"This is a fascinating books for anyone wanting to truly broaden the range of plants they grow." -Gardens Illustrated
Moss is an extraordinary plant-it grows without roots, flowers, or stems. Despite being overlooked, in many ways, moss is perfect: it provides year-round color, excels in difficult climates, prevents soil erosion, and resists pests and disease. In The Magical World of Moss Gardening, bryophyte expert Annie Martin reveals how moss can be used in stunning, eco-friendly spaces. The beautifully illustrated guide includes basics on designing and planting a moss garden, and an inspiring tour of the most magical public and private moss gardens throughout the country. Annie Martin reveals the secrets of gardening with moss, opening up a new world for home gardeners looking to add something unique and environmentally conscious to their green spaces.
Fascinated with mosses since childhood, Annie Martin has earned her reputation as an expert through years of personal research and experimentation with moss gardening methods. Owner of Mountain Moss Enterprises, Mossin' Annie wears many moss hats: plant rescuer, farmer, landscaper, lecturer, educator, and now, author. Born and raised in North Carolina's Blue Ridge Mountains, she passionately advocates advantages of eco-friendly mosses by imparting how-to knowledge from a practical point of view. Furthermore, she emphasizes environmental benefits to our world while placing value on the interconnectedness of nature and the human spirit. To continue your journey through the magical world of mosses, visit her website mountainmoss.com. Introduction: Moss Magic
Every time I walk out my front door, my mosses greet me, triggering a smile in my heart. The magic of my garden engulfs my spirit, and that internal smile instantaneously moves to my face. As I gaze at the dazzling mosaic of mosses in my garden, I feel immense joy and pride juxtaposed with calm. Throughout all seasons, my mosses have a magnetic quality that engulfs me. Most often, I am catching a quick glimpse for an infusion of moss magic as I head out into the world in my work as a moss landscape designer and moss farmer. What a divine way to start the day!
As I ride in my mossin' truck along the French Broad River heading north, my moss radar is on and I spy my favorite plant growing in hummocks and carpets in the deep shade of rich cove forests, braving bright sunshine on steep hillsides, and providing glimmering red displays of sporophytes (reproductive structures equivalent to flowers) atop rocky precipices towering high above. As I pass through town, I marvel at emerald tendrils draping over the edges of rock walls and velvety green filling the cracks of sidewalks. I welcome the brief delay of a traffic light to notice some heat-tolerant species thriving on a roof and remember the time I climbed up on that roof to retrieve samples of Ceratodon and Entodon species. While often associated with the natural environment of forests and waterfalls, mosses are common in urban settings, too. To me, there is something magical in plants that can live in such dramatically different environmental conditions.
The magic of moss gardening may start with the way it makes me feel, but many other aspects of moss fuel my love affair. Mosses offer visual delights and tactile pleasures; they stoke our imagination and our memories; they connect us to earlier peoples and moss gardeners around the globe; they have countless environmental advantages and medicinal uses; and they are simply a joy to garden with. For all these reasons, moss gardening is gaining in popularity. As more people become aware of the advantages of this alternative horticultural option, I am convinced that mosses will assume a place of respect within the gardening community. Mosses are on the verge of a verdant victory.
Visual Delights and Tactile Pleasures
Mosses have tremendous visual appeal, offering luxuriant
