The Savage Garden: Cultivating Carnivorous Plants

by Peter D'Amato

Book Overview

For fifteen years, The Savage Garden has been the number one bestselling bible for those interested in growing carnivorous plants. This new edition is fully revised to include the latest developments and discoveries in the carnivorous plant world, making it the most accurate and up to date book of its kind.

You may be familiar with the Venus flytrap, but did you know that some pitcher plants can--and do--digest an entire rat? Or that there are several hundred species of carnivorous plants on our planet? Beautiful, unusual, and surprisingly easy to grow, flesh-eating plants thrive everywhere from windowsills to outdoor container gardens, in a wide variety of climates. The Savage Garden is the most comprehensive guide to these fascinating oddities, gloriously illustrated with more than 200 color photos. Fully revised with the latest developments in the carnivorous plant world, this new edition includes:

- All the basics--from watering and feeding to modern advances in artificial lighting, soil, and fertilizers.
- Detailed descriptions of hundreds of plants, including many of the incredible new species that have been recently discovered and hybridized.
- Cultivation and propagation information for all the plant families: pitcher plants, Venus flytraps, sundews, rainbow plants, bladderworts, and many other peculiar plants from the demented mind of Mother Nature.

Whether you're a beginner with your first flytrap or an expert looking for the latest exotic specimen, this classic book has everything you need to grow your very own little garden of horrors.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1607744104
• ISBN13: 9781607744108
• Release Date: July 2013
• Publisher: Ten Speed Press
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 1.97 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.5" x 9.4"

Customer Reviews

Beautiful photography, practical advice

Reccomended to me by a freind with a bog garden. Good book, beautiful pictures.

Good Introduction to the Hobby.

Warning! Carnivorous plants are addictive. Don't be fooled by that cute little Venus Fly Trap or Sundew and think that you will just buy one. Wrong; one will morph into five, five into twenty-five, and the next thing you know, you will have a great terrarium set up, carnivorous houseplants competing with your African violet, and planters outside that the neighborhood kids come to feed bugs to. You will also be giving impromptu science lessons for anyone who stops to look at your unique plants. And this book will help. It is probably the most accessible book on carnies out today, and seems to have fueled a mini-explosion of publishers trying to follow D'Amato's lead. The writing is clear, and written for people who like plants but are not botany nuts, or botanists. D'Amato also did a very good job of explaining how to grow plants from different areas of the world without having to resort to charts of zones and endless consultations of thermometers. If you are interested in carnies, buy this book, you could also pick up Adrian Slack's book as well, but start here first.

Best book on the subject!

I've long been interested in carnivorous plants, and have managed to collect a number of books on the subject over the years. This book, without a doubt, is the very best on the subject I've ever read! It is written in an easy to understand, matter-of-factly way, gives easy to follow instructions on how to grows these amazing plants, and is beautifully illustarted with numerous photos. If you buy only one book on the subject make this the one.

A must have if you want an interesting and practical Guide

A must have for people that want a well written and practical guide to the different Genus of carnivorous plants and how to grow them. Well written and not overly technical, The Savage Garden was interesting as well as practical reading for the hobbyist grower. When I received this book, I read it cover to cover, staying up until 3AM. The Savage Garden was exceedingly well organized and the information was, by my experience, accurate. I particularly like the way he organized the book, with growing information for the Genus and species grouped logically at the end of each section, instead of spread throughout the book. It makes it much easier to use as a reference for growers.If you own but on book on these plants, this should be the one.

The best text available on carnivororus plant culture.

As a grower and seller of carnivorous plants I always try to refer customers to a good book on the subject to delve deeper into the subject. When Peter D'Amato published The Savage Garden I found I had a resource beyond my highest expectations to lead them to. This book is detailed, concise, easy to read, has lots of beautiful photographs, and is designed to let the average person be successful growing carnivorous plants. I can't recommend it enough.