The Savage Garden: Cultivating Carnivorous Plants
by Peter D'Amato
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Book Summary Information
Author: Peter D'AmatoEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1998-05-01
ISBN: 0898159156
Number of pages: 336
Publisher: Ten Speed Press
Book Reviews of The Savage Garden: Cultivating Carnivorous Plants
Book Review: Fantastic Introduction to Weird and Wonderful World
Summary: 5 Stars
They have captured the imagination with grisly fascination... plants that EAT meat...and their sinister reputation has spawned generations of urban myths and 'B' horror films...
Like the witty and intelligent man he clearly is, Peter D'Amato capitalizes on that popular image of carnivorous plants in his delightful book, THE SAVAGE GARDEN, describing the death-throes of an insect lured inside the glowing green hood of a Cobra plant with Hitchock-like glee. But THE SAVAGE GARDEN is much more than gruesome description: D'Amato offers plenty of "meat" in his lively volume, describing in clear, concise prose the best soil mixtures, containers, and growing conditions (indoor and outdoor) for the best known, and some of the more obscure/rare varietals of carnivorous plants in the world.
The day I stumbled upon D'Amato's invaluable guide, I had just rescued a depressed Venus Flytrap from my local nursery, and diligently potted it in a terracotta pot with regular soil on the advice of my supposedly knowledgeable garden expert. Thank goodness D'Amato told me what my nursery did not: the exact soil mixture needed, the ideal growing conditions, and the ALL IMPORTANT tip to use only rainwater or distilled water to avoid killing my little Flytrap with excess mineral deposits. My 7 year old daughter and I have become utterly hooked thanks to D'Amato's clear, witty, and utterly intelligent approach to the care and cultivation of these plants which are largely misunderstood and sadly, quickly disappearing from their natural habitat.
If you are interested in starting a collection, or simply learning about these beautiful and unique plants, D'Amato's book THE SAVAGE GARDEN will tell you everything you need to know quickly and concisely, and spur you to further exploration. D'Amato also offers gorgeous specimens for sale on his website, californiacarnivores.com.
Our carnivorous "pet" collection has now grown to include 3 Cobra plants, 3 Venus Flytraps, 3 Sundews, and a tiny Pitcher Plant. Sincere thanks to Peter D'Amato for instilling what I suspect will be a lifelong love of these weird and wonderful plants.
Summary of The Savage Garden: Cultivating Carnivorous Plants
Just about everyone's familiar with the Venus flytrap...but did you know that there are pitcher plants that can-and do!-digest an entire rat? Or that there are several hundred species of carnivorous plants on our planet? Full-color photographs of the plants at work and play, plus everything you need to know to successfully grow your own Little Shop of Horrors.Awards1999 American Horticultural Society Book Award Winner ReviewsHow to get kids interested in gardening? The San Francisco Chronicle recommends The Savage Garden, "because there's nothing children like better than catching insects and feeding them to their houseplants."Peter D'Amato has been raising carnivorous plants for three decades, and his nursery, California Carnivores, houses the world's largest collection of flesh-eating flora. There's not much D'Amato doesn't know about growing these oddballs of the plant world, and he imparts his expertise gracefully and with humor in The Savage Garden, which is aimed at curious gardeners who want to grow carnivorous plants both indoors and out. From the ever-fascinating Venus flytrap to the aquatic bladderwort and the rather extravagantly sexual-looking pitcher plant, these exotic plants have a reputation for being difficult to grow, but D'Amato proves otherwise. The necessary water and soil chemistry, proper lighting, and propagation tips are discussed thoroughly along with descriptions and growing tips for many species in each of 11 plant families.
If plants can have personalities, these do--or at least appear to in the hundreds of witty photographs and colored illustrations that show them both at their hungriest and at their most innocuous. This is a stunningly comprehensive guide that will inspire and fascinate even the most squeamish gardener. -- Barrie Trinkle
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