My love affair with gardening started years ago when I was a little tyke helping my mom tend to our small kitchen garden.
The area was no more than a 4 x 4 plot, filled to the brim with an odd combination of lettuce, carrots, peas, marigolds and rhubarb. Not a tomato plant in sight (no earthly idea why, since I LOVE a good tomato).
Every spring I would patiently till up the garden, use a hoe to make neat rows and with great precision plant my seeds. Poking them down into the soil with my chubby little fingers and praying they would grow up to be big and strong and healthy.
And then I’d ceremoniously staple the seed packet to a popsicle stick and “plant” it at the end of the row so I could remember what was where. Back then, my knowledge of plants was limited to the instructions on the back of those seed packets.
I’m sure there were books on gardening at the local library, but I never once thought to go to the library to learn to garden. In my mind, gardening was not something you needed book-learning for.
It was full of skills handed down from your mama. And from her mama before her.
Most of that may be true, but ALL THE PHOTOS I was missing!!! And the STORIES!!! And the ADVICE!!!
I’ve since come to realize the error of my ways and have become somewhat of a gardening book junkie. Here is a list of some of my favorite gardening books and some I have just recently discovered.
(This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience. You can read my full disclosure policy here.)
10 Outstanding Gardening Books: The Best Of The Bunch
Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden: Grow, Harvest & Arrange Stunning Seasonal Blooms
Emily Murphy’s new book, Grow What You Love.
Gardening With Chickens: Plans And Plants For You And Your Hens
The New Southern Living Garden Book: The Ultimate Guide To Gardening
The Bee Friendly Garden: Design An Abundant, Flower Filled Yard That Nurtures Bees And Supports Biodiversity
The Well Tended Perennial Garden: The Essential Guide To Planting And Pruning Techniques
Welcome To The Farm: How To Wisdom From the Elliott Homestead
The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible
Container Gardens: Over 200 Fresh Ideas For Indoor And Outdoor Plantings
The Layered Garden: Design Lessons For Year Round Beauty From Brandywine Cottage
And since I apparently have a hard time counting to 10, some bonus books:
Garden Made: A Year Of Seasonal Projects To Beautify Your Garden And Your Life
The Backyard Homestead: Produce All The Food You Need On Just A Quarter Acre
Gardening In Miniature: Create Your Own Tiny Living World
Gardenista: The Definitive Guide To Stylish Outdoor Spaces
What’s your favorite gardening book?
Deanna Rabe
Those all look great. We have Backyard Homestead and chickens! Its a good book and I recommend it. We’ve downsized our gardens, due to a busy season of life, but I love gardens and gardening.
Nancy g
Have you ever read the mrs greenthumb books? Lots of advise as well as humor! She used to write a column in a garden magazine years ago too. I love your website and newsletter!
taryterre
Good information in these books I’m sure. Thanks. I’ll be sure to check out the CONTAINER book to suits my needs.
Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces
These look like wonderful books, Pam! How fun to finally be at the time of year that we are talking gardening!
Vickie Kern
I’m kind of ashamed to admit it, but my gardening books were donated to our local library. I’ve had such terrible luck gardening in our current yard that I’d given up the last few years. This is the year to get our yard looking the way I want! We’ve got new neighbors on either side of us, so some privacy trees and shrubs are in the plan. I did keep my 2 books on curb appeal, so that’s a start. The cover of the book on miniature gardening is so charming! Thanks for sharing and Happy Easter, Pam!
Shirley@Housepitality Designs
Thank you for the recommendations of these gardening books. The container garden book has to be my fav!
Pam
You with your gardening books sounds like me with my cookbooks. I never met one I didn’t like!
FLORENCE @ VintageSouthernPicks
The one about attracting bees & tending to perennials both appeal to me. It would also be interesting seeing what appeals to chickens, although I don’t intend to start a chicken farm (yet), but never say never, right?? I tend to stick with a lot of perennials in my yard, and fill in with annuals in pots.
Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures
Oh, wow! I can’t wait to read all of these! Pinned! Thank you for the recommendations. It’s hard to say what my fave books are currently. I think I reference my personal journal the most. -Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures
Jan Johnsen
Pam – Can I send you my 2 garden books for your review? Heaven is a Garden is now in its third printing! The Spirit of Stone just came out this year…