Here is a list of the best gardening books that were reviewed in 2025 in the Washington Gardener Magazine. These 10 selections are listed below in no particular order.
(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. We have also included the Bookshop.org link from our account for those who do not use Amazon.)
1.Your Natural Garden: A Practical Guide to Caring for an Ecologically Vibrant Home Garden
Author: Kelly D. Norris
Publisher: Cool Springs Press
List Price: $30.00
Order Links: https://amzn.to/4anqx3a and https://bookshop.org/a/79479/9780760388228
Reviewer Marsha Douma wrote, "Your Natural Garden: A Practical Guide to Caring for an Ecologically Vibrant Home Garden is the companion book to the author’s previous book from 2021, New Naturalism: Designing and Planting a Resilient, Ecologically Vibrant Home Garden. The author, Kelly Norris, is an increasingly prominent landscape designer and plantsman. With this new book, through his eloquent text and beautiful photographs, he continues his advocacy for naturalizing our gardens. Your Natural Garden emphasizes how gardening might be different, although no less rewarding."
2. The Ultimate Guide to Houseplant Propagation: Step-by-Step Techniques for Making More Houseplants . . . for Free!
Author: Lindsay Sisti
Publisher: Cool Springs Press
List Price: $24.99
Order Links: https://amzn.to/3D8u9cZ and https://bookshop.org/a/79479/9780760390405
Reviewer Madison Korman wrote, "With its abundance of information and easy-to-follow format, The Ultimate Guide to Houseplant Propagation is a must-have resource for plant lovers. Sisti’s clear instructions, paired with extensive visuals, make the book an excellent guide for anyone looking to grow indoor plants for free."
3. Mythic Plants: Potions and Poisons from the Gardens of the Gods
Author: Ellen Zachos
Publisher: Workman Publishing Company
List Price: $22.00
Order Links: https://amzn.to/4cAWC8A and https://bookshop.org/a/79479/9781523524396
Reviewer Jim Dronenburg wrote, "This is not a gardening book. There are generic garden tidbits applicable to this region, but not many. This is, instead, a look at the Greek and Roman myths, and the plants that figure in them. How they were used (misused?) and what, if any, (any in this case meaning, usually, do-not-try-this-at-home) uses there are for the plants today. I grew up on these myths, even more than most people in my admittedly elderly generation, and I learned quite a lot, here...This book is very interesting and I recommend it...Zachos’ tongue is often firmly in her cheek. Lots of pithy comments, but the one that had me howling was the second complete sentence on page 164. Buy this book and read it for yourself."
4. A Life in the Garden: Tales and Tips for Growing Food in Every Season
Author: Barbara Damrosch
Publisher: Timber Press
List Price: $40.00
Order Links: https://amzn.to/447aFAR and https://bookshop.org/a/79479/9781643261812
5. Life with Flowers: Inspiration and Lessons from the Garden
Author: Frances Palmer
Publisher: Artisan Publishers
List Price: $30.00
Order Links: https://amzn.to/3H4tpr5 and https://bookshop.org/a/79479/9781648291395
Reviewer Teri Speight wrote, "A well-written, simply gorgeous book is an understatement. This book is an appetizer for floral enthusiasts and avid gardeners of all levels. Frances Palmer takes the reader on a seasonal stroll that provides quite the inspiration to beautify their spaces, inside and out...This book has filled my mind with thoughts of lilies in tulipieres, growing more plants with spires, and growing for the late summer garden. The recipe for the rose geranium cake, indoor growing, preferred suppliers, and especially gardens to visit all make this a book that should be a part of every gardener’s collection."
6. Horti Curious: A Gardener’s Miscellany of Fascination Facts and Remarkable Plants
Author: Ann Treneman
Publisher: Mitchell Beazley
List Price: $24.99
Order Links: https://amzn.to/4mjQ6b3 and https://bookshop.org/a/79479/9781784729639
Reviewer Beth Py-Lieberman wrote, "The author uses her experience as a garden designer in North America, Europe, and Asia to create an intriguing mix of personal stories, pictures, and how-to guides...I recommend this book to anyone growing bulbs, no matter how much experience you have because it can inspire a new project. I also recommend it to anyone who enjoys flipping through colorful flower photos. "
7. Essential Guide to Organic Vegetable Gardening: Techniques and Know-How for Planning, Planting, and Tending a Home Vegetable Garden Organically
Author: American Horticultural Society
Publisher: Cool Springs Press/The Quarto Group
List Price: $28,99
Order Links: https://amzn.to/45ujANs and https://bookshop.org/a/79479/9780760392812
Reviewer Colin Davan wrote, "I found this guide from the American Horticultural Society to be extremely helpful. The visual elements blend nicely into the information, allowing for a comfortable read. I felt that it was engaging for experienced and new gardeners. I recommend it to those interested in growing vegetables in their backyards. The structure flows almost in a step-by-step manner, allowing for a fun cycle of growing crops and reaping the benefits. If you are looking to start or improve your vegetable garden during any time of the year, this might be the book for you."
8. Essential Guide to Perennial Gardening, Techniques and Know-How for Planning: Planting, and Tending Low-Maintenance Perennial Plantings
Authors: American Horticultural Society
Publisher: Cool Springs Press
List Price: $28.99
Order Links: https://amzn.to/42exEYR and https://bookshop.org/a/79479/9780760392836
Reviewer Andrea Siegel wrote: "The book is unusually helpful because it explains the why behind the what, with information from earlier chapters continually woven into later chapters, reinforcing the relevancy of the information so the parts are always coming together...The illustrated profiles of some 150 perennials is a welcome end to a book that is a useful resource. I recommend this book for beginners and experienced gardeners alike."
9. The Essential Guide to Bulbs: Grow a Bounty of Beautiful Bulbs in Gardens and Containers
Author: Jenny Rose Carey
Publisher: Timber Press
List Price: $29.99
Order Links: https://amzn.to/4hJS6Yg and https://bookshop.org/a/79479/9781643263243
Reviewer Teresa J. Speight wrote, "This book is an outstanding manual, loaded with information to empower gardeners to feel confident about growing bulbs in the ground or in containers. The mystery of growing bulbs is effectively explained by author Jenny Rose Carey. In her previous books, Carey deconstructs the necessary steps for successful gardening adventures with Glorious Shade and The Ultimate Flower Gardener’s Guide. This time, the focus is on bulbs. The author shares the botanical name, as well as the common name, growth requirements, and ways to use them in the garden...Carey has written another useful book that should a part of every gardener’s library."
10. Plants for the Winter Garden: Perennials, Grasses, Shrubs, and Trees to Add Interest in the Cold and Snow
Author: Warren Leach
Publisher: Timber Press
List Price: $40.00
Order Links: https://amzn.to/3QogFgs and https://bookshop.org/a/79479/9781604699265
Reviewer Marsha Douma wrote, "Plants for the Winter Garden is not only a pleasure to look through; it is a useful text about how to think about creating a garden that is interesting and inviting in every season."
Here are our past year's listings of our Top Garden Books:
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