New gardener!

[mnahmnah]

Hi

I find myself, in my 40s, finally the owner of a proper garden. Well, two actually - front and back. We have trees, hedges, plants, flowers… But i don’t know the first thing about gardening and neither does DH!

I would really like a good gardening book that will cover all the basics and be a good reference point for us. I don’t want to Google everything! I like the idea of having a good book to read through and improve my knowledge.

Can anyone recommend a book please?

Also, which is the best plant identifying app? I have no idea what are weeds and what are plants!

Thank you

How about this one?

Might also be worth buying Gardener's World magazine too.

When I moved into my house my dad got me a book called first-time gardener by Frances Tophill, you’ll probably find it cheaply on eBay or Amazon. I read the book and then asked my dad to come over and help me with my garden which he did, my dad was a gardener back in his working day so I was very lucky. Really wish I had his talent 😀

Congratulations on your garden. Great suggestions for books, also watch The Beechgrove garden and Gardeners world on BBC 2. Gardening is a journey, learning on the way and full of successes and some failures. That’s what makes it such an absorbing activity.

Agree with PPs, but also have a think about how you want to use your garden - as that will inform what you want to do/learn about, plants to buy etc.
so are you wanting to grow fruit & veg? Cut flowers? A wildlife garden? Etc etc.
also work out what way it faces, what type of soil you have & observe what you already have to see if it flowers etc & you want to keep it.

Agreed. Anything from the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) has sound advice.

Thanks everyone. The books look great and I love a magazine too!

I love the garden how it is and just need to maintain it for now. The back garden is mainly used as a football pitch! But I love the trees, hedges, existing plants etc so just need to work out what maintenance is needed and what everything is!

Also, which is the best plant identifying app? I have no idea what are weeds and what are plants! Apps are OK as long as you use them as a starting point and google reputable sites to double check the answer they give you.

”weeds” are a personal decision. They’re plants growing where you don’t want them. Plants sold in garden centres can still be weeds to someone else. The only fail safe way is gradually to learn to recognise whatever you’re pulling up. You don’t need to know its name, just “this seedling always grows into something with insignificant flowers and massive amounts of seed, and I don’t want it here”

Have a scout round some charity shops too.
I have often seen gardening books in there for bargain prices.
Look for RHS , Monty don , Alan titmarsh etc