Reviews
The best gardening books for 2024
Discover the best gardening books to read in 2024, recommended by a range of horticultural experts for Gardens Illustrated
The best floristry books to read in 2024
Our reviewers give their verdict on floristry books, giving advice on growing flowers for cutting and arranging.
Smart Garden: what is a smart garden and do you need one?
The Smart Garden is beginning to increase in popularity, with technology that makes it easy to grow indoors. But what exactly is a Smart Garden and are they any good? Our team investigates
Click and Grow's Smart Garden 27: can it feed the family?
We review Click and Grow's Smart Garden 27 to see if this really is a nifty way to bring fresh produce into the home.
RHS Grow app: what do we think of the RHS's new plant app?
RHS Grow has just launched their new gardening and plant identifier app, but does it work? We test it and find out
An artificial intelligence robot lawnmower: but does it work?
The latest release in robot lawn mowers from STIGA uses artificial intelligence to make grass cutting easier. But does it work?
Book review | Tough Plants for Tough Places by Sharon Amos
Plantswoman and nursery owner Rosy Hardy reviews Tough Plants for Tough Places: Invincible Plants for Every Situation by Sharon Amos.
Book review | RHS Companion to Wildlife Planting by Chris Baines
Wildlife expert and writer Kate Bradbury reviews RHS Companion to Wildlife Gardening by Chris Baines.
Book review | Terrain: The House Plant Book
Terrain: The House Plant Book is reviewed by Claire Masset, a garden writer and publisher.
Book review | No Dig by Charles Dowding
A comprehensive guide to no dig from the guru of vegetable growing, Charles Dowding, that has been refreshingly updated with an ecological approach. Reviewer Alison Jenkins is a designer specialising in edible gardens.
Book review | Wild Edens by Toby Musgrave and Chris Gardner
A lavishly illustrated botanical travel book that is stylish enough to tempt casual perusal and detailed enough to merit taking a few notes. Hannah Gardner is a horticultural consultant and botanical writer.
Book review | Wild: The Naturalistic Garden by Noel Kingsbury, photographs by Claire Takacs
An ambitious and lavishly produced book of 40 diverse gardens from around the world, all united by their ‘wild’ aesthetic and biodiverse drive. Reviewer Sarah Price is an award-winning garden designer
Book review | RHS How to Garden When You Rent by Matthew Pottage
An enjoyable guide to gardening in rented spaces by the youngest-ever curator of RHS Garden Wisley, also known as the gardener for generation rent. Reviewer Jack Wallington is a garden designer and author.
Book review | RHS Roses: An Inspirational Guide by Michael Marriott
Roses are versatile shrubs and Michael Marriott’s brilliant practical guide demonstrates how to use them to their best effect. Reviewer Matthew Reese is head gardener at Malverleys.
Book review | A Greener Life by Jack Wallington
A timely book on how reconnecting with nature through our gardens and beyond can be good for us and the planet. Reviewer Louise Curley is a freelance garden and nature writer.
Book review | Unearthed, by Claire Ratinon
A poetic and sometimes unsettling autobiography detailing how growing food helped redefine a personal relationship with the land
Book review | Gardening in a Changing World by Darryl Moore
Garden designer Annie Guilfoyle reviews Gardening in a Changing World: Plants, People and the Climate Crisis by Darryl Moore.
Book review | Husbandry by Isobel Bannerman
Anna Pavord reviews Husbandry: Making Gardens with Mr B by Isabel Bannerman for Gardens Illustrated.
Book review | How I Garden by Adam Frost
Garden writer Paula McWaters reviews How I Garden: Easy ideas and inspiration for making beautiful gardens anywhere by Adam Frost
Book review | The Magic of Mushrooms by Sandra Lawrence
Lia Leendertz, author of The Almanac: a Seasonal Guide, reviews The Magic of Mushrooms: Fungi in Folklore, Superstition and Traditional Medicine by Sandra Lawrence
Book review | The Science of Compost
Writer Alys Fowler reviews Julian Doberski's book about the science of what's in your compost
Review | Flowers Forever by Bex Partridge
Review | The Gardener's Palette by Jo Thompson
Rory Dusoir, Kew-trained gardener and writer, reviews The Gardener's Palette: Creating Colour Harmony in the Garden by garden designer Jo Thompson
Review | From Seed to Bloom by Milli Proust
Georgie Newbery, owner of Common Farm Flowers, florist and author, reviews From Seed to Bloom by Milli Proust