous way of writing that enables him to impart quite a lot of technical and scientific detail without it ever becoming tedious. Here’s one example from page 34: “While some plants will throw an almost immediate fit when you move them—Fiddle Leaf Fig, I’m looking at you—others will show their unhappiness over time.” His use of phrases like “plant parents” (various pages) and “plant babies” (page 32) acts as a counterbalance to some of the more cerebral scientific bits. The author’s light touch is also the perfect vehicle for conveying the enthusiasm he has for his subject and his love for plant life. In the course of the book, he provides us with many good scientific reasons for cultivating our own indoor urban jungle, including cleaner air, but the best reason he saves for near the end of the book: “Caring for houseplants not only feeds the soul, but it has a more tangible impact on you physically and psychologically.” (page 169)

One small flaw in the book is found in how its images are labeled. Details of the fifty-five figures used in the book, such as where they were obtained from and the name of the photographer, are given in the reference section. The images are not numbered in the main body of the book, however, so there is no easy way of matching the image with the relevant reference.

I’m pleased to award this book 4 out of 4 stars. I can state, in all honesty, that it has inspired me to go looking for plants for my own home. It has been professionally edited and I found fewer than a handful of minor errors. It will appeal to anyone with an interest in plants, indoors or outdoors. Total beginners – I’m looking at you, plant murderers - will find it of particular interest.

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Houseplants 101
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[Pandora10]

This sounds like a great book for beginners or those that have difficulty looking after houseplants. I like the fact that the author uses humor in his writing as he shares somewhat technical detail regarding the care of plants. This should inspire those that think they have not got a 'green thumb' to give houseplants a try. Thanks for the concise and helpful review on this book.

[Laura Ungureanu]

As a novice in this field, I feel like this book might be for me. Thank you for letting me know about it. Amazing review!

[Kavita Shah]

What a way to address plant owners. It gives a title and a responsibility too. I have been trying to grow healthy plants but I only do "Plant Murder" most of the times. This book will be really helpful for me. Than you for an informative review!

[Becca Olsson]

I’ve killed every plant I’ve been optimistic enough to adopt. This sounds like I and many people I know would benefit greatly from it. Thanks for the great review

[Kristy Khem]

I love gardening and in addition to my kitchen garden, I always keep one or two indoor plants. I'd love to check out this book. Your review brought this book to my attention. Thanks!

[Kennedy NC]

Indeed it would be enlightening to learn how to take care of your indoor plants. Great review.

[WADonnelly]

Oh I definitely need this book as all my plant babies seems to die. Great review, very engaging.

[C3cilia]

Soo hilarious! Plant murderer than plant nurturer.This book is so intriquing especially the part where it has the easy tips to make sure your home is full of plants.

[AvidBibliophile]

I am definitely a plant enthusiast, and I’ve put a great deal of time and effort into cultivating my own indoor jungle! I love seeing included photos that accompany botanical explorations, so this book would be perfect for me.

[Wildflowertheorist]

I wish I had this book when I was growing a tomato plant. I ended up becoming a plant murderer .

[Brendan Donaghy]

@Pandora10 @Laura Bach @Kavita Shah @Booklover Becca @KristyKhem @Kennedy NC @WADonnelly @AvidBibliophile @Wildflowertheorist

Thank you for your comments - much appreciated!

[Brendan Donaghy]

Soo hilarious! Plant murderer than plant nurturer.This book is so intriquing especially the part where it has the easy tips to make sure your home is full of plants.

Thanks for commenting!

[Bigwig1973]

If I ever do decide to buy a book on growing plants, I will for sure keep this one in mind! Thanks for picking this one to review and for the nice summary!

[Md Tahminul Islam]

Gardening is always one of the most favourite hobbies of many people across the globe. However, it requires patience and knowledge. This book can shed some light on the basics of gardening.