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Taming the potted beast : the strange and sensational history of the not-so-humble houseplant / Molly Williams ; illustrated by Ellie Hajdu.

By: Contributor(s): Material type: TextTextPublisher: Kansas City, MO : Andrews McMeel Publishing, a division of Andrews McMeel Universal, [2022]Description: xi, 205 pages : illustrations ; 24 cmContent type:
  • text
Media type:
  • unmediated
Carrier type:
  • volume
ISBN:
  • 1524869007
  • 9781524869007
Subject(s):
Contents:
Leafy wonders of the ancient world: The Neolithic era (10,000-3,000 BCE) -- That time Cleopatra tried to poison Mark Antony: Ancient Egyptians, Romans, and Greeks (3,000 BCE-350 CE) -- Itty bitty mini-gardens: The Han Dynasty and the introduction of Penjing (220) -- Gardening for prudes: The Middle Ages (500-1453) -- The time when Columbus kick-started botanical imperialism (1492-1650) -- King Louis XIV and his citrus obsession: Early modern France (1643-1715) -- A Bougie Victorian invents the terrarium: The nineteenth century (1800-1988) -- Women go to work, and so do plants: Most of the twentieth century (1900-1970) -- Trends, poachers, and $20,000 houseplants: The modern age (1970-present) -- Welcome to the houseplant family -- For your reference: Timeless tips for keeping your historical houseplants happy.
Summary: "From the hanging gardens of Babylon to that fiddle-leaf fig in your living room, from Victorian England to modern-day Instagram, houseplants have been humanity's adored companions for a millennia. Taming the Potted Beast explores the history of our air-purifying friends with a tale of the unexpected, often dramatic, cultivation and domestication of the not-so-humble houseplant. With historical vignettes, DIY plant projects, and plenty of accessible tips and tricks for caring for your own historical houseplants, Taming the Potted Beast takes readers on a botanical adventure through the ages, entertaining and enlightening plant lovers as they discover the historical significance of houseplants, and the cultures form which they emerged"--Page 4 of cover.
List(s) this item appears in: Houseplants for All
Holdings
Item type Home library Collection Call number Materials specified Status Date due Barcode Item holds
Adult Book Adult Book Main Library NonFiction 635.965 W725 Available 33111010895817
Total holds: 0

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

The colourful, peculiar history of the houseplant - from ancient Rome to Victorian England to Instagram - a botanical adventure full of histrionic highs, devastating lows, and sensational turning points along the way.



From the hanging gardens of Babylon to that fiddle-leaf fig in your living room, houseplants have been humanity's companions for a millennia. Taming the Potted Beast explores the history of our air-purifying friends with an entertaining narrative of the peculiar, often dramatic story of the cultivation and domestication of the not-so-humble houseplant.



Including entertaining historical vignettes, DIY plant projects, and accessible tips and tricks for caring for your own historical houseplant collection, this book has any plant-curious reader covered. Readers will come away with practical projects, expert advice, and an understanding of the historical significance of houseplants as well as an appreciation of the cultures from which they emerged.



Both fascinating and fun, Taming erged.



Both fascinating and fun, Taming the Potted Beast will take readers on exhilarating botanical adventure through the ages. Potted Beast will take readers on exhilarating botanical adventure through the ages.

Includes bibliographical references.

"From the hanging gardens of Babylon to that fiddle-leaf fig in your living room, from Victorian England to modern-day Instagram, houseplants have been humanity's adored companions for a millennia. Taming the Potted Beast explores the history of our air-purifying friends with a tale of the unexpected, often dramatic, cultivation and domestication of the not-so-humble houseplant. With historical vignettes, DIY plant projects, and plenty of accessible tips and tricks for caring for your own historical houseplants, Taming the Potted Beast takes readers on a botanical adventure through the ages, entertaining and enlightening plant lovers as they discover the historical significance of houseplants, and the cultures form which they emerged"--Page 4 of cover.

Leafy wonders of the ancient world: The Neolithic era (10,000-3,000 BCE) -- That time Cleopatra tried to poison Mark Antony: Ancient Egyptians, Romans, and Greeks (3,000 BCE-350 CE) -- Itty bitty mini-gardens: The Han Dynasty and the introduction of Penjing (220) -- Gardening for prudes: The Middle Ages (500-1453) -- The time when Columbus kick-started botanical imperialism (1492-1650) -- King Louis XIV and his citrus obsession: Early modern France (1643-1715) -- A Bougie Victorian invents the terrarium: The nineteenth century (1800-1988) -- Women go to work, and so do plants: Most of the twentieth century (1900-1970) -- Trends, poachers, and $20,000 houseplants: The modern age (1970-present) -- Welcome to the houseplant family -- For your reference: Timeless tips for keeping your historical houseplants happy.

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