Books to Cultivate Your Green Thumb

For the most complete, up-to-date information on starting plants from seed, turn to The New Seed-Starter’s Handbook. Written by a gardener with 30 years of experience, this updated, easy-to-use reference explains everything you need to know to start seeds and raise healthy seedlings successfully.

First published in 1929, The Gardener’s Bed-Book is a much-beloved gardening classic by the renowned editor of House & Garden magazine in the 1920s and ’30s. Each of its 365 perfectly sized little essays is meant to be read in bed at night after a long day’s work, either real or imagined, in the garden.

In Rodale’s Basic Organic Gardening by Deborah L. Martin, general garden-building skills (from “Do I need to dig?” to “Where do I dig?”) and specific techniques (from “How do I plant a seed?” to “How much should I water?”) are presented in growing-season order — from garden planning and planting to growing and harvesting. With a “no question is unwelcome” approach, a troubleshooting section lessens frustrations and encourages experimentation. Rodale’s Basic Organic Gardening is everything a beginning gardener (or one who’s new to gardening organically) needs to get growing and keep a garden going strong all season.

This waterproof log book is the perfect place for recording your work in the garden.  A five-year grid at the beginning of each month offers space to note annual garden cycles over time, and journal entry pages are lined for notes or graphed for diagramming plantings. Whether you tend a window box, a cutting garden, or many raised vegetable beds, this is the perfect write-in companion to your gardening.

Perennial Combinations by C. Colston Burrell features plant medleys that bring color, texture, and excitement to the garden in every season. The book features 130 of the best perennial combinations with photographs of each grouping, along with a numbered photo key and plant list. Each grouping features just two to six plants; gardeners can plant the combinations as they appear for small garden spaces or they can repeat or mix the combinations for large beds and landscapes.

With growing awareness about the dangers of garden chemicals, turn to The Organic Gardener’s Handbook of Natural Pest and Disease Control as the most reliable and comprehensive guide on the garden shelf. With all-new photos of common and recently introduced pests and plant diseases, you can quickly identify whether you’ve discovered garden friend or foe and what action, if any, you should take.

With plentiful images and a distinctly modern and sophisticated feel, this book imparts both easy-to-follow advice and creative garden-design inspiration. Whether you are looking to pick a statement plant for your living room, create a terrarium centerpiece, or arrange an artful display of air plants, this book will provide the tools you need. You’ll be tempted to thumb through it again and again — for both resource and relaxation.

Mrs. Obama invites you inside the White House Kitchen Garden and shares its inspiring story, from the first planting to the latest harvest.  Hear about her worries as a novice gardener – would the new plants even grow? Learn about her struggles and her joys as lettuce, corn, tomatoes, collards and kale, sweet potatoes and rhubarb flourished in the freshly tilled soil.  Get an unprecedented behind-the-scenes look at every season of the garden’s growth, with striking original photographs that bring its story to life.

Get ready to transform your humble abode! Green up your living space with this bright, fresh, stylish introduction to choosing, displaying, caring for your new leafy friends, and designing with houseplants. Casual and easy-going, with attainable styles and simple instructions, this short and sweet book of inspiration has everything you need, and nothing you don’t, to start you off on an adventure in better–and greener–living.

The plant influencer behind Apartment Botanist proves that anyone can be a plant parent, no matter where you live, how small your space is, or how busy you are. With an emphasis on building a collection that fits your personality and lifestyle, everyone from aspiring newbies to green goddesses will find their perfect plant matches.

In The New Heirloom Garden, Ogden inspires us with a history of seed saving in this country, then guides gardeners of all levels to create their own heirloom gardens with tangible gardening tips, twelve themed garden designs, and detailed resources. The first half of the book shares specific garden plans, plant keys with descriptions, plant and seed wish lists, interviews with gardening experts, and even tips and tricks to handle your own local weather. The second half of the book contains 55 recipes for delicious entrees, sides, drinks, and desserts that can be made from each vegetable, fruit, and flower grown in your garden.

A gorgeous guide to the simple pleasures of cottage living—antique hunting, gardening, and enjoying the seasons—from Paula Sutton, a beloved British design and fashion influencer. In a world that often moves too fast, Hill House Living is an invitation to take a moment to style, make or cook something nice for its own sake—and yours. Slow down, cozy up, and join the quest to making each day more intentionally joyful.

A shaded garden can be a soothing sanctuary that even the most dedicated sun worshipper can welcome on a hot summer day. But how do you get plants to grow in a spot where trees and shrubs hide the sun? In this stunning volume, garden expert Larry Hodgson shows how to create a lush and lovely garden filled with plants that will flourish in the shade.

Summer Rayne Oakes, an urban houseplant expert, and environmental scientist has managed to grow 1,000 houseplants in her Brooklyn apartment (and they’re thriving!) Her secret? She approaches her relationships with plants as intentionally as if they were people. This is Summer’s guidebook for cultivating an entirely new relationship with your plant children.

This luxe plant journal challenges the user to “think like a botanist”—it’s secretly educational wrapped in a stunning package. It includes 90+ entry pages to document and observe your plants through the lens of an excited and curious botanist! Author Tyler Thrasher brings the same energetic, knowledgeable voice to the journal as his fans have come to expect from his popular Instagram account.

Learn the basics of gardening in pots and containers, find small windowsill and countertop projects, and receive specific recommendations for edibles that grow well in containers. Also included are 30 simple recipes you can make with your harvest, from Zucchini Fritters to Herby Pasta with Lettuce and Proscuitto, to Rosy Strawberry Buttermilk cake. No matter how small your space, you can successfully grow edibles and then enjoy your harvest!

Long before it was a trend, How to Grow More Vegetables brought backyard ecosystems to life for the home gardener by demonstrating sustainable growing methods for spectacular organic produce on a small but intensive scale. How to Grow More Vegetables has become the go-to reference for food growers at every level, whether home gardeners dedicated to nurturing backyard edibles with minimal water in maximum harmony with nature’s cycles, or small-scale commercial producers interested in optimizing soil fertility and increasing plant productivity.