Neil Miller’s top 5 gardening books on World Book Day

March 07 2019 | Garden

AS WE CELEBRATE WORLD BOOK DAY, HEVER CASTLE’S head gardener, neil miller, TALKS ABOUT His TOP FIVE gardening BOOKS.

1. the living jigsaw BY val bourne

I recently had the joy of hearing Val Bourne speak about snowdrops, she is a master horticulturalist who really knows her stuff. Val’s latest book ‘The Living Jigsaw’ is a really practical book which helps gardeners to create a healthy and stunning garden without resorting to the use of chemicals. Val’s wind-swept garden welcomes all wildlife, even the slugs! Val encourages the reader to understand that all life is welcome if we are to find a natural balance.

2. winter gardens: reinventing the season BY cedric pollet

If you design it well, a winter space can provide real drama. Cedric Pollet’s book recommends some of the very best winter gardens to visit in the UK and France. Cedric’s listed notes on plants with coloured stems and his suggestions for trees and shrubs makes this book a must-read if you are keen to create an enigmatic winter space next year.

3. the garden awakening: designs to nurture our land and ourselves BY mary reynolds

I don’t often reach for garden design books but this ‘treaty’ by Mary Reynolds is a little bit different. ‘The Garden Awakening’ encourages the would-be garden designer to look after the land in the same way a parent looks after their child. Mary’s ideas on garden design are rooted in an extraordinary breadth of knowledge and experience which includes a garden designed for RHS Chelsea. Mary is inspirational and joyful and unafraid of going against the tide.

4. the rose expert BY d.g hessayon

This book has proved invaluable to me over the years – it’s practical and takes you step by step through choosing, buying, planting and tending roses. With 4,000 roses at Hever, this book has been well-thumbed over the years!

5. the people’s gardener BY jim buttress

To know Jim is to know a true gardening legend, and I’m lucky enough to have met him on several occasions. He’s a truly inspiring chap who started his life in the Royal Parks before making his way to the top as an RHS judge and even a television star! Jim’s voice and humour leaps from the pages of his book and I found I literally couldn’t put it down until I’d finished it.

To read more about Neil’s top picks, visit The English Garden.