Caring for House Plants

Crawfordsville District Public Library’s second-floor house plant collection is growing. We currently have over 11 different types of plants that call CDPL home. If you haven’t visited before, our plants are a welcoming sight in the Reference and Local History department on the second floor. Throughout the floor, various houseplants encourage you to sit and read in one of our many quiet areas upstairs. Don’t forget to look at our cacti in the first floor Reading Room too. Many patrons comment on how nice the plants look, and it’s because they are happy!

If your house plants need a little help, or you need to know more about them, look no further. Do you want to learn more about plants in general? We offer a wide selection of books on not only house plants but also native plants for landscaping and plant identification. If you are new to house plants, our Beginner’s Guide to House Plants by Ryusuke Sakaino (635.965 Sak) or The Indestructible Houseplant by Tovah Martin (635.9 Mar) are good choices. Another great informational book is How Not to Kill Your House Plant by Veronica Peerless ( 635.965 Pee), for those who are intimidated by caring for plants. If you choose to start with house plants, we have suggestions for easy-to-care options.

In case you are looking to add variety to your house plant collection, we have the Good Housekeeping Encyclopedia of House Plants (635.965 Her) or the RHS Encyclopedia of House Plants by Kenneth Beckett (635.965 Bec). Additionally, if the propagation of house plants is what you’re interested in, I definitely recommend Root, Nurture, Grow by Caro Langton (635.9653 Lan), as it gives lots of information on how to start new plants from older more established plants.

For ideas about decorating with plants, check out these interior design books. We have Decorating with Plants by Baylor Chapman (635.9 Cha) and Urban Jungle: Living and Styling with Plants by Igor Josifovic (635.965 Jos). Wild Interiors by Hilton Carter ( 747.98 Car) is also a popular choice. If you prefer the company of plants over people, look at Plants Are My Favorite People by Alessia Resta (635.9 Res) and learn how to keep and grow a plant collection using your unique ‘parenting’ style. Finally, for those wanting to learn more about the relationship between plants and your health, we have a book on how to create an environmentally cleaner home with Houseplants for a Healthy Home by John VanZile (635.9 Van).

If you need information resources, we’ve got the materials for your needs. Questions on general house plant care, we are happy to field them. Need assistance in selecting books on house plants? We’ve got that covered too. And if you haven’t yet, check out our Seed Library while you are here! The Crawfordsville District Public Library is open Monday through Thursday, 9 am – 9 pm; Friday and Saturday 9 am-5 pm and Sundays 1 pm-5 pm.