MASTERING THE ART OF FLOWER GARDENING is a fine guide to growing flowers from today’s favorites to unusual varieties. We couldn’t put down this comprehensive and highly practical study of the art of growing flowers with its expert tips on growing both annuals and biennials (including native and heirloom species) alongside hundreds of lush photographs.

This gorgeously illustrated book by Matt Mattus is based on decades of first-hand experience in his own garden and greenhouse made popular on his blog Growing with Plants. Every variety or species presented is one that he has personally trialed and grown. Mattus sets you up for success by providing everything you need to know about starting seeds, soil, sowing, hardening off, to transplanting, and growing on. Then, in the following chapters, you’ll find tips for growing over 100 different annuals from seed and many summer bulbs, vines like wisteria and even blooming shrubs like lilacs. Every flower includes detailed information based on his hands-on experience, going beyond the information typically available on the seed packet or a nursery tag.

Learn details and cultural facts that will help you grow better flowers while introducing you to many more. You’ll find tips for topics like how to grow challenging annual poppies and biennials from seedand forcing flowers for winter blooms. Just a small selection of the flowers covered: heirloom and exhibition chrysanthemums, larkspurs and annual poppies, delphiniums, peonies, lilacs and wisteria. Bulbs include spring and summer bulbs such as anemone, ranunculus, tulips, lilies, gladiolus, and cut flower dahlias, while winter indoor bulbs cover every aspect of forcing bulbs indoors like narcissus, amaryllis, South African bulbs–and even how to force Lily of the Valley. In short, there is nothing ordinary about this book—it is unlike any other cut flower book you will find.

URBAN OASIS, Tranquil Outdoor Spaces At Home by Rebecca Gross explores personal and private outdoor spaces from London to New York and Sydney to San Francisco. Revealed are inspiring designs of rooftops, gardens, outdoor rooms, terraces and courtyards, all intimate refuges from the modern, crowded world. These are delightful pockets of paradise that provide relaxing, sociable, and plant-filled settings for their owners to savor peace and calm together with family and friends. Photography is by the talented Claire Takacs.

CAFE CULTURE: For Lovers of Coffee and Good Design is a tasty, artistic presentation of 37 modern, architecturally- designed coffee shops/cafes in 28 cities around the world. Carefully curated by Robert Schneider, each coffee shop or cafe featured was selected for its unique design, personality and atmosphere. This book lends itself to significant interest and discussion as coffee and design are so much a part of our daily culture.

CAFE CULTURE successfully interweaves coffee, art, architecture, and design by providing the full range of retail spaces, including coffee shops located in historic buildings, modern architecture, ex-industrial warehouses, offices, and more. The architectural interior spaces are from around the globe, including from Australia, Britain, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, and the United States

An insightful foreword by Todd Heiser, Managing Director of Gensler, provides a stimulating introduction. Wonderful color photography and concise prose enhance the stories of these unique coffee shops/cafes.