 | My favorite gardening books for Christmas gifts |
If you are looking for a book for your favorite gardener for the holidays I would like to give you a list of my favorite books. They are my favorite books because I use them often for reference; I use them to help give you the best gardening information from true professionals. When I write the weekly newsletter, I want to help stimulate you to become a better gardener and these are some of the books I use to do that. All these books are available on the internet or at your local book store and I know that your favorite gardener will appreciate receiving any of the following.
My first love is trees and shrubs. While attending the Stockbridge School of Agriculture, University of Massachusetts, I had a great text book but it took until 1997 for a book written about these plants by Professor Michael A. Dirr, PhD from University of Georgia. The book is called Dirr's Encyclopedia of trees and shrubs voted the book of the years 2014 and it is not for just the college student but for anyone who wants information about the plants in their yard and suggestions of new plants to add to their property. A more sizable book was quickly released, with all the hybrids of every plant type listed in his first book and more detailed information added to it. The book is called Dirr's Manual of Woody Landscape Plants. In 2014 Dirr's Encyclopedia of Trees and Shrubs was released, with over 500 plants featured in it. It is full of beautiful pictures of every plant you need to have in your yard, along with the information on how to grow them. The book is filled with pictures of every plant in leaf, in flower, fall color and the plant special characteristics. This is my favorite book of trees and shrubs.
If you're looking for a great book for maintenance of the trees and shrubs growing on your property, look no further than Pirone's Tree Maintenance. It's a classic reference and it has been revised and updated since I used it in school back in the late 60's. One final book if insects are your thing: Garden Insects of North America by Whitney Cranshaw, a real guide to backyard bugs. It is filled with thousands of picture of insects, their life cycle and how to control them. I use it often to help determine what is causing problems in the garden during the year.
If you're growing fruit trees--or even thinking of planting a couple trees for fresh fruit--then I want to suggest a wonderful fruit tree book called The Backyard Orchardist, by Stella Otto. All your fruit trees are covered in detail in a way that you can understand--something hard to find today in books. Stella has worked in the family orchard all her life and gives you information as if she is talking to you directly. If you're going to grow fruit trees for the next 50 years in your yard, then this is the book for you.
Do you like the taste of fresh berries, grapes and brambles? Then I recommend that you consider The Berry Growers Companion by Barbara L. Bowling. Her book covers all the major berries you have seen in the supermarket, attempted to grow in your garden, or even considered growing in your garden. This book has great information from start to finish--including history of the plants, insect control, pruning, feeding, and variety selection for your area of the country. Also tips to have the best crop possible, and the book is easy to understand for the beginner or well experienced berry grower. It also covers many minor berries found at specialty markets that you can now grow in your garden.
I have two favorite vegetable gardening books for you to consider. The first is Vegetable Gardening (a Readers Digest book) by Fern Marshall Bradley and Jane Courtier. The book covers everything: soil preparation, growing structures, sowing and planting, growing from seed indoors or directly in the garden and much more. All your garden vegetables have a special chapter of their own that goes into detail about that special plant. Variety suggestions, insect control, and possible disease problems are there to help you along during the growing season. Harvesting and storage and when to plant according to your area information is very helpful, but especially helpful are the many colorful pictures that help to show you what will happen with that package of seed you bought this spring--if you take the time to read the information before going into the garden.
The second book is The Vegetable Gardener's Bible by Edward C. Smith, a Story Book publication from Vermont. Great information on growing in raised beds, wide row gardening, creating deep rich soil, and mulching. Suggestions on organic methods of gardening, structures to save space, watering and feeding suggestions, many ideas on crop rotation, composting, and some information on the most common insect and disease problems we all experience in our garden. The second half of the book is filled with everything you will need to know how to grow that special vegetable from seed or from seedlings to the finished product. Great pictures, great tips, and great idea on growing your favorite vegetables with many variety suggestions included of each vegetables.
This summer I picked up three books from the same author--Rosalind Creasy--and have enjoyed all three books. The Complete Book of Edible Landscaping, The Edible Flower Garden and The Edible Herb Garden will give you great ideas on changing your planting habits. The books are filled with wonderful pictures; of plants we all have in the garden, how to grow them, and how to use the flowers, foliage, or roots in food we eat every day or to change the appearance of that common green garden salad. The use of roses in a salad, nasturtium on a pizza, squash blossoms in your scrambled eggs or over pasta and more. Fun books with lots of great ideas of things to do with herbs and flowers that you now grow in the garden.
If you like the flavor that herbs give your cooking, then you will need to look at The Herb Bible: A Complete Guide to Growing and Using Herbs by Jennie Harding. You will find propagation methods, harvesting of the usable parts of the herbs, preserving the herbs fresh, frozen, or dried, use of herbs in oils--and then the recipes included for fresh use to your favorite dishes. Also included is a lot of information on medicinal use, active ingredients found in plant, how to grow and cultivation methods.
In the flower garden, you will enjoy Perennials for Every Purpose by Larry Hodgson. This book will tell you just about everything you will need to know on how to select, grow, and care for your perennials. A great book for beginners or established gardeners who want to know more about perennial flowers and are looking for new plants to add to their gardens. Many garden design ideas, insect and disease problems, as well as animal problems. Look over 400 pages of detailed information on over 200 perennials that can be found at your local garden center or started from seed or division from a friend's garden. Full of growing tips, recommendations, good neighbors to plant in the garden, and the best performers.
Another wonderful flower book is The Complete Flower Gardener from Burpee Seed Co., written by Karen Davis Cutler and Barbara W. Ellis. This book is filled with flower basics, how your soil will affect your results, planting and caring for the plants in the garden, how to handle and care for insects and disease problems during the year, garden equipment and much more. It has great chapters on individual flowers and how to grow them in your garden, and what they need to grow. You also get a bit of history about the special flowers you are considering growing in your garden and where they came from originally; what varieties are best for your garden and much more.
If you like bulbs for your garden, then check out this book, The Complete book of Bulbs and Bulb Gardening, by Kathy Brown. All your favorite bulbs that flower in the spring, summer and, yes, in the fall of the year are in this book. Buying and planting bulbs in your garden, in your lawn, under trees and in containers. Hard-to-find information on propagating and dividing your bulbs, rhizomes, corms, and tubers and the right time of the year to do it. Timely and useful information on the insects and the diseases that cause problems that can affect the bulbs growing in your gardens. Great ideas about designing bulb gardens by the season, naturalizing, and growing techniques for indoor or outside gardens.
another one on flower book is called the Guide to Garden Flowers, from Simon and Schuster's, and written by Guido Moggi and Luciano Giugnolini. Look at more than 500 full-color flower pictures of the world's most beautiful flowers, and find information on how to grow them in your garden. Wonderful descriptions of the flowers, how-to-care-for tips, flowering seasons, and requirements needed to grow in your garden. A small sized book filled with information at your fingertips
If you love houseplants, then here is my favorite book: The Complete Houseplant Survival Manual, by Barbara Pleasant. This book will tell you how to keep your houseplants thriving and how not to keep killing more than 160 common and unusual houseplants. The book is filled with great pictures of the plants and all the information you will need to grow them in your home all year long--no matter the season. Tips on light, temperature, fertilizer, water, type of soil the plant prefers, potting and propagation. One of the special sections on each plant is the troubleshooting page--filled with great information.
If you're looking to purchase one book that has a bit of everything in it: annuals, perennials, vegetables, bulbs, shrubs, trees, fruit, roses, and the lawn--then look no further than The Garden Primer, by a wonderful Maine gardener named Barbara Damrosch. This book has been revised several times and has a lot of organic gardening information in it. The book is filled with planning information, planting tips and care needed for a successful gardening. Over 370 plants are covered and timely advice, tips and some unusual garden wisdom is given to make gardening fun again. A great book to curl up with on a winter night by the fire place-and it's written so you easily understand what she is telling you to do.
If you're fed up with mowing the lawn and want more from your open spaces, look at Covering Ground by Barbara W. Ellis. Great suggestions on covering the ground with colorful, low-maintenance ground covers. Plants for the sun or shade, wet or dry growing conditions--and everything in between--is found in this book. Also information on native plants, woodland plants, vining ground covers, and plants that can become aggressive and possibly invasive when used in the garden. Hundreds of pictures and detailed information on every plant for every part of your yard are found in this book. You will want less grass when you have this book in your collection.
In the fall, when you go to the big fairs and see those super-size giant pumpkins and wonder how they did it, the answer is simple: How to grow World Class Giant Pumpkins 3, by Don Langevin. This book has everything you need to know on how to grow those giant pumpkins, the best place to grow them, watering, feeding, pruning, soil preparation, seed selection, and trouble-shooting. Also groups and associations who live for a bigger pumpkin and all the records they hold. This is not just a hobby,, it is a science--and this book will make you grow bigger pumpkins.
Traditionally the fall is when most of us begin to feed the birds but perhaps not, with the new book from the National Audubon Society called The Bird Garden, by Stephen W Kress. This is a comprehensive guide to attracting birds to your back yard all year long. Landscaping for the birds, nesting structures, when and what to feed the birds, planting fruit bearing shrubs and trees for the birds, plants for winter shelter and spring nesting and back yards ponds and bird baths. Hundreds of pictures of birds and information about the birds' needs, their songs and why they will (or won't) come into your yard.
If you live in a shady lot and are having problems growing anything, then you must look at Making the most of Shade, by Larry Hodgson. Learn how to plan, plant, and grow a great garden in the shade. You will also be able to grow a garden that will light up your yard and use the shadows to your advantage. Featuring hundreds of plants for the shade and how to grow them, useful tips to help them grow better in your garden, the problems and solutions of growing a shade garden, and the top performers of each plant variety.
If your yard is like the desert and nothing will grow, look at this new book: Dry Land Gardening: Plants that Survive and Thrive in Tough Conditions, by Jennifer Bennett. You will find annuals, perennial, bulbs, vines, shrubs, and herbs that like dry growing conditions. If watering is a problem because of water bans or poor soil, this is the book for you to consider. Look at the great pictures of these drought-tolerant plants and read the detailed information on how to grow them when water becomes an issue in your garden.
On the other side of the coin, how about those of you who have a wet yard to deal with? Look at Managing the Wet Garden, by John Simmons. Learn about the plants that flourish in this problem place in your yard. Find out what a wet garden environment is or learn how to make a wet garden. Great pictures of hundreds of plants that love wet feet. You'll find valuable information on plants that will do best when moisture becomes a problem in the garden. You'll also find help on planning a garden in wet areas where nothing but weeds grew before.
Looking for the Oriental side and a unique look to your yard? Look at Feng Shui Garden Design by Antonia Beattie. Learn how to bring your yard in harmony with mature. Learn the Chinese system of the elements and how good Oriental design can affect the flow of the yin and yang. Wonderful pictures that will help you create the perfect hideaway and create a special place to relax after a hard day at work. Many water features, walking paths and pavements, Garden statuary, furniture garden structures and more.
Here are 4 great vegetable cook books for you to consider:
Brassicas, by Laura B. Russell is filled with many recipes for your cold weather crops like Broccoli, Cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, Kale, Cabbage, Asian leafy greens, unusual southern greens and more. A great flavor profile to select the perfect greens for your special dish. I love this book as it gave me great new ways to cook your fresh vegetables from the garden that most us have never tried. Say good bye to steamed, boiled, or roasted vegetables and say hello to sautéed, peppery, spicy, and glazed vegetable with a taste your family will love.
The Essential Root Vegetable Cookbook, by Sally and Martin Stone is a unusual book about vegetables that grow in the ground and we eat them the same way most of the time. The book will teach you how to choose the best root vegetables and serve them with style. Like finding buried treasures in your vegetable garden. New ways to cook such vegetable as beets, carrots, leeks, onions, potatoes, turnips, yams, sweet potatoes and much more. Great suggestions on varieties to plant in your garden, storage, what to look for when purchasing from farm stand or supermarket and basic preparation, nutritional value and cooking methods. You will love this book if you like growing vegetables underground for their unusual taste and ability to store for many weeks.
The Classic Zucchini Cookbook, by Nancy Ralston, Marynor Jordan, and Andrea Chesman has 225 recipes for all types of squash. Summer squash, winter squash, and everything in between are in this book. This book has great starter recipes, salads, and soups dishes, along with vegetarian dishes, breads, deserts, pickling, preserves, and how to freeze squash. Great ideas for dishes, using common or unusual winter squash varieties during the winter on those cold days. On the hot days of summer when zucchini squash is coming out of your ears, there are numerous ideas for new ways to enjoy squash.
Vegetable Soups, by Deborah Madison will show you how to make soup for every occasion, every taste, and every vegetable from your garden. The book is filled with light broths, restorative soups, hearty soups, summer vegetable soups, winter vegetable soups, roasted vegetable soups for the fall and wonderful spring vegetable soups. You will also find many ethnic soups, soups made with grains, lentils and peas or beans. Several chowder's, cold soups that I love and much more to wake up your taste buds. Several of these soups make the perfect meal all by itself.
The last book I want to mention is the Garden Journal, which I sell on my website. I found this journal at a book show several years ago and feel it is the best tool for the new gardener to document what has happened during the past year in their garden. The journal is unique, because it will last for 3 years and the information you enter in it helps you do a better job the following year, and all your records are together in one book. Go to www.paulparent.com and look it over.
These are just a few of my favorite books that will bring knowledge to your gardening friends and yourself this holiday season. Turn off the television set and read a good gardening book this winter--and when spring arrives you will be able to make magic in your yard. Your local book store or the internet has all of these books available now as the perfect gift for the gardener.
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