I have a confession. One of my favorite weird pastimes is going through all of the new books available at the library and placing any that I might read on my “For Later” shelf. I do this weekly. And I admit that there are more books on the shelves than I could ever actually read. However, I do also weekly browse my shelf and request some of the books, so I do end up reading a lot of them. Today, I thought I’d share with you some of the gardening books that are on my For Later shelf at the local library.
The Urban Garden: 101 Ways to Grow Food and Beauty in the City by Kathy Gentz
Obviously, I live in an urban area. I don’t have a huge yard to garden in. However, I have a deck, windowsill pots, and access to local community gardens. Therefore, I’m always interested in ideas about gardening in the city. I’m curious to see what might inspire me among the more than 100 ideas suggested in this book.
Companion Planting for Beginners: Pair your Plants for A Bountiful, Chemical-free Vegetable Garden by Brian Lowell
I love the idea of learning how to listen to nature when designing a garden. I remember during a vineyard tour learning about how they planted certain plants at the end of each row because they could see if there was any threat to the grapes by first checking out what was going on with those plants. That’s always stuck with me. This book seems like an amazing expansion upon that education.
The Regenerative Garden: 80 Practical Projects for Creating a Self-sustaining Garden Ecosystem by Stephanie Rose
Is her last name really Rose? That made me smile. In any case, I love DIY stuff, and I’m really curious about this idea of “practical projects.” Plus, it’s important to design gardens that work with nature. I’m really into xeriscaping and not planting non-native species. So, I think I’ll learn a lot from this book.
Sustainable Garden Projects, Tips and Advice for the Eco-conscious Gardener by Maryann Boswall
Here’s another one that’s along the same theme as the last. Whenever I see a book like this, I immediately add it to my library To Read shelf without hesitation.
Wild: The Naturalistic Garden by Noel Kingsbury
This seems to be another one similar to the two above. My library’s description of it includes:
“This is the first comprehensive overview of a new planting approach that is wild and natural by nature, reflecting the global turn towards sustainability and the current zeitgeist in garden design.”
It’s a look at forty different gardens from this perspective. I believe that I could learn a lot from this book.
Cutting Back: My Apprenticeship in the Gardens of Kyoto by Leslie Buck
This is a book that I’ve actually already gotten from the library and have sitting right next to me to read soon. Memoirs are my very favorite genre. This one is about a female American gardener who went and trained in Japanese gardens.
Color in and Out of the Garden Watercolor Practices for Painters, Gardeners, and Nature Lovers by Lorene Edwards Forkner
I’m not actually a painter. However, I’m an artist (fiber and mixed media as well as writing). And I’m always inspired by creative exercises in different mediums. So, I probably won’t get out the paints to work along with this book, and yet I’m certain that it will give me inspiration.
Royal Gardens of the World by Mark Lane: 21 Celebrated Gardens From the Alhambra to Highgrove and Beyond
I’ve never honestly thought about Royal Gardens much. However, I imagine it would be like going on a vacation in the mind to flip through the pages of this book. Therefore, it’s on my list!
Help me build my wish list! What are some of your favorite gardening books?
Read More:
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Kathryn Vercillo is a long time writer, crafter and author of several books. A resident of San Francisco, she is committed to helping others explore, articulate and share their own individuals stories. When she’s not evaluating investing opportunities Kathryn is an avid knitter, researcher, and blogger.
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