Gardening Book for newbie?

Weyhey

Can anyone recommend a nice gardening book as a gift for a newbie gardener with not much time on their hands?

For someone whose for the first time ever is getting hands on with the garden in new gaff and he is loving it but knows feck all.

He has bought and planted lots of plants but apart from what’s written on the label he knows nothing so God know’s if they will still be alive in 6 month’s time which will probably then turn him off gardening forever.

He is really into trying to improve the neglected grass and hedges etc. but again is not sure if he is actually killing them! Maybe a book that might advise on what maintenance needs to be done when etc.

looksee

Gardening books are not holy writ, and it is easy to get into the habit of paying far too much attention to every word written in them. New plants will usually grow if they are planted in soil as against builders' rubbish and are watered till they have settled in. Even if they are plated perfectly the odd one still gives up the ghost occasionally.

So having said that, I think the Hesseyon books are good, they give info without being too obsessive about it - look for the Hesseyon Expert books.

Oldtree

I would look to inspire a new gardener and I was inspired by Geoff Hamilton when he presented Gardeners World. A long long time ago now
I would combine a practical advice book along with a gorgeous garden plant combination book.

Geoff has many books that can be bought in very good condition second hand, or new if you want to.

I would start with his:

Gardeners' World: Practical Gardening Course

In combination with either:

Geoff Hamilton's Paradise Gardens
Or
Geoff Hamilton's Cottage Gardens

Needless to say I have all his books.

Grawns

Oldtree wrote: »

I would look to inspire a new gardener and I was inspired by Geoff Hamilton when he presented Gardeners World. A long long time ago now
I would combine a practical advice book along with a gorgeous garden plant combination book.

Geoff has many books that can be bought in very good condition second hand, or new if you want to.

I would start with his:

Gardeners' World: Practical Gardening Course

In combination with either:

Geoff Hamilton's Paradise Gardens
Or
Geoff Hamilton's Cottage Gardens

Needless to say I have all his books.

Thanks for the recommendations. I have a brand new garden and a newly acquired interest. I got the 3 books for £10 2nd hand on Amazon. I'm desperate to get it started but lacking in experience. It's been seeded but it's patchy and I'm getting a manual mower and a spade tomorrow. Maybe a rake and some more seed. I'm flying blind! Looking forward to reading the books.

Oldtree

Grawns wrote: »

Thanks for the recommendations. I have a brand new garden and a newly acquired interest. I got the 3 books for £10 2nd hand on Amazon. I'm desperate to get it started but lacking in experience. It's been seeded but it's patchy and I'm getting a manual mower and a spade tomorrow. Maybe a rake and some more seed. I'm flying blind! Looking forward to reading the books.

That's great. No better place to start.

Take your time, relax and enjoy making your garden. It will take a few years. Make a plan.

Go to your local garden center once a month and buy a few plants that are in flower that you like, for your garden, that way you will always have interest in your garden. Colored barks will give interest in the depths of winter too.

Plant labels will give you the potential size of the plant. You can buy bareroot plants in winter and they are much cheaper.

Irish spade is the best one imo like this one, with a T handle and small tabs at the top of the spade bit for added welly grip



I could go.on and on and on.....

Grawns

Oldtree wrote: »

That's great. No better place to start.

Take your time, relax and enjoy making your garden. It will take a few years. Make a plan.

Go to your local garden center once a month and buy a few plants that are in flower that you like, for your garden, that way you will always have interest in your garden. Colored barks will give interest in the depths of winter too.

Plant labels will give you the potential size of the plant. You can buy bareroot plants in winter and they are much cheaper.

Irish spade is the best one imo like this one, with a T handle and small tabs at the top of the spade bit for added welly grip



I could go.on and on and on.....

I bought a push mower on the recommendation of a friend along with a rake, a spade( just like your picture a trowel and a small forky thing yesterday. As soon as I got home I was out attacking the lawn. Very satisfying 😀 I seeded stomped and watered afterwards and today removed a lot of the bigger weeds by hand.

It's a blank canvas, 90 square metres south facing, coastal. I shall take your advice about the garden centre and look forward to my reading material.

Grawns

Oldtree wrote: »

That's great. No better place to start.

Take your time, relax and enjoy making your garden. It will take a few years. Make a plan.

Go to your local garden center once a month and buy a few plants that are in flower that you like, for your garden, that way you will always have interest in your garden. Colored barks will give interest in the depths of winter too.

Plant labels will give you the potential size of the plant. You can buy bareroot plants in winter and they are much cheaper.

Irish spade is the best one imo like this one, with a T handle and small tabs at the top of the spade bit for added welly grip



I could go.on and on and on.....

I bought a push mower on the recommendation of a friend along with a rake, a spade( just like your picture a trowel and a small forky thing yesterday. As soon as I got home I was out attacking the lawn. Very satisfying 😀 I seeded stomped and watered afterwards and today removed a lot of the bigger weeds by hand.

It's a blank canvas, see photo. 90 square metres south facing, coastal. I shall take your advice about the garden centre and look forward to my reading material. Thanks again.

Grawns

Oldtree wrote: »

That's great. No better place to start.

Take your time, relax and enjoy making your garden. It will take a few years. Make a plan.

Go to your local garden center once a month and buy a few plants that are in flower that you like, for your garden, that way you will always have interest in your garden. Colored barks will give interest in the depths of winter too.

Plant labels will give you the potential size of the plant. You can buy bareroot plants in winter and they are much cheaper.

Irish spade is the best one imo like this one, with a T handle and small tabs at the top of the spade bit for added welly grip



I could go.on and on and on.....

I bought a push mower on the recommendation of a friend along with a rake, a spade( just like your picture a trowel and a small forky thing yesterday. As soon as I got home I was out attacking the lawn. Very satisfying 😀 I seeded stomped and watered afterwards and today removed a lot of the bigger weeds by hand.

It's a blank canvas, see photo. 90 square metres south facing, coastal. I shall take your advice about the garden centre and look forward to my reading material. Thanks again.

Grawns

I bought a push mower on the recommendation of a friend along with a rake, a spade( just like your picture a trowel and a small forky thing yesterday. As soon as I got home I was out sorting out the lawn. Very satisfying 😀 I mowed seeded stomped and watered afterwards and today removed a lot of the bigger weeds by hand and some more sowing.

It's a blank canvas, see photo. 90 square metres south facing, coastal. I shall take your advice about the garden centre and look forward to my reading material. Thanks again

Grawns

I bought a push mower on the recommendation of a friend along with a rake, a spade( just like your picture a trowel and a small forky thing yesterday. As soon as I got home I was out sorting out the lawn. Very satisfying! I mowed seeded stomped and watered afterwards and today removed a lot of the bigger weeds by hand and some more sowing.

It's a blank canvas. 90 square metres south facing, coastal area. I shall take your advice about the garden centre and look forward to my reading material. Thanks again

Grawns

Grawns wrote: »

I bought a push mower on the recommendation of a friend along with a rake, a spade( just like your picture a trowel and a small forky thing yesterday. As soon as I got home I was out sorting out the lawn. Very satisfying! I mowed seeded stomped and watered afterwards and today removed a lot of the bigger weeds by hand and some more sowing.

It's a blank canvas. 90 square metres south facing, coastal area. I shall take your advice about the garden centre and look forward to my reading material. Thanks again

Whoops multiple posts sorry! Was trying to post a photo but it kept saying the png had the wrong file extension which is true as I was posting a jpeg.