1
of
1
The Hidden Histories of Houseplants
Fascinating Stories of Our Most-Loved Houseplants
Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.
Check link for latest rating. ( 180 ratings, 14 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still
learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Summary
Read More
Format: Hardback
$5700
Unit price
/
Unavailable
International Supplier
This title is in-stock with overseas suppliers. While it is not available locally, we fly books in weekly from the US and UK to our Auckland warehouse for immediate dispatch.
AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER
Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 2-3 weeks
Found a better price? Request a price match
The Hidden Histories of Houseplants
$5700
Unit price
/
Unavailable
Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?
Ideal for enthusiasts of gardening, history, and culture, as well as those interested in the art and design of home interiors. Perfect for readers curious about the stories behind everyday objects and the cultural significance of houseplants.
Latest News
A Court of Splintered Harmony: How to Get Your Copy on Release Day
A Court of Splintered Harmony is almost here, and we have some exciting news for...
Pick up a Graphic Novel for Halloween
Wanting something different for spooky season? Try a horror themed graphic novel! Lizzy has rounded...
The ACOTAR Countdown Is On, But We Need to Talk…
Last week, things started taking a dark turn. The excitement surrounding the release was suddenly...
Even More New Board Games Just Arrived!
It's been another busy week at Book Hero, with heaps of new board games and...
The Book Briefing 21/10/2026
Welcome back to another edition of 'The Book Briefing', your weekly round-up of all the...
See moreA vibrant, intriguing and unmissable history of some of the most popular house plants.
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
still learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Description
The Hidden Histories of Houseplants explores the world’s most common houseplants, and their journeys to our homes.
This book isn’t just a dry exploration of historical cultivation; the narrative explores the plants’ places in social history, art, politics, fashion, and culture. It showcases the most fascinating elements of each plant’s story, such as William Morris’ palm obsession that continues to be replicated in the 21st century by the likes of Ikea, or how common indoor ferns first made their way to Europe in glass jars for botanical studies, and why these terrariums are now on display in almost everyone's homes.
Accompanied by stunning illustrations, each text takes the reader on a journey through time, history, and culture, told by the most universally binding objects in our homes from London to Beijing – houseplants.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781784884055
Publisher: Hardie Grant Books (UK)
Format: Hardback
Date Published: 11 November 2021
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Hardie Grant Books (UK)
Illustration: Illustrations, color
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 20.0mm
Width: 145.0mm
Height: 223.0mm
Weight: 477g
Pages: 160
About the Author
Alice and Maddie quite literally hail from a London plant and flower dynasty – their grandfather was a Dutch flower merchant and nursery owner, and their mother the celebrated horticulturalist and author Fran Bailey – Maddie and Alice Bailey head up Forest London, a cult plant and homewares shop with two sites in South London, along with a flower shop. With a lifelong and in-depth knowledge of house plants, the sisters sell anything from the Insta-ubiquitous monstera to the kinds of cacti that the ever-growing plant-nerd community hunt high and low for.
Their first book, The Green Indoors, will be published by Hardie Grant in May 2021.
Also by Alice Bailey
View all-
The Hidden Histories of Flowers
From the symbolism and meaning behind flowers and how these have evolved over time, to how humans interact with flowers based on cultural and geographical differences, and how flowers have been coveted for their medicinal aspects as well as for their visual merits, The Hidden Histories of Flowers showcases fascinating details of flowers and our relationship with them. If you...Hardback$3999Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
The Houseplant Handbook
The Houseplant Handbook is a useful guide on how to find perfect plant matches for your home environments with a sustainable and innovative approach. Focusing on working with the plants you already own, the book is divided into chapters detailing all possible conditions: Extreme Sun/Heat, Dry Air/Central Heating, Deep Shade, High Humidity, Draughty, Cold. By matching awkward spaces in your...Hardback$3999Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks
Also by Maddie Bailey
View all-
The Hidden Histories of Trees
Discover the remarkable world of trees. The Hidden Histories of Trees brings to light just how remarkable trees really are. With insights on how trees have adapted over time, how they communicate, as well as the importance they have on our lives, there are a multitude of fascinating insights about trees to uncover. Written in an approachable manner, The Hidden...Hardback$3599Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
The Hidden Histories of Flowers
From the symbolism and meaning behind flowers and how these have evolved over time, to how humans interact with flowers based on cultural and geographical differences, and how flowers have been coveted for their medicinal aspects as well as for their visual merits, The Hidden Histories of Flowers showcases fascinating details of flowers and our relationship with them. If you...Hardback$3999Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
The Houseplant Handbook
The Houseplant Handbook is a useful guide on how to find perfect plant matches for your home environments with a sustainable and innovative approach. Focusing on working with the plants you already own, the book is divided into chapters detailing all possible conditions: Extreme Sun/Heat, Dry Air/Central Heating, Deep Shade, High Humidity, Draughty, Cold. By matching awkward spaces in your...Hardback$3999Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks
More from Home & Garden
View all-
Thyme to Cook
Thyme to Cook is a practical guide to growing, harvesting and cooking real food at home to nourish our bodies and minds! From successful cookery writer Emma Galloway. 'A treasure trove of a book - an approachable and very beautiful guide to growing your own food and easy and original ways to cook and eat it.' Anna Jones, author of...Hardback$4699Elsewhere:$6000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
A Thousand Feasts
THE INSTANT #1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER From award-winning writer Nigel Slater, comes a new and exquisitely written collection of notes, memoir, stories and small moments of joy. 'Nigel Slater’s prose is the rarest delicacy of all: exquisite yet effortless, filled with heart, tenderness, yearning and humour' ELIZABETH DAY For years, Nigel Slater has kept notebooks of curiosities and wonderings, penned...Paperback$2999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
The Floral Dream
The Floral Dream is a practical and inspiring guide for New Zealand home gardeners who dream of growing their own cut flowers. Whether the reader is new to gardening or already has dirt under their nails, this book offers down-to-earth advice on how to grow beautiful blooms in the backyard. It begins with preliminary advice on garden layout, soil preparation,...Hardback$4999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
11% offGrow Your Groceries
Plant-growing ideas and tricks from a leading gardening TikToker. Hacks on how to grow plants from your supermarket shop. Have you ever wondered if you could grow plants from the food you buy? Could you do something with those leftover apple pips? What about growing your own kiwi plant? And what if you could make more plants from the herb...Hardback$3200Elsewhere:$4500Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
12% offCompanion Planting in NZ
Companion Planting in NZ by Brenda Little is an essential guide for gardeners who want to cultivate a thriving and sustainable garden using natural methods. This comprehensive book explores the concept of companion planting - an age-old practice where various plants are strategically placed together to enhance growth, deter pests, and improve soil health. By aligning with nature's principles, this...Paperback$2200Elsewhere:$2799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
20% offClean Magic
With Nancy Birtwhistle, it IS easy being green. From the Great British Bake Off winner and Sunday Times bestselling author, Clean Magic is a complete guide with practical and down-to-earth advice on how to integrate Nancy’s tried and tested household tips into your daily life.From sorting stubborn stains to Basic Magic, Pure Magic Gel and big, themed clean-ups, Nancy helps...Hardback$3200Usually:$4000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
The Quiet Home
'House hushing' is a new interiors trend that's making (the right kind of) noise in these troubling times. Guardian A beautiful, authoritative guide to the concept of house hushing, The Quiet Home incorporates design principles and strategies for dialling down the visual noise in your home, and creating serene interiors that promote calm and wellbeing. It takes a pared-down, thoughtful...Hardback$5200Elsewhere:$6500Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
How to Keep House While Drowning
A gentle guide to cleaning and organising when you're overwhelmed, from a licensed therapist and TikTok sensation PRE-ORDER KC'S NEXT BOOK—WHO DESERVES YOUR LOVE Simple tools to make home care easy when life is hard. When you are neurodivergent, have undiagnosed ADHD, or are struggling with your mental or physical health, keeping on top of the laundry pile and tackling...Paperback$2700Elsewhere:$3000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
19% offThe Abundant Garden
The Abundant Garden by Niva and Yotam Kay is a treasure trove of knowledge for both seasoned and novice gardeners alike. Located on the stunning Coromandel Peninsula of Aotearoa New Zealand, the authors draw from their extensive experience at Pakaraka Permaculture to bring you a comprehensive guide on creating and maintaining a productive, regenerative vegetable garden. The book delves deep...Paperback$3500Elsewhere:$4999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
20% offA Man & His Watch
“I’ve paged through stacks of books on the history of watches. . . . But I hadn’t come across a book that actually moved me until I picked up A Man and His Watch. The volume is filled with heartfelt stories.”—T: The New York Times Style Magazine Paul Newman wore his Rolex Daytona every single day for 35 years until...Hardback$6500Elsewhere:$9000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
29% offFeng Shui Modern
In an increasingly cramped world, a modern guide to opening up your living space – and your life – using the ancient principles of feng shui. How do you place a bed in an awkward room? How can your space help you be more focused and more productive? How do you set up your room to make you ready for...Hardback$2500Usually:$3499Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Edible Weeds Handbook
Discover the rich world of New Zealand's wild edible plants with this comprehensive guide. In this comprehensive companion to the best-selling A Field Guide to the Native Edible Plants of New Zealand, Andrew Crowe explores the rich culinary world of Aotearoa's non-native plants - the so-called 'weeds'. From miner's lettuce to watercress, taro to acorns, this go-to, illustrated handbook offers...Paperback$2899Elsewhere:$3500Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today
Why buy from us?
Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!
Service & Delivery
Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.
Auckland Bookstore
We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.
Our Gifting Service
Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.
