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roses seed

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roses seed Red Rose Seedlings Flower Seeds Perennial Growing Bonsai Corms Tubers Potted Planting Reblooming Fragrant Garden Roots Rhizomes Species Blooms Plant Bulbs Gardening TreeAbout this item How to Grow Roses from Seeds Step 1: Treat Rose SeedsRose seeds need a much longer germination period than many flowers. If you arent careful, this extended moist storage can lead to the growth of molds that can threaten young rose seedlings. To prevent fungus spores from growing, you can destroy them with hydrogen peroxide. Add one half tablespoon of 3% hydrogen peroxide to one cup of water and soak the seeds in this solution for an

About this item

  • How to Grow Roses from Seeds

    Step 1: Treat Rose Seeds
    Rose seeds need a much longer germination period than many flowers. If you aren’t careful, this extended moist storage can lead to the growth of molds that can threaten young rose seedlings.
    To prevent fungus spores from growing, you can destroy them with hydrogen peroxide. Add one-half tablespoon of 3% hydrogen peroxide to one cup of water and soak the seeds in this solution for an hour.                                                                                                                                                                                      Step 2: Cold Germinate Seeds (Stratification)                                                        The natural rose germination process takes a few years. First, the rose hip needs to break down and decompose. After the seeds are fully exposed, they must undergo a period of stratification.Rose seed germination relies on a climate that experiences cold, moist winter months. You can simulate this winter environment using your home refrigerator.Place the rose seeds evenly spaced on a damp paper towel. Be sure to avoid overcrowding. Cover them with another layer of moist paper towels and seal the seeds in a plastic bag.Place the bag of seeds in a clean, empty crisper drawer. It would be wise to first sanitize the drawer with bleach and hot water to prevent mold contamination.Ensure the seeds remain moist throughout the entire stratification process. Add more clean water whenever they start to feel dry.Leave the seeds in the refrigerator for at least two months or until you are ready to sprout them.                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Step 3: Warm Germinate Rose Seeds
    Once the stratification process is complete, you can germinate rose seeds as you would other flowers. It is crucial to bring the seeds out of refrigeration into conditions warmer than 70 degrees.
    Ensure the seeds remain damp and leave them in a warm environment until they sprout. This can take up to a month, and it is likely that not all seeds will germinate.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Step 4: Plant Rose Sprouts
    Add moistened seed-starter soil mix to seedling trays. Make a slight indentation for the rose seeds in each cell.
    The tiny tendrils that emerge are roots and must be handled very carefully. Gently remove the rose sprouts from the paper towel and place them root down in the seed trays.
    Cover the seeds with moist soil and leave the seed trays on a sunny windowsill. Use a clean spray bottle to mist the rose seedlings when they start to feel dry.
    For the best results, consider using Hoss Tools Deluxe Seed Starting Kit. This kit includes a 24-cell seed starting tray with a dome lid, seed-starter soil mix, fertilizer, and more.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Step 5: Transplant Rose Seedlings
    As the rose seedlings grow, pay close attention to the seed leaves so you know when to transplant. Wait until the true leaves develop, which take on the typical rose leaf appearance.
    Gently loosen the dirt from the tray cells and slide the seedlings free. Move them to individual containers and let them continue to grow for about a year before you transplant them outdoors.

  • Caring for Young Rose Plants

    Give your rose seedlings the support they need to grow strong stems and lush foliage. Add half-strength fertilizer to each planting location.
    Not all fertilizers are equal. Use a high-quality blend like Dry Fertilizer for guaranteed results.

    • How long does it take to grow a rose from seed

      Growing roses from seeds is a lengthy process. Without proper stratification, it can take multiple years for seedlings to emerge.
      Even the fastest-growing roses will likely take two full growing seasons to produce beautiful blooms.

    • Do roses grow true to seed

      Heirloom rose varieties grow true to the parent plants, while hybrid varieties are less predictable.
      The task of growing roses from seeds is very involved. For this reason, most gardeners prefer to grow roses from cuttings.
      If you want to experiment with cross-breeding unique roses, then you need to grow them from seed.
      To get predictable results, you must control pollination. This will ensure that your homegrown roses will grow true to color.

    • How to grow roses

      All you need to know about growing roses, in our detailed Grow Guide.Roses are some of the most beautiful and versatile garden plants. They come in a variety of forms, from patio roses to shrub roses, ramblers and climbers. Nearly all of them make an excellent cut flower. Single-flowered roses are great pollinator plants, while some species are used by leafcutter bees to make their nests. Most roses need sun and heavy soils to thrive, but some will grow well in partial shade and poorer soils. There really is a rose, or three, for every garden.Key points about growing roses
      Most roses thrive in full sun.Roses need rich, moist but well-drained soil.Water roses regularly so the soil stays moist but not waterloggedRoses are hungry plants. Mulch annually with organic matter such as well-rotted animal manure, and consider using a rose feed to promote flowering in summer.Prune roses annually to promote healthy growth, control the shape and encourage flowering
      Plant bare-root roses from November to March. Container-grown roses can be planted at any time of year.

    • How to grow shrub roses

      Shrub roses and English roses come in a huge range of sizes and colours âââ€?some can grow to 2m in height. Shrub roses are typically robust, healthy, repeat-flowering plants offering colour when other shrubs have finished flowering. Some shrub roses have a good fragrance, but if you want a scented shrub rose then English roses are for you. Shrub roses and English roses are perfect for growing in a mixed border, large container or as part of a rose garden. Some can also be trained as climbers or used to grow into a hedge.

    • How to grow climbing roses

      Climbing roses are the perfect plants to add height to a garden, without being too vigorous. There are climbing roses available in all the popular rose categories âââ€?hybrid tea roses, bourbons and English roses. Choose from double or single flowers, thornless or scented. Climbing roses can be grown up house walls, along garden fences, over pergolas or up large obelisks.

    • How to grow rambling roses

      Rambling roses are often confused with climbing roses. Ramblers are far more vigorous than climbers, and bear one fantastic flush of flowers, usually in June, followed by colourful hips. Climbing roses often repeat flower and have larger flowers.Rambling roses need plenty of space as they grow quickly. They’re ideal for growing up a tree or tumbling over a wall. They're perfect for covering an eyesore in the garden, such as an unsightly shed or out-building.A rambling rose looks great growing up into a tree, especially an apple tree, providing flowers after the apple blossom fades but before the fruits form. In this video guide from Gardeners' World, Monty Don shows you how to plant two different rambling roses âââ€?'Wedding Day' and 'Sander's White'. He details what conditions a rambling rose needs, how to prepare the soil, and how deep to plant it so it settles in well over autumn and gets off to a good start in spring. You'll also find out how far from the tree to plant the rose and how to encourage it to climb up the tree.

    • How to grow patio roses

      Patio roses are small enough to grow in pots. They are compact in habit and thrive in lighter soils than many other rose types. Patio roses are not as long lived as other types of rose, but they're easy to manage and remain compact if hard-pruned each spring.

    • How to grow ground cover roses

      Ground cover roses have a trailing or spreading habit. They're ideal for growing in a container, at the front of a border or on steep banks. Many are modern introductions have good disease resistance. If given the right conditions, ground cover roses can suppress weeds.

    • Roses to grow by colour

      Roses come in a huge variety of colours. Browse our lists of roses by colour, below, for the best one for your garden:
      Pink roses to grow
      Purple roses to grow
      Yellow roses to grow
      Beautiful red roses to grow
      Orange roses to grow

    • Growing roses in pots

      It's possible to grow roses in pots, meaning you can grow roses in even the smallest gardens. While all but rambling roses can be grown in pots, shorter growing bush varieties, or ‘patio roses', are ideal. They’ll do best in large, deep containers âââ€?an absolute minimum of 50cm in diameter and the same in depth âââ€?to keep their roots cool and moist during summer.In hot, dry weather, soak the compost every two to three days, and feed regularly.

    • What to grow with roses

      Many plants can be grown with roses to great effect. Climbing roses work well grown with clematis. Rambling roses can be trained to grow up a tree. Patio roses work well with a variety of other plants suitable for growing in pots, while shrub roses can be grown in a mixed ornamental border, alongside nepeta, lavender and other herbaceous perennials.

    • When to plant roses

      The best time to plant roses is in autumn, when the soil is warm and the water table is at its highest. Roses will establish quickly before becoming dormant, and then burst into life again in spring. Roses come as potted plants or as bare-root plants (sold without soil on the roots). Technically, you can plant a potted rose at any time of year and a bare-root rose from October to March, but autumn remains the best time to plant roses.

    • How to plant roses

      Plant roses in a well-prepared hole with added compost to improve soil structure and aid water retention. Back-fill with soil and firm in well, then water thoroughly.In this Gardeners' World programme clip, Monty Don shows you how to plant shrub roses. Watch as he plants the yellow-flowered, myrrh-scented rose 'The Pilgrim' in the Cottage Garden at Longmeadow. He explains how to prepare the soil and dig the hole, how and why you should add mycorrhizal fungi, and what rose care to provide to ensure the rose settles in well.

    • How to plant bare-root roses

      Planting bare-root roses during the dormant season is cheaper than planting container-grown roses, because the growers don't need to water and feed the plants when they're dormant, and they weigh less and take up less room when shipping. What's more, there's a far greater selection of bare root roses available to buy than container-grown roses, giving you more choice.You can plant bare-root roses at any time between October and the end of March, but planting them in autumn helps them establish more quickly because the soil is still warm from summer, and is typically moist.

    • Pruning roses

      Pruning is essential for the overall health, vitality and appearance of roses. Winter is the key time to cut back most varieties, except rambling roses, which are pruned in summer immediately after flowering.The basic principles of pruning are the same: cutting back hard will promote the strongest growth, while light pruning will result in less vigour. The other basic rules include cutting to an outward-facing bud to prevent compacted growth, and removing closely positioned stems that might rub or compete for space. Also remove stubby ‘snagsâââ€?(short, dead lengths of stem with no growth on them) and thin, twiggy stems, which are unlikely to produce anything worthwhile in terms of growth and flowering potential.

    • Growing roses: problem-solving

      Roses suffer from many problems, including black spot, aphids, die-back and bloom balling. In this Quick Tips video, Richard Jones explains why you shouldn't worry about leafcutter bees damaging your rose leaves:Find more solutions to rose growing problems, below.
      Rose problems solved
      Trouble-free roses
      How can I stop die-back on roses?
      Rose black spot
      Rose bloom-balling

    Why Seedsplant ?

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    Flower Bulb Facts of Life

    Bulbs: Beauty In a Bottle:

    Bulbs are a natural product. And, as such, follow a natural cycle of growth and rebirth. Enjoying their fabulous flowers means planting ahead in one season then results the next. Bulbs are among the easiest flowers to grow, not only are they affordable, but bulbs offer the most stunning colors available. Even the most novice gardener can create a breathtakingly beautiful spring garden with bulbs.

    What's a Bulb?

    A flower bulb is really a self-contained flower factory. Within this marvelous little package is nearly everything the flower needs to come to life! Split a bulb open, for instance, and you'll see its baby flower bud, leaves, roots, stem and food supply. All bulbs need from you is to be placed in the ground at the appropriate season of year, given a liberal drink of water then left to work their magic.

    Variety:

    Flower bulbs come in seemingly limitless varieties which makes them perfectly suitable for any garden design you can dream up.

    Is It a bulb ?

    The Difference Between Bulbs, Corms, Tubers, Roots,Today, people commonly us the term 'bulb' to refer to any plant that stores its own food underground. But, in truth, many popular 'bulbs' are not true bulbs at all. These include corms, tubers and roots and, while they all produce beautiful flowers, technically the plants are different

    When To Plant

    In fall, after soil temperatures are below 50ºF/10ºC. These bulbs bloom the following spring and require the cold winter temperatures for development. But let's say winter arrives and your bulbs are still in their bag. Not to worry! Bulbs are pre-programmed to grow so even if you have to plant through snow, plant your bulbs!

    How To Plant

    Most bulbs thrive in either full or partial sun and in almost any location with good drainage. Avoid planting at the base of hills or under drainage pipes where water collects and will rot the bulbs.

    • Dig a hole
    • Drop in the bulb
    • Water thoroughly

    Tips For success

    • A larger grouping of flower bulbs are far more fab than just a few planted here and there. Think clumps of color.
    • Buy the largest bulbs you can find.
    • Note the flowering times. Not all bulbs will bloom at the same time. A little planning will greatly increase the number of months you will enjoy bulb flowers.

    Passionate About bulbs

    Generally speaking, the best predictor for gardening success is bulb size. Almost always, the larger the initial bulb size planted, the larger and stronger the plants will be, producing more flowers. The first year end result will be noticeable to anyone.The best predictor for gardening success is bulb size.

    Shipping

    All items are shipped usually within 2 working days (usually sooner) except plug plants. Plants only dispatch Monday-Thursday to avoid problems with live plants sitting in a postal depot over the weekend. During busy periods , due to the nature of product and extra care needed when packing and preparing for post, please allow up to 7 days for delivery (depending on day purchased). Plants are only dispatched when crops are ready to travel , therefore some multi orders may be delivered separately and occasionally it may be necessary to hold back dispatch until plants are ready. Shipping is either via Post  or 24/48 Hour courier depending on order size/weight etc. at our discretion. Please be patient when ordering plants as you cannot rush nature. Please be aware delivery dates shown by Seedsplant are estimates only and do not apply to live plant orders. Any orders returned to us by Post or Courier will incur a further postage charge to resend.

    Returs

    You may return all unopened items within 14 days of delivery for a full refund less P&P charges. Any items received damaged in transit must be notified in writing/email within 24 hours of receipt. Live plants should arrive in perfect condition , If however for some reason they do not please contact us immediately upon receipt. A full refund including original P&P will be made for any items not as described or wrong part no etc. All returns must include your full details with a copy of original receipt. You may cancel any transaction as long as notice is received before item(s) are / have been dispatched.

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    You can message us through Seedsplant messages , otherwise You can write to us by email :[email protected]

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    4.3 ★★★★★
    Based on 20 reviews
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    Stephanie McCall
    Battle Creek, US
    ★★★★★ 4
    A Remarkable Book--I Want More Like It!
    Format: Kindle
    I stumbled on Remarkably Bright Creatures among my recommendations. As often happens, the premise intrigued me enough to read it even though I didn't know the author. Well, if Shelby Van Pelt often writes like this, I definitely want more of her books. The friendship between Tova the aquarium cleaning lady and Marcellus the giant Pacific octopus is a definite selling point in this book. It's a great twist on the "A Kid and Their X" trope (the kind of thing you see in stuff like Where the Red Fern Grows, Old Yeller, Free Willy, and so forth). This one, I am pleased to report, is far less cheesy and saccharine. Tova is a multifaceted character whose life may seem small in her estimation, and probably is if we go by what is a "normal" life in a small seaside town. Yet that life has been stuffed with complex emotions, unanswered questions, and a longing for "more" that I think everybody can relate to. At least, I certainly could. As for Marcellus, he's multifaceted, too. A part of me did stick with his point of view, and story, because it is a story of a "remarkably bright," underestimated creature trapped and controlled in a world he doesn't understand. I have cerebral palsy and was diagnosed as level 1 autistic this spring; I'm still looking back and trying to heal from a lot of the latter's implications. So in a visceral way, yeah. I'm not a captive animal or mistreated, but I understood how Marcellus felt. What I liked even better about his story though, is that Marcellus' story doesn't stop there. Marcellus actually has a life and a history that Shelby Van Pelt, Tova, Cameron, and other characters dig into. He's not just a captive yearning for freedom and mourning lost opportunities, as often happens with similar stories. He makes wry, witty, yet quiet, non-snarky observations about humans. He cares deeply for Tova because she took time to know him as a "person," but also because she's the only human who has ever stopped long enough for Marcellus to know as a real "person." Marcellus gets to be the conduit of real revelation and change for people inside and outside his world. That's amazing, and frankly, it's a lot more than many human characters get. Remarkably Bright Creatures couldn't succeed with just Tova or Marcellus though, or at least not as well as it did, I think. The other characters pop off the page as well. Cameron is my favorite, precisely because I didn't expect to like him at first. By his own admission, he comes off as a burnout and a loser, and I admit, that's how I saw him to begin with. But as with Tova and Marcellus, Cameron is hiding a lot of layers, a lot of depth. He's got a great heart, but he's still a typical, kinda clueless 30-year-old guy (and I'm still a 30-something so I say that tongue in cheek). He's vulnerable but not pitiful; he plays the victim sometimes, but then he gets mad at being called out on that and wants to do better. He struggles and is a burnout, but he's got good, solid friends and some real interests and potential. In other words, I got really into his arc, especially once Tova, Marcellus, and even Ethan got involved. As for Ethan, he's unexpectedly cool, as well. I admit some brownie points with him, as I love all things Scottish or Irish and he is of Scottish descent. But I also didn't expect a shopkeeper in his '70s with a gruff edge to be a Grateful Dead fan or to get along so well with a neat and tidy, tiny Swedish aquarium cleaner, so brownie points on plot and character there. In fact, Ethan's role in the story, in particular, went all kinds of unexpected places, so without spoiling anything, I'll tell you to keep an eye on it. Finally, Shelby wins some extra brownie points for a lot of the "little" things that "pop" out at me when reading a book like this one. For instance, I love cats and love the reluctant yet affectionate relationship Tova develops with a stray cat. I love Marcellus' Collection and the pride and care he takes in it. I love and felt some heartbreak over Tova's reminiscing about the attic playroom that never got to be a playroom. But I think the thing I loved most about Remarkably Bright Creatures is how remarkable Shelby showed readers humans--and creatures--can be, without getting heavy-handed or cheesy. There are some romances here, so to speak, but this is a relationship novel, and those are, have been for the past several years, some of my favorite ones. There is some language here, so caveat emptor if that's not your thing. From a writer's perspective, I also wondered how much some threads or characters were actually needed. For instance, looking back, I understand why Tova had a brother, but I'm unsure how much he furthered the plot. Similarly, I understand the roles of Avery and Marco but again, am unsure how much they furthered the plot. Also, I almost hate to say it, and I could be wrong about this. After all, I know about as much concerning octopi as the average person who watches Jeopardy (which I do). But while Marcellus' plot thread is great, and while I definitely understand suspension of disbelief, I did wonder along with Cameron how much those boundaries were pushed. I mean, I buy Marcellus getting out of his tank, and with the right Collection items, I guess Tova and Cameron could've figured out whatever they needed to know. But...there's a logical shard of me that isn't quite sure she buys how everything lined up, I guess. All that aside though, Remarkably Bright Creatures is still a remarkable book. As often happens, I'm now eager to find more like it. And yes, it does get a hearty recommendation. At the very least, I'll want to take closer looks next time I go to an aquarium.
    WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
    Reviewed in the United States on January 22, 2025
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    Verified Purchase
    S. Oliver
    San Leandro, US
    ★★★★★ 5
    Great story and characters
    Format: Kindle
    I had to see what all the hype was about and after seeing the trailer on Netflix I knew I had to read the book before I watched the movie. I have to say, this was one of the better books I've read so far this year. It's not a fast paced read but it held my interest the entire time. The characters are very well developed and I really grew to like Tova and Cameron, of course Marcellus is the star of the show and is as witty as they come. If you're looking for a good read I highly recommend this one. The octopus is a difficult creature to care for so I sincerely hope the "octopus tank craze" doesn't start over this like the "clownfish tank craze" did when Finding Nemo came out. Leave it to the expert level saltwater hobbyist to care for them or better yet, leave them in the ocean. I have to mention too that this is the author's debut novel and for a debut novel it's very impressive, I'll look for others from her in the future.
    WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
    Reviewed in the United States on May 25, 2026
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    Verified Purchase
    T. Sparks
    Natrona Heights, US
    ★★★★★ 5
    A remarkable story
    Format: Hardcover
    What a wonderful surprise this was! I thought Remarkably Bright Creatures was a story about a woman and an octopus, but it turned out to be so much more than that. This is Shelby Van Pelt’s first book, and I don’t think a debut has affected me like this since I read Hollow Kingdom, another story that unfolds through the eyes of an animal. The story has a bit of magical realism to it, in the sense that parts of it are told from the octopus’s point of view, but otherwise it’s simply a delightful tale about family and connections that had me ugly crying by the end of the book. In the first chapter we meet Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus on display in the Sowell Bay Aquarium near Puget Sound. Marcellus has been in captivity for 1,299 days, and based on his life expectancy of about four years, he believes he only has a handful of days left to live. His dreary days in a small glass enclosure are broken up by secret nighttime excursions, as Marcellus is extremely smart and has found a way out of his tank. Tova Sullivan is a seventy-year-old woman who has been working nights at the aquarium as a cleaning lady for the past two years. Tova knows how to remove the hundreds of fingerprints on the tank walls and can polish the floors to a brilliant shine. She’s also quite fond of the sea creatures she encounters each night, especially Marcellus, and the two have formed an unusual bond since Tova saved Marcellus one night after he escaped and became entangled in a bunch of electrical cords. Next, we meet Cameron Cassmore, a thirty-year-old man who is drifting through life with no real purpose. Cameron lives in California, and one day his aunt gives him a box of his estranged mother’s things. Inside the box he finds a photo and an old class ring, clues that could lead to the identity of his father, a man he never knew. Cameron hops on a plane to Washington state, convinced the man he thinks is his father—a rich real estate tycoon—will be so distraught over abandoning his son, he’ll shower Cam with money. At least that’s the plan. Finally, Ethan Mack is the owner of Sowell Bay’s Shop-Way, the local grocery store. Ethan has known Tova for years and secretly has a crush on her, but Tova is much too distant to notice his interest. When Cameron shows up at the Shop-Way looking for a job, Ethan directs him to his friend who manages the aquarium, which is how Cameron and Tova meet. Tying all these characters together is Marcellus, a remarkably bright octopus with a penchant for stealing and hoarding the treasures he finds after hours on the aquarium floor, and who just might be able to bring two people together who need each other—but don’t yet realize it. Van Pelt’s chapters alternate among all these characters and introduce a slew of side characters as well, each one vitally important to the story. At first, we don’t realize how each character is connected to the next, but slowly the author reveals her secrets until the stunned reader begins to understand the depth of these connections. Each character is given a detailed backstory that becomes very important to the plot. Tova’s story in particular was heart wrenching, as she has experienced quite a bit of loss in her life and finds herself mostly alone in her twilight years. Luckily she belongs to a group of women who call themselves the Knit-Wits, and the four of them meet weekly to eat, drink, gossip and support each other. Tova came to America from Sweden as a little girl, so the story is filled with details about growing up with her Swedish mother and father. Even the Dala horses her mother collected play a part in the story, and I found these little details added so much richness. At first I couldn’t figure out how Cameron fit it, but once he arrives in Sowell Bay and meets Ethan and Tova, his story takes on new meaning. Cameron meets a woman named Avery who also plays a vital part in filling in some of the missing pieces about Cameron’s father, and I loved the way the author gave even the most insignificant side characters meaning and purpose. Van Pelt infuses her story with so many emotional moments and themes. We see how the Knit-Wits are going through the aging process, as their numbers have dwindled over the last few years. Tova is facing being alone in her old age, with no children or husband to take care of her, and so she makes the rash decision to sell her beloved house and move into a retirement community. I don’t want to give too many details about Tova’s past and her losses, because I think it’s better to discover those revelations for yourself. Let’s just say that I felt Tova’s pain and wanted nothing more than for her to be happy. And Van Pelt includes so many funny moments in her story that kept the tone light, despite some of the more heavy themes. There’s an ongoing bit about Cameron’s lost luggage that was hysterically funny, and Tova inherits a stray cat at one point, which was a delightful side plot. I also loved the story about the t-shirt that Tova uses to clean Ethan’s kitchen—you’ll just have to read the book so you can experience the hilarity too! And of course, I can’t forget the star of the story, Marcellus the octopus. As the days tick by—each of his chapters starts with a marker (“Day 1,299 of my captivity”, etc)---the tension builds as Marcellus gets closer to his impending death (at least that’s what he thinks). Marcellus understands human nature more than most humans, and I loved the way he wisely intuits each character’s needs. Ultimately, this is a story about creatures—both human and animal—saving each other. The way Marcellus’s story plays out was absolutely perfect—heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. This is a very special book, and I’m so glad I was able to finally read it. Highly recommended!
    WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
    Reviewed in the United States on January 25, 2024
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    Verified Purchase
    Carolyn Ellis
    Los Angeles, US
    ★★★★★ 5
    It was as good as I'd hoped.
    Format: Kindle
    Marcellus McSquiddles, the giant Pacific Octopus who has lived at the Sowell Bay Aquarium for going on four years, is often exasperated with the humans who stare at him all day. But there is one human who is different. She speaks to him and more importantly, she keeps his nocturnal escapes from his tank, a secret. Tova is a gentle woman, a widower and still dealing with the loss of her son, more than thirty years ago. When someone new strolls into town, Cameron Cassmore, looking for his dead beat father, he and Tova's lives will become inextricably linked, if they're not already. And Marcellus sees all of this and does his best to assist, where he can, since for the most part, he notices that haumans can be rather dull. But though, sometimes, especially in the case of Tova, there a a few who are remarkably bright. This was a sweet, genuine, heartfelt and beautifully written, fun read. Van Pelt has created a delightfully jaded and long-suffering, sighing character in the form of Marcellus and he and Tova's story is told in such a unique and imaginative way. I'd been meaning to read this for so long and I'm so glad I finally did.
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    Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2026
    K
    Verified Purchase
    Kindle Customer
    Belleville, US
    ★★★★★ 4
    Remarkable book
    Format: Kindle
    A truly moving story. I thought going it it might be a little too sugary sweet for me, but turned out to just have the right amount of of sweetness. Marcellus is truly remarkable, although he is a bit of a spoiler, revealing the bug twist way too early, which leaves to frustration while you wait for the rest of the cast to catch up. There were a couple of cliches and the ending felt a little rushed, but still it was an enjoyable read.
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    Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2026

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