BOOKreviews

Origami Orchids Kit: 20 Beautiful Die-Cut Paper Models Authors: Dennis Whigham, Jay O’Neill, and Maarten Janssens Publisher: Tuttle Publishing List Price: $19.99 Order Links: https://amzn.to/3Wso3rw and https://bookshop.org/ a/79479/9780804854931 Reviewer: Carol Allen If you are crafty, this publication may initially appeal to you. After all, origami is sublimely beautiful and a satisfying way to while away an afternoon. But wait, this is not traditional origami, but the more contemporary craft of creating three-dimensional sculptures from a flat, pre-printed piece of paper through folding, sometimes gluing, and curling a punch-out form. The box contains 20 richly colored, die-cut paper models. A perfect way to spend a wintery day. Fearing a lightweight in the realm of accurate, teachable information, I first opened the accompanying booklet to the author information in the back. Ah, there were some familiar and very respectable names and supporting organizations. When it comes to accurate information about native orchids, the North American Orchid Conservation Center, the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, and the U.S. Botanic Garden are my favorites and local too! The learning begins with introductory articles about the North American Orchid Conservation Center (NAOCC), orchid ecology—and most important— instructions for how to assemble the models. Each of the 20 orchids has a fullpage description, including its range, habitat, conservation status, and pollination mechanisms. A QR code at the bottom of the page links the reader to more in-depth information on the NAOCC web site. The second half of the two-page spread gives the assembly directions, including a one-to-five-star rating of assembly difficulty and whether glue is needed. There is no age range limiting the difficulty of assembly and the orchid information provided is college level and beyond. I would suggest the degree of difficulty in assembly would be teen to adult. I might just be able to manage the easy ones! o

Carol Allen describes herself as a committable plant-a-holic. She has more than 25 years’ experience in the horticulture industry, with a special interest in plant pests and diseases; is a Licensed Pesticide Applicator in the state of Maryland; and is an ISACertified Arborist. She can be contacted at carolallen@erols.com.

The Science of Compost: Life, Death + Decay in the Garden Author: Dr. Julian Doberski Publisher: Pimpernel Press List Price: $14.95 Order Links: https://amzn.to/3HhH1gh and https://bookshop.org/ a/79479/9781914902932 Reviewer: Marsha Douma What makes it possible for all manner of garden and kitchen waste that has been casually and randomly piled one on top of another to be dependably transformed into a beautiful dark, moist and rich soil is the subject of this book. The author explains that composting is essentially nutrient matter recycling—without it, there would be no soil, no plants, no animals, no us. The author details the nutritional content in our unwanted leaves, twigs, branches, weeds, house and garden plants, grass clippings, kitchen scraps, etc., and explains that this material is the essential food source for microbes, fungi, and invertebrates. The complex story of what these organisms need to do to consume, in an orderly succession, all this plant matter and sometimes each other to derive as much nutrition as possible to ensure their own survival is a focus of this book. The author explains, to the extent known, how the amounts of nitrogen, oxygen, calcium, phosphorus, etc., in the soil affect the nutrient quality of the organic matter these creatures consume. He also discusses the effects of moisture, temperature, and soil ph. This book is a complete discussion of what makes compost compost. I highly recommend this book for those who want a better understanding of the marvelous alchemy that is compost. I, for sure, will now tend to my pile and all its unseen subterranean creatures with even greater enthusiasm and respect. o

Marsha Douma is a retired dentist and lifelong gardener who also enjoys swimming, tennis, and playing the piano. She lives in Rockville, MD.

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