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
$4499
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 4-6 weeks
Found a better price? Request a price match
The Hidden Histories of Houseplants
$4499
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
The Book Briefing - September 1st
Welcome to this week's Book Briefing where we round up the news for the week!...
Screen Time for Tamariki - the books you need!
Finding the task of navigating screen time and the digital world for children incredibly complex,...
Shirl's Road Trip Reads and Board Game Picks
I recently spent a couple of weeks road-tripping with whānau visiting Aotearoa from overseas showing...
The Story to Screen Report - 01/09/2026
Sacha has rounded up all the biggest Story to Screen news from the past week,...
Books Our Dads Gave Us
For Father’s Day, we asked some of the team to share the books their Dads...
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-
Pre-orderThe 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 /UnavailableOut 30 Sep 2026Pre-order -
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-
20% offA 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$2400Usually:$2999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
The Edible Backyard
The Edible Backyard by Kath Irvine is an essential companion for anyone looking to transform their garden into a flourishing, organic paradise. This comprehensive guide takes you through every step needed to grow a variety of vegetables, fruits, and herbs in your own garden, ensuring a continuous supply of fresh produce all year round. Gardening expert Kath Irvine shares insights...Paperback$4000Elsewhere:$5000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Clean 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$4000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Grow 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$3600Elsewhere:$4500Unit 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 -
17% offEdible 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$2400Elsewhere:$3500Unit 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 -
The 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$4299Elsewhere:$4999Unit 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 -
The Self-Sufficiency Garden
Year-round growing plan to yield six portions of veg per person per day plus batching and preserving recipes. Eat homegrown food all year round and save money on your weekly shop by following a simple plan for self-sufficiency. The Self-Sufficiency Garden by Huw Richards and Sam Cooper reveals the results of their two-year journey planning and trialling their own self-sufficiency...Hardback$3800Elsewhere:$4500Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
20% offSeasons Where The River Bends
THE NEW FAMILY RECIPES AND STORIES COOKBOOK FROM JANE AND JIMMY BARNES Join Jane and Jimmy Barnes at their kitchen table in Seasons Where the River Bends, the eagerly awaited follow-up to their bestselling cookbook Where the River Bends. Inspired by the vibrant produce from their cherished Southern Highlands garden, this new volume features more than 60 recipes, sumptuous photography,...Hardback$4000Elsewhere:$6500Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
My Hygge Home
The new beautiful book from the bestselling author of The Little Book of Hygge about how to use space, light and Danish design to transform your home Our homes should be a place of comfort, a place to feel safe when we shut the door. Somewhere to be ourselves, to unwind and create special memories. Inspired by Danish design and...Hardback$3600Elsewhere:$4000Unit 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.
