Recommended Reading:
Organic Gardening

Titles selected are from the personal library and experience of Linda Rankin. We would love to have your own lists of books that have stood the test of time, that you still go back to for information, advice and inspiration. Send your recommendations and rating to: readinglist@ecology.com.

The Basic Book of Organic Gardening
Author/Editor: Robert Rodale
The bible for beginning to garden organically, easy to read and full of everything you need to know vegetable by vegetable, from soil amendment to composting to seed starting.

The Rodale Guide to Composting
Author/Editor: Jerry Minnich, Marjorie Hunt & the Editors of Organic Gardening Magazine
Another great wealth of information from the folks at Organic Gardening Magazine and Rodale Press. A tome of how to create black gold from otherwise landfill stuffs for amending soil in your backyard  garden.

How to Have a Green Thumb Without An Aching Back
Author/Editor: Ruth Stout
A funny, entertaining account of gardening organically and composting written by a backyard gardener who had a particular way with strawberries. Worth reading even if you are an armchair gardener.

The Salad Garden
Author/Editor: Joy Larken
Beautifully illustrated, this book will inspire you to fill your garden spaces with lettuces and herbs, and edible flowers for amazing salads.

The Garden at Highgrove
Author/Editor: HRH The Prince of Wales & Candida Lycett Green
For sheer exuberant inspiration, the book of the remake of Highgrove gardens in England, by Charles, the Prince of Wales is beautiful to look at and is the stuff of dreams for a gardener in the North American zones of 5 and below.

Garden Answers, Pruning
Author/Editor: Richard Bird
A question and answer book, it certainly covered everything that I needed to know and more and I continue to use it as a resource book with roses and shrubs like Daphne and Bayberry.

Garden Plants Encyclopedia
Author/Editor: Christopher Brickell, Trevor Cole, Judith D. Zuk
A Reader's Digest publication covering in depth, most plants in the plant kingdom, with its Latin name and common names, zones, growing conditions. A tome all gardeners will find very useful.

Encyclopedia of Roses
Author/Editor: Charles & Bridget Quest Ritson
For the rosarian, a beautifully illustrated and very well written account of the rose, its earliest beginnings, the great families who have put their names on species, and what to expect from then when growing them in your garden.

The Tranquil Garden
Author/Editor: Kay Fairfax
A how to book, beautifully illustrated, that takes you step by step in the creation of tranquil spaces in your own yard. From creating a vision, through to the realization of the vision, this book excels at helping create peaceful spaces outdoors.

Gardening With Herbs
Author/Editor: George Carter
There are many books about growing herbs and they are all good. This book is one of a series of books that I have found very helpful in taking the step by step process and providing templates for plantings.

Square Foot Gardening
Author/Editor: Mel Bartholmew
I read it; I was convinced; I even ordered his square foot templates and uprights. I planted according to the author's template and found that it works beautifully except for carrots. If I didn't have to contend with slugs, I believe it would work for all vegies. But I need to plant one seed for me and two for the slugs. Knowing that, it is a worthwhile way to make it easy to garden.

Gardening Grief and Glory
Author/Editor: Ed Lawrence
CBC Radio Gardening Show host for ever, Ed has put his knowledge and our questions into a q & A book, by month. A treasure trove of information on everything green and growing and sometimes on why its not growing anymore.

Seed Starting Primer & Almanac
Author/Editor: Vicki Mattern
A Rodale Press book for the beginner who wants to start plants from seeds. It is arranged by month, by zone with input from gardeners who have found ways to make their gardens grow better.

Carrots Love Tomatoes
Author/Editor: Louise Riotte
A great book on companion planting to which I refer each spring when setting out plants. It works; plants grow bigger and healthier and garden space is better utilized.

Gardening From Seed
Author/Editor: Thomas Christopher
A little book from Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia LLC that provides the right amount of information in easy to read charts, beautifully illustrated, such that anyone can do it. A great get-started book.

A Gardener's Journal (A 10 Year Chronicle of Your Garden)
Author/Editor: Lee Valley Tools
Every gardener needs a book that they can doodle in, write down their to do lists, or wish lists or what worked and what didn't lists. This 10 year chronicle goes even further, providing space for annotations on a daily basis for what is happening, signs and portents, temperature, and what ever else a gardener finds useful to note. A wonderful way to end the gardening day, by taking stock of what was done or left undone. I am now beginning my second 10 year chronicle.