Grow a garden library with these great reads

Whether you’re a casual gardener or a weathered landscape professional, you need tried-and-true resources to ensure a healthy garden and avoid making costly mistakes. There is a plethora of gardening books, magazines and online resources available. To help you begin “growing” your library, I asked members of the Peachtree City Garden Club and the Fayette Master Gardener Association to share their favorite must-have resources with you.

Books

In this online age, collecting actual books may seem old-fashioned, but good reference books with quality photographs never go out of style. All the books listed below can be purchased from online vendors like Amazon.com or ordered at local bookstores. Don’t forget to check out the used-books section for bargain prices.

• The Southern Living Garden Book, edited by Southern Living editors: comprehensive southern gardening encyclopedia;

• The Southern Living Garden Problem Solver, edited by Steve Bender: gardening troubleshooter that diagnoses problems and gives solutions to garden challenges;

• Month-By-Month Gardening in Georgia, by Walter Reeves and Erica Glasener : Fayette County’s own, Walter Reeves, helps take the guesswork out of gardening with specific information on what to do each month;

• Perennial All-Stars: The 150 Best Perennials for Great-Looking, Trouble-Free Gardens, by Jeff Cox;

• The Southern Gardener’s Book of Lists: The Best Plants for All Your Needs, Wants and Whims, by Lois Trigg Chaplin: highlights over 1,000 plant varieties that will flourish in the south;

• Best Garden Plants for Georgia, by Tara Dillard and Don Williamson;

• Landscape Plants of the Southeast, by Gordon Halfacre and Anne Shawcroft: the “landscaper’s bible” for gardening in the south;

• Manual of Woody Landscape Plants: Their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics, Culture, Propagation and Uses, by Michael A. Dirr: in-depth reference book from renowned UGA horticulturalist;

• Gardening with Native Plants of the South, by Sally Wasowski;

• Dictionary of Horticulture, by The National Gardening Association: explains all gardening terms in a way that is understandable to the layperson;

• The Organic Gardening Bible: Successful Gardening the Natural Way, by Bob Flowerdew: introduces organic gardening techniques and pest controls;

• The Landscape Design Answer Book, by Jane Bath: teaches good design techniques to help alleviate costly mistakes;

• The Pond Doctor: Planning & Maintaining a Healthy Water Garden, by Helen Nash;

• Weeds of the South, edited by Charles T. Bryson and Michael S. DeFelice: weed identification with detailed photographs;

• National Wildlife Federation Field Guide to Trees of North America, by Bruce Kershner;

• The Audubon Backyard Birdwatcher: Birdfeeders and Bird Gardens, by Robert Burton and Steven Kress: helps homeowners create bird-friendly gardens;

• So Easy to Preserve, by Elizabeth Anderson and Judy Harrison: includes recipes and step-by-step instructions for preserving and canning food.

Magazines

• Georgia Gardening – a favorite of local gardeners; (www.georgiagardening.com)

• Garden Gate – charming photos and great ideas; (www.gardengatemagazine.com)

• Southern Living – a staple in the south; (www.southernliving.com)

• Fine Gardening – produces six issues a year of gorgeous photographs and inspiration; (www.finegardening.com)

• The Herb Companion – for those who love growing and cooking with herbs; (www.herbcompanion.com)

• Mother Earth News: The Original Guide to Living Wisely – provides good “green” information, including organic gardening; (www.motherearthnews.com)

Websites

You can go to Google search and find the answer to any gardening question, but to ensure you are getting the best information, check out these websites:

• University of Georgia Cooperative Extension – research-based information on numerous gardening topics (www.caes.uga.edu/Extension);

• Walter Reeves’ Gardening in Georgia – Walter answers all your gardening questions (www.walterreeves.com);

• Joe Gardener: Growing a Greener World – TV host, Joe Lamp’l, shares his gardening insights (www.joegardener.com);

• Dave’s Garden – a thriving online community of gardening enthusiasts, bloggers and forums (www.davesgarden.com);

Know a great gardening resource I did not include? Contact me at helanderb@comcast.net and I’ll share your recommendations in my blog “Garden Views” at fayettewoman.com.