Photography by Kevin A. Roberts; Books courtesy of Barnes & Noble Booksellers and Matt Moynihan
With gazillions of books offering advice on planting, pruning, and so much more, we wondered what the experts consider to be a gardener’s must-have books. We asked four of the city’s top talents to each pick three favorites.
Gay Goessling, Goessling Design
• Tried & True Missouri Native Plants for Your Yard by Barbara Fairchild: Learn how to plant native growers.
• The Garden Design Book by Cheryl Merser: Great pictures detail garden-design basics.
• Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew: Learn how to set up vegetable beds with the goal of getting the most out of every square foot.
Kim Kelce, Kelce & Pedley Design
• Manual of Woody Landscape Plants by Michael Dirr: Dirr details plants’ characteristics, growth, diseases, pests, and more in this encyclopedic compendium of landscape plants.
• Garden Home by P. Allen Smith: This book adapts garden designs seen in larger projects for use by the home gardener.
• Glorious Gardens by Francesca Greenoak: Richly photographed, Greenoak’s book offers inspiration for integrating the interior of your home with the outdoors.
Matt Moynihan, Moynihan & Associates
• The New American Landscape, edited by Thomas Christopher: Leading horticultural writers present case studies of gardens across the country that demonstrate the increasing interest in ecology and sustainable landscapes.
• Native Trees, Shrubs, and Vines for Urban and Rural America by Gary Hightshoe: This up-to-date resource helps with planning and restoring various natural landscapes.
• Private Paradise: Contemporary American Gardens by Charlotte Frieze: The essays and accompanying photographs explain the relationship between garden designs and American culture.
Linda Kraft Wiggen, Creveling Gardens
• Sunflower Houses by Sharon Lovejoy: This book shares a variety of garden stories from the elderly. Its name was inspired by one woman’s memory of a “house” made from sunflowers and morning glories.
• All New Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew: This is an updated version of Bartholomew’s original book.
• Bringing Nature Home by Douglas Tallamy: This book helps readers understand the importance of growing native species, so instead of simply gardening, you create a home for insects, birds, wildlife, and humans that sustains us all.
