If you consider gardening a hobby, then, you certainly have at least one gardening book in your home. Books are a great source of inspiration, while they also work well for reference, regardless of whether you just want to improve knowledge or you seek for specific content. The way you choose a gardening book says something about your particular interest in this occupation.
The American Hort. Society’s A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants is one great example of a very complete gardening book that could answer almost any question you may have related to plants. The downside of such a publication is the very scientific organization of the content, since most readers will prefer something accessible to the average user rather than complex and difficult to understand. Hence make sure to read some reviews, check the content and leaf the gardening book before buying it.
If you are just learning the basics of this occupation, then a general gardening book will be enough, and do not go into very complex information about fertilizing, soil varieties and plant species. Many amateur gardeners start with a bed or two and do their apprenticeship at a reduced scale. You can make a garden larger the moment you have the skills and the experience to support it. Then, you will know when to read a more advanced gardening book to move to the next level.
A good gardening book must include good pictures with close details of leaves, flowers, seeds and roots. This is why we need to insist on the importance of previewing a book before purchasing it. Online orders may be tricky from this point of view, as you check little from one or two reviews. Instead of a very serious book you may just want to get a handbook that can help you put together garden containers.
Detailed book categories are available in the gardening sections of bookstores. And the same system is valid for online retailers. Thus we can identify general or basic categories and specialized ones dealing only with perennials or annuals, cultivation models or garden design, soil preparation or fertilization and so on. You can get an idea about a certain gardening book by leafing through it before the actual purchase. Certain publications are more comprehensive than others covering from 100 plants to 1,500+ species.
