Landscaping Indoors

With contributions by various horticultural experts, this book continues Brooklyn Botanic Garden's award-winning series of gardening handbooks for the 21st century. It begins with an examination of the Victorians' fascination with growing plants indoors, a practice possible when glass manufacturing techniques made windows affordable to all. This happily coincided with the 19th-century's expanding world of commerce and trade, which also involved plant collecting. Several indoor garden designs are discussed with advice for assessing and establishing sufficient air circulation, temperature, moisture and light. Detailed instructions also are given for growing plants in Wardian cases and terrariums and for building an epiphyte tree and even an indoor water garden. Chapters are devoted to the selection and care of such popular plants as palms, cacti, ferns and ficus with the added surprise of chapters on growing citrus fruits and even bamboo indoors (and a note of comfort stating that not all bamboo are invasive, lest readers envision some kind of science fiction plant invasion). A helpful list of more common indoor plants and their cultivation requirements will appeal to readers who possess minimal time and plant expertise. Chapters are also devoted to the crucial elements in any successful plant cultivation: soil, light and water. A welcome addition is the information on biological pest control. Numerous designs and photos and sources for plants and supplies complete this practical volume. (Dec.)