Books for experienced gardeners?

Hi all,

First post here - I hope you can help!

I am on Christmas present duty for the in-laws this year (not sure what I did to deserve that job!), and would like to get them a really nice gardening book. They aren't novice gardeners by any stretch of the imagination, they've been doing it for years, so I'd like to get them something that they'll find useful or interesting.

Are there any 'classic' books on gardens that would be a good edition to a library? How about a reference book such as one of the ones the RHS produce?

I vaguely wanted to buy them something perhaps Victorian or a bit later, with nice hand-drawn illustrations, etc, but I don't really know where to start!

Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

If they would like something to read then "The Well Tempered Garden" by Christopher Lloyd (of Great Dixter, and he wrote gardening articles in Country Life) - his ideas are often controversial, frequently amusing, his prose is enjoyable to read, and will best be understood by people who know a bit (or a lot) about gardening. No pretty pictures though. Another of his books "In My Garden" is a collection fo articles from Country Life and other sources (I think) and can be dipped into at leisure.

If they would be interested in designing a border - that is to say choosing plants that work well in combination - either for a new border, or to improve / change an existing border - then "Best Borders" by Tony Lord - lovely pictures, planting plans and suggestions. Not really a beginners book.

Getrude Jekyll's "Colour schemes for the Flower Garden" - she was the "founder" of plant combinations, and designed gardens at the start of the 1900's - for accomplished and knowledgeable gardeners only I suspect (the nuance of the plant choices will be tough for less learned gardeners). The edition I have was published in 1988 - and I think revised with additional artwork etc. - dunno how much artwork, and whether it looked much??, i the earlier editions - but they are readily available if you want a bit of a collectors items and something with more provenance.

For something impressive as a coffee table book, but also a wealth of information and lovely pictures Hugh Johnsons book on Trees (he did one on Wine as well if you want to get the pair ...). He wrote in The Garden (RHS magazine) as "Tradescanth" (SP?) I think, and has an interesting blog of same name.

Lots of RHS books to choose from. My Bible is "Reader's Digest Encyclopaedia of Garden Plants and Flowers" but I don't think that is in print - although you may get a good / mint copy from Amazon Marketpalce

 

Hi Kristen, thanks for the quick reply - lots to go on there!

They're both retiring soon so perhaps the one about designing a border might be a good idea - anything to keep them out of trouble!

Thanks again.

 

Hi Keel,

The companion books for The Victorian Kitchen Garden series are ones I go back to time & time again. There is a month by month guide that has lots of line drawings.

Have a look in the local second hand book store, there is usually a gardening section, or indeed the charity shops, might find some gems there.

 

Worth looking Amazon Marketplace - I have bought from charity shops sell there. Only downside is £2.50 per book postage - books are often only a quid ... and there is no postage discount if you buy more than one from the same reseller.

Keele13: I also meant to suggest Topiary too. Long term project for people to tinker with! I like the books by Jenny Hendy but beware she has some very thin volumes, so be carefully to get a nice / thick one if its for a birthday present. For example "A practical guide to Topiary"