The best gardening books inspire us to create amazing gardens. This list of gardening books includes excellent references, wonderful classics, and genuinely good gardening information. Here are some of my favourite garden books as well as some classic gardening books and specialty reads.
List of the overall best gardening books
Let’s start with the wonderful overall general gardening books which cover multiple aspects of organic gardening. They are not necessarily books for beginners, but they do cover many different areas of gardening and uses for your garden harvest. Specific niche garden books can be found in the big table next section of this post.
1. Gaia’s Garden, by Toby Hemenway
Gaia’s Garden is one of my favorite general gardening books. It focuses on organic gardening methods and how each aspect of the garden is connected. You won’t learn to grow specific vegetables in this book, but you’ll have a holistic understanding of how the garden functions.
Since it’s relatively easy to google how to grow individual plants, but it’s rather difficult to learn how a garden actually functions, I’d recommend this book before learning to grow specific plants. It is so important to learn how the garden functions, but also to learn about plants you may have never considered growing (hazelnuts anyone?). Gaia’s Garden is one of my absolute favorite non-fiction books, and this list of gardening books would not be complete without it!
2. Square Foot Gardening: The Revolutionary Way to Grow More In Less Space, by Mel Bartholomew
Square Foot Gardening is a classic gardening book describing the square-foot gardening method. It’s now in the third edition! This method challenges some of the traditional gardening “rules”, such as that veggies should be grown in straight lines. This book really is an exercise in optimization, yet is well-written and easy to follow.
I obviously have a soft spot for this one because it was written by a Civil Engineer, and I adore the research Mel did in the name of efficiency. Following the section describing his gardening method, there is a nice reference section for growing individual vegetables. This is a great book for a new gardener who hasn’t learned bad habits yet!
3. The Zero-Mile Diet: A Year-Round Guide to Growing Organic Food, by Carolyn Herriot
The Zero-Mile Diet is another great general gardening book that focuses on how to grow individual vegetables, as well as how to do some general gardening tasks such as composting. I like this book because it is Canadian, and therefore attends to some of the intricacies of growing food in Canada.
This book focuses mainly on food, and vegetable gardening, so don’t buy it if you’re more of a flower gardener. If you’re looking to start a kitchen garden, however, and live in Canada or Northern USA, this is likely a great book for you.
4. Gardenista: The Definitive Guide to Stylish Outdoor Spaces, by Michelle Slatalla
Gardenista is one of the coolest gardening websites out there. When they announced they’d be releasing a Gardenista book, I was so happy I nearly lost it. I ordered the book on Amazon Prime the day it came out, and it was on my doorstep the next morning.
This is more of an inspirational garden design book than an instructional gardening book. “Gardenista” is great if you’re looking for ideas to plan your garden, design your landscape, or consider different options before buying a property. It also makes a pretty darn lovely coffee table book. If you’re into the aesthetic of a garden as much as the harvest, this is a good book for you. It’s definitely the most coffee-table-worthy pick on this list of gardening books!
5. You Grow Girl: The Groundbreaking Guide to Gardening, by Gayla Trail
You Grow Girl is a popular vegetable gardening website run by a fellow Canadian gardener, Gayla Trail. This book is the companion guide to the website. It’s the perfect book for a new urban gardener who wants to grow some of their own food.
The book takes you through the gardening process right from the beginning, including planning out your garden space, selecting the right plants, and the basics of growing edible plants. It’s also a lot of fun to read. This book would make an excellent gift for the new gardener in your life, no matter what kind of garden space they have.
6. Landscaping with Fruit: Strawberry ground covers, blueberry hedges, grape arbors, and 39 other luscious fruits to make your yard an edible paradise, by Lee Reich
This is my favorite gardening book for fruit. Fruit plants are generally perennial, living for many years. This book helps you choose great plants for your area and then put them in a useful part of your yard.
After I read this book, I became confident planting fruit trees and shrubs because I knew they would not only produce delicious fruit but would also look amazing in my yard. I also appreciate the reference section which includes growing details and care instructions for each featured fruit plant. Healthy plants for the win!
7. Gifts from the Garden: 100 Gorgeous Homegrown Presents, by Debora Robertson
Gifts from the Garden is one of the most beautiful garden craft books. The crafts are beautiful, the photography is beautiful…it’s just a joy to flip through. I like that the instructions are very clear and often include several photos. There’s lots of detail and a ton of projects. If you’re into creating handcrafted gifts and prefer to use natural materials, this book is definitely worth a place on your bookshelf.
8. Garden Made: A Year of Seasonal Projects to Beautify Your Garden and Your Life, Stephanie Rose
Garden Made is a wonderful guide to making your home and garden a more beautiful place to be. Stephanie is a Canadian garden blogger known for her Pinterest-worthy garden crafts. The projects in this book are garden-focused rather than gift-focused and include things like garden art and very cool garden DIYs (like a bug hotel!). I like that the book is arranged by season. That makes it very easy to decide which projects to complete in a given season.
Specialty and niche gardening books
While the books above are general gardening books, these books focus on specific aspects of gardening or small-scale agriculture, going into each topic in detail. These books are publications I’ve found when doing research or which have been recommended to me by experienced gardeners. They’d make a good gift for the master gardener or permaculturalist in your life. Some books definitely fit into the category of reference material rather than something you would read cover-to-cover.
I keep this big list of gardening books so that I can reference them as I learn more about gardening and get deeper into certain topics.
Big list of the best gardening books
Book Title | Author(s) |
---|---|
101 Organic Gardening Hacks: Eco-friendly Solutions to Improve Any Garden | Shawna Coronado |
40 Projects for Building Your Backyard Homestead: A Hands-on, Step-by-Step Sustainable-Living Guide (Creative Homeowner) Includes Fences, Coops, Sheds, Wind & Solar Power, Rooftop & Vertical Gardening | David Toht |
A Modern Herbal | Alys Fowler |
A Tapestry Garden: The Art of Weaving Plants and Place | Ernie O’Byrne, Marietta O’Byrne |
A Way to Garden: A Hands-On Primer for Every Season | Margaret Roach |
A Year in Flowers | Shane Connolly |
All the Dirt: Reflections on Organic Farming | Rachel Fisher, Heather Stretch, Robin Tunnicliffe |
Backyard Bounty – Revised & Expanded 2nd Edition: The Complete Guide to Year-round Gardening in the Pacific Northwest | Linda Gilkeson |
Backyard Foraging: 65 Familiar Plants You Didn’t Know You Could Eat | Ellen Zachos |
Beginner’s Illustrated Guide to Gardening: Techniques to Help You Get Started | Katie Elzer-Peters |
Biodynamic Gardening: Grow Healthy Plants and Amazing Produce with the Help of the Moon and Nature’s Cycles | Helen Fewster, Penny Warren |
Coffee for Roses: …and 70 Other Misleading Myths About Backyard Gardening | C.L. Fornari |
Complete Planting Design Course: Plans and Styles for Every Garden | Hilary Thomas, Steven Wooster |
Covering Ground: Unexpected Ideas for Landscaping with Colorful, Low-Maintenance Ground Covers | Barbara W. Ellis |
Crazy Plant Lady | Isabel Serna |
Dahlias: Beautiful Varieties for Home & Garden | Naomi Slade |
Dirr’s Encyclopedia of Trees and Shrubs | Michael A. Dirr |
Discovering the Meaning of Flowers | Shane Connolly |
Down to Earth: Gardening Wisdom | Monty Don |
Enjoying Hummingbirds: In the Wild and In Your Yard | Larry Gates, Terrie Gates |
Epic Tomatoes: How to Select and Grow the Best Varieties of All Time | Craig LeHoullier |
Everyday Roses: How to Grow Knock Out® and Other Easy-Care Garden Roses | Paul Zimmerman |
Field Guide to Urban Gardening: How to Grow Plants, No Matter Where You Live | Kevin Espiritu |
Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden: Grow, Harvest, and Arrange Stunning Seasonal Blooms (Gardening Book for Beginners, Floral Design and Flower Arranging Book) | Erin Benzakein, Julie Chai |
Forest Bathing: How Trees Can Help You Find Health and Happiness | Qing Li |
Gaia’s Garden: A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture | Toby Hemenway |
Garden Alchemy: 80 Recipes and Concoctions for Organic Fertilizers, Plant Elixirs, Potting Mixes, Pest Deterrents, and More | Stephanie Rose |
Garden Anywhere: How to Grow Gorgeous Container Gardens, Herb Gardens, Kitchen Gardens, and More …Without Spending a Fortune | Alys Fowler |
Garden Flora: The Natural and Cultural History of the Plants In Your Garden | Noel Kingsbury |
Garden Made: A Year of Seasonal Projects to Beautify Your Garden and Your Life | Stephanie Rose |
Garden-Pedia: An A-to-Z Guide to Gardening Terms | Pamela Bennett, Maria Zampini |
Gardening with Native Plants of the Pacific Northwest | Arthur Kruckeberg, Linda Chalker-Scott |
Gardenista: The Definitive Guide to Stylish Outdoor Spaces | Michelle Slatalla |
Gardenlust: A Botanical Tour of the World’s Best New Gardens | Christopher Woods |
Gardentopia: Design Basics for Creating Beautiful Outdoor Spaces | Jan Johnsen |
Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses | Robin Wall Kimmerer |
Gifts from the Garden: 100 Gorgeous Homegrown Presents | Debora Robertson |
Green Gardener’s Guide: Simple, Significant Actions to Protect & Preserve Our Planet | Joe Lamp’l |
Green: Simple Ideas for Small Outdoor Spaces | Ula Maria |
Groundbreaking Food Gardens: 73 Plans That Will Change the Way You Grow Your Garden | Niki Jabbour |
Grow Fruit Naturally: A Hands-On Guide to Luscious, Homegrown Fruit | Lee Reich |
Hanging Kokedama: Creating Potless Plants for the Home | Coraleigh Parker |
Happy Cactus: Cacti, Succulents, and More | Bob Bridle, Laura Bithell |
Homegrown and Handpicked: A Year in a Gardening Life | Carol J. Michel |
How Not to Kill Your Houseplant: Survival Tips for the Horticulturally Challenged | Veronica Peerless |
How Plants Work: The Science Behind the Amazing Things Plants Do (Science for Gardeners) | Linda Chalker-Scott |
How to Create Your Garden: Ideas and Advice for Transforming Your Outdoor Space | Adam Frost |
How to Houseplant: A Beginner’s Guide to Making and Keeping Plant Friends | Heather Rodino |
How to Make a Plant Love You: Cultivate Green Space in Your Home and Heart | Summer Rayne Oakes |
How to Raise a Plant and Make It Love You Back: A modern gardening book for a new generation of indoor gardeners | Morgan Doane, Erin Harding |
Hummingbirds: A Life-size Guide to Every Species | Michael Fogden, Marianne Taylor, Sheri L. Williamson |
Hydroponics: The Ultimate Guide to Grow your own Hydroponic Garden at Home | Lara Darling |
Indoor Kitchen Gardening: Turn Your Home Into a Year-round Vegetable Garden – Microgreens – Sprouts – Herbs – Mushrooms – Tomatoes, Peppers & More | Elizabeth Millard |
Indoor Plant Decor: The Design Stylebook for Houseplants | Kylee Baumle, Jenny Peterson |
Kitchen Garden Revival: A modern guide to creating a stylish small-scale, low-maintenance edible garden | Nicole Johnsey Burke |
Kokedama: A step-by-step guide | Takaaki Kagawa |
Landscaping with Fruit: Strawberry ground covers, blueberry hedges, grape arbors, and 39 other luscious fruits to make your yard an edible paradise. (A Homeowners Guide) | Lee Reich |
Language of Flowers | Shane Connolly |
Little Book of House Plants and Other Greenery | Emma Sibley |
Martha’s Flowers, Deluxe Edition: A Practical Guide to Growing, Gathering, and Enjoying | Martha Stewart, Kevin Sharkey |
Mason Bee Revolution: How the Hardest Working Bee Can Save the World – One Backyard at a Time | Dave Hunter, Jill Lightner |
Microgreen Garden: Indoor Grower’s Guide to Gourmet Greens | Mark Mathew Braunstein |
Mineral Nutrition of Plants: Principles and Perspectives | Emanuel Epstein, Arnold J. Bloom |
Mini Farming: Self-Sufficiency on 1/4 Acre | Brett L. Markham |
Mini Farming: Self-Sufficiency on 1/4 Acre | Brett L. Markham |
Mittleider Gardening Book | Jacob R. Mittleider, James B. Kennard |
Moss Ball Bonsai: 100 Beautiful Kokedama That are Fun to Create | Satoshi Sunamori |
Moss: From Forest to Garden: A Guide to the Hidden World of Moss | Ulrica Nordström |
My Tiny Indoor Garden: Houseplant Heroes and Terrific Terrariums in Small Spaces | Lia Leendertz |
My Tiny Veg Plot: Grow Your Own in Surprisingly Small Places | Lia Leendertz |
Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World | Paul Stamets |
New Plant Parent: Develop Your Green Thumb and Care for Your House-Plant Family | Darryl Cheng |
New Small Garden: Contemporary principles, planting and practice | Noel Kingsbury, Maayke de Ridder |
Niki Jabbour’s Veggie Garden Remix: 224 New Plants to Shake Up Your Garden and Add Variety, Flavor, and Fun | Niki Jabbour |
No-Waste Kitchen Gardening: Regrow Your Leftover Greens, Stalks, Seeds, and More | Katie Elzer-Peters |
Paradise Lot: Two Plant Geeks, One-Tenth of an Acre, and the Making of an Edible Garden Oasis in the City | Eric Toensmeier |
Peonies: Beautiful Varieties for Home & Garden | Jane Eastoe |
Perennial Vegetables: From Artichoke to Zuiki Taro, a Gardener’s Guide to Over 100 Delicious, Easy-to-grow Edibles | Eric Toensmeier |
Plant Tribe: Living Happily Ever After with Plants | Igor Josifovic, Judith De Graaff |
Planting: A New Perspective | Piet Oudolf, Noel Kingsbury |
Plants Are Terrible People | Luke Ruggenberg |
Potted and Pruned: Living a Gardening Life | Carol J. Michel |
Practical Botany for Gardeners: Over 3,000 Botanical Terms Explained and Explored | Geoff Hodge |
Pruning and Training, Revised New Edition: What, When, and How to Prune | Christopher Brickell, David Joyce |
RHS: How to Grow Practically Everything | Zia Allaway |
Rodale’s Basic Organic Gardening: A Beginner’s Guide to Starting a Healthy Garden | Deborah L. Martin |
Rodale’s Illustrated Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening: The Complete Guide to Natural and Chemical-Free Gardening | Anna Kruger, Maria Rodale, Pauline Pears |
Rodale’s Ultimate Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening: The Indispensable Green Resource for Every Gardener | Deborah L. Martin, Fern Marshall Bradley, Barbara W. Ellis, Ellen Phillips |
Royal Horticultural Society Small Garden Handbook: Making the Most of Your Outdoor Space | Andrew Wilson |
Sand and Soil: Creating Beautiful Gardens on Cape Cod and the Islands | C.L. Fornari |
Seeded and Sodded: Thoughts from a Gardening Life | Carol J. Michel |
Small Garden Style: A Design Guide for Outdoor Rooms and Containers | Isa Hendry Eaton, Jennifer Blaise Kramer |
Square Foot Gardening High-Value Veggies: Homegrown Produce Ranked by Value | Mel Bartholomew |
Square Foot Gardening with Kids: Learn Together – Gardening Basics – Science and Math | Mel Bartholomew |
Square Foot Gardening, 3rd Edition, Fully Updated: MORE Projects – NEW Solutions – GROW Vegetables Anywhere | Mel Bartholomew |
Table Flowers: Over 50 Arrangements for Simple, Special and Spectacular Occasions | Shane Connolly |
Terrariums – Gardens Under Glass: Designing, Creating, and Planting Modern Indoor Gardens | Maria Colletti |
Terrariums & Kokedama | Alyson Mowat |
The 20-30 Something Garden Guide: A No-Fuss, Down and Dirty, Gardening 101 for Anyone Who Wants to Grow Stuff | Dee Nash |
The Art of Edible Flowers: Recipes and ideas for floral salads, drinks, desserts and more | Rebecca Sullivan |
The Backyard Homestead: Produce all the food you need on just a quarter acre! | Carleen Madigan |
The Cancer Survivor’s Garden Companion: Cultivating Hope, Healing and Joy in the Ground Beneath Your Feet | Jenny Peterson |
The Cocktail Hour Garden: Creating Evening Landscapes for Relaxation and Entertaining | C.L. Fornari |
The Complete Compost Gardening Guide: Banner batches, grow heaps, comforter compost, and other amazing techniques for saving time and money | Deborah L. Martin & Barbara Pleasant |
The Complete Gardener: A Practical, Imaginative Guide to Every Aspect of Gardening | Monty Don |
The Complete Guide to Houseplants: The Easy Way to Choose and Grow Healthy, Happy Houseplants | Valerie Bradley |
The Cottage Garden: How to Plan and Plant a Garden That Grows Itself (Country Living) | Charlie Ryrie |
The Drunken Botanist: The Plants That Create The World’s Great Drinks | Amy Stewart |
The Edible Garden: How to Have Your Garden and Eat It, Too | Alys Fowler |
The Elements of Organic Gardening | HRH Charles, Prince of Wales, Stephanie Donaldson |
The Encyclopedia of Country Living, 50th Anniversary Edition: The Original Manual for Living off the Land & Doing It Yourself | Carla Emery |
The Essential Garden Design Workbook: Completely Revised and Expanded | Rosemary Alexander, Rachel Myers |
The Ever Curious Gardener: Using a Little Natural Science for a Much Better Garden | Lee Reich |
The Flower Gardener’s Bible | Lewis Hill, Nancy Hill |
The Flower Recipe Book | Alethea Harampolis, Jill Rizzo |
The Flower Workshop: Lessons in Arranging Blooms, Branches, Fruits, and Foraged Materials | Ariella Chezar, Julie Michaels |
The Gardener’s Year (Modern Library Gardening) | Karel Capek |
The Green Witch: Your Complete Guide to the Natural Magic of Herbs, Flowers, Essential Oils, and More | Arin Murphy-Hiscock |
The Humane Gardener: Nurturing a Backyard Habitat for Wildlife (How to Create a Sustainable and Ethical Garden that Promotes Native Wildlife, Plants, and Biodiversity) | Nancy Lawson |
The Informed Gardener | Linda Chalker-Scott |
The Layered Garden: Design Lessons for Year-Round Beauty from Brandywine Cottage | David L. Culp |
The Legacy: An Elder’s Vision for Our Sustainable Future | David Suzuki |
The Living Landscape: Designing for Beauty and Biodiversity in the Home Garden | Rick Darke, Douglas W. Tallamy |
The Magical World of Moss Gardening | Annie Martin |
The New Seed-Starters Handbook (Rodale Organic Gardening) | Nancy Bubel, Jean Nick |
The Old Farmer’s Almanac Vegetable Gardener’s Handbook (Old Farmer’s Almanac (Paperback)) | Janice Stillman |
The One-Straw Revolution: An Introduction to Natural Farming | Masanobu Fukuoka |
The Organic Gardener’s Handbook of Natural Insect and Disease Control: A Complete Problem-Solving Guide to Keeping Your Garden and Yard Healthy Without Chemicals | Barbara W. Ellis, Fern Marshall Bradley, Helen Atthowe |
The Organic Gardener’s Handbook of Natural Pest and Disease Control: A Complete Guide to Maintaining a Healthy Garden and Yard the Earth-Friendly Way (Rodale Organic Gardening) | Fern Marshall Bradley, Barbara W. Ellis, Deborah L. Martin |
The Organic Lawn Care Manual: A Natural, Low-Maintenance System for a Beautiful, Safe Lawn | Paul Tukey |
The Oudolf Gardens at Durslade Farm: Plants and Planting | Rory Dusoir |
The Permaculture City: Regenerative Design for Urban, Suburban, and Town Resilience | Toby Hemenway |
The Permaculture Handbook: Garden Farming for Town and Country | Peter Bane |
The Pruning Book | Lee Reich |
The Rodale Book of Composting, Newly Revised and Updated: Simple Methods to Improve Your Soil, Recycle Waste, Grow Healthier Plants, and Create an Earth-Friendly Garden | Grace Gershuny & Deborah L. Martin |
The Royal Gardens at Highgrove | Gill Knappett, HRH Charles, Prince of Wales |
The Secrets of Backyard Bird-Feeding Success: Hundreds of Surefire Tips for Attracting and Feeding Your Favorite Birds | Deborah L. Martin & Arlene Koch |
The Soil Will Save Us: How Scientists, Farmers, and Foodies Are Healing the Soil to Save the Planet | Kristin Ohlson |
The Timber Press Guide to Succulent Plants of the World: A Comprehensive Reference to More than 2000 Species | Fred Dortort |
The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible, 2nd Edition: Discover Ed’s High-Yield W-O-R-D System for All North American Gardening Regions: Wide Rows, Organic Methods, Raised Beds, Deep Soil | Edward C. Smith |
The Vegetable Gardener’s Container Bible: How to Grow a Bounty of Food in Pots, Tubs, and Other Containers | Edward C. Smith |
The Week-by-Week Vegetable Gardener’s Handbook: Make the Most of Your Growing Season | Jennifer Kujawski, Ron Kujawski |
The Wellness Garden: Grow, Eat, and Walk Your Way to Better Health | Shawna Coronado |
The Woodland Homestead: How to Make Your Land More Productive and Live More Self-Sufficiently in the Woods | Brett McLeod |
The Year-Round Vegetable Gardener: How to Grow Your Own Food 365 Days a Year, No Matter Where You Live | Niki Jabbour |
Uncommon Fruits for Every Garden | Lee Reich |
Urban Jungle: Living and Styling with Plants | Igor Josifovic, Judith de Graaff |
Vegetable Gardening for Beginners: A Simple Guide to Growing Vegetables at Home | Jill McSheehy |
Vintage Roses: Beautiful Varieties for Home and Garden | Jane Eastoe |
Weedless Gardening | Lee Reich |
Wicked Plants: The Weed That Killed Lincoln’s Mother and Other Botanical Atrocities | Amy Stewart |
What are your favorite gardening books!?