House Plants for Every Space

May 15, 2023
Etsuhiro and Momoko, nursery owners collectively known as Green Interior, debut with a helpful manual on how to integrate plants into one’s home. Offering tips on finding the right flora for one’s lifestyle, the authors suggest that hydroponic plants make it easy for novices to tell when they need watering and that the high shade tolerance of monstera plants make them ideal “for people who often sleep with the curtains closed in the morning.” Etsuhiro and Momoko provide a comprehensive overview of how to administer basic care, recommending that readers avoid unnecessary replanting and place plants in locations with lots of light and humidity. An extensive “house plant catalog” profiles a variety of popular plants; for instance, leafy Aceraceae plants have been shown to “remove indoor toxins,” Myrtaceae trees require frequent misting, and some Lamiaceae shrubs “release a fresh fragrance” from their leaves. The guidance on caring for plants will be a boon to first-time plant owners and stylish photos of houses decorated with greenery spark the imagination (one residence uses hanging plants in place of curtains). Even readers without a green thumb will feel inspired to add some plants to their living space.

June 1, 2023
In this poetic yet practical survey of plants to suit any room, Mashita Etsuhiro and Sato Momoko, the owners of Tokyo plant shop Green Interior appeal to both readers' senses and their minds. The book begins with 19 real-life homes festooned with green things, from jungle-like displays to industrial settings. Next, the authors provide guidelines for selection, such as choosing a ""guardian tree""-like plant stationed at the door or otherwise prominently displayed. Other considerations include ensuring a personality/lifestyle fit, finding the right growing medium and pot type, and thinking about display. Then, 130 houseplants are grouped into three categories--trees, leafy plants, succulents and cacti--and then subgrouped by genus, with one broad summary covering general caretaking and characteristics, followed by pictures of the different types. (Some plants covered are indigenous to East Asia and might be difficult to obtain and grow in the U.S.) Living tenets are last, including all the necessities: watering, tools, fertilizers, pruning, pests, repotting, and environment.

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July 1, 2023

Etsuhiro Mashita and Momoko Sato, the duo known as Green Interior, with a nursery in Edogawa, Tokyo, and an online store, are interior greenery specialists. In this book, they offer a concise guide to decorating with plants. Color photographs showcase rooms beautifully accessorized with specific types of flora. The book explains the reasoning behind their design choices that complement both the plants and the room. The book's "A House Plant Catalog" section identifies plants by name, but the layout for this is vertical, which sometimes makes it difficult to read. This section also gives each plant's country of origin, arranges it by plant family, and highlights many lovely and unusual plants with stunning and vibrant illustrations and photos. But there is no detailed information about how to grow these plant species. There is, however, general maintenance information, such as watering, fertilizing, repotting, pruning, and dealing with pests, and some frequently asked questions are answered. VERDICT A lovely, browsable book for houseplant enthusiasts. It's useful for identifying new plant species and decorating with them. Readers who need instructions about how to grow these plants, however, will need to look elsewhere.--Sue O'Brien

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