by Daniel Bell
With spring around the corner, now is the time of the year when we start to think about getting back out in the garden. To get you in the spirit of things, here are 5 great books about gardening. They might even provide you with the inspiration you need.
1. RHS A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants by Christopher Brickell
This book should be the starting point for any budding gardener. There is no book packed full of so much information and detail that is of use to anyone wanting to do more gardening. Anything you could ever want to know about garden plants can be found in the pages of this book. If you’re a beginner and want a good place to start, then this is a good book to buy. It’s as informative about common garden plant species as it is about the rarest species of plants you can find. It’s also well-written and entertaining to read.
2. Small Garden by John Brookes
If what you want to read about is garden design, then this is the book for you. John Brookes has long been viewed as the king of garden design. He’s been designing gardens for more than half a century. His book is fantastic for anyone wanting to learn how to divide up the space in their garden and make it functional. It’s especially useful if you want to grow food in your garden. Dividing up your garden and working out how to use the space and make it look great too is not easy. So, read this book!
3. Bulb by Anna Pavord
As the title suggest, this book by Anna Pavord is the essential guide to bulbs. It celebrates her favourite bulbs in a way that is always interesting and accessible to the reader. She selects more than 500 varieties and discusses them in detail. It’s very interesting for anyone who is thinking about which bulbs to plant this year. It’s also one of the most authoritative books on gardening and plants that you will find anywhere. So, it’s definitely worth picking it up sometime.
4. Gardening Eden by Michael Abbate
If you want to read something linked to gardening but is not directly instructional, this interesting book might be the one for you. Gardening Eden by author Michael Abbate manages to link together environmentalism and religion. And it’s all done in a fascinating way. It will also help you to become a better gardener. Once you’ve read it, you will look at your garden and the natural world around you in a completely different way. There are plenty of practical ideas to get you thinking.
5. Colour in the Winter Garden by Graham Stuart Thomas
Preparing your garden for winter is always a challenge. That’s why I’d recommend starting to think about next winter right now. This is the book that will help you overcome that challenge. It’s not winter now, but with the help of Graham Stuart Thomas’s fantastic book, you’ll be prepared for when it does eventually get here.
