Best Gardening Books, Part One
The best gardening books that I’ve read are informative, practical, have a unique voice and perspective, and can be referenced. The list here is about a third of what I’ve dug into in the past few years – yes, I love to read and also am obsessed with gardening. You knew this.
When getting ready for a new season, I love to get both informed and inspired. I like to sharpen my knowledge and get my head in the game, uncovering new plants and new techniques to try. This propels me into a new growing season with some momentum and also reminds me of anything I may forget like how garlic and beans should never be planted close, or how basil sweetens a tomato.
If you’re wanting to find some good gardening books, I have quite the list below. Hence, the “Part One” – there are simply too many good books we can break into categories. This is my overall, must-read list.
The Best Gardening Books (that I’ve read):
1. The Postage Stamp Garden Book was the very first gardening book that I read. I found it in a small used bookstore and it was the perfect jumpstart for me being that it focuses on tiny spaces, and vegetables. How to grow them, companions, etc. I LOVE this book.
2. Braiding Sweetgrass this book will change your life and how you think about plants, the earth, and your footprint on them both. Beautifully written, this book is nonfiction and more about ecology and life than gardening, but still important for all plant-lovers to read.
3. Jerry Baker’s Old Time Gardening Wisdom was gifted to me by my Step-mother who is the ultimate pioneer woman – she can do anything. She swears by Jerry Baker’s old wives tales, and I must say – so do I!
4. Rosemary Gladstar’s Medicinal Herbs is where to start when it comes to herbalism, tinctures, and medicinal plants. Rosemary is simply: the best.
5. Gaias Garden is so full of knowledge written in the most approachable way. This is a permaculture book and really should be how everyone thinks about designing their yards. It’s about working with flora and fauna symbiotically. This book will also change the way you think about traditional gardening and move you into something more holistic and less forced.
6. Up in the Garden Down in the Dirt is my favorite children’s book about gardening. My kids quote it, the illustration is lovely, and we’re on to buying our second copy due to overuse/ toddlers.
7. The Complete Gardener was written by Monty Don who is my idol, so I had to include it. He can do no wrong, so there you have it.
8. All New Square Foot Gardening is a classic and will help you understand space in the garden, as well as soil. This book is famous for a reason and excellent for small space gardening. However, you’ll never find me putting grids on my boxes. Ever.
9. Carrots Love Tomatoes is the ultimate guide to companion planting. I reference this each season (at least).
10. Vegetable Gardening by Timber Press is a zone-specific guide to gardening and is very helpful. It’s not something that you can use to replace your own experience but will help you understand your hardiness zone completely.
The Ultimate Best Book: Experience
In this list of gardening books, I hope you’ll find something that you love and adore. Or if nothing else, find something completely useful! Gardening is a lifelong passion and pursuit, a subject that can never be fully covered by reading, but instead needs to be felt personally. Nothing can replace experience, so don’t forget that. Go get your hands dirty!
As we are celebrating planning our upcoming new year of gardening, anyone who comments here will be entered to win a garden planner! I would love to hear below if there are any gardening books that have changed your life, or that you can’t live without!