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Gardening Books for Holiday Gifts

© Connie Krochmal

For the holiday season, the average consumer will spend over $700 with the bulk of that going towards Christmas presents. When it comes to shopping for gardeners, make a trip to your local bookstore. They'll have hundreds of suitable titles.

Anyone with an interest in medicinal plants would treasure a copy of "Medicinal Plants of the Desert and Canyon West" by Michael Moore, a renowned herbalist whose specialty is western plants. This was published by the Museum of New Mexico Press. For each plant, the author provides a description, information on where to find it, how to collect, prepare, and use it. The book features line drawings as well as color photos. The appendix features herbal formulas and a list of plants for various ailments.

From Ironwood Press comes "Herbs-Growing & Using the Plants of Romance" by Bill and Sylvia Varney, owners and operators of the Fredericksburg Herb Farm in Texas. In this volume, they share their experiences growing and using herbs for various purposes. The encyclopedia features profiles of over a hundred herbs. The authors provide tips on herb garden design, plant selection, and plant care. This title won the Benjamin Franklin Award from the Publishers Marketing Association.

For water gardeners, the ideal gift would be "The Ecosystem Pond," published by Aquascape Lifestyle Books. This guide features all the details a water gardener needs in order to design, plant, and care for a water garden. It is lushly illustrated in full color. This unique book explains how water gardening is a perfect family activity, and discloses some of the commonly held myths about water gardens.

For wildflower lovers, there is any number of regional guides. There are even wildflower hiking guides available. "North Carolina's Best Wildflower Hikes-the Mountains" by the highly acclaimed photographer/writer Kevin Adams. This was released by Westcliffe Publishers. In this volume, he takes readers on 50 day hikes, which are color coded for the various peak bloom times. He includes hikes for different fitness levels. It has 130 stunning color photos of the different plants and trails, and provides plant profiles of the wildflowers.

Those into organic gardening will be thrilled with the positive news "Changing the Way America Farms" by Neva Hassanein has to offer. Published by the University of Nebraska Press, this title focuses on how the sustainable agriculture movement is making progress in America. The author documents how the alternative farmers share their knowledge and experiences. In the process, they've replaced the traditional hierarchy with a more democratic one in which individuals are encouraged to participate.