The Best Gardening Books, According to a Garden Expert (2024)

Updated June 6, 2023

The second half of this book’s title sums it up best: "The One-Stop Guide to Plan, Sow, Plant, and Grow Your Garden." With more than 400 pages, you can be rest assured that it tackles a wide range of topics. You’ll get planting guides and suggestions, easy step-by-step instructions for DIY projects, and solutions for common challenges like protecting your space from pests.

At first, you might be a bit overwhelmed just by the sheer volume of this book, but don’t worry! Take it in a little bit at a time and really enjoy paging through and finding what inspires you. This book is sure to help you create a great gardening space, no matter what level of experience you have.

Kids thrive on hands-on projects, and this book won’t disappoint. With more than 20 projects to choose from, these will naturally introduce kids to the magic of gardening. Plus, it does a great job of teaching kids along the way with worksheets, prompts, and mini lessons.

The author is an outdoor educator and has clearly put a lot of thought into each project. "Gardening for Kids" is perfect to use in classrooms, homeschool settings, or just for curious kids—and their parents.

Nikki Jabbour is a best-selling gardening author who has been making waves in the gardening world since she first released her book, "Year-Round Vegetable Gardener." She is known for growing veggies throughout the year, even in the cold winters of Nova Scotia.

Her newest book will help you get excited about veggie gardening in a whole new way. Even if you already know how to grow your favorite tomatoes, peppers, and other veggies, this book will help you take it to the next level. Let Jabbour inspire you and grow things you never thought possible in your own own porch, patio, or backyard.

"The Well-Tended Perennial Garden" is now in its third edition for good reason—it’s filled with plant ideas and tips for growing the best perennials for your specific wants and needs. You’ll learn the basics like when to transplant, deadhead, thin, and more. The book also offers advice on growing specific cultivars, selecting natives, and planning for wildlife.

For those who like a little organization, it has a month-by-month maintenance guide to help you stay on track. This book will become a staple as you expand your garden each year.

Pam Penick is a popular garden blogger who has been writing about xeriscaping and water conservation for many years. With this book, she gives practical advice and water-saving tips every step of the way.

Whether you live in areas with frequent droughts or you’re just trying to conserve water overall, you’ll be able to immediately implement best practices and ideas from Penick. You also get more than 100 plant suggestions to choose from, helping ensure both short-term and long-term success in your garden.

Keep track of and celebrate all your gardening successes with this beautiful little journal. It has pages with prompts about your garden layout and what you have planned for the season. Then you’ll have lots of open pages to write about anything you want.

Use the journal to keep track of your successes (and the try-again-next-year lessons). It’s a great way to learn about what works from one year to the next as you keep improving your approach to have a great garden.

The author of this book, Kevin Espiritu, knows what it’s like to grow in a small space. He covers so much in this book, including hydroponics, indoor edibles, and gardening on your balcony or rooftop. He’ll also tackle common gardening problems like plant disease and pests.

Whether you want to grow in containers, raised beds, or even take it vertical, Espiritu will walk you through all the best ways. It really doesn’t matter how small your space is. You will find solutions for your specific needs in this book.

This book is written and produced by a nonprofit—The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. This international, science-based group is dedicated to protecting the natural world through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitats. In this book they select the top 100 plants for bees.

"100 Plants to Feed to Bees" is a simple, photo-based book with plant profiles and growing information for each plant. This book is a great way to get plants that you know will help the bee population while supporting a nonprofit at the same time.

Not killing your houseplants is an admirable goal, and this book will help you succeed. It’s filled with information, whether you’re new to houseplants or have a dozen or more. It will teach you how to set your houseplants up for optimal success and then how to look for signs of stress before it becomes a more serious issue.

"How Not to Kill Your Houseplant" includes more than 50 specific plant recommendations, including growing info for each one. Go ahead and make your houseplant decor dreams come true.

Succulents seem so mysterious and attractive, but they’re actually not that difficult to master with just a little bit of guidance. Once you do, you’ll be rewarded with low-maintenance plants that add character to a garden both inside and out.

This book is perfect for beginners and will guide you through choosing succulents and understanding their specific needs. Author Ken Shelf is the owner of a garden store in San Francisco and will definitely set you up for success.

Final Verdict

For those looking for a little bit of everything, check out "The Complete Gardener’s Guide." You’ll find plenty of tips, guidance, and advice for growing a great garden. Then if you want to maximize your space, consider the "Field Guide to Urban Gardening." It’s also filled with scenarios and tips to meet many needs.

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