For many gardeners on your shopping list, the perfect gift may be a book on their favorite gardening subject. When choosing a gardening book, it is easy enough to find that special title of interest. And matching the book’s price to your budget isn’t really a problem either.

For nature lovers, there are numerous titles of interest. “Nature and Other Writings” by Ralph Waldo Emerson from Shambhala Publishing is an excellent choice. This quality book was edited by Peter Turner, and will be treasured for years to come.

“Blue Mountain-a Spiritual Anthology Celebrating the Earth” by F. Lynne Bachleda from Menasha Ridge Press is very suitable. This collection of poetry and prose features works from different cultures of the world, some dating back three thousand years. Bachleda divided these by theme. This is suitable for people of all faiths.


When it comes to choosing a garden book as a gift, the best choice by far is “How to Be a Gardener” by Alan Titchmarsh, renowned host of BBC’s Ground Force. Released by Hylas Publishing, this is suitable for novice and experienced gardeners. It takes the guesswork out of gardening by presenting all the basics in a reader-friendly style anyone can understand. Explaining what garden plants need and how you can provide it, it has color-illustrated step-by-step instructions and everything one needs to know to be a good gardener. The author also provides details on what to do in the garden when with specifics on all aspects of gardening from container gardens to wildlife gardens.


“Tuscany Artists Gardens” by Mariella Sgaravatti is a dream come true. It features illustrations by renowned architectural photographer Mario Ciampi. It was published by Verba Volant. This large-format title has 230 exquisite full color photos of gardens at their best with essays about the gardeners and their works. For arm-chair travelers this would be an ideal title to chase away the winter blues.

For travelers and gardeners alike, “Deserts-the Living Dryland” by Sara Oldfield from MIT Press is a unique guide to these stunning landscapes with details on how they can best be preserved for future generations. With over 180 color photos from the Bruce Coleman Collection, this book reveals these dry areas to be full of interesting life forms and culture. The author is Global Programmes Director with the Fauna and Flora International. She also wrote “Rainforest,” also released by MIT Press.

Gardeners need not be obsessed with the weather to gain from the wisdom presented in “Under the Weather-How the Weather and Climate Affect Our Health” by Pat Thomas from Fusion Press. Readers should consult this title before going to the doctors, for the author reveals how our everyday health is associated with weather conditions. From seasonally low sperm counts to problems breathing, this book has the latest scoop on the subject. The field of biometeorology is a fairly new field, but the author helps readers understand the symptoms, and health effects of the weather.

Bird lovers are always looking for new titles. The “Oklahoma Breeding Bird Atlas” was edited by Dan L. Reinking, and published by the University of Oklahoma Press. This groundbreaking volume is based on the observations of over a hundred volunteer birders over a five year period. This invaluable guide presents all the details on each bird along with 200 color maps and over 200 color photos. Bird books don’t get any better than this.