Tropical Plants and How to Love Them: Building a Relationship with Heat-Loving Plants When You Don’t Live in the Tropics – Angel’s Trumpets – Lemongrass – Elephant Ears – Red Bananas – Fiddle Leaf Figs – Gingers – Hibiscus – Canna Lilies and More!

“Marianne Willburn is an extraordinary writer, teacher, and gardener. This book is a must for anyone who loves gardening with ‘Exotica’. The pages are littered with good tips and expertise, and all of it done through the hand of a passionate plantsperson and communicator.”   -- Fergus Garrett, Head Gardener, Great Dixter, UK “Marianne never fails to inspire, educate, and entertain with her writing. Tropical Plants and How to Love Them is a joy from cover to cover. She speaks from experience, weaving humor and empathy with a love of tropicals while challenging readers to reconsider their relationships with the plants they hold dear.”   -- Dan Scott, Director of Horticulture, American Horticultural Society “This is a book we need today more than ever. Marianne Willburn gives us practical advice on how to grow tropical plants outside and later enjoy inside as houseplants. She writes like a trusted friend giving you helpful dating advice, including how to find the best match and evaluate it for maintenance and long-term possibilities. Like any good dating site, the photos are important and hers are beautiful.”   -- R. William Thomas, Executive Director, Chanticleer Garden, USA “I am really impressed with this book. It's accessible, inspirational, and packed full of excellent advice. I love the idea of categorizing plants in a practical, fun, and relatable way, and admired Marianne's decision to challenge many of the arbitrary divisions often trotted out in gardening books between houseplants and garden plants. It's sparked a renewed excitement about using tropical plants in my own garden and giving my houseplants a summer holiday outside too.”   -- Jane Perrone, host of On The Ledge podcast “Marianne has managed to make me fall in love with tropical planting even deeper than ever before. I feel full of inspiration and have so many new ideas for my tropical plantings here in Hunting Brook.”   -- Jimi Blake, Horticulturist, Hunting Brook Gardens, Ireland “A delight to read and such a comprehensive guide to my passion. Playfully written with inspirational images and accessible practical advice that will encourage the reader to experiment themselves. I particularly enjoyed the guilt-free Summer Romance plants, mocktrops, and the entertaining plant relationship guidance.”   -- Emma Allen, Garden Manager, Glasshouse and Exotic Garden, RHS Garden Wisley, UK “In Tropical Plants and How to Love Them, Marianne shows temperate gardeners they need not strictly relegate tropical plants to windowsills. Instead, she coaxes us outdoors and demonstrates how to practically use them to grace our garden beds, containers, and water gardens. Whether it’s a dramatic Canna lily or a colorful coleus, Marianne covers a range of common and not-so-common plants that will undoubtedly give any garden a ‘wow’ factor.”   -- Summer Rayne Oakes, author of How to Make a Plant Love You and host of Plant One On Me “The more I read, the more I wanted to stop reading and drive immediately to my local garden center! Marianne’s passion for these plants is contagious, and her expertise will undoubtedly inspire a new generation of “tropical” gardeners. Tropical Plants and How to Love Them is full of inspiring plant combinations, gorgeous photographs, and excellent technical advice. I’m ready to plant!”   -- Ellen Zachos, author of Tempting Tropicals “Tropical Plants and How to Love Them is fantastic! I love the layout, I love the premise, and I love the little stories that each chapter creates.”   -- Dan Benarcik, Horticulturist, Chanticleer Garden, USA "It's the only book you'll need on bringing some great pizazz to your landscape." -- Jane Berger * Garden Design Online * "This book is a great read for spring, or on the beach in the summer — full of inspiration and ideas that get gardeners juiced up. It will help you gain confidence while taking a walk on the wilder side."  -- Andrew Messinger - The Hampton Gardener * The Southampton Press/27East.com * "Tropical Plants and How to Love Them is a cover-to-cover inspiration that gives us confidence to take the unusual and make it typical." * Connecticut Horticultural Society *