So my friend and I are opening a plant store and art gallery in Evanston Illinois. We want to have a really good book section. Can you guys please help me come up with a list of the best garden books? We’d like to include:
How to books, on
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[li]Bonsai[/li][li] Orchids[/li][li] Ferns[/li][li] Houseplants[/li][li] Succulents[/li][li] Containers[/li][li] Terrariums[/li][li]Water gardening[/li][/ul]
Guides, field guides, etc.; reference books. On similar subjects.
Great garden and nature writing, like Matthieson, Muir, Chatwin, Le Fabre, etc.
Art books
Environmental subjects
Natural history
Backyard ecosystems
I can’t wait to hear some of your ideas!
Have you ever heard Mike McGrath’s “You Bet Your Garden” show on NPR? He listed his favorite books for beginning gardeners on an episode a while back, you can find them here (his emphasis tends to be on organic vegetable/fruit gardening).
Awesome! Yes our emphasis will be on organic as well. Thanks for the suggestion!
“The Garden Primer” by Barbara Damrosch.
I still refer to mine regularly, it’s awesome!
I don’t know how well it goes down in Illinois, but around here, the Sunset Western Garden Book is on everyone’s coffee table.
I just got this Field Guide to Finding Mammals, which is fun to flip through, not sure of its usefulness in the field yet. It’s published by Peterson, who do a good line in field guides, although birders develop strong preferences, usually divided into Peterson vs. Sibley, but with holdouts for others, e.g., Nat Geo. It’s moot to me at this point, as I prefer an app on my phone 
This coffee table book about treehouses is a winner.
Tovah Martin’s books are all great, a favourite is The Unexpected Houseplant, which has lovely pics and good solid advice.
To be honest, though, I feel like I’m moving away from reference and how-to books in preference of online sources, which also have the benefit of discussion via comment/forums, and links to research. Paper books are more of a luxury now, so unless it’s gorgeous, I don’t want it in my house.
Thanks, good ones. Also out of print titles are welcome, if they’re worth tracking down a used copy. Already amassing a collecting of Jean Henri Fabre and Margaret Mee.