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The Complete Book of Ferns: Indoors • Outdoors • Growing • Crafting • History & Lore
The Complete Book of Ferns is filled with botanical information, indoor and outdoor growing and care information, details on propagation, display ideas, and even craft projects. This gorgeous book is authored by Mobee Weinstein, the Foreman of Gardeners at the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx and a veteran guest on the Martha Stewart Living TV show and other media outlets.
Houseplants in general are in ascendance, but no category is hotter than ferns. From the otherworldly Staghorns—mounted like antler trophies in homes throughout the world—to the classic Boston Ferns and newer varieties like Crispy Wave, ferns are definitely back in fashion. And to no one’s surprise. After all, ferns are among the very oldest plants on the planet, with a long and storied history. There are tens of thousands of known varieties of ferns. In the Victorian Era, ferns created an absolute craze for more than 50 years. They re-emerged as integral home décor accessories in the '50s and '60s, and who didn’t spend time in a "Fern Bar" back in the '80s? And they are back again.
This comprehensive reference starts its examination of ferns 400 million years ago, when the first species of this group of spore-reproducing plants appeared on Earth, exploring their evolution and eventual incorporation into human culture, including the powers associated with them and their practical and ornamental uses. Then, after an exploration of fern botany—its parts, how it grows, its variability in size and form, habitats, propagation, etc.—you'll learn how to green your indoor and outdoor environments with ferns. Every aspect of fern care is covered: potting/planting, watering, fertilizing, pest and disease control, and more.
With this knowledge absorbed, explore creative planting projects, like terrariums, vertical gardens (living walls), mixed tabletop gardens, and moss baskets. To make your survey of ferns complete, create pressed fern art, fabric wall hangings with chlorophyll-stained designs, cyanotypes, and hand-made fern-decorated paper.
In the end, you will understand why this ancient plant class continues to be all the rage.
Houseplants in general are in ascendance, but no category is hotter than ferns. From the otherworldly Staghorns—mounted like antler trophies in homes throughout the world—to the classic Boston Ferns and newer varieties like Crispy Wave, ferns are definitely back in fashion. And to no one’s surprise. After all, ferns are among the very oldest plants on the planet, with a long and storied history. There are tens of thousands of known varieties of ferns. In the Victorian Era, ferns created an absolute craze for more than 50 years. They re-emerged as integral home décor accessories in the '50s and '60s, and who didn’t spend time in a "Fern Bar" back in the '80s? And they are back again.
This comprehensive reference starts its examination of ferns 400 million years ago, when the first species of this group of spore-reproducing plants appeared on Earth, exploring their evolution and eventual incorporation into human culture, including the powers associated with them and their practical and ornamental uses. Then, after an exploration of fern botany—its parts, how it grows, its variability in size and form, habitats, propagation, etc.—you'll learn how to green your indoor and outdoor environments with ferns. Every aspect of fern care is covered: potting/planting, watering, fertilizing, pest and disease control, and more.
With this knowledge absorbed, explore creative planting projects, like terrariums, vertical gardens (living walls), mixed tabletop gardens, and moss baskets. To make your survey of ferns complete, create pressed fern art, fabric wall hangings with chlorophyll-stained designs, cyanotypes, and hand-made fern-decorated paper.
In the end, you will understand why this ancient plant class continues to be all the rage.
- GenresGardening
256 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
December 30, 2019
For whatever reason and for the life of me I cannot keep an indoor plant alive. I really like ferns. They are so green and lush and yet they struggle to survive for me. So, when I saw this book I immediately scooped it up in hopes that it can shed light for me on how to keep my last two ferns alive.
Thoughts:
You might think “It’s indoor, therefore it’s easy. It’s the outside ones that are difficult.” Nope – not for me, it’s actually the other way around. I’m good with outside plants. In fact, I have a good-sized vegetable gardening where this past year I grew purple sweet potatoes (Purple Molokai) and Jing Orange okra (yes – okra can be orange!) among other vegetables. But indoor plants of any kind tend to die with me. I haven’t really quite caught on to the watering frequency because each plant tends to dry out differently. The sun or indirect sun requirements confuses me too. But I really love ferns and the way they look so I am determined to figure them out so that they can live more than a few months.
The book is broken out into five main sections. These are not what they are called within the book, but terms I am just using to describe in general: History, Botany, Growing Indoors, Growing Outdoors, Crafting/Creativity
History: Includes evolution, Victorian fern craze, lore, uses, and lots of lush green pictures.
Botany: Includes plant parts and diversity based on climate. This section includes information on how ferns propagate as well as step-by-step instructions, with pictures, on how you can propagate them.
Growing Indoors: Includes information on light, temperature, potting mix (includes 3 soil recipes), watering, and humidity. Since I suspect my personal fern issue lies within the watering and humidity area, I paid specific attention to this part of the book. The book gave some ideas of how to increase humidity, which I immediately put into action. After reading this, I went out and bought some mini ferns and placed them in a type of holder with pebbles and water (so far, so good). This section also includes a trouble-shooting guide.
A good portion of this section includes quite a few pictures of indoor ferns with specific information on each fern.
Growing Outdoors: Similar to the Growing Indoor section, this one includes information on light, soil, water, temperature, seasonal care, and a trouble shooting portion. At the end is also a lot of beautiful pictures of outdoor ferns.
Crafting/Creativity: This section includes information on crafting projects, such as terrariums, vertical gardening, kokedama, moss baskets, fern mount, and more. A lot of step-by-step instructions in this sections with pictures to go with them. My next fern goal is to tackle a terrarium with ferns, so it was good to have instructions here.
Overall, a lovely, informational book on ferns that came at the perfect time for me. Pictures of the ferns are beautiful and are mostly set against a white background allowing us to clearly see the stunning green foliage. Warning, if you don’t like green then this book may not be for you.
Rating: 5 stars
Thanks to Netgalley and Quarto Publishing Press – Cool Spring Press for the advanced reader copy and opportunity to provide an honest review.
Thoughts:
You might think “It’s indoor, therefore it’s easy. It’s the outside ones that are difficult.” Nope – not for me, it’s actually the other way around. I’m good with outside plants. In fact, I have a good-sized vegetable gardening where this past year I grew purple sweet potatoes (Purple Molokai) and Jing Orange okra (yes – okra can be orange!) among other vegetables. But indoor plants of any kind tend to die with me. I haven’t really quite caught on to the watering frequency because each plant tends to dry out differently. The sun or indirect sun requirements confuses me too. But I really love ferns and the way they look so I am determined to figure them out so that they can live more than a few months.
The book is broken out into five main sections. These are not what they are called within the book, but terms I am just using to describe in general: History, Botany, Growing Indoors, Growing Outdoors, Crafting/Creativity
History: Includes evolution, Victorian fern craze, lore, uses, and lots of lush green pictures.
Botany: Includes plant parts and diversity based on climate. This section includes information on how ferns propagate as well as step-by-step instructions, with pictures, on how you can propagate them.
Growing Indoors: Includes information on light, temperature, potting mix (includes 3 soil recipes), watering, and humidity. Since I suspect my personal fern issue lies within the watering and humidity area, I paid specific attention to this part of the book. The book gave some ideas of how to increase humidity, which I immediately put into action. After reading this, I went out and bought some mini ferns and placed them in a type of holder with pebbles and water (so far, so good). This section also includes a trouble-shooting guide.
A good portion of this section includes quite a few pictures of indoor ferns with specific information on each fern.
Growing Outdoors: Similar to the Growing Indoor section, this one includes information on light, soil, water, temperature, seasonal care, and a trouble shooting portion. At the end is also a lot of beautiful pictures of outdoor ferns.
Crafting/Creativity: This section includes information on crafting projects, such as terrariums, vertical gardening, kokedama, moss baskets, fern mount, and more. A lot of step-by-step instructions in this sections with pictures to go with them. My next fern goal is to tackle a terrarium with ferns, so it was good to have instructions here.
Overall, a lovely, informational book on ferns that came at the perfect time for me. Pictures of the ferns are beautiful and are mostly set against a white background allowing us to clearly see the stunning green foliage. Warning, if you don’t like green then this book may not be for you.
Rating: 5 stars
Thanks to Netgalley and Quarto Publishing Press – Cool Spring Press for the advanced reader copy and opportunity to provide an honest review.
September 26, 2020
Ferns have always been tough for me. I consider myself pretty skilled in the garden. I have lots of thriving houseplants inside, lots of happy herbs, veggies, and perennials outside. But I will kill an indoor fern every. single. time. Hence my eagerness to read this book…
The Complete Book of Ferns really is the complete book. It is extremely thorough and reads more like a textbook in parts. The author covers the history of the plant (it’s been around for 400 million years, fyi), its evolution, how it exists now, how to take care of ferns (both indoors and out), and some crafts you can do with them. Many gorgeous pictures are included.
When I finished the book, I felt a new reverence for ferns. They really are fantastic plants, and it’s a shame I keep killing them. I also walked away with some troubleshooting tips, and I have a better idea of how to care for them—I think temperature and humidity have been my biggest issues inside… I probably won’t make any of the crafts. Who am I kidding? I definitely won’t make any of the crafts. But I learned so much from the rest of the book that I will happily keep this text on my shelf and reference it for years to come. If you’re looking for a very deep dive into this fascinating green survivor, this is the book for you.
The Complete Book of Ferns really is the complete book. It is extremely thorough and reads more like a textbook in parts. The author covers the history of the plant (it’s been around for 400 million years, fyi), its evolution, how it exists now, how to take care of ferns (both indoors and out), and some crafts you can do with them. Many gorgeous pictures are included.
When I finished the book, I felt a new reverence for ferns. They really are fantastic plants, and it’s a shame I keep killing them. I also walked away with some troubleshooting tips, and I have a better idea of how to care for them—I think temperature and humidity have been my biggest issues inside… I probably won’t make any of the crafts. Who am I kidding? I definitely won’t make any of the crafts. But I learned so much from the rest of the book that I will happily keep this text on my shelf and reference it for years to come. If you’re looking for a very deep dive into this fascinating green survivor, this is the book for you.
September 25, 2020
A recently published, filled with detail, beautifully illustrated book about ferns. Covers many of the commonly held and not so commonly kept ferns that are in greenhouses and homes. I was particularly interested in the entries on large ferns that are grown in greenhouses, since that is where I have all my ferns. General care, potting soils, plus designing with ferns is covered in addition to the many entries about each fern type. Highly recommended if you are serious about growing ferns in the house or greenhouse .
January 17, 2020
My appreciation of ferns came from my mum who is so fond of them and grew when we purchased a home with a garden filled with them. I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about their biology, history and variants.
The book gives botanical information in an easy-to-understand way on all the different kinds of beautiful ferns, several I’d like to add to my collection! It includes the interesting process of propagating ferns and a guide to fixing frequently encountered problems. In addition to the great educational content, there are several great projects to create art and display ideas which I look forward to trying out.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book from start to finish, it full of gorgeous photos, and if you love ferns this is one for you. It’s a five out of five enJOYment scale and highly recommended.
The book gives botanical information in an easy-to-understand way on all the different kinds of beautiful ferns, several I’d like to add to my collection! It includes the interesting process of propagating ferns and a guide to fixing frequently encountered problems. In addition to the great educational content, there are several great projects to create art and display ideas which I look forward to trying out.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book from start to finish, it full of gorgeous photos, and if you love ferns this is one for you. It’s a five out of five enJOYment scale and highly recommended.
December 26, 2019
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
The Complete Book of Ferns is a culture and tutorial guide for plants in the fern family by Mobee Weinstein. Due out 14th Jan 2020 from Quarto on their Cool Springs imprint, it's a comprehensive 256 pages and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats.
The first chapters introduce the botanic and biological diversity and history of ferns (some species have been around since over 100 million years -before- T. rex showed up). The author has a solid understanding of the botany and a deft ability to provide the scientific information in a digestible and understandable form for laypeople. The introduction and botany cover about 20% of the page content.
The rest of the book is given over to comprehensive chapters on growing ferns indoors, outdoors, and DIY projects utilizing ferns for decor and more. The different culture chapters include good information on growing and (more importantly) troubleshooting. The book also includes a cross referenced index. Throughout, the book is spectacularly illustrated and photographed. It's no exaggeration to say it would make a lovely coffee table book for flipping through to admire the beautiful photos.
Five stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
The Complete Book of Ferns is a culture and tutorial guide for plants in the fern family by Mobee Weinstein. Due out 14th Jan 2020 from Quarto on their Cool Springs imprint, it's a comprehensive 256 pages and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats.
The first chapters introduce the botanic and biological diversity and history of ferns (some species have been around since over 100 million years -before- T. rex showed up). The author has a solid understanding of the botany and a deft ability to provide the scientific information in a digestible and understandable form for laypeople. The introduction and botany cover about 20% of the page content.
The rest of the book is given over to comprehensive chapters on growing ferns indoors, outdoors, and DIY projects utilizing ferns for decor and more. The different culture chapters include good information on growing and (more importantly) troubleshooting. The book also includes a cross referenced index. Throughout, the book is spectacularly illustrated and photographed. It's no exaggeration to say it would make a lovely coffee table book for flipping through to admire the beautiful photos.
Five stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
May 2, 2020
As someone who knew very little about ferns, I could wait to start digging into this book when it arrived. From the start, the book goes into the history of ferns and how they have changed over time. I especially loved the discussion of how they were used during different eras. From there, it goes into textbook information about ferns, such as the different parts of them, how to propagate ferns, and proper care to make sure your ferns are healthy and happy. It also had information on how to make sure your environment is perfect for ferns, and fern soil mix recipes. Once all the essential information is dealt with (almost 100 pages), the book then becomes an encyclopedia of various types of ferns, helping you not just identify ferns around you, but also picking the fern that fits your own situation or decorating style. Overall, it seemed like a fantastic reference book for anyone who wants to learn more about ferns.
November 23, 2019
Wow. This is the closest thing to complete guidebook on ferns I could ever imagine making. There is lore, history, scientific explanations of what makes a fern, how to reproduce a fern and how to care for a fern. There is even some fun projects included such as kokedama making, as well as a huge listing of different ferns and their unique care. I love looking at ferns, even though my house is far too dry for anything other than an asparagus fern (which I have learned through this book is not actually a fern at all!). Very interesting, and I wish more complete guides to other plants I loved existed to the same level as this book. I will definitely try to work in some fern history like the Victorian craze for them into my future plant conversations.
January 16, 2020
The Complete book of Ferns is a superb book that you will go back to time and again for reference in your care of your ferns.
I really enjoyed reading this book as it covers so many aspects of ferns from their history to how to care for your plants both indoors and outside. There is a vast amount of information included and lots of fatastic photography.
I liked seeing the ideas near the end of the book for differnt ways to grow your ferns from Terraniums to Moss baskets.
Thanks to Netgalley and Quatro Publishing for the ARC Copy of the book. (My Review is my own opinion.)
I really enjoyed reading this book as it covers so many aspects of ferns from their history to how to care for your plants both indoors and outside. There is a vast amount of information included and lots of fatastic photography.
I liked seeing the ideas near the end of the book for differnt ways to grow your ferns from Terraniums to Moss baskets.
Thanks to Netgalley and Quatro Publishing for the ARC Copy of the book. (My Review is my own opinion.)
August 7, 2020
I received a copy of this book through the Amazon Vine program in exchange for an honest review.
This is a thorough book on ferns!
There's history on the fern and how it became the plant we know today along with information on different kinds of ferns, how to transplant or reproduce ferns, and how to select and keep a fern alive indoors.
The craft section of the books is mostly how to paint with ferns or artistically grow them, which was a surprise given how intensive the rest of the book is. Overall it's very well researched and informative!
This is a thorough book on ferns!
There's history on the fern and how it became the plant we know today along with information on different kinds of ferns, how to transplant or reproduce ferns, and how to select and keep a fern alive indoors.
The craft section of the books is mostly how to paint with ferns or artistically grow them, which was a surprise given how intensive the rest of the book is. Overall it's very well researched and informative!
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August 8, 2020Love this book about ferns because Mobee Weinstein helps us know them all and how to care for them the best way. She instructs us on the subtle differences between ferns that look alike. How many need lots of humidity and how to create that environment easily. Including fun projects, such as, the easy Terrarium project and Vertical Garden and Tabletop Garden are my favorites!! I want those planters!! All Mobee's accumulated knowledge from over 30 years of experience is packed into this great Fern resource. It is a must for your Houseplant Library!
November 15, 2019
I love having indoor plants and am always looking for ways to enhance their life span. I love all the tips between taking care of my ferns and even decorating tips. I thoroughly enjoyed the tips for how to solve overwatering the ferns. Anyone who loves to have indoor plants, please check out this book!
January 4, 2020
This is a fantastic resource on growing ferns. It is very comprehensive and informative. Some of the care tips are adaptable to most indoor houseplants and I feel is a must have resource. I received this book from NetGalley for an honest review.
December 27, 2019
Ferns glorious ferns! Everything you've ever wanted to know about ferns and everything you didn't know you wanted to know. Exhaustive, holy moly!
February 22, 2025
I love the detailed instructions for making different types of art with ferns! Looking forward to trying some.
March 15, 2020
3.5/3 Informative and very detailed. Way more text heavy than I had imagined but it was interesting. If someone does love ferns I could see this being a hit.
Thanks to the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews