Moss isn’t just
found deep in the mountains in some cool, damp place. It can appear on the side
of a brick wall, the edges of pavement, and many other places. Miniature
Moss Gardens: Create Your Own Japanese Container Gardens by Megumi
Oshima and Hideshi Kimura gives the reader the necessary knowledge to recreate
the outdoors inside by way of container gardening.
“Chapter 1: An Introduction to Moss” begins on page 10 and gives
the basics of moss. Classified as “Musci” nearly all of the 20,000 species or
varieties are perennial and evergreen. They need sunlight to survive and
propagate by releasing spores on the wind. There are three types of Moss which
are the Musci, Hepaticae and Anthocerotae. How the leaves and stems grow are
the primary distinguishing aspects of each type.
“Chapter 2: Observation, Discovery, and Gathering” begins on page
17 and is all about tracking down moss. After getting permission from the
property owners and ascertaining the living conditions of the moss you will be
gathering, there are good ways to gather the moss living outside. How to do it
and the gear you need is explained here.
You have identified the moss, gathered the moss (and maybe a
rolling stone or two) and have brought green treasure home. In “Chapter 3: Care
and Maintenance” you are taught what to do and just as importantly what not to
do to maintain your moss. Along with some more information on how to select
moss whether you are buying at a store or getting it from your yard,
neighborhood, etc., maintenance is the major focus of this chapter. There are a
lot of tips on the simple items you will need to maintain your moss as well as
actual care of the moss regarding fertilizer, the proper way to water and or
misting the moss, placement on your patio or inside the home, and diagnosing
issues as they arise. Also included in this section is information on how to
grow more moss by way of seeds, cuttings, and “stretching” it out on a soil
bed.
You have your moss, it is thriving, and things are going well. Of
course, you need to show of your moss. Starting on page 41 with “Chapter
4: Making and Displaying Moss Creations” various ways of doing so after you
work through a flowchart that helps you pick out the right type of moss for
your personality and skill level. While the chart on pages 42-43 is interesting
and helpful, it seems a bit late in the book to be presented here.
Though the location here does tie into the following pages. Each
depicted moss fits one of 4 types in ranges from A to D. Once you know the type
of moss that is right for your personality and skill level, then there are
pages that reference that type of moss in a container as well as the other
choices related to that particular type of moss. Also included here is an
explanations of the necessary items needed for moss gardening, soil types, and
more regarding what you do with various types of moss as well as more planting
and care tips.
“Chapter 5: Finding Moss in Cities and Mountains” begins on page
85 and gives far more detail on the finding and harvesting of moss than what
was covered at the beginning of the book. These pages are informative and
helpful and would have been better suited closer to the front of the book. Much
of the pictures in this section come from Japan and not only are close up
pictures of moss, but also scenic shots of various types depicting manmade
structures in their local natural environments. Cultural landmarks are
referenced with details pictures and illustrating the moss found in the area.
“Chapter 6: Moss Identification Guide” begins on page 107 and
details some of the moss types you may encounter outside in your local area.
This is done over several pages and would also have better served readers if
placed earlier in the book. The conditions that each moss type needs to thrive
in the outdoors is also presented here as is info on how to recognize it and
use in your home setting. A “glossary of moss terms” on pages 116-117
follows as does afterword sections from each author and additional close up
pictures of various staged moss settings.
As in any book from Tuttle Publishing, there are plenty of
pictures and textual information. The pictures are always colorful and the
textual information is clear and a lot of depth. There is a paragraph textual
style immersed with small bullet points areas containing additional useful
information.
While all the
information is useful, the placement and flow of the book has issues as noted.
The way things are organized in the chapters as well as the placement of the
chapters themselves does not work to resent the information well for the reader.
Miniature
Moss Gardens: Create Your Own Japanese Container Gardens by Megumi
Oshima and Hideshi Kimura is an interesting and informative book, it should
have been laid out better for readers. This is especially true for the intended
reader market of those new to the world of gardening with moss.
Miniature Moss Gardens: Create Your Own Japanese Container Gardens
Megumi Oshima and Hideshi Kimura
Tuttle Publishing
April 2017
ISBN#978-4-8053-1435-7
Hardback (also available in digital format)
128 Pages
$19.95
Material supplied by the good folks of
the Dallas Public Library System. My review copy came from the Kleberg-Rylie
Branch.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2019
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