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. ( )

220 extraordinary choices for every spot in your home

Interesting, with beautiful photos. There's tons of great ideas here, although I'm at a loss as to how to acquire many of these plants in my area. ( )