Introduction Whether you have one tiny succulent on your desk at work or a massive collection of tropical plants in your home, it's impossible to ignore the impact that caring for houseplants brings to our lives. We admire them for their beauty and uniqueness and the ways they decorate and define our living and working spaces. The psychological benefits of houseplants cannot be understated either. As gardeners, we all know that warm, fuzzy feeling we get from nurturing plants. The act of caring for them--from watering to repotting--is deeply satisfying and can even reduce our stress levels. And horticultural therapists will tell you about the ways that having plants in a room will help with healing. It's even more than that! Making more plants through propagation is extremely rewarding--especially when we can share the new plants with others. And if you're a dedicated houseplant collector, the thrill of finding a new cultivar you don't yet have can't be measured. Should you get seriously bitten by the houseplant bug, like we are, then you have a lot of plants all happily competing for space in your place! Looking after them takes a bunch of know-how, the right equipment, and your enthusiasm. We are here to supply the know-how. You supply the rest! --Sheryl Normandeau and Janet Melrose Excerpted from Staying Alive: The Go-To Guide for Houseplants by Janet Melrose, Sheryl Normandeau All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
