Gardening Books

Reading about the great gardens of the world, new types of plants and different planting theories has largely been how I have expanded my gardening knowledge. It keeps me eager to try new ideas and put the energy into my own garden to make it beautiful.

You might enjoy a few of these books as well. They are all very well done, informative and beautifully photographed!

Famous Gardens:

• Rosemary Verey's Making of a Garden by Rosemary Verey

• Christopher Lloyd's Gardening Year by Christopher Lloyd 

• The Magic of Monet's Garden by Derek Fell

• Beth Chatto's Woodland Garden: Shade-Loving Plants for Year-Round Interest by Beth Chatto

• The Garden at Hidcote by Fred Whitsey

• Gardening at Sissinghurst by Tony Lord

• The Gardens of Gertrude Jekyll by Richard Bisgrove

• Chanticleer: A Pleasure Garden by Adrian Higgins

• The Intimate Garden: Twenty Years and Four Seasons in Our Garden by Gordon Hayward and Mary Hayward

• Monet's Passion: Ideas, Inspiration and Insights from the Painter's Gardens by Elizabeth Murray 

• Beth Chatto's Damp Garden by Beth Chatto 

• Plant Portraits by Beth Chatto 

Garden Design:

• Succession Planting for Year-Round Pleasure by Christopher Lloyd

• Color for Adventurous Gardeners by Christopher Lloyd 

• Designing with Grasses by Neil Lucas  

• The Book of Garden Design by John Brookes

• Designing with Plants by Piet Oudolf with Noel Kingsbury 

• Your House, Your Garden: A Foolproof Approach to Garden Design by Gordon Hayward

• The Wild Garden: Expanded Edition by William Robinson and Rick Darke

• Drought Resistant Planting by Beth Chatto

Garden Journals:

• Perennial Grace Datebook (More on using a date book as a garden journal)

Garden Maintenance:

• AHS Plant Propagation edited by Alan Toogood

• The Well-Tended Perennial Garden: Planting and Pruning Techniques by Tracy DiSabato-Aust

Horticulture:

• Botany for Gardeners: Third Edition by Brian Capon

For the shear Love of Gardening:

• Dear Friend & Gardener: Letters on Life and Gardening by Beth Chatto and Christopher Lloyd

Also, my two favorite magazines:

• The English Garden ~ great for inspiration! So many pretty gardens!

• Fine Gardening ~ more practical advice & gardening techniques, but also includes some US gardens