Escape into the best gardening books to up your agriculture

When it comes to gardening, things can change season-in-season-out, making it hard to keep up with all the different types of plants. The Royal Horticulture Society has put together this month-by-month guide to help you keep track of everything that's going on throughout the year. From lawns to growing potatoes, you'll be able to stay on top of your greenery.

Customer review: "In other words I'm useless at gardening but on furlough with nothing else to do I started tinkering in the garden and voila - tomatoes, peas, chillis and herbs are everywhere now. This book is beautiful and full of information for starters. Each month talks you through what you need to do. Very, very happy!"

This highly-rated guide by popular British horticulturist Monty Don will make you a full expert on his classic way of gardening. With gardening photography of Monty's own garden Longmeadow with organic techniques and introductory chapters, you'll be a professional in no time.

Customer review: "I’m not a gardener, but I adore watching Monty and have bought a number of his books, and thoroughly enjoyed them. This one is by far the best! I couldn’t believe just how thick and heavy it was! Gorgeous photos to accompany each chapter. I love the cosy feel Monty seems to bring to a book, you can hear his voice almost. I love how this book has no flimsy cover so for those that do wish to take it out with them when gardening, the hardcover just wipes clean. It covers absolutely everything, and as it’s more a reference rather than a reading book, I’ll enjoy dipping in and out of whatever chapter takes my fancy."

If you can grow your own veg patch, you'll have a sustainable income of food in no time. With over fifty fruits and vegetables to be inspired by, you can sharpen your brain into crop growth and stability. Make your patch the best of them all with this step-by-step book.

Customer review: "The BEST fruit and vegetable growing book currently out on the market!! I purchased veg in one bed but found it was really vague and didn’t cover much so decided to try this book. It’s really brilliant as it has lots of detail from the different varieties of each vegetable to how to weed and separate seedlings. Great information on common diseases and how to avoid them. I also like the section about identifying and detecting pests with pictures. Highly recommend for both beginners and avid growers. GREAT BUY. Well done RHS - not just another reference book but nice and user friendly!"

Nowadays, we know how important sustainability and being environmentally friendly is to the world. Upgrade your garden to be even greener than before, with eco-friendly tips and advice on how to improve your garden design and plan for future years to come.

Customer review: "We're noticing more challenging weather conditions in our garden and realise we need to make changes to our approach to cope in the years to come. I loved the way The Climate Change Garden is broken into sections that you can dip into and focus on one project at a time. As a visual learner, the wealth of photos really helps me to think about how the advice can be applied to my own garden space. Covering all aspects of gardening from soil to trees, habitat for wildlife, flowers, and food production, I found it comprehensive yet accessible. It's given me lots of new ideas as Spring approaches and I'm looking forward to a productive year ahead with the help of this book."

Houseplants can be the most satisfying and also most annoying part of gardening. If you're prone to killing off your indoor plants, this book by Veronica Peerless will help you sustain your houseplant collection. Learn how to properly look after your plants and make them last more than a week.

Customer review: "Absolutely brilliant for the horticulturally uninitiated. Suitable for both adults and enthusiastic children alike. The book contains very straightforward advice and illustrations for a number of common houseplants. Whilst indoor gardening has lost some of its popularity this is a book that could dispel some of the fears surrounding it."

If you're lacking in space, live with a balcony or just want to condense your veg patch, this 'Crops in Tight Spots' book is all about the gardeners with restricted spaces. Just because you have less doesn't mean you have to cut back on your patch. Become smarter in your garden with this book.

Customer review: "I don't usually buy 'gardening books' as in the past after the first flush of looking and reading I just ignore them and pass them on. This book isn't boring.....it can be dipped into, good simple advice and I know will be a fountain of information for me to digest and apply. Nothing seems difficult and I have already applied the advice on old compost!"

Pruning trees and shrubs can become one of the more pressing stresses of gardening. It doesn't have to be so confusing with this book that makes pruning easy, including an easy to follow plant guide so you really know what you're doing.

Customer review: "Pruning Simplified is a terrific book! Beautiful and informative text, illustrations and photos. Correct pruning of my trees and shrubs always seems to be a fearful task. This book provides exactly what the title implies 'Pruning Simplified: a Step-by-Step Guide'."

Meadows don't have to be in such open spaces, you know. Make your own mini meadow with this book that explains how to grow a smaller patch of colourful flowers across your garden. Bring vibrancy to your plants as well as more British wildlife.

Customer review: "Very interesting and fun read. A must for those thinking about turning some of their gardens/landscape into a nice wildflower meadow or patch."

When you think about gardening, one of the first things you may consider is growing a beautiful patch of flowers. Starting from the seed, this flower garden book will teach you everything you need to know about producing a stunning flower garden.

Customer review: "Love everything about this book, especially the photos which are exceptional. Love the suggestions of what to grow. Really good to be inspired by the photos to try unusual varieties of flowers I would probably never have grown. Recommended for anyone wanting to fill their garden with colour."

If you're a total beginner at gardening, you may not know where to start. Get your hands on the wheel with this Royal Horticultural Society book that makes it simple and easy to take the first steps into growing a garden. From plotting and planting to designing, you'll be ready for it in no time.

Customer review: "Some reviewers didn't like the amount of photos/pictures but it was exactly right for me. I found them very instructive and the book is not bogged down with lots of wordy instructions. Each to his own but I thought it was ideal for a beginner."

Sometimes you don't want a full guide on what to do when gardening and avid growers may appreciate a more encyclopaedic overview of plants and flowers. This book is a perfect reference book for you to up your knowledge and understands plants and flowers - with a photographic catalogue so you know exactly what you're looking for.

Customer review: "This book is absolutely superb. It covers over 8000 plants listed in a variety of listings including size and colour. Full colour pictures to help in identifying plants and also provides planting information as well as pruning info. It really is the best book for both amateur and professional users alike and really, at a very reasonable price. Every gardener should have one."

From January to December, take a deep dive into a month-by-month guide on how to keep your veg growing all throughout the year. This veg-growing book will have you feeling ready to jump in, with advice, tips, and information in an easy-to-follow format.

Customer review: "This is a very handy guide and contains priceless knowledge. Would love to report my garden has produced copious amounts but sad to say slugs and bugs enjoyed my efforts but to be fair I bought this guide after I had planted everything! Will let you know how next year goes!! Loved the fact it covers what is effectively crop rotation in veg beds."

We all know by now that bumblebees are an important and significant part of British wildlife. If you're interested in how you can support the sustainability of bumblebees then grab this book that helps you build a garden that's a paradise for bees. Wildlife will be flocking to yours.

Customer review: "Informative and concise by an author who loves his subject and is knowledgeable too. The author covers the complete identity of bumblebees and the best plants to encourage them into your garden. Chapters deal with other pollinators and discuss their contribution to various plants that humans eat. There are chapters on trees and shrubs suitable for including in differing size gardens and a chapter on creating a wild meadow area. An informative read that may just inspire people to rethink the contents of their garden."

If you're looking to redesign your outdoor space to create your garden of dreams, this practical book provides you with the guidance and inspiration to get started. Inside you'll find a visual directory of plants and materials, a clear explanation of every stage in the design process, a wide range of garden styles and inspiration, and practical tips and tricks.

Customer review: "Amazing book. Having known nothing about garden design, and having been quoted 1600£ for a design, plus £300 per sq metres for my small garden in South East London I thought stuff that, buy a book and learn some principles. Excellent info on types of gardens, styles, materials, and how-to-do things, like lay a path or make a pond. Ok, it will not be winning Chelsea, but it has given me some confidence to tackle the job myself, with a landscaper to do the heavy lifting. Basically, it's saved me £20k, so thumbs up five stars."

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