Best gardening books

Shortlist and buying guide · the ranked board is on its way

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What to look for

A book written for the UK climate saves trial and error.

Models worth comparing

From publishers' details and published UK reviews, read on 6 October 2026. Not read cover to cover by us. In no particular order: these are not ranked, and we do not say which is best until the customer ratings are in.

Beginner

RHS How to Garden When You're New to Gardening (RHS)

Complete beginners who want to get an untidy garden under control and learn the basic jobs with confidence.

Draws on RHS advice, with simple step-by-step instructions and photos
Helps you match plants to your soil and conditions
Covers small, practical jobs from climbers and hanging baskets to growing tomatoes

Watch out for: Basic by design, so experienced gardeners will outgrow it quickly.

Author: Royal Horticultural Society
Publisher: DK
Edition: Hardback, 2024
Pages: 256

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Sources: DK book page · Waterstones

Intermediate

No Dig (Charles Dowding)

Vegetable growers who want bigger harvests and fewer weeds by building soil health instead of digging.

From the best-known UK champion of the no-dig method
Sowing, growing and harvest calendars for a wide range of crops
Explains composting and soil life, with step-by-step photography

Watch out for: Almost entirely about vegetables, and the method relies on plenty of compost, which can be costly to buy in for a new plot.

Author: Charles Dowding
Publisher: DK
Edition: Hardback, 2022
Pages: 288

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Sources: DK book page · Waterstones

Intermediate

The Complete Gardener (Monty Don)

Gardeners who know the basics and want a whole-garden guide to organic, wildlife-friendly gardening from Gardeners' World's lead presenter.

Extensively revised 2021 edition of a book first published in 2003, with mostly new photographs
Opens with organic gardening essentials, then moves on to garden structure and flowering plants
Gives extra weight to creating habitats for local wildlife

Watch out for: A strictly organic approach, so readers wanting conventional chemical controls will not find them here.

Author: Monty Don
Publisher: DK
Edition: Revised edition, hardback, 2021
Pages: 440

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Sources: DK book page · Waterstones

Advanced

RHS Encyclopedia of Gardening (RHS and Guy Barter)

Serious gardeners who want the most complete single-volume reference from the Royal Horticultural Society.

Revised edition marking 30 years since first publication
Adds more on wildlife gardening, sustainability and coping with climate change
Photographed step-by-step guides from veg plots to cacti and succulents

Watch out for: At 752 pages it is a reference to look things up in, not a step-by-step starter course.

Author: Royal Horticultural Society (Guy Barter)
Publisher: DK
Edition: New edition, hardback, 2022
Pages: 752

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Sources: DK book page · Waterstones

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