Miniature Moss Gardens: Create Your Own Japanese Container Gardens (Bonsai, Kokedama, Terrariums & Dish Gardens)

Description

In Japan, moss is revered for its sublime colours and textures, inspiring gardeners and non-gardeners alike. Moss can be found everywhere - in your garden, in crevices between stones, in cracks in the city concrete. In the tiny world of terrariums, container gardens, dish gardens, and kokedama (moss ball gardens), moss is a magic carpet that turns a diminutive plot of soil into a self-contained living world. Miniature Moss Gardens offers expert advice and techniques from the birthplace of miniature gardening. One of the only books in print to focus on moss and miniature gardens, it is friendly enough for total beginners and full of ideas and tips for experienced gardeners. "Miniature Moss Gardens is far and away one of the best how-to gardening books that I've seen in a long time. Not only are detailed supply lists and project instructions included in this book, but tips for maintaining your living creations are also provided for long-term success. Horticultural geeks like myself will be delighted by the inclusion of a moss identification and location guide as well as propagation tips -perfect for gardeners of all ages." -Michaela Harlow, The Gardener's Eden "First, the photos are amazing...And, not surprisingly for a Tuttle imprint, it is informative...Written by Megumi Oshima and Hideshi Kimura, published by Tuttle, I'm giving it a 'Highly Recommended' for your bonsai bookshelf...Hardbound, good to the touch, well thought out, professionally photographed.....go get yourself a copy today." - Adam's Art and Bonsai Blog (AdamAskWhy.com) "...this book is a must-have for my library and yours if you love gardening and plants. This book shares lots of interesting facts about moss and instructions on care and maintenance, making a kokedama (i didn't know what that was - !!!!), moss bonsais, moss tray landscapes and terrariums. I am going to devour this book this summer and see if I can come up with some creations for my home. Lots of beautiful photos can be found throughout this book too. Another great read." -Kim Johnson, Desire to Inspire Garden Design Magazine features Miniature Moss Gardens in the "On Our Bookshelf" section of their newsletter "If you need more calm, green, space in your home, then you should take a look at Miniature Moss Gardens: Create Your Own Japanese Container Gardens. This beautifully illustrated book contains tons of photographs and illustrations to help you learn all about different kinds of moss and the small container gardens they can be used in." - Seattle Book Review "All the information you could want about moss is included in this book: parts of moss, types of moss, when to gather moss, and tools for collecting moss and for creating your own miniature moss garden...Even if you've never considered starting a moss garden, this book will make you into a moss fan. This beautiful, informative, and fun book is well worth reading." - San Francisco Book Review

Megumi Oshima was born in Saitama Prefecture. Raised among abundant nature in the countryside near the Tonegawa River, Oshima became familiar with plants. While working for a production company, she started to grow bonsai and kokedama on the balcony of her Tokyo apartment. Oshima left her production company job and began working in garden management for flower markets and hotels. In 2006 she opened garden store Midoriya Nicogusa in Kichijoji, Tokyo, and began running workshops on bonsai and kokedama. Oshima is a plant consultant and interior coordinator. Hideshi Kimura is a member of Japan Horticulture Society Tray Landscape Artist. After obtaining his bonsai master license, he began making moss tray landscapes more than 20 years ago and to date has made more than 2000 works. Not limited to bonsai pots, he has received acclaim for his original designs, which incorporate driftwood, bamboo and so on as receptacles. Kimura runs moss tray classes and is an instructor at Minamisunamachi Culture Center in Tokyo's Koto ward.

"...once one starts reading it, one realizes the wealth of information and advice to which one now has access." --The Journal of the Japanese Garden Society "This is a charming book that encourages everyone with a busy life to let eternal green moss soothe the soul. More than just touchy-feely, the 128-page hardback book is an informative, descriptive guide to the art and science of growing the soft, clumping plant." --The Oregonian "Readers will ooh and ah while riffling through the pages of Oshima and Kimura's illustrated guide to miniature Japanese moss gardens." --Publishers Weekly