LITMIR.BIZ

       How to Use This Book

      In this book, all plants are listed by common name and scientific (botanical) name. One disadvantage of relying on the common name is that it’s not the most accurate way to find the plant you want. This is because many plants are known by more than one common name and because some vastly different plants share a common name.

      To ensure accurate identifications, botanists have adopted a world standard for names. They’ve assigned plants to family trees based mainly on similarities of their reproductive structures. The scientific names are rendered primarily in Latin. So if you know a plant’s scientific name, it’s easier to obtain the plant you want.

      This book employs the scientific names used by the Royal Horticultural Society’s Index of Garden Plants, as well as older scientific names that are still widely used in houseplant catalogs. When the scientific name has changed, you’ll find both the new and old names listed, with one of them noted in parentheses and an “aka,” short for “also known as.”

      When a houseplant has no common name, the scientific name is coined as the common name, such as in guzmania.

      Family. In this book, the family is the largest grouping of plants sharing common characteristics. The scientific family name is written with an initial capital letter, as in Begoniaceae, and is not italicized.

      Genus. Normally, the next smaller grouping of plants within a family is the genus, which is written with an initial capital letter and is italicized; the plural for genus is genera. The genus name is usually the first word of a plant’s scientific name, as in Guzmania lingulata.

      Species. The second word in the name indicates species, which is a group of related plants that are alike except for small variations. The species name is italicized.

      Variety vs. Cultivar. Scientists take nomenclature further by assigning a name if the plant is a variety (a variant of a species that occurs as a result of natural mutation) or a cultivar (meaning a cultivated variety, resulting from human intervention).

      The terms variety and cultivar are commonly used interchangeably, even though there is a technical difference. A cultivar will be listed with single quotes. When a cultivar is used as part of the common name, as in the example Camille dumb cane, below, single quotes aren’t usually used.

      Hybrid. A hybrid is a plant that results from the breeding of two genetically different parents. Often written with an ×, a hybrid may differ in significant ways from its parents and even from its siblings. A hybrid is listed like this: Begonia × hiemalis.

      Principles of plant naming are illustrated in the name Camille dumb cane (Dieffenbachia picta ‘Camille’).

      Part One: About Houseplants

      This outdoor garden room springs to life with plants, including gingers and orchids, that thrive in diffused, sunny locations.

       Chapter 1: Decorating with Houseplants

      Houseplants can do a lot to improve the decor of your home, including enhancing the overall ambiance of the space, cleaning the air, and providing visual accents and focal points. And don’t forget the intangibles of houseplants. Imparting a gardenlike setting, houseplants also can give solace and brighten your spirits.

      You can place your houseplants for different purposes: decorating windows, adorning tabletops, creating cascades from hanging containers, hiding unattractive walls, and enlivening plain interiors. Large plants can serve as screens, room dividers, or other architectural elements.

      This tropical oasis includes simple elements: a white chair and shades, and houseplants that contrast with them.

      Windows are logical locations for houseplants because they let in the light that plants need to grow. Whether on shelves, on windowsills, or in hanging containers in front of windows, houseplants soften hard, structural lines and provide welcome texture and color. You can position large plants on either side of a window to frame an attractive view—or hang basket plants at different levels before a window to create a living screen rather than resorting to curtains or blinds. Even skylights can admit enough light for some plants to grow.

      Try to give some thought to plant arrangements, placing them with the same amount of care as you would furniture. After choosing locations for your plants, stand back and survey the overall arrangement. Does the picture say what you want it to? If not, keep moving and arranging plants until you achieve the desired effect. Here are some tips in this chapter.

      Classic elements of design are at work in the range of sizes and textures in this eclectic room. Some of the plants here include ferns, bromeliads, and dracaena.

Use the Elements of Design

      As with antiques and artwork, you will get the greatest impact from houseplants if you arrange them according to established aesthetic principles. Balance, proportion, and harmony are important. One houseplant in a room can look lonely and out of place, but a well-balanced grouping of three or five plants can become a synchronized team in harmony with its surroundings. Similarly, a five-foot dieffenbachia on one side of a room and a 5 in. (13 cm) begonia on the other side would be out of balance, but repeating these same plants together in other areas of the room can create a sense of rhythm and proportion.

       Group Small Plants

      Smaller plants gain visual impact when you group several together. When grouping plants, aim for a variety of sizes and a range of textures. Arrange the plants so the change in height or texture is gradual, rather than placing the smallest plant next to the tallest one or placing the boldest, coarsest plant next to one with the smallest, most delicate leaves. Also, try to create some depth. Set some pots in front and others in back instead of lining them up like a row of soldiers.

      When grouping small plants, use different heights to promote interest. The poinsettia on the floor anchors the stage for the angel’s wings.

      The flowering tuberous

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