What do you think?
Rate this book
Herbal Houseplants: Grow beautiful herbs - indoors! For flavor, fragrance, and fun
Hey, houseplant Are you ready to up your growing game? Whether your green thumb is weathered and worn or shiny and new, get ready to branch out and step into the world of growing your own herbs—indoors! There’s no better place to start this adventure than with Herbal Houseplant s.
Inside the beautifully illustrated pages, author and expert herbalist Susan Betz lets you in on a little Herbs make great houseplants . And, you don’t need fancy grow lights, expensive potting soil, or high-end equipment to grow them. All you need is a sunny windowsill and the right plant. Learn which herbs perform best as houseplants , how to care for them, and even how to harvest and use your homegrown herbs for culinary creations, household cleaning products, herbal teas, handmade crafts, and more .
In Herbal Houseplants you’ll From parsley and thyme to sage and lemongrass—and many herbs in between— tending and enjoying herbal houseplants pays big rewards for little effort.
Inside the beautifully illustrated pages, author and expert herbalist Susan Betz lets you in on a little Herbs make great houseplants . And, you don’t need fancy grow lights, expensive potting soil, or high-end equipment to grow them. All you need is a sunny windowsill and the right plant. Learn which herbs perform best as houseplants , how to care for them, and even how to harvest and use your homegrown herbs for culinary creations, household cleaning products, herbal teas, handmade crafts, and more .
In Herbal Houseplants you’ll From parsley and thyme to sage and lemongrass—and many herbs in between— tending and enjoying herbal houseplants pays big rewards for little effort.
176 pages, Hardcover
Published April 27, 2021
15 people are currently reading
79 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
February 23, 2024
Holding out hope that spring will come eventually. 🌱
May 20, 2021
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Since 2020 kept us sequestered in our homes, I expanded on my already love of plants and nature and started to grow a lot of my own herbs. 🌱 I found this book to be as visually pleasing as it was informative. The author's "voice" comes across pleasantly and the "homey" photos add a nice touch. There is so much interesting information packed into the pages of this book (planting, harvesting, preserving) your herbs. There is even a bunch of yummy sounding recipes to try! This would truly make a wonderful gift or coffee-table book!
**ARC Via NetGalley**
Since 2020 kept us sequestered in our homes, I expanded on my already love of plants and nature and started to grow a lot of my own herbs. 🌱 I found this book to be as visually pleasing as it was informative. The author's "voice" comes across pleasantly and the "homey" photos add a nice touch. There is so much interesting information packed into the pages of this book (planting, harvesting, preserving) your herbs. There is even a bunch of yummy sounding recipes to try! This would truly make a wonderful gift or coffee-table book!
**ARC Via NetGalley**
September 19, 2021
I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.
Herbal Houseplants is a very detailed book about not only growing herbs indoors but also about caring for seeds/storing them, harvesting, watering, what each herb can be used for, using herbs in cooking and much more.
Each page is jam packed with information and would be a perfect gift for anyone who is green fingered or looking to start growing herbal plants within the home.
Definitely worth a read however it is a dense book so you do need time to read it rather than just flicking through.
Herbal Houseplants is a very detailed book about not only growing herbs indoors but also about caring for seeds/storing them, harvesting, watering, what each herb can be used for, using herbs in cooking and much more.
Each page is jam packed with information and would be a perfect gift for anyone who is green fingered or looking to start growing herbal plants within the home.
Definitely worth a read however it is a dense book so you do need time to read it rather than just flicking through.
March 10, 2021
I really enjoyed this herbal houseplant book and found it to be helpful and inspiring. I now want to try far more herbs inside as houseplants, at least during the cold season. I already grow some of the plants profiled but she includes a huge range of options, from stevia to scented geraniums to cilantro to herbal topiaries. Each one has detailed information, stock photos, growing information, harvest information and how to propagate it. There were a lot of entries that gave me the info I needed to be successful now where I didn't have the right info before. For instance, I've tried taking cuttings of my friend's giant indoor stevia plant but they always died. Now I know you need to propagate it by root cuttings (not stem) or seed. And plants like cilantro are annuals so you need to keep reseeding even as houseplants, whereas some other herbs will live indoors for years. Highly recommended.
I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.
I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.
March 7, 2021
A very useful book on how to grow herbs and their use in cooking.
Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing group for my copy in exchange for an honest review
Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing group for my copy in exchange for an honest review
March 9, 2021
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book was around 3.5 stars for me.
This book is more dense than I expected. I'm glad to have all the information, but this isn't the kind of book you can casually flip through and glean the key points.
There's information on growing different kinds of herbs indoors. There's step by step information on planting, harvesting, saving seeds, etc. The book talks about what different herbs are used for and dives into more than just cooking.
It's a nice book for new gardeners or people looking to start container gardens indoors.
This book was around 3.5 stars for me.
This book is more dense than I expected. I'm glad to have all the information, but this isn't the kind of book you can casually flip through and glean the key points.
There's information on growing different kinds of herbs indoors. There's step by step information on planting, harvesting, saving seeds, etc. The book talks about what different herbs are used for and dives into more than just cooking.
It's a nice book for new gardeners or people looking to start container gardens indoors.
June 6, 2021
This is a lovely, well put together book on growing herbs in the home. It's filled with gorgeous photographs, and all steps are clearly illustrated. The book not only covers all you need to know about planting and caring for your herbal houseplants, it also includes many uses for them as well, and has tips for preserving your harvest. If you are looking to add to your houseplant collection, or don't have suitable outdoor conditions to grow herbs, this is the book for you!
#HerbalHouseplants #NetGalley
#HerbalHouseplants #NetGalley
April 5, 2021
I've tried growing herbs indoors with various degrees of success, mostly on the "unsuccessful" end of the spectrum, so I appreciated this book's look at the specific indoor growing conditions and common problems of a variety of herbs. Informative and inspiring.
May 11, 2021
I love plants. I have as many plants as reasonably allowable in my house without, you know, preventing people from moving about and, well, being able to put a book or a plate on a side table or whatnot. Herbal Houseplants has so many beautiful pictures and creative ideas that, well, putting books or plates down is highly overrated in one's own home. Right?
Herbal Houseplants provides basic indoor plant basics, a primer on herbal plants from the typical to the exotic, lighting requirements and ideas, potting soil preparations, watering recommendations, and so much more. I mentioned the pictures, right? Because they were gorgeous. And, if you weren't already sold on that, the author provides fun recipes for your very own indoor herb houseplant bounty. Seriously, there are some good ones in there.
I absolutely recommend this for fellow lovers of plants that can also help make your house smell delicious AND up your culinary game!
*ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
Herbal Houseplants provides basic indoor plant basics, a primer on herbal plants from the typical to the exotic, lighting requirements and ideas, potting soil preparations, watering recommendations, and so much more. I mentioned the pictures, right? Because they were gorgeous. And, if you weren't already sold on that, the author provides fun recipes for your very own indoor herb houseplant bounty. Seriously, there are some good ones in there.
I absolutely recommend this for fellow lovers of plants that can also help make your house smell delicious AND up your culinary game!
*ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
June 3, 2021
I recently read 'My Houseplant Changed My Life'. While I'm not new to houseplants, I had nearly given up on them. The book gave me new inspiration & led me to add more houseplants to my home. I anticipated something along the same vein with this book on growing herbal houseplants. Growing herbs indoors is not even remotely new to me. In my years of experience, I have found that it's just not worth the effort. They require too much light to truly thrive. They also seem to suffer more bug issues than their outdoor counterparts. I had hoped that this book would have fresh tips & advice on how to keep herbs happy indoors. To be fair, the author provides recommendations to what type of growing condition an herb will like & even some of the health problems the indoor herb plant may encounter. The problem is that none of this was the least bit inspiring. Plus, many need constant fertilizing to stay healthy. When grown outdoors in quality soil, this is not needed. A fresh layer of compost once a year more than does the trick.
I finished reading this book with the conclusion that I will not be attempting to grow herbs indoors come winter. I am a full time eco farmer who lives in a tiny historic late 1700's log cabin. Light along with space are at a premium. I bring my houseplants inside when the weather cools & keep them going with a lot of plant lights & cram them in the best windows for light that I have. They survive, but boy do they take off & thrive when they get put back outdoors. Also, they don't have to deal with my stupid cats once they are outside.
One of the plants I tried growing indoors once is the patchouli plant. It is a rather dull looking plant, but it smells amazing. Never having had a patchouli plant before, I over watered it & it died. I have been searching for a replacement ever since. I was pretty excited when I saw this book mentioned the patchouli. The thing is, the section was wholly uninspiring & I didn't find it particularly useful.
There is also a section on catnip. I've been growing catnip for nearly two decades. I cannot imagine ever wanting to grow it in the house. But that's me. The thing is, the section on catnip was a topic I am very interested in. Like the patchouli, I found the information lacking.
What about photos? They are kind of artsy fartsy rather than realistic for home setups. Many photos are too small to get a good look at the herb & a lot are taken at a distance. A lot are also done as topiaries. Generally I simply found it uninspiring. Too much open space, too much white, not enough green, not enough color.
My favorite part of the book is part two of chapter six. This has a really handy list of herbs that go good with various types of foods. For example, Egg Dishes: Basil, chervil, chives, marjoram, savory, tarragon, thyme. I cook all my families meals from scratch utilizing a great amount of the ingredients from my farm. This means eating is also seasonal. Being able to see at a glance what herbs I currently have in abundance that go good for soups, salads, and eggs is very helpful.
There are recipes throughout the book, but I have herbal books that provide a lot more useful recipes than this. The book also provides little quotes & history on the herbs. Some of this was mildly interesting, but knowing how wrong they were about health in the 1600's, it's hard to really care about the opinion of some numbnut back then who was more likely to kill a patient than save them. To be fair, there are quotes more recent than the 1600's that are more relevant to today's knowledge.
Thankfully the author admits how short lived most of these herbs are. Many grow, then go to seed & die. Some of the more woody types like sage live much longer. I have sage bushes growing outdoors that are on their fourth year. Rosemary can keep going too, but must have a lot of light. If your winter temps are warm enough, it will survive the winter, in my region, the dead of winter is the death of my rosemary. If you don't mind putting a lot of effort into caring for short lived herbs indoors, then good for you. For me, I work much too hard at a very physical job (eco farmer remember?). I would much rather pop outside & walk up to where the herbs are growing to harvest them for my meal. If I had a large lovely home filled with windows, maybe I would feel otherwise.
If you are lucky enough to have a big sun room or something similar, then by all means, grow herbal houseplants. I think you'll have a lot of success. If you don't have a lot of natural light, you'll find you have to keep your herbal houseplants where you have plant lights. Really think about that a moment. It wont look like the photos in this book. You wont accomplish the look. Not even close. However, if you pick one or two herbs that work for you, you might be able to get away with it.
Does this mean I don't recommend this book? Not necessarily. It does have it's merits & it will appeal to a certain personality type. If you can, see if your local library carries this. See what you think. If you like it, then you know it's worthy of space on your shelf, if not, well then you just saved shelf space & money.
I finished reading this book with the conclusion that I will not be attempting to grow herbs indoors come winter. I am a full time eco farmer who lives in a tiny historic late 1700's log cabin. Light along with space are at a premium. I bring my houseplants inside when the weather cools & keep them going with a lot of plant lights & cram them in the best windows for light that I have. They survive, but boy do they take off & thrive when they get put back outdoors. Also, they don't have to deal with my stupid cats once they are outside.
One of the plants I tried growing indoors once is the patchouli plant. It is a rather dull looking plant, but it smells amazing. Never having had a patchouli plant before, I over watered it & it died. I have been searching for a replacement ever since. I was pretty excited when I saw this book mentioned the patchouli. The thing is, the section was wholly uninspiring & I didn't find it particularly useful.
There is also a section on catnip. I've been growing catnip for nearly two decades. I cannot imagine ever wanting to grow it in the house. But that's me. The thing is, the section on catnip was a topic I am very interested in. Like the patchouli, I found the information lacking.
What about photos? They are kind of artsy fartsy rather than realistic for home setups. Many photos are too small to get a good look at the herb & a lot are taken at a distance. A lot are also done as topiaries. Generally I simply found it uninspiring. Too much open space, too much white, not enough green, not enough color.
My favorite part of the book is part two of chapter six. This has a really handy list of herbs that go good with various types of foods. For example, Egg Dishes: Basil, chervil, chives, marjoram, savory, tarragon, thyme. I cook all my families meals from scratch utilizing a great amount of the ingredients from my farm. This means eating is also seasonal. Being able to see at a glance what herbs I currently have in abundance that go good for soups, salads, and eggs is very helpful.
There are recipes throughout the book, but I have herbal books that provide a lot more useful recipes than this. The book also provides little quotes & history on the herbs. Some of this was mildly interesting, but knowing how wrong they were about health in the 1600's, it's hard to really care about the opinion of some numbnut back then who was more likely to kill a patient than save them. To be fair, there are quotes more recent than the 1600's that are more relevant to today's knowledge.
Thankfully the author admits how short lived most of these herbs are. Many grow, then go to seed & die. Some of the more woody types like sage live much longer. I have sage bushes growing outdoors that are on their fourth year. Rosemary can keep going too, but must have a lot of light. If your winter temps are warm enough, it will survive the winter, in my region, the dead of winter is the death of my rosemary. If you don't mind putting a lot of effort into caring for short lived herbs indoors, then good for you. For me, I work much too hard at a very physical job (eco farmer remember?). I would much rather pop outside & walk up to where the herbs are growing to harvest them for my meal. If I had a large lovely home filled with windows, maybe I would feel otherwise.
If you are lucky enough to have a big sun room or something similar, then by all means, grow herbal houseplants. I think you'll have a lot of success. If you don't have a lot of natural light, you'll find you have to keep your herbal houseplants where you have plant lights. Really think about that a moment. It wont look like the photos in this book. You wont accomplish the look. Not even close. However, if you pick one or two herbs that work for you, you might be able to get away with it.
Does this mean I don't recommend this book? Not necessarily. It does have it's merits & it will appeal to a certain personality type. If you can, see if your local library carries this. See what you think. If you like it, then you know it's worthy of space on your shelf, if not, well then you just saved shelf space & money.
March 21, 2021
Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
Herbal Houseplants is a tutorial and culture guide for herbal plants to grow (for use) indoors written by Susan Betz. Due out 13th April 2021 from Quarto on their Cool Springs Press imprint, it's 176 pages and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats.
The first thing that struck me about this book is how positive and upbeat and encouraging the author's voice is. It's a really happy book full of healthy vibrant useful plants. I love herbs and always have pots of herbs in my kitchen windows and greenhouse to bring inside to use during the winter... but this book goes a lot further with decorating and culture ideas for plants, some quite exotic.
The layout is easy to read and follow as well as graphically appealing. It's well illustrated with lots of relevant color photos. The author covers choosing plants to fit decor needs as well as the culture needs of the plants themselves. There are good illustrations of each of the concepts she introduces (what _is_ indirect light, how can plants be situated to make the most of light without getting burned by having too much of it, what's humidity, how much is enough, when and how much to water, propagation, etc). There are some simple tables included to help readers with culture and troubleshooting.
The author has included a good overview of tools and supplies also: choosing pots, drainage, materials, soils (one of the best treatments I've seen in a home/hobby book), potting tutorials, watering, pruning, fertilizing, cleaning, propagation, and solving problems. The second half of the book contains a good herbal with a surprisingly broad choice of plants including eucalyptus, tea tree, patchouli, and lots more. They're arranged roughly thematically: culinary herbs, herbs for fun and fragrance, scented geraniums, and "temporary" indoor guests such as topiaries.
The final chapter includes some recipes for harvesting and use. The book also includes a useful list of resources and suppliers as well as a cross referenced index.
Well written and nicely photographed. Five stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Herbal Houseplants is a tutorial and culture guide for herbal plants to grow (for use) indoors written by Susan Betz. Due out 13th April 2021 from Quarto on their Cool Springs Press imprint, it's 176 pages and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats.
The first thing that struck me about this book is how positive and upbeat and encouraging the author's voice is. It's a really happy book full of healthy vibrant useful plants. I love herbs and always have pots of herbs in my kitchen windows and greenhouse to bring inside to use during the winter... but this book goes a lot further with decorating and culture ideas for plants, some quite exotic.
The layout is easy to read and follow as well as graphically appealing. It's well illustrated with lots of relevant color photos. The author covers choosing plants to fit decor needs as well as the culture needs of the plants themselves. There are good illustrations of each of the concepts she introduces (what _is_ indirect light, how can plants be situated to make the most of light without getting burned by having too much of it, what's humidity, how much is enough, when and how much to water, propagation, etc). There are some simple tables included to help readers with culture and troubleshooting.
The author has included a good overview of tools and supplies also: choosing pots, drainage, materials, soils (one of the best treatments I've seen in a home/hobby book), potting tutorials, watering, pruning, fertilizing, cleaning, propagation, and solving problems. The second half of the book contains a good herbal with a surprisingly broad choice of plants including eucalyptus, tea tree, patchouli, and lots more. They're arranged roughly thematically: culinary herbs, herbs for fun and fragrance, scented geraniums, and "temporary" indoor guests such as topiaries.
The final chapter includes some recipes for harvesting and use. The book also includes a useful list of resources and suppliers as well as a cross referenced index.
Well written and nicely photographed. Five stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
March 28, 2021
Such a glorious book, just in time for spring inspiration! The author packs spades of useful information into this book along with bright and airy photographs (those dogs!) and illustrations. She defines herbs and includes the history and background. For example, the Romans believed eating mint would increase intelligence. She includes a "recipe" for a balanced indoor soil mix, information on repotting and when, container choices (my favourite is definitely clay), pruning, troubleshooting, propagation, pests, fungicides, preserving, growing conditions and so on.
Though I am a master gardener on two very different continents (bitterly cold Canada and hot Mediterranean) there is always much to learn and aspire to. Many of my favourite herbs are included in this book and I am itching to plow ahead! One of my favourite aspects of this book is the floral meanings of the herbs. Who wouldn't want to plant cilantro which says, "your closeness is welcome", patchouli which means "passion" or sage "I will suffer all for you"?!
Beautiful as that is, herbs are also loaded with practical uses and the author highlights them (culinary, household, mental health, fragrance...) and includes recipes which sound sublime such as mint bubble bath, lavender and rosemary laundry rinse, pesto cheesecake, scented geranium salad dressing and massage oil. Such wondrous and creative ideas! I really look forward to trying them. One of my favourite simple things to do is to infuse honey with various dried herbs such as sage, rosemary and lavender.
Most herbs included are those which are beloved and familiar such as chives, rosemary, thyme, basil and lavender but also mentioned are the more obscure cardamom, sea onion (I need to try that one!) and spicy citrus plectranthus. Also discussed are topiaries, hanging herbs to dry and freezing methods. There is even a helpful section on what herb goes best with foods such as lamb, pork, fish and spinach.
So. If you are looking for inspiration and easy-to-follow tips and instructions on growing indoor herbs, do read this lovely, lovely book and put it to good use. I already plan to buy the hard copy for myself, mom and both sisters.
My sincere thank you to Quarto Publishing Group - Cool Springs Press and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this wonderful early e-ARC.
Though I am a master gardener on two very different continents (bitterly cold Canada and hot Mediterranean) there is always much to learn and aspire to. Many of my favourite herbs are included in this book and I am itching to plow ahead! One of my favourite aspects of this book is the floral meanings of the herbs. Who wouldn't want to plant cilantro which says, "your closeness is welcome", patchouli which means "passion" or sage "I will suffer all for you"?!
Beautiful as that is, herbs are also loaded with practical uses and the author highlights them (culinary, household, mental health, fragrance...) and includes recipes which sound sublime such as mint bubble bath, lavender and rosemary laundry rinse, pesto cheesecake, scented geranium salad dressing and massage oil. Such wondrous and creative ideas! I really look forward to trying them. One of my favourite simple things to do is to infuse honey with various dried herbs such as sage, rosemary and lavender.
Most herbs included are those which are beloved and familiar such as chives, rosemary, thyme, basil and lavender but also mentioned are the more obscure cardamom, sea onion (I need to try that one!) and spicy citrus plectranthus. Also discussed are topiaries, hanging herbs to dry and freezing methods. There is even a helpful section on what herb goes best with foods such as lamb, pork, fish and spinach.
So. If you are looking for inspiration and easy-to-follow tips and instructions on growing indoor herbs, do read this lovely, lovely book and put it to good use. I already plan to buy the hard copy for myself, mom and both sisters.
My sincere thank you to Quarto Publishing Group - Cool Springs Press and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this wonderful early e-ARC.
April 14, 2021
Synopsis:
From soil to herbs to plant, caring for them to harvesting them, and even a few recipes, this book is a useful guide for anyone who is looking to add some greenery to their home.
Review:
I love that there is so much information here. I am going to have to try the pesto cheesecake. It sounds different and I am curious how well I will enjoy it.
If you are interested in starting to grow your own herbs this would be a great guide for whose in an apartment or looking to grow them indoors. I have been interested in gardening since I was small. I am not the best of gardeners and would love to finally stay in one spot long enough to see the fruits of my labor. This book is good for me because I can still grow some of my own groceries without the full garden while getting some nice plants around my home.
I’d recommend this book to anyone interested in growing your own herbs and learning how to care for them. If gardening is your jam than this would be one to add to your list. For those with more experience than I have in this, I would love to hear your thoughts on how useful you find this book. Are there any things you would add to this guide? I would love to know.
This book was given in exchange for an honest review via NetGalley.
From soil to herbs to plant, caring for them to harvesting them, and even a few recipes, this book is a useful guide for anyone who is looking to add some greenery to their home.
Review:
I love that there is so much information here. I am going to have to try the pesto cheesecake. It sounds different and I am curious how well I will enjoy it.
If you are interested in starting to grow your own herbs this would be a great guide for whose in an apartment or looking to grow them indoors. I have been interested in gardening since I was small. I am not the best of gardeners and would love to finally stay in one spot long enough to see the fruits of my labor. This book is good for me because I can still grow some of my own groceries without the full garden while getting some nice plants around my home.
I’d recommend this book to anyone interested in growing your own herbs and learning how to care for them. If gardening is your jam than this would be one to add to your list. For those with more experience than I have in this, I would love to hear your thoughts on how useful you find this book. Are there any things you would add to this guide? I would love to know.
This book was given in exchange for an honest review via NetGalley.
April 10, 2021
Susan Betz’s Herbal Houseplants successfully slices off a gorgeous, fragrant, inspirational piece of herbal garden heaven for inside our homes. The author covers everything a reader would want to know about growing herbs in the home, from soil and pot selection to sun and water needs, fertilizing, dealing with bugs, propagating and preserving your herbs. Ms. Betz provides all the information in detail, but without it being overwhelming, and the text is very balanced with contemporary, beautiful color pictures starting from the cover and throughout the whole book. I loved how she referred to herbs as “companions” to humans, and talked about how herbs like “company,” so be sure to put two or three together. She is a true plant person, which is backed up by her bio! The book also includes how to preserve herbs by drying or freezing, and many recipes for foods, creams and oils, which are very accessible to a typical reader. A great read that would also make a nice gift. Thanks to #NetGalley for the free book to review. #HerbalHouseplants
www.instagram.com/littlefreelibrary11...
www.instagram.com/littlefreelibrary11...
April 28, 2021
Herbal Houseplants by Susan Betz is a commonsense book on keeping herbal plants inside of your home. I found the reading easy to follow, with tips I knew and some new ones too. The photographs included close ups so that the leaves of the plants would be easy to distinguish when looking to buy. One plant entry, lavender, which has given me trouble growing outside gave plain speaking tips to follow. Perhaps inside my home will be the key to my growing this plant. Another helpful chapter is on harvesting and preserving the herbs. Perhaps I could have found this on the internet but it was great to have it all together in this book. Then there are recipes to try too.
I especially found the quotes from various written works to be a delight to read. They were not necessary to learning about the growing of herbal houseplants but make the reading more entertaining. All in all an informational enjoyable read.
The publisher through Net Galley provided a digital ARC. I have voluntarily decided to read and review, giving my personal opinions and thoughts.
I especially found the quotes from various written works to be a delight to read. They were not necessary to learning about the growing of herbal houseplants but make the reading more entertaining. All in all an informational enjoyable read.
The publisher through Net Galley provided a digital ARC. I have voluntarily decided to read and review, giving my personal opinions and thoughts.
May 28, 2021
"Herbal Houseplants" provides some tips about growing herbs indoors in containers. The author started by briefly describing how to take care of herbs in general (how much light, temperature, humidity, watering, fertilizing, pruning, dealing with pests, and how to propagate them). She then provided herbal profiles for various herbs that do well indoors. The profiles included the common name, Latin name, a quote about that herb, a description of the herb and how it is used, good varieties for indoor growing, what it means in floral language, what growing conditions are needed, the best way to propagate it, what plant parts are used, how to harvest and store it, and what pests might be a problem. She talked about herbs for use in the kitchen, for fragrance and beauty, and a bunch of varieties of geraniums. She also talked about preserving and storing your herbs. Overall, I recommend this as a guide to what herbs grow well indoors.
I received a review copy of this book from the publisher through Amazon Vine.
I received a review copy of this book from the publisher through Amazon Vine.
April 11, 2021
Herbal Houseplants: Grow beautiful herbs - indoors! For flavor, fragrance, and fun by Susan Betz
Publisher: Quarto Publishing Group – Cool Springs Press
Genre: Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden
Release Date: April 27, 2021
Herbal Houseplants by Susan Betz is a great resource for growing herbs at home.
The photos are beautiful and the information is great! The chapters are broken down into the follow: 1. An Herbal Primer; 2. Herbs for the Kitchen and Beyond; 3. Herbs for Fun and Fragrance; 4. Scented-Leaf Geraniums; 5. Temporary House Guests and Herbal Topiaries; 6. Preserving Your Herbal Harvest. There are also addition resources at the end.
I'm so grateful to Susan Betz, Quarto Publishing Group – Cool Springs Press, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this ARC ebook in exchange for my honest review.
Publisher: Quarto Publishing Group – Cool Springs Press
Genre: Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden
Release Date: April 27, 2021
Herbal Houseplants by Susan Betz is a great resource for growing herbs at home.
The photos are beautiful and the information is great! The chapters are broken down into the follow: 1. An Herbal Primer; 2. Herbs for the Kitchen and Beyond; 3. Herbs for Fun and Fragrance; 4. Scented-Leaf Geraniums; 5. Temporary House Guests and Herbal Topiaries; 6. Preserving Your Herbal Harvest. There are also addition resources at the end.
I'm so grateful to Susan Betz, Quarto Publishing Group – Cool Springs Press, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this ARC ebook in exchange for my honest review.
April 14, 2021
This would make a really lovely coffee table reference book. It provides an in-depth overview of caring for, housing, and using herbs.
I appreciated the explanation of how pots will affect the herbs, I've always loved plain terracotta pots, but I won't be surprised to find myself gravitating to terracotta exclusively after the foresight provided in Herbal Houseplants. The repotting and seasonal herb placement information was especially helpful, these are things you gain a basic understanding of as a casual gardener and it was nice to see I had some things right, and where I could improve.
In addition, Herbal Houseplants has great insight on using the herbs yielded. I wasn't aware herbs could be manipulated into topiary, now I'm itching to try! I would recommend this to anyone particularly interested in herb growth.
This book was offered to me through NetGalley, the resulting review is my own.
I appreciated the explanation of how pots will affect the herbs, I've always loved plain terracotta pots, but I won't be surprised to find myself gravitating to terracotta exclusively after the foresight provided in Herbal Houseplants. The repotting and seasonal herb placement information was especially helpful, these are things you gain a basic understanding of as a casual gardener and it was nice to see I had some things right, and where I could improve.
In addition, Herbal Houseplants has great insight on using the herbs yielded. I wasn't aware herbs could be manipulated into topiary, now I'm itching to try! I would recommend this to anyone particularly interested in herb growth.
This book was offered to me through NetGalley, the resulting review is my own.
August 2, 2021
This is a lovely book, even artsy. It offers quite a bit of information and advice though it may be beyond the scope of the novice gardener.
I did try some indoor herbs before I was “gifted” this in exchange for a review. The good thing is I see what I did wrong. I don’t have the right climate, space, sun exposure and desire to make my previous selections worthwhile. I guess this is a good thing though as I now know some limitations I’m working with. I may take a shot at some of the other herbs to entertain myself and have some greenery indoors this winter.
There are also some recipes that look interesting. Overall, I enjoyed leafing through this but may caution the beginner to glow slow and not invest a lot in materials until you see how it goes for a bit.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Cool Springs Press for a copy in exchange for a review.
I did try some indoor herbs before I was “gifted” this in exchange for a review. The good thing is I see what I did wrong. I don’t have the right climate, space, sun exposure and desire to make my previous selections worthwhile. I guess this is a good thing though as I now know some limitations I’m working with. I may take a shot at some of the other herbs to entertain myself and have some greenery indoors this winter.
There are also some recipes that look interesting. Overall, I enjoyed leafing through this but may caution the beginner to glow slow and not invest a lot in materials until you see how it goes for a bit.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Cool Springs Press for a copy in exchange for a review.
March 6, 2021
Don't be fooled by the cover - this book looks like it will have lovely pictures, and be easy read to pick up info. Don't get me wrong it has some beautiful photos - but the book is incredibly dense. The introduction seemed to go on forever.
When the book finally got into individual plants and herbs, going into detail about each of them individually and more focussed - that is when I got interested and found the book much better as a reader. Again, there is lots of information to take in - but at least it had more of a structure, and would be easy to look up as and when you need.
Overall its beautiful to look at, but a lot of the text went over my head. Too dense and not for beginners!
When the book finally got into individual plants and herbs, going into detail about each of them individually and more focussed - that is when I got interested and found the book much better as a reader. Again, there is lots of information to take in - but at least it had more of a structure, and would be easy to look up as and when you need.
Overall its beautiful to look at, but a lot of the text went over my head. Too dense and not for beginners!
March 14, 2021
"My purpose in writing about the herbs I love is to promote the peace and tranquillity found in growing and loving them."
Wow, this is a beautiful guide to growing herbs indoors. I could feel Susan Betz's knowledge and passion for the subject throughout, and I found it inspiring!
There is SO much covered in this relatively small guide: detailed information on different herbs, herb health, and some very charming recipes (food, cosmetics, and decorative)!
As someone with a keen interest in plants and nature, this is my dream guide for all things herb!
[I received a copy of this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review]
Wow, this is a beautiful guide to growing herbs indoors. I could feel Susan Betz's knowledge and passion for the subject throughout, and I found it inspiring!
There is SO much covered in this relatively small guide: detailed information on different herbs, herb health, and some very charming recipes (food, cosmetics, and decorative)!
As someone with a keen interest in plants and nature, this is my dream guide for all things herb!
[I received a copy of this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review]
April 13, 2021
Herbal Houseplants; Grow beautiful herbs - indoors! For flavor, fragrance, and fun by Susan Betz has lots of lovely photos, and information on what kind of herbs you want to grow for certain things!
It has recipes for using the herbs that you can grow such as salad dressing and tea, making herbal topiaries and suggestions for how to dry herbs.
This is a great book if you're interested in growing herbs at home as it has lots of information and pictures.
Herbal Houseplants was published on 27th April 2021, and is available to buy from Amazon , Waterstones and Bookshop.org .
I was given this book in exchange for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to Quarto .
It has recipes for using the herbs that you can grow such as salad dressing and tea, making herbal topiaries and suggestions for how to dry herbs.
This is a great book if you're interested in growing herbs at home as it has lots of information and pictures.
Herbal Houseplants was published on 27th April 2021, and is available to buy from Amazon , Waterstones and Bookshop.org .
I was given this book in exchange for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to Quarto .
April 18, 2021
What a handy book to own. I’ve grown herbs from time to time but never had much luck. Bought basil in the spring and it was dead by fall. Now I see I had it I. The wrong soil. Thanks to the wonderful information in this book, I may try to grow not just the basil but also aloe vera and perhaps lemon grass.
Besides all the growing, propagation instructions, there are recipes for flavored tea, desserts, and how to fit them into your daily life. If you’re like me and have a mediocre green thumb, this book will give you a leg up on growing herbs inside your home.
I received an advanced reader copy for free from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.
Besides all the growing, propagation instructions, there are recipes for flavored tea, desserts, and how to fit them into your daily life. If you’re like me and have a mediocre green thumb, this book will give you a leg up on growing herbs inside your home.
I received an advanced reader copy for free from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.
May 25, 2022
For a quick reference guide for growing herbs indoors – I think Herbal Houseplants: Grow Beautiful Herbs – Indoors may be the best! This guide may be small, but don’t let the compact size fool you – it is full of helpful information. Each herb page describes its use, growing conditions, propagations, what parts to use, harvesting, and even known pests. I love that it doesn’t just talk about food but how to use each of the herbs in your daily life. This includes teas, balms, essential oils, and food. I also love that the back of the book even includes excellent recipes. Overall, this is one of the best starter guides I have seen for growing herbs indoors.
March 3, 2021
This book is extremely useful for herb gardeners, both beginners and intermediates. I like the breakdown of various herbs and all the information about them, including propagating, harvesting, uses, and floral meanings. There is also a section in the back with recipes for cooking and making various healthcare items such as balms and massage oils. The author also includes information on different types of propagation as well as common bests and the signs, symptoms, and cures for them. I find this to be a very handy reference book for herb gardens and likely to be on my shelf for frequent use.
March 24, 2021
I enjoy growing herbs, but I haven't had much success keeping them indoors. The humidity seems to be too low, or the sunlight is too weak, or maybe I've over or underwatering. Susan Betz's book, Herbal Houseplants, gives helpful tips on using basil, oregano, mint and other flavorful herbs as houseplants.
If you have other books on herbs, you'll find some of this information is already familiar. Nevertheless, the book is a fun, easy read that will inspire you with its advice and attractive images.
If you have other books on herbs, you'll find some of this information is already familiar. Nevertheless, the book is a fun, easy read that will inspire you with its advice and attractive images.
June 2, 2021
Keep this book on hand when ordering seeds and plants. It is a great reference book for planting and propagation. Recipes included such as Peppermint cherry tea sandwiches. Well-written with a very appealing layout, this book is full of information for the gardener and cook. Latin names, are included along with a history of the plant, growing conditions for maximum use of plant parts. Harvesting and preserving suggestions are also given. Keep this with your cook books in the kitchen for reference.
March 19, 2021
If you ever wanted to learn about herbs and how you can have them in your home, then this book is for you. The book does a wonderful job in talking about all of the different kinds of herbs there are!! It also goes into the different reasons that you would have each kind!! The photographs of all of the herbs make you realize what all of it will look like in your house. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to begin to learn to about herbs.
March 23, 2021
Herbal Houseplants is the perfect book for the Covid era in which people are trying to master growth of common herbs and houseplant to enhance cooking and the environment. This book has gorgeous illustrations and many suggestions to help our plants thrive and multiply. I found this to be exceptionally useful and suitable to a wide variety of ages and skill levels.
March 30, 2021
This is a beautiful compilation of herbs to grow indoors.
It details how to care, grow and what to do with almost any of the herbs.
From fragant and healing to seasoning and cooking.
This could make a great gift for any garden enthusiast.
Note: I received an Arc for review purposes and an honest and unbiased opinion.
It details how to care, grow and what to do with almost any of the herbs.
From fragant and healing to seasoning and cooking.
This could make a great gift for any garden enthusiast.
Note: I received an Arc for review purposes and an honest and unbiased opinion.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews