Green Plants Manufacture at www.japanese-home-gardens.com

An interesting experiment is to try to set up what is called a "balanced" aquarium. All green plants manufacture carbohydrates from carbon dioxide and water, using energy supplied by sunlight, and giving off oxygen as a by-product (a process known as photosynthesis). Animals either eat plants directly or eat other animals which feed on plants.

:et Leaves are the food factories and the chief linreathing apparatus. In the presence of sunlight ahe green coloring matter (chlorophyll) enables inhe plant to manufacture starches and sugars. In ahe leaves of many plants (Coleuses, Crotons, trjaladiums) there are bright red and yellow colors lelhich mask the green chlorophyll. The breathing srnores (stomates) are most numerous on the under )ejde of the leaves. Spraying and washing keep J'hese pores open. In the daytime the more active dirocess is the taking in of carbon dioxide and iO:jving off oxygen. But in darkness the process 103 reversed, and the plant gives off carbon dioxide. saome plants (African violet) have leaves that .glhould not be wet, for this causes spotting. This • tJant is propagated by removing leaves and placing iohe leaf-stalk in moist sand, pressed firmly around it&e base of the leaf. At this point the new roots plrike.

Kitchens can take a strong colour because there's not usually a whole Wall of it on show, just patches between units. Here, a lime green has been painted on the walls and the colour has been picked up in the tiles. To create contrast, a mix of green and cream tiles have been used. Birch units add a sunny glow while the blind, china and plants weave in splashes of blue, yellow and yet more green. Even though the overall effect is vibrant, the scheme actually only sticks to three chief shades - green, cream and wood - which prevents the room looking hectic and uncoordinated.