18 Inspiring Garden Books to Stock in Your Library (2024)

Psychiatrist and garden enthusiastSue Stuart-Smith examines how gardening can change the lives of peoplefrom many different walks of life inher latest book. Stuart-Smith focuses on the notion that thenurturing activity can not not only be viewed as a way of sustaining the earth but one's mental well-being.

For those who've ever started a garden, you know a world of emotions comes with the process.Jazz Age playwright and author Beverley Nichols eloquently describes the triumphs and failures of creating a garden in his classic memoirDown the Garden Path. Rather than give advice, the novicegardener chronicles his experience building his own green oasis at hisHuntingdonshire home, from the first seed planted to hisgreenhouse adventures.

Environmental historian Dianne D. Glave examines the African American experience and its relationship tonature throughout historyin her debut book. Glave points outs that for many Black individuals, nature and violence are connected, conjuring harmful images of enslaved people exhaustively working in the fields. However, with great care, she works to dismantle this view and reclaim theAfrican American heritage to land and nature.

A mainstay on the bookshelves of gardeners since 1976, English horticulturistGraham Stuart Thomas's classic surveys more than 2,000 species of perennial plants. Each entry thoroughly gives practical information on planting, seasonal flowering, cultivation, propagation, and a brief history of that given plant's origins.

Tokachi Millennium Forest felt rather overwhelmingwhen English gardenerDan Pearson arrived in Hokkaido, Japan, to assist head gardenerMidori Shintani in redesigning the ecological public park. The team's mission was to add layers the intimacy to the vast park and restore land that wasoverworked and farmed for years. In his book, Pearson details just how the duo was able to build a space that reconnects visitorswith the land, wildlife, andhorticulturist traditions of Japan.

In his first book, famed landscape designer Scott Shrader walks readers through 12 breathtaking gardens, showing how toseamlessly connect theoutdoors to a home's interiors. Beyond giving design advice, Shrader also encourages people to rethink their own outdoor spaces and use them more for entertaining.

Author and White House garden historian Linda Holden delves into the verdant world of Bunny Mellon with an intimatelook at the public and private gardens, which made Mellon a household name. Vivid watercolors, archival photographs, and sketches illustrate Mellon's horticultural psycheas Holden puts into words the impact of the bon vivant's work on the world of gardening.

After serving asthe first fiction editorforthe NewYorker,Katharine S. White started a critical review of garden catalogs to highlight “favorite reading matter.” The magazine ran 13iterations of the column, known as "Onward and Upward in the Garden," with an emphasis onthe history and future of gardening. Two years after White's death in 1977, her husband, E. B. White, edited and published the series within a book under the same name as the column.

Winner of theAmerican Horticultural Society Book Award, David and Michiko Young'sThe Art of the Japanese Gardentraces the origins and development of Japan's garden traditions. Thecomprehensivecollection looks at the most notable gardens in Japan while highlighting the cultural significance ofeach design.

Famed English gardenerChristopher Lloyd draws on his incredible experience and knowledge to create a detailed yet entertaining examination into the basics of gardening.A strong-minded writer, Lloydencourages the reader to get out and start planting and view every challenge as a learning experience.

Named one of the best garden books by the American Horticultural Society,A Southern Gardenexamples why gardening should be a year-round pleasure and escape. Elizabeth Lawrence takes readers through each season, showcasing what plants grow best during certain times of the years and how to care for your land.

First Lady Michelle Obama's first-ever book invites readers into the White House Kitchen Garden to learn all about its inception andhow you can plant your own. A novice gardener at the time, Obama doesn't shy away from sharing her worries over the garden and joys of the first harvest. The guide also provides recipes created by the White House chefs that you can try at home.

British gardener Sarah Raven weaves togetherVita Sackville-West's weekly columns from theObserverto detailthe creation of Sissinghurst's iconic gardens. The funny anecdotes give insight intoSackville-West's vision as a gardener as well as offers practical advicefor beginner gardeners.

You'll be inspired to throw themost whimsical garden co*cktail party after reading the witty, The Drunken Botanist. Amy Stewart looks back at the history of alcohol and the obscure herbs, flowers, and even fungi that make up today's most belovedconcoctions. Complete with more thanthan 50 drink recipes and growing tips for gardeners, you're sure to become a go-tomixologist and co*cktail expert for friends and neighbors.

Author LauraC. Martin profilesmore than 85wildplantsand flowers native to North America through charming watercolor paintings. Each chapter is divided into colors with helpful tips on how to identify each flower and care for them. An added bonus: There are also ideas for activities with kids, meaning your little ones can start cultivating their green thumbs early.

No matter if you are tending to a small herb garden on your balcony or prepping for your next harvest,composting is one of the best ways to feed your soil and reduce food waste.The Rodale Book of Compostingexplains simple methods for people to make and use compost not matter where they live.

This easy-to-follow guide lays out exactly what novice gardeners should be tending to and planting each month of the year. Packed with tipsfrom the Royal Horticultural Society, each chapter provides step-by-step instructions and detailed illustrationson projects to attend to while in the garden and advice on how to keep your green oasis thriving through all seasons.

Relish in the lavish grounds and verdant splendor of the world's most celebrated royal gardens with Mark Lane's debut book. From the Tokyo Imperial Palace to Castle of Mey in Scotland, Lane paints the history of each garden, pointing out the key plantings and design elements that make them so renowned.