Moss: From Forest to Garden: A Guide to the Hidden World of Moss

by Ulrica Nordström

Discover the secrets of moss Unassuming yet beautiful, moss has been used for centuries in gardens, medicine, and handicrafts around the world. It is most often associated with damp, shady spaces, but can be found in the most unexpected and far-flung places in the world, from deserts to Antarctica. Moss is Swedish writer and plant artist Ulrica Nordström’s celebration of this humble plant. Nordström introduces readers to the key varieties of moss and where they can be found, and tours some of the most beautiful moss gardens in Oregon, Sweden, and Japan, where moss-viewing has become a national phenomenon. She also teaches readers how to identify and gather different moss species, cultivate moss, tie Japanese moss balls ( kokedama ), and plant moss landscapes in pots and terrariums. With stunning photography and botanical illustrations, this unique book will be treasured by plant lovers of all kinds. Color photographs and illustrations throughout

Genres: Nature, Gardening, Nonfiction, Science, Plants

192 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2018

About the author

Ulrica Nordström är fristående skribent. De senaste åren har hon skrivit böckerna Växterrarier: en handbok (2016) och Mossa - i skog, trädgård och kruka (2018). Ulrica är utbildad journalist och har arbetat som reporter, kommunikatör och lärare. Som skribent tar hon gärna uppdrag med inriktning på natur, trädgård, djur och miljö.

Under namnet Siccus Stockholm utforskar Ulrica också naturens konstformer genom att skapa växtterrarier och objekt med hållbara och lättskötta växter som ger illusionen av ett landskap eller en bit natur.

Reviews

[Tilda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mul on üks väike hobi, nimelt käin aegajalt metsas samblaid katsumas (silmadega peamiselt). Sellest ka huvi raamatu vastu. Ilus raamat, täpsem sõna oleks vist „nunnu“. Tugev, kvaliteetsest paberist ja rohkete piltidega. Autor tutvustab ennast ja seejärel samblaid, mõni lõik sammalde ehitusest, sellest, kus ja kuidas nad kasvavad ning millega neid süüakse, vabandust, milleks saab sammalt kasutada. Edasi kirjeldab kümmet levinumat samblaliiki ja seejärel samblaaedu Jaapanist, Inglismaalt ja kusagilt veelt. Samblaaedade kirjelduste juurde on lisatud ka iga aia aedniku pilt koos lühikese eluloolise märkuse ja paari tsitaadiga. Edasi tuleb peatükk sambla kasutamisest käsitöös ja õpetused, kuidas samblaid kodustada, nt koduaeda kasvama panna või luua pisike samblaterraarium vm lauakaunistus. Kõike sellest äärmiselt põgusalt, isegi pinnapealselt. Justkui kõigest ja samas, mitte millestki. Autor ise ütleb, et „Raamatu eesmärk on juhatada lugeja sammalde juurde, jagada teadmisi neile, kes soovivad selle väljapaistva taimerühma kohta rohkem teada saada.“ Võib-olla tõesti, et huvi äratamiseks see sobib. Kui aga huvi on juba olemas, sa oled mõnda sammalt näinud ja äkki isegi katsunud, siis jääb see raamat liiga pealiskaudseks. Seejuures, mina nt väga head sambla raamatut ei teagi. Need määrajad, mida mina näinud olen, on olnud vanad ja nii keerulisi tabeleid täis, et minusugune hobi-samblasilitaja ei saa aru. 1998. aastal ilmunud Eesti sammalde määrajat (Nele Ingerpuu, Kai Vellak) ei ole näinud, nii et selle raamatu kohta ei oska öelda. Küll aga oskan ma öelda, millist samblaraamatut ma tahaks. Sellist, nagu TÜ kirjastus Eesti suursamblike kohta on teinud – põhjalikud, arusaadavad ja värviliste fotodega.

Kaks mõtet, mis mul raamatut lugedes tekkisid. Esiteks mulle jääb sügavalt arusaamatuks see sambla käsitööks kasutamine. Nt selgitatakse raamatus, kuidas valmistada samblast jalamatti või luuda kolde pühkimiseks. Samas märgitakse, et ei maksa loota, et need valmistatud esemed kaua vastu peavad, samblakäsitöö ongi selline, et teed mati valmis, pühid mõned korrad jalgu, matt puruneb, viskad ära. Valmistaja ütleb, et aga teha on ju tore. No ma ei tea, lähed kisud metsast kotitäis sammalt üles, sest lihtsalt … miks? Nagu – miks?? Taevas, osta endale (üks, korralik, pere peale terveks eluks) matt, eks ole ja jäta loodus rahule …

Teiseks, need imelised samblaaiad. Silmale on tõesti ilusad, võikski vaatama jääda. Aga need on üleni, pea viimse samblatutini tehislikud. Selles mõttes, et inimese poolt kavandatud ja kujundatud. Uhkemates aedades kastetakse sammalt kaks korda päevas. Sammaldelt pühitakse kõik neile varisev metsapraht, rohitakse välja iga tuule või linnukese poolt sinna poetatud seeme. Aias kasvavaid puid pügatakse vastavalt sellele, kuidas varju vaja on. Neid aedades pole ühtegi puunotti või kivi, mida iga päev pintsliga tolmust ei puhastata. Aga siis pole ju üldse päris? Siis on ju kuidagi hoopis teisiti … Ma jälle ei tea, aga ma siis eelistan ikka vist seda oma pruunikashalli koduvõsa …

Et siis, selline kiire ja kerge lugemine, ilusad pildid sees.

[Hilena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Smal men väldigt intressant och snygg bok.
Hade varit härligt med ännu fler snygga foton!

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very informative book about moss, different types, how to grow and different gardens and gardeners as well as some activities in the back. Really, I am here for the beautiful pictures of moss.

[Lloyd Downey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've long been curious about moss. Often easy to entirely overlook.....especially in dry Australia. But even here I have a dark green moss inhabiting the gutters on my roof-line. Most of the time it is a dried up muddy looking black lump ....as it is right now after a year of drought. But for the last two days it has been raining and I've just had a look at the moss. It's still black but plump and soaked with water and I know that within a few days it will turn that beautiful dark green that I like so much. I've also been impressed by the mosses that I've seen in the Australian rainforests...when you get up really close and can see the tiny ascocarps....and by the moss gardens in Japan. I was amused by a story I heard about some Australian students in Japan who were renting a house in Numazu with a small garden. They were unimpressed with the bare dirt (maybe with a bit of moss) so they planted lawn and proudly invited the owner to view the fruits of their handiwork. The owner was horrified! Different perspective.
This little book is quite a good guide to the world of the brophytyes....with some material on the liverworts and hornworts as well. Since studying biology many years ago i've had some appreciation of the great diversity of species that are small and not very obvious to our human senses. We all react to the likelihood of the extinction of the koala but who notices if a species of moss or a worm go extinct? As this book points out there are some 10,000 species of moss proper and some 9,000 species of liverworts and about 400 species of hornworts (or foliage mosses)...in the world. To put this in perspective there are less than 6000 species of mammals in the world.
Mosses can reproduce both sexually and asexually. The asexual reproduction is basically cloning.
Basically the book sets out to give a broad overview of mosses and has a good though rather brief introduction to the biology of mosses ...then a selection about mosses in gardens around the world....with some fascinating profiles of workers who specialise in mosses. Then about a third of the book is devoted to the practicalities of growing and cultivating mosses ...both in outdoor, garden, situations and as indoor, miniature projects. Having spent a good number of months ....probably now stretching into years ...in Japan....I was pleased to see a very healthy section devoted to the beautiful gardens using moss in japan. Of course, the environment is ideally suited to mosses and Japanese gardeners really seem to appreciate the different species. (Though when I looked for a moss-herbicide to get rid of the moss growing on the carport roof I found that they were not readily available.....the main technique seemed to be gouging out the moss with a stick. In fact, the moss was a great filter for any dust that gathered on the canopy and was washed down to be captured and utilised by the moss.
Maybe, I would have liked a bit more about the botany of mosses .....especially some simple key to classifying the main sorts but overall, an interesting and useful book. I give it 3 stars.

[Glitter Io · Rating 3 out of 5]

I admit, I mostly skimmed through the book. Especially the parts with recipes and gardens. I expected more about the sciencey part about mosses. It’s catered more towards gardeners and landscapers, as well as people who want to cultivate moss. It bugged me that the author suggested the use of herbicides and peat. I get that they work but the environmental impact is something that’s not talked about often. The photos included were gorgeous though!

Overall I got excited even more about moss but I’ll turn to more scientific literature.

[Christian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really brilliant book with a bit of something for everyone as it relates to moss, from how it grows, to how to grow it and everything in between. I particularly liked the large chapter on Japanese moss gardens, and am very keen to try and grow some moss myself now.
If you’re interested in moss, I highly recommend this book.

[Elisabeth Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed very much reading this beautiful, inspiring book. I learned to identity the moss from my beloved forest! I read about very beautifully described and pictures moss gardens, and I just realised that i can have my own, very simple moss garden, based on information from the book.
All in all, this book helped me in getting deeper into understanding the magical world of the moss.

[Amy Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

So Cute! But I wanted more mosses and fewer moss gardens to get the full 5 stars. It has now cost me a 30 quid donation to the British Bryological Society for their official field guide because I didn't get a big enough hit from this book. Good for them, bad for my pocket.

[Wigglygirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found this gem at the library and have ordered my own copy.
Wonderful pictures and illustrations of moss, with ideas on how to collect and create your own mossy habitats. Just looking at his book makes me feel peaceful.

[Dyan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have preferred more on the natural history of mosses and moss gardens, and less on the "how to grow moss" section. Perhaps it would have been better to make them two separate books? I guess the "market" for moss is small. Alas. I'll keep searching.

[Steve Callahan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5

[Jennybeast · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice pictures. Very similar to the other book I read, only without the explanation of how brophytes work, so... it's fine. Enjoy the pictures.

[Magda]

Got this as a freebie from work. Wanted to learn more about mosses, but not about how to grow them, so the book wasn't for me at all. Lots of practical info for any aspiring moss gardeners, though.

[Kara · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice relaxing book about moss. Nice pictures, some good info and a few projects

[Jbondandrews · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful book. I enjoyed learning about new things. The pictures are great too.

[Gabby Rockhill · Rating 2 out of 5]

Coffee Table Book ™️

[Liz Stradtman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful book! Definitely geared for the moss-obsessed over the casual reader but it is a good example of what it is!

[Bupivacaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a quick read and had some useful ideas. The book is a bit more focused on gardening with mosses than the scientific information about them. Most of the examples were about gardens in Japan and some in the UK, which wasn’t very practical for someone like me who lives in a more dry, southern part of Europe. I also felt like the author was a bit too comfortable using peat, which is harvested from peatlands that regenerate very slowly and by doing so release a lot of CO2.