Houseplant Hookups: All the Dirt You Need to Find the Perfect Match

(Author) (Illustrator)
Available

Product Details

Price
$17.99  $16.73
Publisher
Gibbs Smith
Publish Date
Pages
112
Dimensions
6.4 X 8.6 X 0.9 inches | 0.95 pounds
Language
English
Type
Hardcover
EAN/UPC
9781423663461

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About the Author

Agatha Isabel is a bad b*tch. After moving to Brooklyn from LA, she began her plant collection and rediscovered a deep connection with nature. She's passionate about community-building in all aspects of her life and through Planting for Progress, a community-sourced project that raised money for human rights and local organizations, and her shop, Plant Ma, she has created a thriving plant community. With nature as her muse, she writes, paints, and travels to tropical locations as a creative outlet to balance her professional tech and privacy career. She can usually be found volunteering with local nonprofits, exploring new nature spots, vibing at a concert, or trying to find love on a dating app. She is currently based in Southern California. Find her on www.agathaisabel.com.

Mai Ly Degnan is an award-winning illustrator, currently based in Baltimore, MD. She earned her BFA in illustration at the Savannah College of Art and Design and her MFA in illustration practice at the Maryland Institute College of Art. Mai Ly enjoys creating humorous illustrations with tedious line work, pattern making, and bright colors. Her work has been recognized by the Society of Illustrators of New York and Los Angeles, American Illustration, and 3x3. Selected clients include Boston Globe, Bust Magazine, Baltimore City Paper, VICE Magazine, NPR, Frankie Magazine, The Bark Magazine, Tigress For Girls, The Oyster Review, Midnight Breakfast, La Guarimba International Film Festival, Bibelot Magazine, Shameless Magazine, Until Now, La La Land Australia, and more.

Reviews

"There's a perfect plant partner out there for everyone," contends Isabel, owner of the Hunting Beach, Calif.-based Plant Ma shop, in her diverting debut. Mimicking the format of dating apps, she presents profiles that detail the preferred growing conditions of poinsettia, the fishbone cactus, maranta lemon lime, and 32 other plants. The introduction offers tips on placing, watering, and potting flora, noting that north-facing windows are ideal spots for low-light plants and that positioning plants near each other "automatically creates a humid microclimate" for those that need lots of moisture. The cheeky profiles amuse, imparting facts styled as responses to dating app prompts. For example, the low-maintenance snake plant boasts "You can ghost me for weeks at a time, and my leaves will still look sharp, bright, and fresh," while the more needy fiddle-leaf fig, which requires daily misting, lists "Netflix and chill" as the "trend I can't get behind" "I cannot stand the cold, and I will betray you if you expose me to lower temps." The playful profiles provide a helpful overview of common houseplants, and Degnan's colorful illustrations accentuate the distinguishing characteristics of each (the relatively rare pink princess philodendron is depicted in a regal sitting room to reflect its hefty price tag). Readers curious about what houseplant is right for them will want to consult this.-- "Publishers Weekly"