Complete Book of Cacti and Succulents, by Terry Hewitt. DK Publishing, 176 pp. $13.60 By M. Joyce Martin If you are new to the art of growing cacti and succulents and can afford only one book to help you get started; or wish to help a friend get started by giving them a gift book, I highly recommend: THE COMPLETE BOOK OF CACTI AND SUCCULENTS by Terry Hewitt. It is well organized and beautifully illustrated in full color with enough pictures to help the novice identify most cacti and succulents found in local nurseries. It includes glossary and plant selection lists, describes winter care, how to propagate and transplant, and much more. It certainly has enough information to encourage success for the novice, or for one wishing to expand one’s indoor garden by trying a new direction. This is a book you will enjoy over and over again and surely learn something new each time you explore its lovely pages. No compost pile for this one but many enjoyable years to learn from it, and feast your eyes upon it. One of my daughters gave me my book for Christmas last year and I really love it! Terry Hewitt, the author, wrote that he started out with a hobby. Over the years, he was able to turn it into a business. He enjoyed it so much that all his life he considered his work his hobby. He traveled the world adding to his huge collection of cacti and succulents at his Holly Gate Nursery in West Sussex, ENG. Unfortunately some time after his death about five years ago, Holly Gate Nursery was left unheated and all the collections died. By 2009, all the glasshouses were dilapidated. I am happy that at least we have his book to remind us of his work with, and his love of Cacti and Succulents.

Complete Book of Cacti and Succulents, by Terry Hewitt. DK Publishing, 176 pp. $13.60

By M. Joyce Martin

If you are new to the art of growing cacti and succulents and can afford only one book to help you get started; or wish to help a friend get started by giving them a gift book, I highly recommend: THE COMPLETE BOOK OF CACTI AND SUCCULENTS by Terry Hewitt.

It is well organized and beautifully illustrated in full color with enough pictures to help the novice identify most cacti and succulents found in local nurseries. It includes glossary and plant selection lists, describes winter care, how to propagate and transplant, and much more. It certainly has enough information to encourage success for the novice, or for one wishing to expand one’s indoor garden by trying a new direction.

This is a book you will enjoy over and over again and surely learn something new each time you explore its lovely pages. No compost pile for this one but many enjoyable years to learn from it, and feast your eyes upon it. One of my daughters gave me my book for Christmas last year and I really love it!

Terry Hewitt, the author, wrote that he started out with a hobby. Over the years, he was able to turn it into a business. He enjoyed it so much that all his life he considered his work his hobby. He traveled the world adding to his huge collection of cacti and succulents at his Holly Gate Nursery in West Sussex, ENG. Unfortunately some time after his death about five years ago, Holly Gate Nursery was left unheated and all the collections died. By 2009, all the glasshouses were dilapidated. I am happy that at least we have his book to remind us of his work with, and his love of Cacti and Succulents.