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Teach Yourself Gardening Book

Birdgirl82Birdgirl82 Posts: 28
in Garden design
Hello!

I am new to gardening and would love to teach myself about all aspects of gardening. Can anyone recommend a book that would tell me what I need to know to create a garden please? Like what I can grow where, how to plant up containers, how to improve soil, how to create a rock garden, etc. Something that's quite easy to understand would be great.

Thank you in advance

Rach

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Alan Titchmarsh’s book How to be a Gardener. 

    I bought it for my daughter @WonkyWomble and now she does it for a living. 😊 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Dirty HarryDirty Harry Posts: 1,048
    edited May 2020
    Not sure if that's any different but I have his 'How To Garden' book and it's excellent without feeling heavy and encyclopedic. 

    £2.99 Oxfam special. There are other books in a series i.e. How To Garden: Small Gardens/Container Gardening etc. but this covers most bases.



  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    An oldie but goodie is "The Garden Expert" by D.G.Hessayon
    https://www.amazon.co.uk/Garden-Expert-Dr-D-G-Hessayon/dp/0903505223
  • nick615nick615 Posts: 1,487
    For a veggie I can recommend 'Vegetable Gardening' by Dr W E Shewell Cooper who made a name for himself on the 'no digging' principle, coupled with a scientific approach to composting that goes with it.  The other book is 'Food from your Garden', an old Readers Digest book that covers things like preserving as well as growing etc.  Both books are of a 1977 vintage but can be found in charity shops or on Amazon etc.
  • Birdgirl82Birdgirl82 Posts: 28
    Thanks for some recommendations everyone. I will have a look at them all. Unfortunately I only have a small back garden so vegetable growing isn't on the list at the moment. I really want to make a nice cottage type wildlife friendly garden. I have quite a few containers so want to plant those up once I can find some peat free compost I can get delivered. 

    Thanks again for the advice

    Rachel
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Alan Titchmarsh did a paperback on designing a small garden ... full of useful tips. Well worth looking for. 😊 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





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