Karen’s Pick
July 2024
The Gardening Book
Monty Don
Clarkson/Potter Publishers
New York April 2024
Calling all gardeners. Read this book, it’s a game changer!
Monty Don’s newest book outlines how one begins a garden, enhances an existing garden, and learns to enjoy the triumphs of one’s efforts.
This how-do book has beautiful photographs and detailed explanations and information on every aspect of gardening. Starting with making a plan, to creating a soil chart, to encouraging wildlife visits, there is literally “no stone unturned” when it comes to the garden. The Gardening Book provides gardeners the ground work for growing flowers, vegetables, shrubs and uses the guiding principles of “the right plant for the right place” – a fail proof (mostly) approach to planning one’s gardening decisions.
As an intermediate level gardener I thought Don’s emphasis on soil preparation and the influence of the inextricable relationship with the soil structure and the nutrients needed for hearty and healthy plants was a lesson well learned as to why some plants (and I) have struggled/failed in my garden.
Monty rather decisively informs the reader:
No element in your garden is as important or influential as soil.
It is earth and the goddess Gaia, and she shall not be mocked.
For this reader this advice might be the single most important take away of the book. After reading The Gardening Book, I now carefully consider my soil and how best to efficaciously sustain my plants.
Don also gives us “permission” to dig up established plants for the sake of improving a garden’s appearance and success, as well as providing us with basic tenets for lush results.
“Make borders wide, and paths narrow”, “create focal points”, “accept that simplicity nearly always looks best”, and consider “ designing rooms in the garden with both living and constructed elements”. As a result, this gardening family has The Shade Garden, The Patio Borders, The Fern Garden, The Welcome Garden, The Stream Bed, The Meadow, and The Vegetable Garden. All seven “rooms” are within one-third of an acre.
Monty Don is an inspiring writer as well as a renowned Gardener and a BBC broadcaster. His sensible and thoughtful approach (he empathizes when plantings fail) to designing and transforming your garden is exciting, simply, for this reviewer, because with his guidance my garden is thriving!
The Gardening Book by Monty Don is a must read for anyone interested in plantings of any kind. I highly recommend adding this book to your library.
Note: Monty Don’s, Gardeners World, a BBC TV series is available on several streaming services. If you choose to watch this program, I promise you won’t be disappointed .