Looking for the best gardening books? Whether you’re a complete beginner or a more seasoned gardener who wants to be more adventurous with their space, then there is no better place to start than the bookshelf. From gardening sustainability to transforming kitchen waste into a bountiful garden, we’ve rounded up the best books for getting your garden flourishing.
The best gardening books
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You may think that a garden is a key part of growing your own fruit and veg, but it turns out it’s not. Whether you have a small balcony, an enclosed patio or maybe you don’t have an outside space at all, you can still jump on board the trend of growing your own fruit and veg with this expert guide.
Starting from scratch, Marc Thoma Urban's Gardening for Beginners takes you through the basics before offering a whole host of indoor and outdoor growing solutions including hydroponics and using artificial lighting. You’ll be inundated with fresh tomatoes, strawberries and a whole bunch of other produce in no time.
We all know how important it is to create a safe haven for wildlife, encouraging them to our garden and making spaces that help them to thrive. In the latest edition to the ‘Planting for…’ series, Planting for Butterflies shows you how to encourage some of nature’s most beautiful pollinators. Filled with inspiring illustrations as well as useful information about flowers and plants to encourage them into your garden, it's a perfect addition to your coffee table.
Buy Planting For butterflies: The Grower's Guide to Creating a Flutter
If you only get one gardening book, then Monty Don's The Complete Gardener is probably it. Beautifully written, it is the perfect mix of advice, experience and anecdotes. Perfect for reading cover to cover or just to dip in and out of, it is full of useful tips and tricks based on Monty's own experience in the garden, covering everything from organisation to harvesting. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced gardener, you will, without doubt, unearth a whole host of hidden gems to help your space flourish.
Organisation is key when it comes to gardening so keep yourself on track with a beautiful planner. We love this one from Etsy: it has a helpful sowing and harvesting guides as well as monthly to-do list. Plus it looks beautiful!
If you crave your own organic veg but turning your whole garden into a vegetable patch seems a bit much, then Huw Richard’s Veg in One Bed is the perfect place to start. Taking you through each month, from building your bed to harvesting your crops, it is ideal for those who are embarking in their first foray into growing their own. Beautifully illustrated, no stone is left unturned, answering every possible question you could have as your start out on your gardening journey.
While we all aspire to the Instagram aesthetic of rooms filled with thriving houseplants, the reality for many of us is several crispy leaved monstrosities that you just can’t get to grow no matter how hard you try. How Not to Kill Your Houseplant is the essential guide to keeping your indoor oasis flourishing.
Perfect for beginners it has everything you need, from identifying exactly what’s in the pot to clear care advice including exactly how much water you need to give it and how often, as well as expert tips on troubleshooting, answering questions like why are the stalks looking spindly or why your plant's leaves are suddenly dropping off.
If you’re looking to get your little one involved in the garden then this is the perfect bedtime book. Following one family’s story into gardening, it teaches little ones what plants need to grow as well as the importance of insects, water and a lot of patience. Filled with beautiful illustrations, it will get you, as well as them, excited to get out in the garden. This heartwarming story is one that you all will treasure for years to come.
More great garden ideas:
- The best gifts for gardeners
- Best indoor plants for every room in the house
