Top Garden Books of 2022

Here is a list of the best gardening books that were reviewed in 2022 in the Washington Gardener Magazine. 
(These 10 selections are listed below in no particular order.)

Buy a few of these for yourself and for the plant geeks, garden lovers, and horticultural nerds in your life! (Note that if you click on the links, it takes you to the book's Amazon page and we get a few pennies if you order it from there through our affiliate link.)

1. The Elegant & Edible Garden: Design a Dream Kitchen Garden to Fit Your Personality, Desires and Lifestyle

Author: Linda Vater

Publisher: Cool Springs Press

List Price: $30.00

Order Link: https://amzn.to/3WM5wXM

Reviewer Andrea Siegel wrote, "This book doesn't break new ground, but it can be inspiring and instructive: The writer is a self-taught gardener and landscape creator.  She shares not only her successes and beautiful grounds, but her miscalculations and mistakes. And she methodically shows the steps to take to create a lovely garden that reflects your individual taste and style."

2. The Regenerative Garden: 80 Practical Projects for Creating a Self-Sustaining Garden Ecosystem

Author: Stephanie Rose

Publisher: Cool Springs Press

List Price: $30.00

Order Link: https://amzn.to/3Zalzkr

Reviewer Andrea Siegel wrote, "This book stood out because it goes beyond organic gardening to teach us about improving the soil naturally, and then takes us beyond that toward building an ecosystem that is self-sustaining, productive and good for the environment. There are projects for all skill levels -- even for a toddler --  and the author shows us how to take each backyard project, such as making a simple trellis, from being environmentally good, better, and best. This shows us that baby steps matter, and it offers encouragement to all of us, as we ask what else can we do to improve our sliver of the ecosystem."

3. The Vegetable Gardening Book: Your Complete Guide to Growing an Edible Organic Garden from Seed to Harvest

Author: Joe Lamp’l

Publisher: Cool Springs Press

List Price: $28.99

Order Links: https://amzn.to/3VMofTF

Reviewer Jaime Breeden wrote, "Joe Lamp’l’s The Vegetable Gardening Book bills itself as a one-stop shop for your vegetable garden needs and comes as close as anything I’ve seen to actually offering it. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or someone who’s never touched or planted a seed, this book’s ability to display so much information, while making it easy to digest, is no small feat. It could easily become a modern mainstay on a gardener’s shelves."

4. 100 Plants to Feed the Monarch: Create a Healthy Habitat to Sustain North America’s Most Beloved Butterfly 

Authors: Eric Lee-Mäder, Stephanie Frischie, Emma Pelton, Sarina Jepsen, Stephanie McKnight, and Scott Hoffman Black

Publisher: Storey Publishing

List Price: $16.95

Order Links: https://amzn.to/3dpGFbn

Reviewer Brandie Bland wrote, "100 Plants to Feed the Monarch is a breezy, sturdy quick reference that you can toss into your favorite gardening tote. It gets high marks for its easy-to-understand plant profiles and plenty of helpful reference photos and colorful graphics. If you like to read books with a more theoretical tilt, this may not be the book for you, but if you enjoy a straight to the point, hands-on reference, then look no further. This is a beginner-friendly book for both gardeners and monarch conservationists alike—a great addition to any bookshelf. Whether you are worried about the monarch’s plight or an avid gardener making a planting plan for your backyard garden to join the conservation fight, 100 Plants to Feed the Monarch is a great resource that you’ll find yourself reaching for over and over."

5. The Ultimate Flower Gardener’s Guide: How to Combine Shape, Color, and Texture to Create the Garden of Your Dreams

Author: Jenny Rose Carey

Publisher: Timber Press

List Price: $29.95

Order Links: https://amzn.to/3pCRCZn 

Reviewer Jim Dronenburg wrote, "It is a good book for beginners, but also has a lot to say to those who are (ahem) longer in the tooth... Carey’s writing style is wonderful, and the pictures are good enough that this would be a coffee table book if there were not such good text/captions/information. In short, get this book. Your reviewer is a plant collector, not a designer, but I still very much like what Carey has to say."

6. Houseplant Warrior: 7 Keys to Unlocking the Mysteries of Houseplant Care

Author: Raffaele Di Lallo

Publisher: The Countryman Press

List Price: $25.00

Order Links: https://amzn.to/3zTQIOw

Reviewer Dorvall Bedford wrote, "If you’re an aspiring plant person who is looking for guidance on taking care of an indoor plant, then Houseplant Warrior by Raffaele Di Lallo is the perfect place to start. Whether you’re confused about proper lighting or watering, this book has all the information you need to begin.... I highly recommend this book. Houseplant Warrior is perfect for anyone who is just starting out as a plant parent and looking for quality advice. It will give you the necessary essentials and more so you are prepared to adopt your new houseplant."

7. Lilacs: Beautiful Varieties for Home and Garden

Author: Naomi Slade

Photography: Georgianna Lane

Publisher: Gibbs Smith

List Price: $22.99

Order Links: https://amzn.to/3xLGGMX and https://bookshop.org/a/79479/9781423661306

Reviewer Tori Vandergriff wrote, "Lilacs is a jaw-dropping piece of literature due to Slade’s elegant and informative language, as well as Lane’s incredible photography. This book would be perfect for anyone seeking to learn more about the history of lilacs, the differences in each variety, and how to care for them in the garden. I would highly recommend this book to any gardener (beginner or otherwise) and anyone who loves gorgeous flowers!"

8. Attracting Beneficial Bugs to Your Garden: A Natural Approach to Pest Control (Revised and Updated Second Edition)

Author: Jessica Walliser

Publisher: Cool Springs Press

List Price: $27.99

Order Link: https://amzn.to/3rm8Evj and https://bookshop.org/a/79479/9780760371718

Reviewer Erica H. Smith wrote, "This is the rare gardening book that you just want to sit down and read straight through, including all the details about big-eyed bugs and mountain mint, phenology, and farmscaping, and then study the handy chart about what eats what and what you should plant to attract them. And then start ordering seeds. Maybe it’s even the book that will convince your insect-phobic neighbor to stop spraying and start planting, but at the very least, it will help you serve as a good example of how gardens can be beautiful, healthy, and full of bugs, at the same time."

9. A Rose Named Peace: How Francis Meilland Created a Flower of Hope for a World at War

Author: Barbara Carrol Roberts

Publisher: Candlewick Press

List Price: $18.99

Order Link: https://amzn.to/3MZTrdz and https://bookshop.org/a/79479/9781536208436

Reviewer Beth Py-Lieberman wrote, "

10. The Garden Refresh: How to Give Your Yard Big Impact on a Small Budget

Author: Kier Holmes

Publisher: Timber Press

List Price: $27.95

Order Link: https://amzn.to/3HHCphV and https://bookshop.org/a/79479/9781643260815

Reviewer Jamie Oberg wrote, "The Garden Refresh inspires readers to view gardening in a new, aesthetic way. It engages the reader and makes incredibly designed gardens feel more feasible, regardless of your situation. Holmes touches on every aspect of garden design, keeping each step of designing, creating, and maintaining a garden easy to follow. She makes gardening an art medium, highlighting how to work with all five senses in a garden design. Overall, the book embodies what Holmes would call 'creative gardening.' "

And one BONUS SELECTION:

We had to include our own book here, which we are extremely proud of and hope you will consider purchasing. The Urban Garden: 101 Ways to Grow Food and Beauty in the City is by Kathy Jentz and Teresa Speight (Publisher: Cool Springs Press, List Price: $26.99, Order Link: https://amzn.to/3XcDNjt.) Garden writer Toni Gattone wrote, "The Urban Garden book is jam-packed with 101 great ideas, that beginner and experienced gardeners will learn from. This book is beautifully laid out with gorgeous, colorful photographs that will inspire you to create the garden of your dreams, no matter if it is a small space or a large plot. It’s well thought out and an easy read."