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: Sunset’s Outdoor Living Series
Read This: The Landscaping Revolution
Read This: The Beast in the Garden
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)
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)