The Unexpected Houseplant: 220 Extraordinary Choices for Every Spot in Your Home

by Tovah Martin

“An imaginative guide to bringing the delights of the garden indoors.” —Publishers Weekly

The Unexpected Houseplant, by renowned plant authority Tovah Martin, offers a revolutionary approach to houseplants. Instead of the typical varieties, Martin suggests hundreds of creative choices—brilliant spring bulbs, lush perennials brought in from the garden, quirky succulents, and flowering vines and small trees. Along with loads of visual inspiration, you will learn how to make unusual selections, where to best position plants in the home, and valuable tips on watering, feeding, and pruning.

Genres: Gardening, Nonfiction, Plants, Nature, Self Help, Science

326 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 28, 2012

Reviews

[Debra Lowman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recipient of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society's Gold Medal particularly for her proficiency in both growing and educating people about indoor plants, Tovah Martin has compiled some interesting choices for your indoor gardening experience. Martin delves into 29 categories of Autumn/Winter plants and 16 categories of Spring/Summer plants and even adds in a few plants she doesn't recommend.

Each section has both the scientific and common names for each plant and it's variations, blooming capabilities (or not), size and foliage descriptions as well as general care, maintenance and disease tendencies. Carefully read the [Problems] section before selecting your plants as this is where Martin includes toxicity to humans and animals.

Complete with full color illustrations, side tips about growing indoors, success stories, common pitfalls, and finished with a complete index, Tovah Martin has added another beautiful volume to her growing collection of gardening books.

Digital galley copy generously provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely book about houseplants. Here the author describes her favorite plants, and gives suggestions for their care. Although I didn't go buy any of her favorites, this book reminded me to love my houseplants, and tend them with generosity and care. I'm happy to say that my previously neglected houseplants are now looking so much better! This is an inspiring book for anyone who cares for houseplants.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gorgeous, glossy photos showing all manner of unusual plants potted up and shown off in splendid fashion. This book is like a happy visit with your very knowledgeable best plant buddy. Lots of inspiration to green up the house!

[Jamie Barringer (Ravenmount) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hesitated about giving this book a full 5 stars, because the author dissed spider plants so much (I like them, especially when they are in bloom and have pups) and because seeing all the plants she could grow in her house rubbed in just how dry the air in my Colorado apartment is. There is no way any of the club mosses I worked with in greenhouses could survive long in my apartment, except in a terrarium. Still, Colorado and New England aren't all that different otherwise, and Martin's information was actually useful for quite a few of my houseplant collection. And I felt inspired while reading this book to go through my own collection and adjust them as needed, something I had not been so enthusiastic about for a while.

I also appreciate that she acknowledges her plant losses as well as her successes, and discusses a bit why the plants that didn't survive died. As someone with a similar self-taught love of houseplants, I am also feeling my way through the art of houseplant collecting and care. I buy a lot of near-dead plants from clearance racks, and some of them now look great, but it bugs me at a personal level when they die after looking like they should be doing ok. It is nice to be reminded that not all plants survive, even for more expert plant-carers, and that it is not always something to feel bad about. I may not have orchids in my apartment (and they could not thrive in my available plant spots) but I do still have several fittonias, brought back from near-death over a year ago, a few very nice arrowhead plants, and a rather nice variegated pepperomia in my collection. Reading books like this one serves as a reminder to appreciate one's plant successes, and learn to accept challenging plants as temporary if they won't survive long-term in one's available spaces.
The biggest gripe I had with this book- the photos, while sometimes great, don't always show the plants being discussed, and many are a bit vague. Einstein the kitten is a great photo model, though, and a great example of a cat that can be taught to safely coexist with a complex plant collection.

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Normally something I would use as a reference book, but I ended up reading this one cover to cover. It just lent itself to it.

[S · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting book that will give you lots of ideas for trying plants you may not have considered house-worthy (or inside-able?). I liked how how her personality came through in her plant favorites, and that she gave useful advice on how different plants preferred different pots sizes/depths.

That said, it's not an accurate reflection of my plant world. Would that we all had a greenhouse and a barn and acreage for plants, beyond just a houseful!

Her warnings on p. 294 should probably be more prominently placed - the caveat is fair, just maybe not strident enough: what will work as a house plant varies just as much as what will work as a yard plant, depending on your location/climate. Being in the southwest, many of the plants she mentions just won't work - they require a higher basic humidity than my place will ever have. And there is also the fact that she has to move things in for the winter, whereas here you have to move them in for the summer!

That is a small quibble though, for a book that can really open up our eyes to the possibilities. I will definitely be experimenting with more traditionally outdoor plants inside after reading this.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was very interesting to see the choice of house plants. I had planned on trying to winter over my beautiful hibiscus but the author advised " kiss them goodbye" after the first frost. Evidently they can attract a lot of pests and their leaves fall off, anyway. They can be revived but it sounds like it is better to replace them for a new season. I enjoyed seeing pictures of Einstein, the cat. I got some ideas for a few plants to try.

[Rebekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a delight and I will be adding it to my personal library. It really spurred my imagination about what kinds of plants I can grow indoors. I do tend to be a foliage-over-floral lover, but so many of Tovah Martin's plant choices were charming. The photography is gorgeous in this book and it's loaded with practical advice. I'm looking forward to expanding my collection and also thinking about the design aspects a bit more.

[Juli Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't really understand the point of this sort of book. It's not thorough enough to be a houseplant reference book, and it's not really a decorating-inspiration-type book either. It's sort of conversational, it gets technical at times, too. Because of this in-between-ness, it doesn't really do the trick for me. Fun to look through once, but completely forgettable.

[Deirdre · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very much in the style of Martin's other book (which I now own, hooray), The Indestructible Houseplant - chatty, warm, slyly humorous at times, and full of helpful information (as well as pictures of her cute kitten, which TIH lacks!). I like her no-nonsense approach and I dote on all the beautiful pictures of her plants. She does have an unfortunate vendetta against spider plants, but I forgive her for it.

[Susie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful & inspiring book containing a perfect balance of personal & biographical details from the author and information on plant care. The author lives on the other side of the country from me, so some info was framed as it relates to her growing zone, but the book was a highly enjoyable & informative read, nonetheless.

[Bev · Rating 5 out of 5]

I checked this book out from the library but it's going on my holiday wishlist ASAP so I can refer to it over and over again. Loads of great ideas (like buying conifers on clearance at the end of the season and bringing them indoors-- but not ALL conifers, just specific ones that tolerate household conditions better) and wonderful writing.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

A veritable treasure trove of truly surprising plants to grow indoors. The writing style is entertaining and Tovah Martin has plenty of good advice and tips for growing plant friends in your home. Plant profiles are surprisingly in-depth and give you enough information to determine whether or not specific plants would work well in your home or not.

[Andrea (andreareadsalot) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The pictures were pretty but the content was lacking. Not enough plant information and yet not enough design information either so I’m not sure the audience.

Content: nonfiction book showing different types of plants to keep inside by season but most required a lot of water and a lot of light or just didn’t make sense to me as an indoor plant (like potted tulips)

Overall Rating: 2.75/5

[Connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I flew through this great book on houseplants of many varieties. It was not only informative, but a lot of fun to read. Ready to make some changes in pots, get a new watering can, and add some new plants to our little collection of natural color!

[Lissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Down-to-earth, useful information. Not overwhelming because it's broken into seasons, plants, and includes helpful info charts for quick reference; also lovely photos. You get a house tour if you look beyond the plants themselves (bonus interior design inspo), haha.

[Tyler MacLean · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of info but a little too intense for me!

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun! And educational.

[Lidia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice book but perhaps a bit biased. For example, I’ve heard of many people that successfully overwinter hibiscus, but the book takes a “don’t bother” approach to it.

[Ephemeral Prat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lot of good ideas but not always practical for the majority of the people.

[SassieMolassie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The photos were lovely, but I’d argue that many of these plants are “indoor plants” for those of us in colder climates.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love Tovah’s writing - would love to see her house and gardens in person!

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable, personal writing style with good suggestions, advice and reflections on her own gardening experiences. It's like having a fun conversation about plants with a gardening friend expert.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely book with charming writing. I enjoyed looking up the plants she spoke about and took some good notes on care of a number of species.

[Kain · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved all the information, the gorgeous photos, and the conversational way these plants and their personalities were presented by Martin.

[Dorothy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remembered Tovah Martin from some of the gardening shows I used to watch on TV, back when there were actual gardening shows on TV, so I was interested to read her book on houseplants. She is also the author of a number of other gardening books, none of which, I admit, I had ever read.

The uninitiated tend to equate indoor plants with that dusty, forgotten philodendron standing in some dark corner of the house, but according to Martin, the choices for indoor plants are much more extensive than philodendrons, African violets, and orchids. She is an evangelist for adding plants of many different varieties to the indoor garden.

She writes of using spring bulbs, lush perennials, succulents, even flowering vines and trees indoors. The key to the survival of all these plants is, of course, light, water, feeding, grooming, and pruning, especially light and water, and Martin gives practical advice on how to provide what these indoor plants need. She gives tips on troubleshooting your plants, season by season, in order to keep them healthy.

Martin is a convincing proselytizer for the benefits of having an indoor garden. It's not just a matter of adding design flair to a home. Houseplants help to clean indoor air, which can be much more polluted than the outdoor air, and thus make the house healthier for its human occupants.

Martin's enthusiasm for her subject is obvious and she writes in a very knowledgeable and accessible manner which should be easily understandable by beginners as well as experienced indoor gardeners and decorators. Moreover, her text is illustrated by some beautiful photography by Kindra Clineff.

All in all, this is a comprehensive and useful guide for anyone who wants to add some beauty and warmth to their home with the use of houseplants. And it might even help you to keep those plants alive well into the new year!

(Helpful tip: Just don't overwater. That's always the cardinal sin that I and many other indoor gardeners seem to commit.)

Note: A copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher for the purposes of this review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

[Arlian · Rating 3 out of 5]

My review is for the "Overdrive Read" version of this book. For those who don't know, Overdrive is a company that has contracts with the libraries in the US for ebook, audiobook, and digital movie rentals. Normally, you choose whatever format you want to download your item in--that is, you can do MP3 or WMA, Kindle or Epub or PDF, etc etc. Overdrive has recently released a "read in your browser" function which I actually like very much and use a frequently. However, given that this feature is relatively new, there are still quite a few kinks to be worked out. With this particular book, no matter how you adjust the screen resolution, font size, or browser settings several lines of text run off the top of the page and become illegible at the beginning of each chapter. Also, the photos aren't labeled. While I'm sure this is not a problem in the paper version of the book, the page layout is rather clunky in the browser-based version meaning you aren't totally sure what you are looking at most of the time. If I find a description of a plant interesting I end up doing a Google image search instead of trying to rely on the photography in the book.

The book itself is a very entertaining read. Tovah Martin writes in a very conversational style that tells us a bit less about the history or botany of each plant, and more about her specific history with it, but you still end up learning quite a bit anyway.

[Jonna Gjevre · Rating 4 out of 5]

Martin’s book is here to help you, if and when you want to get your hands dirty. Martin does a great job pointing out the toxicity levels of various houseplants (always important when you have pets), as well as the diseases and blights that can plague them.

Here’s the important thing: Tovah Martin is not a gardening snob. She’s given up on prestige houseplants like clivia (I just wish I could get mine to bloom!), and she’s not too proud to grow African violets.

Martin’s lack of snobbery is rather encouraging. Sometimes I’ve felt that if I were really serious about plants, I would be sourcing exotic specimens from obscure online plant specialists and/or buying myself a vintage terrarium. But Martin’s book showcases quite a few beautiful plants that are sold at the local grocers. For example, Martin shares my fondness for Christmas cactus and jade plants. That's nice.

Extra bonus: this book has great photos and costars a beautiful Maine Coon.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

This books title says it all. It covers a large variety of plants that you may not have heard of or thought of growing indoors. It provides an intimate look at how plants can fit into a home along with anecdotal information about the author's experience with them.

It IS NOT an in depth guide to each individual plant. The book is over 300 pages as it is. If you see a plant you like you can always head over to Google to find more in depth info.

Also Tovah talks about her cat living with her plants and mentions which plants are particularly toxic as a heads up.

This is a book I keep coming back to. Really great.

[Steve H · Rating 3 out of 5]

Essentially a care guide for selected houseplants (though you could use it for selection), each plant gets a page or two of narrative about its virtues and drawbacks and usually some humorous quips or anecdotes about how you might wind up with such a plant. The book has useful information on the somewhat limited number of plants it contains (220 sounds like a lot until you want to know about the 5 it doesn't have that you have at home) and is light enough to make learning about those plants fun. If you want a serious book, you might not like this one since it often anthropomorphizes plants, but I like that in this book, and I think plants might just like it as well.