I like books and prefer those with a cover, paper and print rather than a computer screen. There’s pleasure in the touch and feel of a book and its fragrance. If old, there’s a rich, musty smell, like a great library. New carries the scent of ink on freshly printed paper. And there’s the subtle crack of the binding when the book is opened for the first time.
So, with that in mind, here are some books to consider for holiday gifts for bibliophiles who like gardening.
The Pruning Answer Book by Lewis Hill and Penelope O’Sullivan (Storey Publishing, 2011, $14.95) is a great size for the Christmas stocking and to carry in a jacket pocket when outdoors. Besides advice on what to prune when, the paperback answers all kinds of pruning questions, offers tips on tool care and provides a plant-by-plant pruning guide.
50 Beautiful Deer-Resistant Plants by Ruth Rogers Clausen (Timber Press, 2011, $19.95) is the perfect gift for gardeners who fight deer in the landscape. Besides listing deer-resistant plants, the paperback provides tips on growing them. Each plant has a deer-resistant rating, from “sometimes (deer) nips off flowers” to “(deer) usually avoid plant all together.”
The Midwestern Native Garden by Charlotte Adelman and Bernard L. Schwartz (Ohio University Press, 2011, $26.95) is an illustrated guide, which provides native plant alternatives to plants from other lands. The reference paperback provides Nature Notes, which describes pollinating insects, such as butterflies and other natural attributes of plants.
Dirr’s Encyclopedia of Trees & Shrubs by Michael A. Dirr (Timber Press, 2011, $79.95) is the long-awaited update of the highly regarded 1997 Dirr’s Hardy Trees and Shrubs. The new 951-page hardback is the perfect reference book for anyone interested in Dirr’s specialty, especially professional landscapers and designers.