A Way to Garden: A Hands-On Primer for Every Season by Margaret Roach, Timber Press
I highly recommend any of the work done by Margaret Roach. She has been a garden writer for 25 years including working at Martha Stewart, Newsday, and has written three books. She hosts a public-radio podcast which I always enjoy listening to. Check out her web site: www.awaytogarden.co
In May 2019 the New York Times said this: “A Way to Garden – sensitive, wise, deliberate thoughtful and splendidly bossy – prods us toward that ineffable place where we feel we belong: it’s a guide to living both in and out of the garden.”
Grow Your Own Herbs: The 40 Best Culinary Varieties for Home Gardens by Susan Belsinger and Arthur O. Tucker, Timber Press
This book is written by two people who really know their subject. Susan is a culinary herbalist who has written many books, writes a great blog, lectures widely, and is a real grower and user of culinary herbs. Her creativity provides news ideas and inspirations on ways to use herbs. Dr. Art Tucker was (he passed away recently) considered one of the leading herb researchers writing about their chemistry, taxonomy, and much more. This duo provides a reference that is current, reliable, and a lot of fun.
Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation that Starts with your Yard, by Douglas W. Tallamy, 2020
Doug Tallamy has had a huge impact in the world of gardening because of his ability to communicate about ecosystem gardening and the importance of insects in the food web. He is currently a professor in the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware. His first book, Bringing Nature Home, was a wakeup call for many regarding invasive plants, suburban lawns, and much more. He has been one of the most sought-after speakers in the region, and has received many prestigious awards. Here is a summary he wrote regarding Bringing Nature Home:
“Our traditional view of gardening has been to treat plants as if they are merely ornaments and to ignore their ecological roles. Your garden is part of the greater landscape, and each of us is responsible for becoming a steward of our properties as a healthy contributor to the environment around us”.