Potted History: The Story of Plants in the Home

There are plenty of books on how to look after houseplants but Catherine Horwood is the first to show us how, when and why these plants came to be found in our homes. We learn how potted plants are as subject to fashion as pieces of furniture. For the Victorians it was the aspidistra in the front parlour; for us it is the orchid in the designer loft. We find that Wedgwood created a market for special bulb pots and that some of Conran's early designs were for houseplant containers. Then there is the story of mignonette: a modest plant once prized in every home for its intoxicating scent – a scent now lost to us for ever. Catherine Horwood's novel combination of social history, plant history and the history of interior design is intriguing. Her illustrations come from a variety of unusual sources since potted plants can be found in many unexpected corners.