In the spirit of all thinks book related, I wanted to share a few of my favorite gardening guides with you. There are an endless selection of fantastic reads from recent publications to classics, and in this blog I have assembled a tiny portion.
This blog post is edited from the original content created for Soil3. Check that out here
One thing that I often get asked is if a book is REGIONALLY RELEVANT. From personal experience, I get asked the question if my books will offer literal solutions for people gardening outside of the southeast US. It is a difficult question to answer, as it can be hard to decipher specific information from a book that was written for a national or global audience.
I certainly hope readers will find inspiration from the ideas presented in my books,
The Foodscape Revolution and Gardening with Grains.
But literal instructions for every climate? NO. At least the recipes translate to everyone!
Abby poses with Gardening with Grains, in which she modeled the Oat cookie recipe
Publishers often encourage authors to write in a way that will appeal to all gardeners, regardless of USDA growing zone, climate, or experience. This is why so many texts revolve around zone 5 gardening culture. With this in mind, I try to write simple by sharing my honest experiences as a gardener in central North Carolina USDA zone 7. I reflect on my childhood gardening in zone 5 Michigan, and attempt to learn from every destination I travel to. But simply stated, I am not an expert on growing in every region around the country- let alone the world.
However, that doesn’t mean you won’t benefit from reading books written from a different regional perspective. There is so much to learn from everyone! I have sat through lectures where a garden expert from England (or any where in Europe) asserts that what they do will work in a totally different part of the world. Admittedly, it frustrates me that they aren’t taking into consideration where they are speaking and the reality of how different our climates are. However, I still enjoy the information and absorb inspiration from their knowledge. These experiences have also made me very aware of how best to advise audiences outside of the southeast. I spend countless hours reviewing information from extension services in hopes that I am educated enough to offer sound and practical information despite not being a local expert.
But to answer the question “is this book regionally relevant?” If you are seeking specific information for gardening in the southeast, look for books that were intended for our part of the world. That way you can be sure the details will be relevant for your needs.
SOUTHEASTERN GARDENING REFERENCES
These two comprehensive books provide valuable insights, plant selections and growing techniques for those of us who garden in the hot and humid southeastern United States. There are many great reference books that are specific to the southeast US. For the best ornamental plant selections, check out Gardening in the South by Mark Weathington, director of the JC Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh, NC.
Ira Wallace’s Vegetable Gardening in the Southeast is the best reference for modern southern vegetable gardeners. In this brilliant text, Ira shares insights as a gardener and owner of the fantastic seed company Southern Exposure Seed Exchange.
MODERN MASTERPIECES
Get these books asap! I promise your life as a gardener will be transformed by the wisdom shared in these texts. We are so fortunate to be living in a time with so many fantastic gardening books available at the touch of a mouse click! This is just a fraction of the books I could recommend by this list of talented authors, so do yourself a favor and invest in all their work.
Craig Lehoullier Epic Tomatoes Everything you could ever need to know about tomatoes, and so much more! Craig is a wonderful writer, photographer and overall awesome person!
Leslie Halleck Plant Parenting It’s not just for millennial! This book offers a unique approach to propagating more of your favorite plants with easy to understand instructions for success!
Nikki Jabbour Veggie Garden Remix I have been a fangirl of Nikki’s for a LONG time! All of here books are fanastic! Her latest won the 2019 AHS book award! Full of practical information about growing and harvesting all the coolest veggies.
Jenks Farmer Funky Little Flower Farm If you have not had the opportunity to read Jenks books, do yourself and favor and dive in right now. He offers deep contemplations from the garden and beyond. In his most recent book, he shares stories from his Funky Little Flower Farm in South Carolina, where I hope to one day be his neighbor.
Christopher Woods Garden Lust Prepare to be transported across the world to the sexiest, most dynamic gardens that exist. Chris Woods has a way with words, and photography. I had the chance to see Chris live and in person and was enchanted by the tales he shared.
Jessica Walliser Gardener’s Guide to Compact Plants PRACTICAL for every gardener no matter how much space you have. The latest from author Jessica Walliser offers great plant selections for smaller spaces. Check out ALL of her books, as she is a modern day Wonder Woman of the garden!
Kelly Norris Plants with Style My dear friend and brilliant horticulturist Kelly Norris inspirations people across the globe to be creative, critical thinkers when planning and planter your garden. His insights are timely and relevant and this will be a book that you will refer to for yers to come.
Rosalind Creasy Edible Landscaping THE BOOK THAT CHANGES MY LIFE! Ros Creasy is the leading authority on all thing edible landscaping. She is practical in her approach and you will absolutely be inspired to mix veggies and flowers together after seeing what she creates!
Barbara Pleasant The Gardener’s Weed Book This is my GO-TO weed book. Barbara is an incredibly talented author and gardener and she shares useful information in all of her books. This is one that I have had for more year than I want to admit and I still reference it regularly.
Kelly Smith Trimble Vegetable Gardening Wisdom I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH! It is chalk full of great information that will help you in your garden and kitchen. I really love the recipes and daily advice offered.
Amy Stewart Flower Confidential The book that made me stop buying cut flowers. Wow, this was a real game changer for me and opened my eyes to the reality of transporting not just cut flowers but EVERYTHING. Amy Steward is a masterful writer and you won’t be able to put any f her books down.
Michael Pollan The Botany of Desire Like Amy Stewart, Michael Pollan’s writing had an enormous fact on me as a young person. His writing is smart and relevant and timely. He is a big picture thinking and everyone should read his work and get inspired to be better at life.
FAVORITE NEW BOOK
A new favorite book of mine is by an extraordinary young woman, Emma Biggs. At age 14 she has written one of the best gardening books I have ever read. Filled with practical, well explained advice Gardening with Emma is the perfect book for gardeners of any age or experience level. If you aren't familiar with Emma, check out her podcast The Garage Gardeners. I was a guest on April 1, 2020!
TIMELESS CLASSICS
You will never go wrong seeking wisdom from gardening legends. There is much to be appreciated from the practical approaches and plant selections authors of the last century offer. Looking to the classics of the southern gardening genre, one could never overindulge in the beautifully articulate writings of Elizabeth Lawrence. She was the first southern author I ever read, having discovered Little Bulbs during my time as an estate gardener at Montrose in Hillsborough, NC. Her musings and experience are as relatable today as they were decades ago. As I mentioned above, A Southern Garden is a great place to start!
Every book written by Beverley Nichols is worth reading. These hilarious tales are relatable and informative. As a self proclaimed “cat lady” I particularly enjoy Cat’s A.B.C and X.Y.Z.
Another classic gardening authority is the one and only Christopher Lloyd, of Great Dixter. I used Flower Garden as a reference in my childhood 4-H days, helping identify the botanical names of flowers I would enter at the county fair each summer. You will find all of his books to be informative and enjoyable.
