Favorite type of gardening book?

I use two books the 'Reader's Digest Illustrated Guide to Gardening' and the 'The Complete Book of Herbs and Spices' by Sarah Garland.

give me pictures and sun tolerances or not... which is what i need in my yard. love to look look and learn. my husband bought me a big flower encyclopedia a few years and i think ive read all the words off the pages... and of course daves is awsome... ronna happy gardener in plainwell michigan:):):):):):)

I chose books on gardening in my region and monthly guides. Because that's what I consider Dave's Garden to be for me.

If I have a question, I just ask. Somebody here knows!

I said other 'cause I enjoy the humorous books on gardening. I see JamesCo had
similar ideas. I'll have to check out Beverly Nicholls now.
Tam

I'm addicted to field guides. Never met one I didn't like. Got 'em for trees, bugs, wildflowers, herbal plants, even weeds! I've got whole bookshelf devoted to my passion.

KyWoods, Gosh did not think anyone knew about this or even had it, the 1970's "Time Life Encyclopedia of Gardening". Definitely, dates us!!LOL

Larry

I almost picked 'other' because I like so many of the choices here, but then I looked at my bookshelf and decided that I mostly buy books on specific types of plants. ie, houseplants, cacti and succulents, roses, perennials, conifers, etc. I also have books on specific garden projects like landscaping, building sheds, hardscaping, composting, pruning... it's so hard to decide!

Yes, Larry, it sure does...and speaking of dates, Happy Birthday!!!!

Other - a book with clear photos of diseases and pests, including remedies.

I voted landscaping designs, -- that's what I like to take to bed or pore over with morning coffee -- but if I could only have ONE garden book it would have to be Sunset's Western Garden Book -- or their National Garden Book if I were to be uprooted east of the Rockies -- either of which would qualify as the encyclopedic of encyclopedias!

I have plenty of field guides, too, but don't consider them Garden Books -- wild flowers and other natural history takes up just about as much room in my library as gardening and landscaping!

~'spin!~

I voted for 'a book on specific types of plants'. If I'm looking for a tree/shrub, I reach for my Dirr's. If a rose, I pick up my Botanica's Roses. I like to go to the experts. But I also have the big heavy 'encyclopedia' types, and the field guides (which I also love), and the landscaping. what would we do without our books?? and I, too, go to Dave's first, because I can usually get an answer to a question in a short time, either by looking it up or D-mailing someone who really knows their stuff.

oh...and the magazines...i look forward to that mailbox (so many good ideas and tips)

Thanks, KyWoods!

Larry

I especially love the eureka books that come out every yr!!

Personally, I love magazines! Portable, informative, up-to-the-minute and oh, so colorful!

I like topic specific books. I have found they give me more information than my encylopedia type books. In fact, I haven't opened my encylopedia books since joining DG.

My favorite type of gardening book? All of the above, as many as possible, so many that my husbands asks me if they invented new plants by the dozen this year!

I love books with tons of pictures and special things about specific plants.... but it doesn't have to be a huge encyclopedia....

I have a six foot high book case crammed with gardening books of every type listed in the poll. I love them all. I also get guide books to famous botanic gardens when I visit them {Brooklyn Botanic, Longwood Gardens, etc.} as my souvenirs. Dictionary-wise, I love the Sunset Western Garden Book. California has every sort of climate zone you can think of and they grow everything out there. It is one of the most comprehensive books I have ever found and is user friendly. It is also an ID jumping off point to other books on specific plant types or gardens.
I love my gardening mags as well.
Two books I use all the time which didn't get a listing in the poll are plant name dictionaries. I have Stearn's and the Dictionary of Plant Names. between the two, they have almost everything, including common names.
Finally, my most sentimental book is a French edition of Redoute's Roses. My sister, who passed away years ago, brought it back for me from a trip she took to France. I can't read the French, but I treasure the book anyhow.
I have a picture of her taken at Monet's garden in Giverny next to the waterlily pond.
My gardening library seems to cover a lot of territory.
Martha

We can use all of them, which I have qiute a few and I always check Daves Garden for help. But I would like some info for my region. For the last two years that I have gotten into propagation and gardening I have learned alot and in a lifetime I couldn't absorb it all because my problem is that if I don't write it down it's gone.

Magazines both in Chinese and English.

Wow, Jianhua - looks like you have a good choice of magazines in your country. :)

Ooo, what colorful magazines! Even if I couldn't read them, it would be great fun to look at the pictures.

I have a whole bookshelf in my home office full of gardening reference materials...books, magazines, computer printouts, etc. I love them all. But if I had to pick a favorite type, it would be those that are written specifically for a certain type of plant. I find they are more detailed then, rather than a brief overview.

For just a sit down good read, (like that ever happens!), I pick up the latest issue of garden gate.

Me too Jianhua, 'specially the Znonggud Huanun Penjing (sp?) one. They must have a terrific graphic design department. Those covers are awesome!!

I have a book called PANTY HOSE, HOT PEPPERS, TEA BAGS AND MORE FOR THE GARDEN.

I love this book as it has tips on all kinds of garden problems. I have the big encyclopedia book and several others and like them, but this is my favorite.

I almost ordered that one once--have you tried a lot of the things it suggests, jod?

For me I need I book with landscaping ideas and designs. I haven't yet seemed to find something that wow's me. I even started a thread to find it before this new poll came about but no posts from others so I guess the book I need doesn't exsist?

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/761846/

great collection, Jianhua! my husband brought me a couple of Chinese garden magazines once when he was on a business trip that took him to Taiwan and Hong Kong. The pictures were wonderful, but my
Chinese is non-existent! I enjoyed them anyhow.
Martha

Tir, did you check the books in your local home improvement stores? I have seen some like that in Lowe's and Home Depot. I know one of the old Time Life Encyclopedia books I have is on landscaping and garden design. There might be that or others on ebay, too.

Of the Chinese magazines, I prefer Zhongguo Huahui Penjing (China Flowers and Penjing),and for English magazine, Birds & Blooms is my best choice.
As an exchange program, I send a dear DGer from Michigan the ZHP, in return she sends me B&B. Though she does not know Chinese, the wonderful pictures tell her a lot more.
And one thing more, Dave's Garden, though not a book, it is far bigger a book. I have learn a great deal from it.
Thanks for sharing. one more of my bloombook mosaic placed on a mat outside enjoying the sunshine.
Jianhua

Lovely!! :D

I like pretty pictures, too. BUT what I want most is
ACCURATE information, i.e., correct zone, where/how
to plant, size of plant, etc.

It just kills me when I see a pretty picture and (because
of my plantaholic disease) depend on what the book
says about the plant... then I find out it really doesn't
grow well in my zone.

I know, that's my fault for not doing better research,
but I still wish what I wish. LOL

I found myself voting 'other' since who can beat DG? lol, though I've a collection of other great books on gardening. But by far, who can beat Podster!!! Go girl!!!!!!

My favorite "book" is the internet! Where else can you get sooooo much info, soooo fast, with a ton of pics to compare, to boot!?!? I've learned so much, in so little time!

I chose the first one - the big encyclopedia, because they also help me with identification as well. I have a real good one that is divided in "types" i.e. bulbs, perennials, annuals, shrubs, trees, etc..... and within each of those categories it is divided by the flower's color - then for each one it goes into detail about the flower, i.e. zones it does well in, ph levels, sun vs. shade, time of flowering, etc......

If I were to be able to choose a 2nd type of book it would be one with tricks, methods, concoctions, etc........ - those are always fun to read and you can really learn alot from them.

All of the above.

I love to read Cacti and Succulents book,but unfortunately here in Pakistan those books are not available.
Yasir

Oh, my, Yasir! Is it possible to get someone to mail them to you?

Renee'

Nobody mail me any book.I m thankful to him,that he want to increase my knowledge about C&S through books.
Thanks
Yasir