There are, of course, tons of how-to books on garden design, and some are way more useful than others. But The New Gardener’s Handbook (Timber Press, 2026) by Daryl Beyers is the one you really might want to have on your bookshelf. Beyers is the Gardening Certificate Program Coordinator at the New York Botanical Garden and has written extensively for gardening publications. In the introduction to the book, Beyers explains that garden design is an
art, but also a craft. As he puts it, “It is a form of self-expression through the arrangement of plants and other features like paths and patios, but the design is just the first step in a process that fulfills the desired usefulness and beauty of outdoor spaces.” He takes the readers through all the fundamentals of garden design, from analyzing the land to the elements you may want to include in the garden, to color, plants, water, soil, you name it.
The book is filled with lovely illustrations and photos that beautifully explain his main concepts. There’s even a chapter on concept designs, including a front entry garden, a side garden, stroll garden (and more), each with a “plan” that includes plants. Finally, in the back of the book, there are lists of plants: shade trees, ornamental trees, trees for screening, shrubs and vines, perennials, annuals, bulbs and more.
Even if you’re a professional garden designer, you’ll find this book a great reference that you’ll want to consult before you put pen to paper.
If choosing plants and installing them sometime seems overwhelming, you may want to consider Plant By Number (Timber Press, 2026) by author Stacy Tornio. Just 24 gardens and 50 plants, and you’ll likely find something that’s perfect for somewhere in your landscape. The book is divided into two main sections: the type of garden you want — eg, for birds, bees & butterflies; low-maintenance gardens, container gardening, gardens by color, or perhaps something else — a shade garden, a drought-tolerant garden, or a garden for a particular type of soil
Each garden includes a planting plan, along with the plants to be installed, each plant with a number. In the second section of the book, there are 50 plants, each identified by number, with a photo, a description, and planting conditions. They were selected because they are easy to find, easy to grow, and quite resilient. As Tornio explains, “By following pre-designed plans with numbered diagrams, you can confidently plant your garden with the assurance that you’re setting yourself up for success.”
When you’ve got time on your hands and wonder what to do with all those plants in your garden or those leaves and stones and blossoms you’ve collected in the wild, you just need to turn to Art From the Garden (Timber Press, 2026) by writer and photographer Kerry Michaels. She’ll show you how to dry and preserve botanicals, how to press their images onto rocks, how to design collages and create trays, tiles, or even shower curtains with them.
And there’s much, much more: ever tried gilding a weed, making silk scarves with botanical images, hanging a waxed leaf garland or scanning flowers and then printing the images? In the back of the book, there are lists of useful botanicals as well as books, tools, seed companies, and companies that furnish art supplies.
Just use your imagination!
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