Inspiration

The Gardener’s Garden by Madison Cox, Ruth Chivers & Toby Musgrave

We know we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but the beautiful tangerine binding of this book is part of its appeal. Inside, over 250 gardens around the world are featured in glorious colour, including Monet’s garden at Giverny, the Arts and Crafts garden at Hidcote in the Cotswolds and La Jardin Majorelle in Marrakech. There are a huge variety of styles on display, from medieval to modern, and wild to urban. Certain to become a favourite in any gardener’s library, this book will most likely inspire a few garden visits too.

Landscape of Dreams: The Gardens of Isabel and Julian Bannerman

The title of this book reflects the magical garden designs of husband-and-wife duo Isabel and Julian Bannerman. They’re known for their theatrical style, which embraces follies, grottoes and topiary. Leaf through this book and marvel at the fairytale gardens they’ve cultivated for Waddesdon Manor and Arundel Castle, as well as the Pre-Raphaelite inspired planting at their own home, Trematon Castle in Cornwall. A real conversation starter, this will delight armchair gardeners as well as real ones.

The Gardens of Arne Maynard by Arne Maynard

Maynard is one of the most sought-after garden designers working today and his romantic style will make you dream of transforming your patch of land into something lush and flower filled. The ultimate English country house gardener, he’s landscaped many a stately home. As well as photographs of various projects, this lovely book includes essays on his personal passions, such as growing roses, creating kitchen gardens and using sculpture outdoors.

The New English Garden by Tim Richardson

Richardson, a leading garden writer, celebrates England’s thriving garden culture in this thought-provoking book, which aims to paint a picture of where landscape design is heading in the 21st century. He surveys 25 gardens that have been created or restored in the past decade, from historic locations such as Great Dixter in East Sussex to recent attractions like London’s Olympic Park. Andrew Lawson’s photographs capture their beauty in vivid detail.

My Garden is a Car Park and Other Design Dilemmas by Kendra Wilson

New to gardening, and not sure where to begin? This refreshingly down-to-earth book is entertaining as well as practical, offering solutions to everyday problems such as lack of light, tiny plots and even how to overcome a fear of insects (some of which are really good for your garden). Advice is presented in bitesize chunks that make any challenge seem more approachable, and the author’s reassuring voice reminds us of the most important thing about gardening: it should be fun.

New Wild Garden: Natural-Style Planting and Practicalities by Ian Hodgson

With bee and insect populations in decline, wildflower gardens are more important than ever. You may think you need a large space to grow one, but this book challenges that notion by presenting wild gardens on every scale – from container plots upwards. Advice on propagating more than 50 varieties of wildflower is included, as well as tips on working with your soil type and step-by-step guides to creating your very own patch of meadow.

Garden Design Close Up by Emma Reuss

Using 100 gardens around the world as examples, this book demystifies various elements of the garden such as composition, architectural features, colour and planting. Many styles are featured – from Zen Japanese gardens to jungle spaces – and the clear, practical information on why each one works will help even novices feel confident to try new planting ideas.

RHS A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants by Christopher Brickell

Learning about plants – their names and their needs – is one of the most daunting tasks any gardener faces. Make light work of it with this definitive reference work, which lists over 15,500 species and tells you how to plant and care for them. It’s big and quite expensive, but it really is the only plant encyclopedia you will ever need and will be treasured for a lifetime.