February 16, 2006


The only thing better than gardening or visiting gardens is reading about gardening! I review many books here at Digging, favoring those about garden design (which is universal) and gardening in Texas or the Southwest (where regional info is essential). But I also branch out into general gardening books, memoirs, garden-project books, and even a little fiction and poetry. Here you’ll find an alphabetized list of all the books I’ve reviewed, with links to my posts about them. Click through to read my reviews.

If you click on my Books category, you can browse all my blog posts that mention gardening books, including those without reviews.

Happy reading!

Read This: The Cultivated Wild: Gardens and Landscapes by Raymond Jungles

Read This: The Cultivated Wild: Gardens and Landscapes by Raymond Jungles

January 03, 2016 Were a name and profession ever more perfectly matched than those of Raymond Jungles? Like San Francisco nursery owner Flora Grubb and — I kid you not — Austin urologist and vasectomy practitioner Dr. Richard (Dick) Chopp, Miami-based landscape architect Jungles was surely destined to do what ...
Gardening books I'm reading right now

Gardening books I’m reading right now

October 14, 2015 I’m going to need a bigger bedside table. Here’s what I’m reading right now, and just look at this awesome selection of design-oriented gardening books (and one magazine). I expect to review some of these in coming months, after the garden-tour craziness is behind me. But in ...
Read This: The New Southern Living Garden Book

Read This: The New Southern Living Garden Book

May 29, 2015The New Southern Living Garden Book South by Southwest (SXSW) is not only the name of Austin’s famous music/film/interactive festival, but it also happens to be descriptive of our gardening culture. Here, the South meets the Southwest, with the Balcones Fault roughly delineating the division. Deep clay soil ...
Read This: Secret Gardens of the Cotswolds

Read This: Secret Gardens of the Cotswolds

April 20, 2015Secret Gardens of the CotswoldsFor an area so small, at least by Texas standards — only 790 square miles — the Cotswolds region of southern England is home to an astonishing number of enormous manors and elaborate gardens, each worthy of an episode of Downton Abbey. In Secret ...
Read This: Cultivating Garden Style

Read This: Cultivating Garden Style

January 12, 2015Cultivating Garden Style Style, which is about expressing yourself and your unique taste, applies as much to making gardens as to fashion or interior design. Most gardeners naturally prioritize plants when making a garden, but who doesn’t also enjoy accessorizing his or her outdoor spaces with color, furnishings, ...
Read This: Sunset Western Landscaping Book

Read This: Sunset Western Landscaping Book

January 01, 2015Sunset Western Landscaping BookIf you live in the western U.S. and your New Year’s resolution is to beautify your landscaping or create a sustainable, water-smart garden, I have the book for you: Sunset Western Landscaping Book, 2006 edition. It’s not a new release, but it’s worth seeking out ...
Read This: 3 garden design books for your holiday giving (or getting)

Read This: 3 garden design books for your holiday giving (or getting)

December 01, 2014I read a lot of gardening books, especially those about design. Three books stand out for me this year as particularly worthy of being on your favorite gardener’s wish list — or your own. Aside from their focus on garden design, they couldn’t be more different, covering topics ...
Read This: Hellstrip Gardening book review and GIVEAWAY

Read This: Hellstrip Gardening book review and GIVEAWAY

July 09, 2014 I don’t know what people called the strip of grass between street and sidewalk before Lauren Springer Ogden coined the term “hellstrip” to describe it. But it can surely be hellish to maintain, drying to a crisp in hot climates, contaminated with road salt in northern climates, ...
Read This: A summer round-up of gardening books

Read This: A summer round-up of gardening books

July 03, 2014Now that the early summer frenzy of planting, weeding, and watering new plants is behind us and sultry midsummer is here, it’s the perfect time to kick back with a glass of iced tea and a stack of gardening books. I recently read three books authored by friends ...
Read This: Gardens Are for Living by Judy Kameon

Read This: Gardens Are for Living by Judy Kameon

June 03, 2014Gardens Are for LivingSouthern California is all about outdoor living, and its sunny, retro-modern vibe appeals to many Austinites, including myself. Although their summer sun is a Legoland version of the Death Star and frost rarely nips their tender plants, we Austinites with a modernist bent can find ...
Book release party and giveaway: The 20-30 Something Garden Guide

Book release party and giveaway: The 20-30 Something Garden Guide

February 16, 2014 It’s the season for garden book releases, and today I’m helping to celebrate my friend Dee Nash’s brand-new book, The 20-30 Something Garden Guide: A No Fuss, Down and Dirty Gardening 101 for Anyone Who Wants to Grow Stuff. I met Dee, an Oklahoma garden writer and ...
Read This: The Bulb Hunter

Read This: The Bulb Hunter

December 10, 2013The Bulb Hunter Flower bulbs — those turnipy looking, husky things in mesh bags, crowded into crayola-bright display bins at the big-box stores — suffer from granny’s-garden syndrome: they’re seen as old-fashioned, fussy, and patience-straining in today’s want-it-now culture. Unlike a flat of annuals, they don’t offer instant ...
Refresh Your Garden Design book release party and giveaway!

Refresh Your Garden Design book release party and giveaway!

November 03, 2013 I’m delighted to be part of my friend Rebecca Sweet’s virtual book-release party for her new baby, Refresh Your Garden Design with Color, Texture & Form. Six other garden bloggers and I are hosting 7 great giveaways this week, all related to Rebecca’s theme of refreshing your ...
Read This: Texas Getting Started Garden Guide

Read This: Texas Getting Started Garden Guide

October 15, 2013A new book for Texas gardenersAs a new gardener in central, south, or west Texas, you soon learn that most gardening books and magazines feature plants you can never grow and gardening advice that isn’t applicable to our climate. They’ll go on about summer as the high point ...
Read This: Succulents Simplified

Read This: Succulents Simplified

July 02, 2013 Succulents are a garden trend that shows no sign of slowing down. Easy to pot up for summer and tolerant of watering forgetfulness, they make the perfect seasonal accent even in freeze-prone climates. For those in mild-winter climates, a variety of succulents can be grown outside all ...
Read This: Landprints: The Landscape Designs of Bernard Trainor

Read This: Landprints: The Landscape Designs of Bernard Trainor

June 27, 2013 I was captivated by Bernard Trainor‘s designs the moment I saw one of them on the cover of New Garden Design, which I briefly reviewed in 2010. The image: A brimming bowl of water, mirroring the sky, is set apart on a gravel patio. To the left, ...
Read This: Sunset Western Landscaping Book
Sunset Western Garden Book of Easy-Care Plantings: The Ultimate Guide to Low-Water Beds, Borders, and Containers, by the editors of Sunset Books (2015, Oxmoor House)
January 01, 2015Sunset Western Landscaping BookIf you live in the western U.S. and your New Year’s resolution is to beautify your landscaping or create a sustainable, water-smart garden, I have the book for you: Sunset Western Landscaping Book, 2006 edition. It’s not a new release, but it’s worth seeking out ... Keep Reading
Read This: Texas Getting Started Garden Guide
Texas Getting Started Garden Guide: Grow the Best Flowers, Shrubs, Trees, Vines & Groundcovers, by Mary Irish (2013, Cool Springs Press)
October 15, 2013A new book for Texas gardenersAs a new gardener in central, south, or west Texas, you soon learn that most gardening books and magazines feature plants you can never grow and gardening advice that isn’t applicable to our climate. They’ll go on about summer as the high point ... Keep Reading
Book release party and giveaway: The 20-30 Something Garden Guide
The 20-30 Something Garden Guide: A No Fuss, Down and Dirty Gardening 101 for Anyone Who Wants to Grow Stuff, by Dee Nash (2014, St. Lynn’s Press)
February 16, 2014 It’s the season for garden book releases, and today I’m helping to celebrate my friend Dee Nash’s brand-new book, The 20-30 Something Garden Guide: A No Fuss, Down and Dirty Gardening 101 for Anyone Who Wants to Grow Stuff. I met Dee, an Oklahoma garden writer and ... Keep Reading
Read This: The American Meadow Garden
The American Meadow Garden: Creating a Natural Alternative to the Traditional Lawn, by John Greenlee (2009, Timber Press)
January 22, 2011 In this age of lawn bashing, let me say this: I am not anti-lawn. Lawn is useful for picnicking, playing sports, throwing a ball for the dog, sunbathing, and providing a restful bit of green amid a garden. A lawn of needed size, maintained without dumping chemicals ... Keep Reading
Gardening books I'm reading right now
The Art of Gardening: Design Inspiration and Innovative Planting Techniques from Chanticleer, by R. William Thomas (2015, Timber Press)
October 14, 2015 I’m going to need a bigger bedside table. Here’s what I’m reading right now, and just look at this awesome selection of design-oriented gardening books (and one magazine). I expect to review some of these in coming months, after the garden-tour craziness is behind me. But in ... Keep Reading
Read This: The Art of Outdoor Living
The Art of Outdoor Living: Gardens for Entertaining Family and Friends by Scott Shrader (2019, Rizzoli)
February 05, 2021 Are you craving greenery? Want to drool over gorgeous Southern California patio and entry gardens while gleaning excellent design ideas for your own garden? Then immerse yourself in Los Angeles designer Scott Shrader’s book, The Art of Outdoor Living: Gardens for Entertaining Family and Friends (Rizzoli, 2019) ... Keep Reading
Read This: 3 garden design books for your holiday giving (or getting)
The Artful Garden: Creative Inspiration for Landscape Design, by James van Sweden, with Tom Christopher (2011, Random House)
December 01, 2014 I read a lot of gardening books, especially those about design. Three books stand out for me this year as particularly worthy of being on your favorite gardener’s wish list — or your own. Aside from their focus on garden design, they couldn’t be more different, covering ... Keep Reading
Read This: The Beast in the Garden
The Beast in the Garden: The True Story of a Predator’s Deadly Return to Suburban America, by David Baron (2005, W. W. Norton & Company)
July 12, 2006 I don’t have to contend with deer in my garden, but I fear that day is coming. Living as I do in an older, in-town neighborhood, separated from the greenbelt-banded, hilly neighborhood to the west by a busy highway, I’ve never had plants chomped by deer or ... Keep Reading
Read This: The Bold Dry Garden
The Bold Dry Garden: Lessons from The Ruth Bancroft Garden, by Johanna Silver (2016, Timber Press)
October 10, 2016 Our gardens tell our stories. The plants we choose, the features we create, the very layout is an autobiography of our passions, fancies, and personality. That’s why the most inspiring gardens spring from impassioned and artistic minds. The Ruth Bancroft Garden near San Francisco is a perfect ... Keep Reading
Read This: The Bulb Hunter
The Bulb Hunter, by Chris Wiesinger and William C. Welch (2013, Texas A&M University Press)
December 10, 2013 The Bulb Hunter Flower bulbs — those turnipy looking, husky things in mesh bags, crowded into crayola-bright display bins at the big-box stores — suffer from granny’s-garden syndrome: they’re seen as old-fashioned, fussy, and patience-straining in today’s want-it-now culture. Unlike a flat of annuals, they don’t offer ... Keep Reading
Read This: The Cancer Survivor's Garden Companion
The Cancer Survivor’s Garden Companion: Cultivating Hope, Healing and Joy in the Ground Beneath Your Feet, by Jenny Peterson (2016, St. Lynn’s Press)
February 17, 2016 I am not a cancer survivor, nor do I (as far as I know, and with a superstitious knock on wood) have cancer. Therefore, I’m not the target audience for my friend and fellow Austinite Jenny Peterson’s latest book, The Cancer Survivor’s Garden Companion: Cultivating Hope, Healing ... Keep Reading
Read This: The Complete Kitchen Garden
The Complete Kitchen Garden: An Inspired Collection of Garden Designs & 100 Seasonal Recipes, by Ellen Ecker Ogden (2011, Stewart, Tabori and Chang)
February 25, 2011 After writing my Garden Designers Roundtable post about vegetable garden design, I picked up a book recently sent to me for review: The Complete Kitchen Garden: An Inspired Collection of Garden Designs & 100 Seasonal Recipes by Ellen Ecker Ogden, a Vermont gardener, author, and cofounder of ... Keep Reading
Read This: The Cultivated Wild: Gardens and Landscapes by Raymond Jungles
The Cultivated Wild: Gardens and Landscapes by Raymond Jungles (2015, The Monacelli Press)
January 03, 2016 Were a name and profession ever more perfectly matched than those of Raymond Jungles? Like San Francisco nursery owner Flora Grubb and — I kid you not — Austin urologist and vasectomy practitioner Dr. Richard (Dick) Chopp, Miami-based landscape architect Jungles was surely destined to do what ... Keep Reading
Giveaway: The Drunken Botanist and seeds to grow your own cocktails
The Drunken Botanist: The Plants That Create the World’s Great Drinks, by Amy Stewart (2013, Algonquin Books)
April 01, 2013 Cocktail time!“Every great drink starts with a plant,” writes Amy Stewart in her new book The Drunken Botanist: The Plants That Create the World’s Great Drinks. “If you’re a gardener, I hope this book inspires a cocktail party.” Stewart, a former Austinite, often writes about the intersection ... Keep Reading
Read This: The Earth in Her Hands
The Earth in Her Hands: 75 Extraordinary Women Working in the World of Plants by Jennifer Jewell (2020, Timber Books)
May 05, 2020 Women’s contributions have been long overlooked in the gardening world, particularly at recognized levels of design and horticulture. So too with the contributions of women of color and those whose work doesn’t cater to the 1% (or even 10%) whose gardens have traditionally filled the pages of ... Keep Reading
Giveaway! The Edible Front Yard
The Edible Front Yard: The Mow-Less, Grow-More Plan for a Beautiful, Bountiful Garden, by Ivette Soler (2011, Timber Press)
June 13, 2011 My friend and colleague Ivette Soler, aka The Germinatrix, has just published her first book, The Edible Front Yard: The Mow-Less, Grow-More Plan for a Beautiful, Bountiful Garden (Timber Press, 2011). I’m so happy for her accomplishment and am certain her book will do well. Ivette has ... Keep Reading
Book Review Week: The Garden Bible
The Garden Bible: Designing Your Perfect Outdoor Space, by Barbara Ballinger and Michael Glassman (2016, Images Publishing)
January 23, 2017 I’m kicking off Book Review Week here at Digging (yes, I had time to read a few gardening books over the holidays and want to share my faves) with The Garden Bible: Designing Your Perfect Outdoor Space (2016, Images Publishing) by Barbara Ballinger and Michael Glassman. While ... Keep Reading
Read This: The Garden Refresh
The Garden Refresh by Kier Holmes (2022, Timber Press)
June 22, 2022 Solstice, smolstice. Summer arrived in Texas back in early May, with a vengeance. We’ve had 16 triple-digit days already (unseasonably early) and little rain. For many avid gardeners this means sweaty mornings or mosquitoey evenings standing hose-in-hand over young plants stuffed willy-nilly into the garden during the ... Keep Reading
Read This: The Gardener's Guide to Cactus
The Gardener’s Guide to Cactus: The 100 Best Paddles, Barrels, Columns, and Globes, by Scott Calhoun (2012, Timber Press)
July 09, 2012 Cactus is one of those categories of plant that is either hated or adored. One either shuns cactus altogether or turns into a cactus nut, acquiring as many species as possible, filling one’s garden with spiny specimens, and building greenhouses (always more than one) to house freeze-tender ... Keep Reading
Read This: The Gardens of Japan
The Gardens of Japan, by Helena Attlee (2017, Frances Lincoln)
March 03, 2020 As Tokyo’s cherry blossom season approaches, it’s the perfect time to read a book about Japanese gardens: The Gardens of Japan by Helena Attlee, with photographs by her husband, Alex Ramsay, published by Frances Lincoln in 2017 (a paperback version of a hardback originally published in 2010) ... Keep Reading

The 20-30 Something Garden Guide: A No Fuss, Down and Dirty Gardening 101 for Anyone Who Wants to Grow Stuff by Dee Nash (2014, St. Lynn’s Press)

101 Organic Gardening Hacks: Eco-friendly Solutions to Improve Any Garden by Shawna Coronado (2017, Cool Springs Press)

Adventures in Eden: An Intimate Tour of the Private Gardens of Europe by Carolyn Mullet (2020, Timber Press)

Agaves: Living Sculptures for Landscapes and Containers by Greg Starr (2012, Timber Press)

The American Meadow Garden: Creating a Natural Alternative to the Traditional Lawn by John Greenlee (2009, Timber Press)

American Roots: Lessons and Inspiration from the Designers Reimagining Our Home Gardens by Nick McCullough, Allison McCullough, and Teresa Woodard (2022, Timber Press)

Ann Lovejoy’s Organic Garden Design School by Ann Lovejoy (2004, Rodale Books)

Armitage’s Vines and Climbers: A Gardener’s Guide to the Best Vertical Plants by Allan M. Armitage (2010, Timber Press)

The Art of Gardening: Design Inspiration and Innovative Planting Techniques from Chanticleer by R. William Thomas (2015, Timber Press)

The Art of Outdoor Living: Gardens for Entertaining Family and Friends by Scott Shrader (2019, Rizzoli)

The Artful Garden: Creative Inspiration for Landscape Design by James van Sweden, with Tom Christopher (2011, Random House)

Backyards: A Sunset Design Guide by the editors of Sunset Books (2009, Sunset Books)

The Beast in the Garden: The True Story of a Predator’s Deadly Return to Suburban America by David Baron (2005, W. W. Norton & Company)

Bird-Friendly Gardening: Guidance and Projects for Supporting Birds in Your Landscape by Jen McGuinness (2024, Cool Springs Press)

Black Flora: Profiles of Inspiring Black Flower Farmers + Florists by Teresa J. Speight (2022, BLOOM Imprint)

Bloom’s Best Perennials and Grasses: Expert Plant Choices and Dramatic Combinations for Year-Round Gardens by Adrian Bloom (2010, Timber Press)

The Bold Dry Garden: Lessons from The Ruth Bancroft Garden by Johanna Silver (2016, Timber Press)

The Bulb Hunter by Chris Wiesinger and William C. Welch (2013, Texas A&M University Press)

The Cancer Survivor’s Garden Companion: Cultivating Hope, Healing and Joy in the Ground Beneath Your Feet by Jenny Peterson (2016, St. Lynn’s Press)

Chanticleer, A Pleasure Garden by Adrian Higgins, photographs by Rob Cardillo (2011, University of Pennsylvania Press)

Chasing Wildflowers: A Mad Search for Wild Gardens by Scott Calhoun (2007, Rio Nuevo)

A Child’s Calendar: Poems by John Updike, illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman (2002, Holiday House)

A Child’s Garden: Enchanting Outdoor Spaces for Children and Parents by Molly Dannenmaier (1998, Simon & Schuster)

The Cocktail Hour Garden: Creating Evening Landscapes for Relaxation and Entertaining by C.L. Fornari (2016, St. Lynn’s Press)

The Complete Kitchen Garden: An Inspired Collection of Garden Designs & 100 Seasonal Recipes by Ellen Ecker Ogden (2011, Stewart, Tabori and Chang)

Concrete Garden Projects: Easy & Inexpensive Containers, Furniture, Water Features & More by Camilla Arvidsson and Malin Nilsson (2011, Timber Press)

The Cultivated Wild: Gardens and Landscapes by Raymond Jungles (2015, The Monacelli Press)

Cultivating Garden Style: Inspired Ideas and Practical Advice to Unleash Your Garden Personality by Rochelle Greayer (2014, Timber Press)

Deer-Resistant Design: Fence-Free Gardens that Thrive Despite the Deer by Karen Chapman (2019, Timber Press)

Desert Gardens of Steve Martino by Caren Yglesias, photographs by Steve Gunther (2018, The Monacelli Press)

Designer Plant Combinations: 105 Stunning Gardens Using Six Plants or Fewer by Scott Calhoun (2008, Storey Publishing)

Designing with Succulents, revised 2nd edition, by Debra Lee Baldwin (2017, Timber Press)

Designing with Succulents by Debra Lee Baldwin (2007, Timber Press)

Dreamscapes: Inspiration and Beauty in Gardens Near and Far by Claire Takacs (2018, Hardie Grant Books)

The Drunken Botanist: The Plants That Create the World’s Great Drinks by Amy Stewart (2013, Algonquin Books)

Dry Climate Gardening: Growing Beautiful, Sustainable Gardens in Low-Water Conditions by Noelle Johnson (2023, Cool Springs Press)

Dry Gardens: High Style for Low Water Gardens by Daniel Nolan (2018, Rizzoli)

Du Pont Gardens of the Brandywine Valley by photographer Larry Lederman and writer Marta McDowell (2023, Monacelli)

The Earth in Her Hands: 75 Extraordinary Women Working in the World of Plants by Jennifer Jewell (2020, Timber Press)

The Edible Front Yard: The Mow-Less, Grow-More Plan for a Beautiful, Bountiful Garden by Ivette Soler (2011, Timber Press)

Elements of Garden Design by Joe Eck (2005, North Point Press)

The Essential Garden Book: Getting Back to Basics by Terence Conran and Dan Pearson (1998, Clarkson Potter)

Fearless Color Gardens: The Creative Gardener’s Guide to Jumping Off the Color Wheel by Keeyla Meadows (2009, Timber Press)

Fearless Gardening: Be Bold, Break the Rules, Grow What You Love by Loree Bohl (2021, Timber Press)

Fine Foliage: Elegant Plant Combinations for Garden and Container by Karen Chapman and Christina Salwitz (2013, St. Lynn’s Press)

From the Ground Up: The Story of a First Garden by Amy Stewart (2000, Algonquin Books)

Front Yard Gardens: Growing More Than Grass, 2nd edition, by Liz Primeau (2010, Firefly Books)

The Garden Bible: Designing Your Perfect Outdoor Space by Barbara Ballinger and Michael Glassman (2016, Images Publishing)

The Garden Refresh: How to Give Your Yard Big Impact on a Small Budget by Kier Holmes (2022, Timber Press)

Garden Up! Smart Vertical Gardening for Small and Large Spaces by Susan Morrison and Rebecca Sweet (2011, Cool Springs Press)

Garden Wonderland: Create Life-Changing Outdoor Spaces for Beauty, Harvest, Meaning, and Joy by Leslie Bennett and Julie Chai (2024, Ten Speed Press)

The Gardener’s Guide to Cactus: The 100 Best Paddles, Barrels, Columns, and Globes by Scott Calhoun (2012, Timber Press)

Gardening with Foliage First: 127 Dazzling Combinations that Pair the Beauty of Leaves with Flowers, Bark, Berries, and More by Karen Chapman and Christina Salwitz (2017, Timber Press)

Gardenista: The Definitive Guide to Stylish Outdoor Spaces by Michelle Slatalla (2016, Artisan)

Gardens Are for Living: Design Inspiration for Outdoor Spaces by Judy Kameon (2014, Rizzoli)

Gardens of Awe and Folly: A Traveler’s Journal on the Meaning of Life and Gardening by Vivian Swift (2016, Bloomsbury)

Gardens of the High Line: Elevating the Nature of Modern Landscapes by Piet Oudolf and Rick Darke (2017, Timber Press)

The Gardens of Japan by Helena Attlee, photographs by Alex Ramsay (2017, Frances Lincoln)

Gardens in Detail: 100 Contemporary Designs by Emma Reuss (2014, The Monacelli Press)

Gardentopia: Design Basics for Creating Beautiful Outdoor Spaces by Jan Johnsen (2019, The Countryman Press)

The Grumpy Gardener: An A to Z Guide from the Galaxy’s Most Irritable Green Thumb by Steve Bender (2017, Oxmoor House)

Hand-Built Outdoor Furniture: 20 Step-by-Step Projects Anyone Can Build by Katie Jackson (2016, Timber Press)

Handmade Garden Projects: Step-by-Step Instructions for Creative Garden Features, Containers, Lighting & More by Lorene Edwards Forkner (2011, Timber Press)

Hellstrip Gardening: Create a Paradise Between the Sidewalk and the Curb by Evelyn Hadden (2014, Timber Press)

The High Line: Foreseen/Unforeseen by James Corner Field Operations and Diller Scofidio + Renfro (2015, Phaidon Press)

Home Outside: Creating the Landscape You Love by Julie Moir Messervy (2009, Taunton Press)

Hot Color, Dry Garden: Inspiring Designs and Vibrant Plants for the Waterwise Gardener by Nan Sterman (2018, Timber Press)

The Hot Garden: Landscape Design for the Desert Southwest by Scott Calhoun (2009, Rio Nuevo)

How to Grow Native Plants of Texas and the Southwest, revised edition, by Jill Nokes (2001, University of Texas Press)

Hummelo: A Journey Through a Plantsman’s Life by Piet Oudolf and Noel Kingsbury (2015, The Monacelli Press)

Hummingbird Plants of the Southwest by Marcy Scott (2015, Rio Nuevo Publishers)

Indoor Plant Decor: The Design Stylebook for Houseplants by Kylee Baumle and Jenny Peterson (2013, St. Lynn’s Press)

Japanese Zen Gardens by Yoko Kawaguchi (2014, Aurum Publishing Group)

Landprints: The Landscape Designs of Bernard Trainor by Susan Heeger (2013, Princeton Architectural Press)

The Landscaping Revolution: Garden With Mother Nature, Not Against Her by Andy Wasowski and Sally Wasowski (2002, McGraw-Hill/Contemporary)

The Less Is More Garden: Big Ideas for Designing Your Small Yard by Susan Morrison (2018, Timber Press)

Let’s Care for Texas Plants by Colleen Dieter (2021, Colleen Dieter)

The Lost Words by Robert Macfarlane, illustrated by Jackie Morris (2017, Anansi International)

The Monarch: Saving Our Most-Loved Butterfly by Kylee Baumle (2017, St. Lynn’s Press)

Mrs. Whaley and Her Charleston Garden by Emily Whaley in conversation with William Baldwin (1997, Algonquin Books)

Native and Adapted Landscape Plants: An Earthwise Guide for Central Texas by the City of Austin’s Grow Green Program (booklet updated regularly)

Native Texas Gardens: Maximum Beauty Minimum Upkeep by Sally Wasowski and Andy Wasowski (2003, Taylor Trade Publishing)

Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region, 2nd edition, by Sally Wasowski and Andy Wasowski (1997, Lone Star Books)

Natural Gardening in Small Spaces by Noel Kingsbury (2006, Timber Press)

New Garden Design: Inspiring Private Paradises by Zahid Sardar, photographs by Marion Brenner (2008, Gibbs Smith)

The New Low-Maintenance Garden: How to Have a Beautiful, Productive Garden and the Time to Enjoy It by Valerie Easton (2009, Timber Press)

The New Southern Living Garden Book: The Ultimate Guide to Gardening, edited by Steve Bender (2015, Oxmoor House)

The Nonstop Garden: A Step-by-Step Guide to Smart Plant Choices and Four-Season Designs by Stephanie Cohen & Jennifer Benner (2010, Timber Press)

Outside the Not So Big House: Creating the Landscape of Home by Julie Moir Messervy and Sarah Susanka (2006, Taunton Press)

Outstanding American Gardens: A Celebration: 25 Years of the Garden Conservancy by Page Dickey (2015, Stewart, Tabori and Chang)

Patio & Stone: A Sunset Design Guide by the editors of Sunset Books (2009, Sunset Books)

People with Dirty Hands: The Passion for Gardening by Robin Chotzinoff (1996, Wiley)

The Perennial Care Manual: A Plant-by-Plant Guide: What to Do & When to Do It by Nancy Ondra (2009, Storey Publishing)

Photographing Austin, San Antonio & the Texas Hill Country: Where to Find Perfect Shots and How to Take Them by Laurence Parent (2012, The Countryman Press)

Plant-Driven Design: Creating Gardens that Honor Plants, Place, and Spirit by Scott Ogden and Lauren Springer Ogden (2008, Timber Press)

Plants with Benefits: An Uninhibited Guide to the Aphrodisiac Herbs, Fruits, Flowers & Veggies in Your Garden by Helen Yoest (2014, St. Lynn’s Press)

Planting in a Post-Wild World: Designing Plant Communities for Resilient Landscapes by Thomas Rainer and Claudia West (2015, Timber Press)

The Pollinator Victory Garden: Win the War on Pollinator Decline with Ecological Gardening by Kim Eierman (2020, Quarry Books)

Potted: Make Your Own Stylish Garden Containers by Annette Goliti Gutierrez and Mary Gray (2017, Timber Press)

Private Gardens of the Pacific Northwest by Brian D. Coleman, with photographs by William Wright (2021, Gibbs Smith)

Private Gardens of Santa Barbara: The Art of Outdoor Living by Margie Grace (2020, Gibbs Smith)

Refresh Your Garden Design with Color, Texture & Form by Rebecca Sweet (2013, Horticulture Books)

The Roses at the End of the Road by Pat Leuchtman (2011, Fiftyshift.com)

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett (1911)

Secret Gardens of the Cotswolds: A Personal Tour of 20 Private Gardens by Victoria Summerley (2015, Quarto Publishing USA).

So You Want to Be a Garden Designer: How to Get Started, Grow, and Thrive in the Landscape Design Business by Love Albrecht Howard (2010, Timber Press)

Spirit of Place: The Making of a New England Garden by Bill Noble (2020, Timber Press)

The Spirit of Stone: 101 Practical & Creative Stonescaping Ideas for Your Garden by Jan Johnson (2017, St. Lynn’s Press)

Striking Succulent Gardens: Plants and Plans for Designing Your Low-Maintenance Landscape by Gabriel Frank (2021, Ten Speed Press)

Succulent Container Gardens: Design Eye-Catching Displays with 350 Easy-Care Plants by Debra Lee Baldwin (2010, Timber Press)

Succulents: The Ultimate Guide to Choosing, Designing, and Growing 200 Easy-Care Plants by Robin Stockwell (2017, Oxmoor House)

Succulents Simplified: Growing, Designing, and Crafting with 100 Easy-Care Varieties by Debra Lee Baldwin (2013, Timber Press)

Sugar Snaps and Strawberries: Simple Solutions for Creating Your Own Small-Space Edible Garden by Andrea Bellamy (2011, Timber Press)

Sunset Backyards for Kids: Playhouses, Sandboxes, Tree Forts, Swing Sets, Sports Areas, and More by the editors of Sunset Books (2008, Oxmoor House)

Sunset Big Ideas for Small Gardens: Featuring Dave Egbert’s Garden Notebook by the editors of Sunset Books (2007, Oxmoor House)

Sunset Hillside Landscaping: A Complete Guide to Successful Gardens on Sloping Ground by the editors of Sunset Books (2007, Oxmoor House)

Sunset Sheds & Garages: Building Ideas and Plans for Every Shape of Storage Structure by the editors of Sunset Books (2008, Oxmoor House)

Sunset Trellises & Arbors: Over 35 Step-by-step Projects You Can Build by the editors of Sunset Books (2008, Oxmoor House)

Sunset Walks, Walls & Patio Floors: Build with Brick, Stone, Pavers, Concrete, Tile and More by the editors of Sunset Books (2008, Oxmoor House)

Sunset Western Garden Book of Easy-Care Plantings: The Ultimate Guide to Low-Water Beds, Borders, and Containers by the editors of Sunset Books (2015, Oxmoor House)

Sunset Western Landscaping Book, 2006 edition, edited by Kathleen Norris Brenzel (2006, Oxmoor House)

Taming Wildflowers: Bringing the Beauty and Splendor of Nature’s Blooms into Your Own Backyard by Miriam Goldberger (2014, St. Lynn’s Press)

Texas Getting Started Garden Guide: Grow the Best Flowers, Shrubs, Trees, Vines & Groundcovers by Mary Irish (2013, Cool Springs Press)

Texas Month-by-Month Gardening: What to Do Each Month to Have a Beautiful Garden All Year by Robert “Skip” Richter (2014, Cool Springs Press)

Tomorrow’s Garden: Design and Inspiration for a New Age of Sustainable Gardening by Stephen Orr (2011, Rodale Books)

The Undaunted Garden: Planting for Weather-Resilient Beauty, 2nd edition, by Lauren Springer Ogden (2010, Fulcrum Publishing)

Under Western Skies: Visionary Gardens from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Coast by photographer Caitlin Atkinson and writer Jennifer Jewell (2021, Timber Press)

Uprooted: A Gardener Reflects on Beginning Again by Page Dickey (2020, Timber Press)

The View From Federal Twist: A New Way of Thinking About Gardens, Nature and Ourselves by James Golden (2021, Filbert Press)

Water Features for Small Gardens by Ethne Clarke (1998, Ward Lock Ltd)

Waterwise Plants for Sustainable Gardens: 200 Drought-Tolerant Choices for All Climates by Lauren Springer Ogden and Scott Ogden (2011, Timber Press)

Why Grow That When You Can Grow This? 255 Extraordinary Alternatives to Everyday Problem Plants by Andrew Keys (2012, Timber Press)

Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason (2018, Timber Press)

Windcliff: A Story of People, Plants, and Gardens by Daniel J. Hinkley, photographs by Claire Takacs (2020, Timber Press)

The World of Garden Design: Inspiring Ideas from Around the Globe to Your Backyard by Susan Dooley and the editors of Garden Design magazine (2000, Chronicle Books)

Yard Full of Sun: The Story of a Gardener’s Obsession that Got a Little Out of Hand by Scott Calhoun (2005, Rio Nuevo)

Yards: Turn Any Outdoor Space Into the Garden of Your Dreams by Billy Goodnick (2013, St. Lynn’s Press)