Favourite gardening books

Over the last couple of years I have managed to amass and curate an array of books on the topic of gardening. There are some that I would like to get in the not to distant future and are currently in my basket on Amazon, but for now here is my gardening reference bookshelf.

The current set up is as follows. We have this little utility area with some cupboards etc. Most of our stuff is in the kitchen and we just keep bin bags, meds, light bulbs and the like. So, I thought I could use this space for my green fingered area. Boyfriend has a man cave, so this counter and the garage is my space!

 The first book is The Urban Wildlife Gardener written by Emma Brady. I picked this one up this along with the next book. It has loads of great ideas for making your outdoor space as wildlife friendly as possible. One of my future projects is making a mini pond in the spring, and I also like the bug hotel!

Cost-Effective Self-Sufficiency, by Eve & Terence McLaughlin. I purchased this book because I am interested in this way of life. I am fully aware that we can't keep chickens or have a small holding, I very much doubt we will be able to afford a house with that my land, ever. But I want to do it to a certain point within our means. The book is a reprint, and it does not have photos; what it does have is drawings and, get this, the print is in green ink. All of it. 

This little number came up on my Amazon recommended books. When we knew we were moving somewhere without a garden (with soil), I decided this might come in useful. Patio Produce, by Paul Peacock is smaller than I expected, but it has quite an extensive list of fruit and veg that will and can grow in pots, and it also lists specific varieties.

This was the first ever gardening book I bought. I got RHS's How To Garden on a whim when I was a lodger about 3 or 4 years ago, thinking I would maybe one day own a house and would have to learn to tend to it. I suppose it was on offer...! But it very handy if you know absolutely nothing about plants. It explains what everything and, having looked through it today, I had forgotten that it also lists plants that do well in specific conditions, so I will definitely spend my winter days peering into it for inspiration.

 I discovered Alys Fowler randomly on Youtube. I watch a couple of people who showcase their garden or allotments on a regular basis and I think one Alys came up on my "recommended videos" list. In one of my first blog posts I talk about the programme in question, a fan must have uploaded it to Youtube, and I am so glad they did. So far I own two books by Alys Fowler, but this one is my favourite. Garden Anywhere is great to feel inspired and motivated on your gardening journey. If I am totally honest, the last couple of weeks I have rather lax with my plants, I don't know why. I just didn't feel like gardening. However, I flicked through some of the pages in this book a couple of days ago and it got me excited again and I am excited to plan for next year. The book is very comprehensive and doesn't assume you know things, it also shows detailed photos of how to do certain things such as thinning. She was also, in part, my inspiration to literally, garden anywhere. I like collecting old buckets etc because I can fill the bottom with grit and I know it will almost certainly work - except for one.... more of that at a later ate.

I must admit I have not studied this book, but I am a sucker for old books. And if you pair old books with gardening... if you know me you know I needed this in my life. It was actually Katie over at Lavender & Leeks who photographed it on her blog, I sceptically looked for it on Amazon and was astounded to see someone was selling it. Gardening and Outdoor Work is a 1935 copy and part of the Household Reference Library array of books. At the time of writing this there is a copy for sale on Amazon!