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November 22nd 2022

Floret’s Favorite Books

Written by
Floret

I have been obsessed with books and the library ever since I was a little kid. All of the librarians knew me by name and would go to great lengths to help me find new books I hadn’t read or gather my long list of special requests and order them in for me. 

Before the internet was the amazing search tool that it is, books and first-hand experience were the only ways to learn about something new. I was so curious about so many things and the library fed that curiosity. I was always apologizing to the librarians for having such a long request list, but they never made me feel bad about being so curious and always helped me on my quest to find as much information as possible on my latest obsession. 

Closeup of Floret's favorite books on a shelfI definitely passed my love of reading on to our kids. When they were small we visited the library at least once a week and had to have two library cards so that we could check out as many books as we wanted. I can’t remember a time when we didn’t max out the limit of 100 books per library card! I was always trying to make a deal with the librarian to sneak in a couple more. 

Even now, I am still just as obsessed with books, and any time I find a bookstore (which sadly is becoming so rare), I can’t leave empty-handed even though my home library is overflowing to the point of having books stacked on the floor and in every corner of the house. 

I have always had such gratitude for people who take the time to share their wisdom, experience, and gifts with the world through books. But it wasn’t until I became an author myself that I realized what an undertaking it is to make a book. Now every time someone I follow or admire writes a book I pre-order multiple copies and try to spread the word in every way that I can. 

My personal library is a bit out of control and I know not everyone has the appetite or space to collect books like I do so I thought I would try and narrow down my very favorite books by category if you’re looking for some new titles to add to your own collection. 

Overhead of Floret's favorite books surrounded by mumsTop books for gifting

If you’re looking for a great book to give as a gift, these are my go-to’s. I bet I’ve gifted two dozen copies of each this year alone. Each one of these titles has such rich storytelling, stunning photography, and something to offer for everyone (activities, recipes, and inspiration) no matter their experience level. 

An American in Provence: Art, Life and Photography by Jamie Beck

I first started following Jamie Beck on Instagram after discovering her through a mutual flower friend and have been completely obsessed with her work ever since. For those of you not familiar, Jamie Beck is a photographer and visual artist who lives and works in Provence. In 2016, Jamie left her busy life in New York City for a one-year sabbatical in the south of France and never turned back. In her first book, An American in Provence, she documents this cultural experience and her journey of self-discovery—all through heartbreakingly beautiful photos, essays, and even French recipes. What I love most about Jamie’s work is that it has the ability to transport you into another world. It’s like falling down the most beautiful rabbit hole, getting lost in an entirely different universe. This book will change you—there’s no way around it and I can’t recommend it highly enough!

Life in the Studio: Inspiration and Lessons on Creativity by Frances Palmer

If you’re looking for some serious inspiration, this book is a must have! Frances Palmer is a renown East Coast potter who has lived an extraordinarily rich life and has grown a very intentional business centered around creativity. Frances opens up her life to readers and shares the most beautiful collection of essays, photographs, recipes, tutorials, and life lessons. Every single person I have given this book to has read it cover to cover in one sitting. It’s one of my top five favorite books and will leave you changed. In addition, Frances has just released two new jigsaw puzzles featuring her beautiful flower photographs which would make lovely gifts. Be sure to visit her website to see all of her incredible creations including her coveted handmade pottery, signed books, photo prints, and more.

Five Marys Ranch Raised Cookbook: Homegrown Recipes from Our Family to Yours by Mary Heffernan

I’ve been a fan of Mary Heffernan of Five Marys Farms for many years after discovering her on Instagram, and we’ve since become real-life friends. Mary, her husband, and their four daughters, all named Mary, have a ranch in northern California where they raise Black Angus cattle, Navajo Churro lambs, and Berkshire heritage pigs. They sell their pasture-raised meats and other farm-produced products direct-to-consumer. We’ve been Farm Club members since discovering Mary and her family and are always thrilled with the quality of their meat. Mary is an incredible businesswoman and a wealth of information. Mary released her first cookbook in 2020 and it has fast become one of the most used cookbooks on my shelf. All of the recipes we’ve made have been delicious and the stories and photography give this book so much depth and interest. If you want to learn more about Mary and her incredible business, you can read my past interview with her here

A Year Full of Flowers: Gardening for All Seasons by Sarah Raven

I credit Sarah Raven with inspiring me to start growing cut flowers nearly 20 years ago. I first discovered one of her books at my local library in the very early days of my flower farming journey. At the time, I was looking for any information I could find on selecting the best varieties for cutting, growing super long-stemmed blooms, and germinating a handful of difficult-to-grow flowers. From the first moment I opened her book, I was mesmerized. Sarah’s books, award-winning website, products, and videos continue to inspire me today. Sarah’s latest title might be my very favorite of all the books that she’s written. A Year Full of Flowers is filled with so much helpful information including Sarah’s favorite varieties across so many different plant categories and the photographs by Jonathan Buckley are out of this world. If you’re looking for gardening inspiration, this is the book to get. 

In Bloom: Growing, Harvesting, and Arranging Homegrown Flowers All Year Round by Clare Nolan

I had the pleasure of meeting Clare when we visited England a few years ago shortly after her book came out. I have been a fan of her work for so long and finally getting to connect in person was a dream come true. This book is one of my very favorites and I have gifted it to every single gardener in my life. In addition to covering everything you need to know about growing and enjoying homegrown flowers all year long, the abundance of beautiful photos will keep you glued to the pages from beginning to end. This book is a must add to your flower library!

The Complete Gardener: A Practical, Imaginative Guide to Every Aspect of Gardening by Monty Don 

Monty Don has such a gift for teaching and storytelling and I’ve looked to him as a mentor since I first started growing. He has authored 18 books on gardening and is probably the most well known and respected gardener in the world for good reason. The Complete Gardener is hands down, my all-time favorite gardening book ever! This book has been my go-to source of information and inspiration for nearly 20 years. One of the most comprehensive gardening books available, it’s packed with everything you need to know to garden organically, including composting, soil health, hedges, perennials, growing your own food … this book covers it all. In 2021, Monty released an extensively revised new edition that is even better than the original. 

Overhead of Floret's favorite books surrounded by dahlias and rosesFloral design books

Arranging Flowers by Martha Stewart (Best of Martha Stewart Living Series)

An oldie, but a goodie! This book has stood the test of time. Organized seasonally, each page is filled with gorgeous photographs of flowers harvested from Martha’s garden at Turkey Hill. 

The Art of Wearable Flowers: Floral Rings, Bracelets, Earrings, Necklaces, and More by Susan McLeary

Sue is one of the most talented, innovative, and generous floral designers I’ve ever met. Her beautiful book is filled with so many helpful tutorials for creating wearable floral art. 

The Flower Hunter: Seasonal flowers inspired by nature and gathered from the garden by Lucy Hunter

This book just arrived in the mail and I dropped everything to sit down and pore over its pages. It is overflowing with gorgeous photography, wonderful step-by-step tutorials, and beautiful essays. 

Floret Farm’s A Year in Flowers: Designing Gorgeous Arrangements for Every Season by Erin Benzakein with Jill Jorgensen and Julie Chai

My second book teaches you how to create beautiful arrangements using flowers from your garden or those grown close to home any time of the year. To our shock and delight, A Year in Flowers became an instant New York Times best-selling book, which helped shine a spotlight on the local, seasonal flower movement and the incredibly hardworking people behind the blooms. 

Flowers for the Table: Arrangements and Bouquets for All Seasons by Ariella Chezar

Even though 15 years have passed since its publication date, this beautiful little book has inspired more florists than perhaps any other book on floral design, myself included. Ariella’s focus on fresh, seasonal blooms has helped make important changes in the flower industry to include more local and seasonal flowers and foliage.

The Flower Workshop: Lessons in Arranging Blooms, Branches, Fruits, and Foraged Materials by Ariella Chezar

Ariella’s second book is filled with heartbreakingly beautiful designs in a wide range of complex color palettes. It is Ariella’s exquisite approach to color that distinguishes her work from any other designer, and has influenced my own designs tremendously. 

Seasonal Flower Arranging: Fill Your Home with Blooms, Branches, and Foraged Material All Year Round by Ariella Chezar

Like everything she touches, this book by Ariella Chezar is pure magic. Her latest book offers even more inspiration for connecting more closely with nature through seasonal floral design.  

On Flowers: Lessons from an Accidental Florist by Amy Merrick

Amy approaches floral design with an artist’s lens, taking ordinary blooms and helping us see them in a completely unique way. Her book feels like an intimate look into the pages of her scrapbook, tracing her love of flowers through her career as a florist in New York City and beyond, as she travels the world. 

Overhead of Floret's favorite flower growing books surrounded by dahliasFlower growing books

A Year Full of Flowers: Gardening for All Seasons by Sarah Raven

Sarah’s latest title might be my very favorite of all the books that she’s written. A Year Full of Flowers is filled with so much helpful information including Sarah’s favorite varieties across so many different plant categories and the photographs by Jonathan Buckley are out of this world. If you’re looking for gardening inspiration, this is the book to get. 

The Cutting Garden: Growing & Arranging Garden Flowers by Sarah Raven

This was the first book I ever discovered on growing cut flowers and has been a source of inspiration for nearly 20 years. I credit Sarah and this book for inspiring me to get my start in flowers. 

Grow Your Own Cut Flowers by Sarah Raven

If I had to pick, this is probably my favorite book on growing flowers and I’ve referenced it so many times over the years that the spine is broken and almost every page is smudged with dirt. I love the way that this book is organized because Sarah crammed so much helpful information into the pages, but in a really easy to understand and reference way. While out of print now, if you can find a used copy, it’s worth whatever you have to pay.  

Dahlia Breeding for the Farmer-Florist and the Home Gardener: A Step by Step Guide to Hybridizing New Dahlia Varieties from Seed by Kristine Albrecht

I’ve been a fan of Kristine’s incredible dahlias for many years and have sought her advice on breeding my own new varieties many times. If you want to try your hand at dahlia breeding and learn from the best, this wonderful little book has everything you need. 

Dahlias: Seed to Bloom: The Dahlia Grower’s Companion by Kristine Albrecht

Kristine’s second book covers everything you need to know about growing dahlias, including soil preparation, planting in raised beds and containers, pests, common diseases and viruses, and growing dahlias in hot climates. The book also profiles nine dahlia growers from five continents who share tips and tricks for their particular climates.

Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden: Grow, Harvest & Arrange Stunning Seasonal Blooms by Erin Benzakein with Julie Chai 

My first book covers everything you need to know about growing flowers on a small scale and is the perfect jumping-off point for beginning gardeners. It includes detailed growing instructions for more than 175 different flower varieties and is overflowing with so many beautiful photos. Cut Flower Garden won the American Horticultural Society book award, which was such an incredible honor.

Floret Farm’s Discovering Dahlias: A Guide to Growing and Arranging Magnificent Blooms by Erin Benzakein with Jill Jorgensen and Julie Chai 

This book does a deep dive into one of the most beloved cut flowers—dahlias. In addition to sharing all of my secrets to successfully growing dahlias, this book also features 360 of my very favorite varieties organized by color and also includes a chapter on breeding your own new dahlias, plus how to save your seed.

The Flower Farmer: An Organic Grower’s Guide to Raising and Selling Cut Flowers, 2nd edition, by Lynn Byczynski

There’s good reason this book is considered the bible for beginning flower farmers: it includes everything you need to know to become a flower farmer. If you are considering getting into the business, you’ll want to read this book–twice!

Grow and Gather: A Gardener’s Guide to a Year of Cut Flowers by Grace Alexander

This delightful new book is filled with reflective essays, journal entries, and growing advice. The beautiful photographs provide a window into Grace’s lovely world and offer inspiration for gardens of any size. 

In Bloom: Growing, Harvesting, and Arranging Homegrown Flowers All Year Round by Clare Nolan

This book is one of my very favorites and I have gifted it to every single gardener in my life. In addition to covering everything you need to know about growing and enjoying homegrown flowers all year long, the abundance of beautiful photos will keep you glued to the pages from beginning to end. This book is a must-add to your flower library!

The Cut Flower Sourcebook: Exceptional Perennials and Woody Plants for Cutting by Rachel Siegfried

I am so happy that Rachel wrote this book! She is a true expert when it comes to woody shrubs and perennials and her work provided loads of inspiration when I was working on the design for the new farm. If you’re interested in adding perennials and shrubs to your garden, this book is a must-have. My favorite section is The Plant Directory which includes 128 of Rachel’s favorite bulbs, perennials, climbers, grasses, trees, and shrubs.

Overhead of Floret's favorite gardening books surrounded by dahliasGeneral gardening books

The Bold and Brilliant Garden by Sarah Raven 

I remember the first time I opened this book and was blown away by Sarah’s fearless use of color, combining bright, rich, saturated hues in ways I had never seen before. It inspired so many gardeners, myself included, to push the boundaries and really think outside the box when it comes to plant and color combinations.

The Complete Gardener: A Practical, Imaginative Guide to Every Aspect of Gardening by Monty Don 

Hands down, my all-time favorite gardening book ever! This book has been my go-to source of information and inspiration for nearly 20 years. One of the most beautiful and comprehensive gardening books available, it’s packed with everything you need to know to garden organically, including composting, soil health, hedges, perennials, growing your own food … this book covers it all. In 2021, Monty released an extensively revised new edition that is even better than the original. 

Martha Stewart’s Gardening: Month by Month by Martha Stewart 

While this book is nearly 30 years old, it has stood the test of time. This massive photo-filled resource takes you through an entire year in Martha’s garden and kitchen at Turkey Hill. Whenever I see copies at used bookstores I always grab them because they make the best gifts. If you’re looking for a book to get lost in over the winter as you plan out your garden, be sure to add this to your stack. 

Organic farming books 

On Good Land: The Autobiography of an Urban Farm by Michael Ableman and Alice Waters
I read this book shortly after Elora was born and I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. When I finished the last page I sat up in my chair and declared to Chris that we needed to leave the city as soon as possible and start a farm. This beautiful memoir tells the moving story of a small farm that is nearly swallowed up by development but becomes the heart of a community. 

The New Organic Grower: A Master’s Manual of Tools and Techniques for the Home and Market Gardener by Eliot Coleman

It is hard to pick just one of Eliot Coleman’s books because they are all fantastic, but I find myself referencing this incredible resource the most often. Eliot is the godfather of organic vegetable farming and his production techniques and generous sharing have revolutionized the way many small farms operate.  

The Market Gardener: A Successful Grower’s Handbook for Small-Scale Organic Farming by Jean-Martin Fortier

This brilliant book is a must-have for anyone interested in organic farming. Like Eliot Coleman’s books, this volume is focused on vegetable farming, but many of the principles are transferable to flowers. Both authors beautifully detail how it is possible to farm on a small scale without big tractors or other fancy equipment.

Other flower-related books

Lost & Found: Discover Hidden Treasures Amongst the Blooms by Zoë Field

This book is like nothing I’ve ever seen before—it’s like the seek-and-find books I loved as a kid, but made for flower lovers! Lost & Found features 15 beautiful flatlays with hidden objects tucked in between the flowers and foliage. This sweet little book is overflowing with Zoë’s breathtaking photography, an abundance of incredible flower varieties, and essays that read like poetry. Kids will love it, too.

Farm & Folk Quilt Alchemy: A High-Country Guide to Natural Dyeing and Making Heirloom Quilts from Scratch by Sara Larson Buscaglia

This book offers a detailed introduction to working with natural dyes and quilt making using garden-grown flowers, and with its beautiful photography, it is a piece of art in its own right. The first half of the book is all about natural dyes (plus 20 tried-and-true color formulas) and the second half is devoted to quilt making, including seven full-size quilt patterns. If you’re interested in natural dyeing, this book is a must-add to your library.

Overhead of Floret's favorite books surrounded by mumsBusiness & personal development books

The Fire Starter Sessions: A Soulful + Practical Guide to Creating Success on Your Own Terms by Danielle LaPorte 

Hands down, one of the best books I’ve ever read in this genre. Part sermon, part therapy, and part ass-kicking … this book will blow you out of the water and into action towards the life and business of your dreams. 

Turning Pro: Tap Your Inner Power and Create Your Life’s Work by Steven Pressfield 

More than any other book, this one changed my life the most. I remember when I finished the last page of the book and realized how much of my life I had been making excuses for not going after my dreams. The very next day I sat down and wrote the proposal for Cut Flower Garden. If you feel like you have something inside of you that you want to share with the world, this book will be the spark you need to take the next step. 

Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek

This book really helped me shift my perspective around business and pursuing creative, meaningful work. Rather than focusing on what you do and how you do it, Simon challenges readers to get to the heart of why they do what they do and from there, everything else follows. 

StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Tom Rath 

I remember the first time I read this book I had such a breakthrough around focusing on my strengths rather than trying to change my weaknesses. The theory behind this book is that when we embrace the way that we are naturally wired and pour our energy into areas of strength we find more satisfaction in life and work. We’ve used this book to grow our team and it has been an absolute game-changer. 

Shelf of Floret's favorite books

In the comments below, I’d love to hear what some of your favorite books are and why you love them.


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3,374 Comments

  1. Celeste on

    Please, Oh Please, compile and share a book list from all those contributed in these 3,000+ comments! It’s all I want for the rest of Christmas eternity…and my 2 front teeth ;) But seriously, what a list it would be!

    Reply
  2. Cynthia Boyd on

    Thank you Floret and Erin for your wonderful favourite book listing. I have enjoyed reading this as well as the many fascinating selections by your readers. I love anything by Elizabeth Lawrence, who wrote a whole host of gardening tomes mostly Southern gardening in nature (which is hard to follow given my northern climate in Newfoundland). Still, her works are fascinating. As well as anything by Allen Lacey. One of my favourite gardening books is Martha Stewart’s earliest one On Gardening (not sure if this is the title) and Smith & Hawken’s The Book of Outdoor Gardening. I also love Katherine S. White, whose Onward and Upward in the Garden is pretty wonderful material. Louise Rich’s quirky gardening books always mention herbs and flowers in addition to roses and vegetables; in addition, Thalassa Cruso was a special garden writer as well. Margaret Roach’s A Way to Garden is a fabulous book, as is anything by Tovah Martin. Gertrude Jekyll always had an eye for flowers that work well in a sturdy ceramic vase, so her gardening books are particularly appropriate. Marion Cran, a little known garden writer, wrote extremely interesting gardening books that had quirky titles, such as The Garden of Ignorance and The Garden of Experience (she was heavily influenced by Jekyll and was near her, in Surrey), she was also near Vita Sackville-West, when Cran moved to her inter-war garden in Kent. Moving ahead sixty years, I love and have been influenced by the garden writing of C.Z. Guest in her book: First Garden; it’s an overlooked gem no matter if you are indeed a beginning gardener or an advanced die-hard gardener. Guest writes beautifully. Constance Spry was not only a floral arranger par excellence she also wrote beautiful treatises on gardening in general; sadly all out of print I suspect. I bought a massive collection of these books years ago from my public library’s discard sale. I think that Spry’s Flower Decoration; Flowers in House and Garden (in particular), as well as Garden Notebook, Summer & Autumn Flowers, Winter & Spring Flowers, and two cookery books she wrote all had a profound effect on me as a gardener. Significantly, Floret’s incredible books are all inspiring and will be enduring classics in the same vein as Sarah Raven’s works, and those of Martha Stewart. Enjoy all – and a Merry Christmas Erin and family and Floret Team.

    Reply
  3. Kristi Hein on

    Thank you for the glorious, enticing list. The Anacortes Library (in Skagit County, same as Floret Farm) has all three Floret books as ebooks, but are missing Discovering Dahlias as a hard copy! I shall speak to them about this. ;^) They have just one Monty Don title, “Down ­to Earth: Gar­den­ing Wis­dom” — as an audio book! Wait, what? Surely this one needs to be seen! (Surprising, because the library has an extensive garden collection.) They do have Sarah Raven’s “The cut­ting ­gar­den: ­grow­ing and ar­rang­ing ­gar­den flow­ers,” so I’ve reserved it.

    Reply
  4. Sarah F. on

    I also absolutely love the book Grow and Gather by Grace Alexander, it is definitely one of my favorites. She also sends out a weekly newsletter you can sign up for and a separate membership where she publishes beautiful seasonal guides and sells seeds for both the UK and the U.S. :)

    Reply
  5. Robin May on

    The Dirty Life by Kristen Kimball is the gritty well written story of one’s couples life as they nurse a farm into life in upstate New York. This is no romantic romp about the life of a land owner but the unvarnished truth about what it really takes to create and sustain their lives.

    Reply
  6. Anna on

    Can’t forget to add “From Seed to Bloom” by Milli Proust! Loved your author interview with her, I immediately went out and bought it. It’s one of the most gorgeously assembled and photographed books.

    Reply
  7. Christine on

    I love watching and learning from Monty Don on Gardener’s World! He has such a down to earth nature and his love for gardening really comes through. He is a true master of gardening and love everything he does!

    I also have a number of great garden books on gardening for natives in the southeast and Doug Tallamy and his books and web info is extremely valuable as a resource for organic and native gardening, soil health, etc.

    Mt. Cuba Center, not a book per se but their trails on plants free online resources are invaluable for everyone wanting for garden organically and sustainably. Highly recommend!

    Lady Bird Johnson’s website is another invaluable tool for organic and native plants and has so much information on just about every plant imaginable.

    Reply
  8. Crystal Bailey on

    I’m truly, The biggest fan of Gardeners World and Monty Don. I Love the gardens and love if gardening that the UK residents have.

    Reply
  9. m on

    love this, you did it a few years ago and I added 5 from your list to my bookshelf. I tend to buy your books for gifting and also my favourite New Zealand gardner/writer. the date/month by month books I struggle with as we are 6months ahead/behind.

    Reply
  10. Laura Black on

    I have Monty Don’s Complete Gardener checked out from my library right now and I’m enjoying it.

    Because i live in central Florida, i find Southern Living books helpful. Also Pamela Crawford’s books (i hope i have remembered her name right) in which she reported and photographed the results of extensive trials of the best plants for Florida and the south.

    Reply
  11. Nicola on

    I think this has to be one of the most useful blogs ever! It is so helpful to have recommendations from someone who has been on the journey and has the well used books to prove it. I can’t wait to get my hands on some of these for Christmas. We have just brought 3 acres of land in Cornwall and to have these books as my guides and companions feels reassuring. Thank you

    Reply
  12. Rachel Below BELOW on

    Kristine Albrecht’s Dahlia Breeding for the Farmer-Florist and the home Gardener: A Step- by- Step Guide to Hybridizing New Dahlia Varieties From Seed is an absolute must for anyone interested in pursuing that field. Discovering Dahlias is also an invaluable resource. KA ‘s book from Amazon is laid out more like a magazine simply because when you purchase it, they print the e-book. This does not affect the value in any way.

    Reply
  13. Amelia on

    So excited! Just bought 5 of these! Can’t wait to read and learn more. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
  14. Jack Williams on

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  15. Lisa Wharton on

    This list is great fun in finding new books. I’d like to add three that have been favorites for a long time, and an ongoing inspiration. Why We Garden, by Jim Nollman (an extended meditation on gardening one piece of land over years); Paradise Gardens, by Arnaud Maurieres and Eric Ossart (gardening from an Islamic culture); Monet’s Garden, by Vivian Russell (self-explanatory! – visit the gardens!)

    Reply
  16. Susan Wachtel on

    My favorite book right now is Cool Flowers by Lisa Mason Zigler. I learned about her book and the information that she teaches about cool season hardy annuals. Some of the hardy annuals can be sown directly in the garden in the fall and even early winter. The flowers are able to get a good start and are blooming come springtime. It’s been a game changer for me. I still do seed starting inside, but the seeds that will do well by direct sowing get an early start in the garden. What’s even better are the plants that self seed.

    Reply
  17. Amanda DeCesaro on

    I don’t have a favorite book 🥺 but one book I’ve reread several times is Why Revival Tarries by Leo Ravenhill. Not a plant book but I also love plant books, anything about anything I love 🥰

    Reply
  18. Shannon Martin on

    How do you choose a favorite book? One of the reasons I bought my house is because of the 3 built in bookcases down the hallway, some of which I have books stacked 2 deep. When trying to decide which ONE book to choose, I looked around my living room chair as I am sitting here. The books that I keep close to my chair are used the most. The book that reach for time and time a again is The Rodale Herb Book, Ninth Printing 1976. Not only do I use this book often, it was gifted to me by my great grandfather from his shelf when I was 9 years old. He was an avid gardener and one of my personal inspirations for gardening. I have many memories with him in the garden. He signed his name on the inside cover of every book he ever purchased. I reach for this book time and time again for herb advise. It is tried and true. Please don’t tell the other books.

    Reply
  19. Carol Cobb on

    Erin,

    Thank you for your generosity i sponsoring the give away! Wishing you and all your followers a beautiful and magical holiday
    filled with all good things—especially flowers!

    Reply
  20. Stéphanie Marcotte-Côté on

    Jean-Martin Fortier just blew my mind with the possibilities to do lost and live well on a small piece of land. And it’s the story of one of his student here in Québec that inspired me to grow flowers!

    Reply
  21. Andrea DiMatteo on

    While this is not a gardening book exactly, I love this book for many reasons. Watership Down is my favorite. I read it out loud to my young son years ago. It sparks the imagination in so many ways and creates a vivid life that takes place outside in the woods, fields and gardens. This is in part why I love to be in my yard and garden. It is a place to dream to imagine and witness the wilds of mother nature.

    Reply
  22. Rohimah Sarpin on

    I love Natural Companions by Ken Druse. A combo of beauty and intelligence. The gorgeous coffee-table book is filled with intelligent profiles of plants & planting combinations.

    Reply
  23. Emily on

    I love Eliot Coleman’s book…the ideas and techniques have helped to improve our garden planning , stewardship and soil.

    Reply
  24. Krista Schmidt on

    My favorite gardening books at the moment are The Well-Tended Perennial Garden by Tracy DiSabato-Aust and Michael Dirr’s Manual of Woody Landscape Plants—both of which were indispensable while I completed my garden design certificate at the New York Botanical Garden this year. For fiction, A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini has stuck with me for several years after reading it. And for nonfiction, Devil in the White City by Erik Larson is a page-turner. Thank you for the opportunity to enter this giveaway!

    Reply
  25. Jaime Looney on

    Right now I am enthralled by heirloom veggies and flowers in Baker Creek’s 2022 Whole Seed Catalog. I have also been reading and referencing Floret’s Cut Flower and Dahlia books via kindle app.

    Reply
  26. Lesley Sico on

    My favorite book on flowers is your ‘Cut Flower Garden’ – it’s a resource I’ve turned to countless times these past few years as I’ve gotten deeper and deeper into growing flowers.

    Reply
  27. Penny Warner on

    One of my very favorites, second to The Holy Bible, is Who Moved My Cheese by Spencer Johnson.

    Reply
  28. Richard B on

    One of my recent favorites is “The Language of Flowers” by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. It is a compelling, heart wrenching read and ultimately a story of hope as the main character (a young adult in the foster care system) finds her voice by communicating her feelings through the use of flowers. It’s a story that I find myself thinking about often.

    Reply
  29. toni murray on

    The book I’m most drawn to lately, my current ‘favorite’, is the oversized
    Classical Natural History Prints PLANTS.
    Published in 1990, it’s full of pages & pages of
    photographs of artistic botanical renderings.
    The authors, Eve Robson & Norman Robson
    include detailed information about the renderings as well as the artist & significance to both science & art.
    Beautiful, informative & inspiring.
    Thank you Erin & Floret for the beauty, information
    & inspiration of your list of favorite books!

    Reply
  30. Stephanie T on

    Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson. It’s a really beautiful exploration on loss and identity.

    Reply
  31. Taylor Grandfield on

    I have been thinking about this question all week! One favorite book is hard to pick, but right now my favorite book is Bread Baking for Beginners by Bonnie Ohara. I have spent the past two years practicing making bread from this book and it has been really wonderful to watch flour, yeast, salt, and water turn into a beautiful loaf of bread that you can share with those you love.

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  32. Gunner on

    My favorite book is Flower Confidential by Amy Stewart. I liked all the interesting stories in it like how the ‘Stargazer’ lily was created and about the flower industry as a whole.

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  33. Elizabeth Lundblade on

    My favorite flower books are your three and Growing Flowers by Niki Irving. I spent a year in NC and began following her flower farm and purchased the book as a memory of my year in that beautiful state! Now I am back in Texas where half our year is summer!😂 As an empty nester, I am hoping to expand my gardening more into flowers and not just vegetables. Thank you for sharing all your knowledge with us! 💕

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  34. Jen Doucette on

    It’s really a series but I loved the Chronicles of Narnia when I was younger. I have always loved reading series as opposed to one off books because I would connect to the characters so much and would hate to say good bye to them! Recently I read the first 3 books of the Game of Thrones series and had SO many emotions reading those books! I did end up watching the series and loved it too. I was happy reading the books because reading is fun, I was happy for characters, sad for them, I laughed with them.. a lot of these emotions we as gardeners (or crazy flower ladies as me and my mom say) have together.

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  35. Joanne on

    This blog post is certainly one of my favorites as I’m getting so many new titles to read.
    I have too many favorite books to list, but my most useful, practical gardening book, if I could only choose ONE,
    it would be Seattle Tilth’s THE MARITIME NORTHWEST GARDEN GUIDE: Planning Calendar for Year-Round Organic
    Gardening. It’s full of timely tidbits for both the vegetable and flower gardener. I used it for our school garden and I recommend it for all NW gardeners.

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  36. Christina on

    One of my favorite books is Wherever You Go There You Are by Jon Kabat-Zinn. I appreciate the insight, tools and resources Jon offers in a simple and understandable and applicable way. Thank you, Erin, for offering this blog! Oh, and I have been finding Daniel LaPorte’s book Fire Starter Sessions to be helpful! I discovered it from reading your list of books last year, so thank you!

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  37. Susanna Jolly on

    Thank you to Erin and Team Floret for sharing your flowering wisdom and inspiring so many of us. To that end, while I too love books and our house is testament to that fact with its towers of books in nearly every corner, a book that captured my heart a couple of years ago remains “The Boy, The Mole, the Fox and the Horse” by the wonderful British artist Charlie Mackesy. And if you thought this book was just for kids, think again. Its infinite wisdom is timeless and for all. The illustrations and text exhibit a sheer love of animals, a joy in the natural world, and reminders of our place in it and alongside it – how it nurtures us if we nurture it and others we walk alongside. The book and characters captured my heart and do not let go. The book lives on my bedside table whenever I need little reminders. Thank you for this fabulous blog post and the wisdom of the Floret community and their favorite books – Happy Holidays and Happy Reading to all.

    Reply
  38. Mike MacDonald on

    So hard to pick a favorite! I have to go with The One-Straw Revolution, by Masanobu Fukuoka. This was one of the first agriculture books I ever read, and it was instrumental in shaping my future. Fukuoka’s intense spiritual drive to work with plants, and his deep reverence for and desire to learn from nature were an inspiration to me. I revisit that book frequently, and it helps keep me calibrated.

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  39. Sasha on

    My favorite book is the Little Prince 🤴. I love how it is at the same time profound yet very simple. But I’m also a huge fan of every cookbook and gardening book I can get my hands on!

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  40. Tiffany Covell on

    Probably the first gardening book that I ever purchased and one I have referred to many times throughout the years is Sunset Western Garden book. It is a comprehensive book covering the many plants and varieties that grow throughout the western United States. It taught me about the many plants we inherited when we purchased our home plus many more that I added. With this book, I learned all the basics of plant maintenance, planting, pruning, propagation, natural pest and disease management and more, before the internet became such a useful resource. Whenever I revisit this book, I’m still filled with appreciation for its wealth of helpful information.

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  41. Betty on

    My copy of the Peterson Field Guide to Wildflowers (Northeastern/North Central North America) has traveled to many places with me for over 40 years. It has some loose pages though I have taken good care of my treasured book that taught me so much about flowers and how to identify them.

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  42. Debbie on

    The book that instantly came to my mind is The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett! This was the book that started my love of gardening. How can anyone read this book and not want to get out and plant some seeds and experience the joy of flower gardening!

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  43. Heidi Guinn on

    The Winterthur Garden, Henry Francis du Pont’s Romance with the Land, book is a must read. Doesn’t the name say it all? This book has it all; history, story telling, plants and flowers, planning, design and beautiful photos. You must get it on your bookcase. Let me know how you like it.

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  44. Lissa on

    My love affair with books started with a robust copy of Audubon’s Birds of America. Too large to carry, I would spend hours nestled into the coffee table as a child, poring over its striking pages and marveling at a world beyond my comprehension. Only upon viewing an original, three foot tall volumn as an adult, did a once larger than life book seem quite small in comparison.

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  45. Kait Spears on

    Favorite book: Hinds Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard. I found a old copy of this book in some of my mother’s possessions after she passed away when I was in college. It would be several years later before I actually picked it up to read it, but the timing was perfect. It was just the story I needed at just the right time, and knowing it was my mom’s book made it feel even more special. The physical book, and message it contains, will always be special possessions 💕

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  46. Holly Ferrette on

    My favorite book is “The Poisonwood Bible” by Barbara Kingsolver. It is a fictional story of an American missionary family serving in the Belgian Congo in the 1950’s. As someone who has moved to a new country every few years as part of my job, I feel Kingsolver captures so well the feelings that one has when one is dropped into another culture, language and context, e.g. the way you try to understand something through the lens that you know but often find that your own lived experience is insufficient to the task. She accurately portrays how political and economic events at a national and global scale touch down with real consequences in the lives of people who have no say in the matters. She also describes so well the naivety, hubris and sometimes even distain for local practices that expats with the best of intentions carry with them to these places as exemplified by the way the father in the family wants to plant a vegetable garden but turns up his nose at local planting methods and seed varieties in favor of using the little packets of seeds he brought from the States, a decision that of course, ends with disaster. Kingsolver wrote this book nearly 25 years ago but the observations she made then are just as true today and are ones that are finally being able to be talked out more openly and honestly.

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  47. Mary Mae Hardt on

    One of my favorite books, My Ántonia, by Willa Cather, places us into the immigrant experience of the late 1800s in Nebraska. Cather is among my favorite writers as she is a master of sense of place descriptions and her characters are developed within these places. She wrote in the early 1900s, setting her novels primarily in the Midwest. However, my introduction to Willa Cather was her novel, Shadows on the Rock placed in Quebec in the late 1600s. While living in the Midwest, I scoured used book stores and collected copies of most everything she wrote. (Though during a recent visit to a local store, Seaport Books in LaConner, I discovered yet another short novel.) Cather’s writing transports me into place and time through her landscape narratives and fascinating characters.

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  48. Holly Haynes on

    Well, I keep coming back to this blog post because I want to jot down all of the books mentioned above. So, I am here to just say thanks for sharing everyone!!!

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  49. Kristel on

    Thank you for inspiring each of us to share our favorite books! What a wonderful way to find books that encourage one another in learning more about flowers and life.

    – Local Dirt by Andrea Bemis has been my tried and true cookbook for the past year. Andrea created seasonal recipes using simple obtainable ingredients with delicious results. Her cooking style has made life simpler and fostered a deeper connection to local farm grown food. The recipes offer substitution ideas. With an ease in cooking I have more time outside focusing on growing cut flowers & edible flowers!

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  50. Christine K. Thomas on

    Hi! Thank you for all of these amazing resources!! I am a newbie and am collecting, reading and taking notes on how to grow flowers to sell at our local farmers market. I have two of your books and love to look at all of the beautiful pictures!! I am moving into a house in January and can’t wait to start working in the yard. I would have to say that my all time favorite book is called Integrity by Dr Henry Cloud. I have read it several times and have gifted it to new graduates. I try to live my life with integrity. Merry Christmas and a Happy Healthy New Year!!

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  51. Clarissa on

    This is such a great giveaway! My all-time favorite book is Adam Bede by George Eliot. It is absolutely brimming over with thoughts on beauty, virtue, & Truth, & I especially love it for what it has taught me about meaningful work.

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  52. Rachel E. on

    I love this list! Thank you so much for sharing. My favorite gardening books to date are The Garden Primer by Barbara Damrosch (I worked for Barbara and Eliot years ago and now live in their community. Barbara’s flowers are a constant source of inspiration!), Tasha Tudor’s Garden, Cottage Gardens by Claire Masset, Monty Don’s The Complete Gardener, and of course, Cut Flower Garden (my first book on flower production and arranging) and my more recently acquired A Year in Flowers. Your books really have been with me since the start of my love affair with flowers! I also regularly visit our local Cooperative Extension website, which offers a wealth of information on food production, ornamental plants, soil health, invasive species, and more.

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  53. Andrea Garro on

    I am soooooo passionate about life and I want to maximize my experience while I am here. Books allow me to travel anywhere, to explore a different time period, they inspire me to cook and bake nourishing foods for my family, to learn about nutrition and health and to improve, enhance and enrich and brighten my life. For an absolute book lover it is so challenging to pick a favorite. I am now intrigued by all of your favorites and quite literally can not stop thinking about holding them and learning from them and planning a cut flower garden to plant alongside my vineyard. But one book that comes to mind as being transformative to me is the Novel the Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. In it the main character introduced me to the meaning of different flowers and how she used it as a way to communicate feelings, emotions and sentiments as she thoughtfully communicated to her customers through the bouquets she would make for them. I think of this book everytime I see a flower, or build an arrangement. It is no longer just a colorful grouping of beauty but it is full of sentiment and a prescription for more joy, compassion, peace and empathy. It is whatever the recipient needs more of. I highly recommend this book. You don’t have to love flowers to enjoy it but it sure is a treat if you do. 🌸🌼🌻💐🌷🌾🌱

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  54. Jo Anna Mortensen on

    My favorite book is Tistou of the Green Thumbs, a beautifully illustrated story for all ages about a boy who secretly helps others in astonishing ways with his magical green thumbs. If you haven’t read it, Erin, I will gift it to you, because Tistou is The Little Prince of flower growers! Written by Maurice Druon, a French author, the book is not easy to find, but well worth the search – enchanting, moving and deep!

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  55. Sophie Brantley on

    The Harvester, by Gene Stratton Porter.
    Because who doesn’t love a good romance , especially one filled with flowers and nature <3

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  56. Deborah Lemmer on

    My favorite book is The Cut Flower Garden by Erin Benzakein because the combination of the story, the information and the dazzling photos sparked something in me to begin to grow a cut flower garden and more. It was inspirational and when I browse though the book – each time- I feel a sense of presence that it therapy for me.

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  57. Jessie D on

    So many books! —- The Outsiders ! Hehe the first book as a tween that got me reading. What a great floral & gardening collection you’ve curated!

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  58. C Burks on

    My favorite book is the ancient one by St. John, called by his own name. The language is unbelievably beautiful, especially considering it was written in a different time, place and language. Every time I read it I see something new.

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  59. Gao on

    The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman. It’s a story about the collision of two different cultures coming together to try and save a little girl. The story means a lot to me because it describes my culture and what we all experienced as citizens of a new country in the early 80’s.

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  60. Janet on

    So many amazing books to read. You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay. This book has been so so helpful. It’s a book I always return to and you can read one line of it to feel inspired or encouraged for the day.
    Louise is such a lovely lady and her books can apply to anyone at anytime in their life.

    I don’t want to forget children books though. Those can be the simplest, but the best.

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  61. Hilda E Medina on

    My all time go to book is “The Beginner’s Guide To Flower Arranging” Rosemary Batho, Judy Kay and Bernice Waugh. As a florist, this book is full of so much information and the photographs are amazing. I love floral designing and would like to grow blooming flowers to use for my arrangements.

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  62. Jane DeAngelis on

    It’s hard to pick a favorite but recently I acquired a copy of Starr Ockenga’s Amaryllis. Exquisite.

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  63. JASMINE LEWIS on

    The language of flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh is a book that I connected to on every page. When I started making bouquets I was told it was about appropriate color and shape and texture and I always felt I was falling short. To me flowers have always been about showcasing emotion, this book solidified that feeling, gave me more confidence in the flowers I wanted to grow and the reasons I wanted to share them. This book brought even more personality to flowers ( which I didn’t think was possible) I love this book so much.

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  64. Beverly Soltero on

    Braiding sweet grass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. She’s a Native American Arthur and a Professor of Environmental Biology! I love reading about plant care and growth but it’s even better when it comes for generations of wisdom! I love learning about how connected they are to the land it’s just so inspiring! Plus there’s a lot of history l, good and bad. My mother in law always donates to the natives where her family originated from and I feel like reading and learning about other native cultures is my way of donation. Passing their knowledge of plants to my future children or even just telling my husband what I learned in the chapter lol.

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  65. Rachael Sammartino on

    My favorite book that I’ve come back to several times is Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. The fundamental thing I’ve learned and relearned from this book is to slow down my pace and enjoy the moment. To sit with a book and savor each line,  to spend time “toiling” in the garden as its not toiling if its what you love.  There can be too much of a good thing but spending time to cultivate oneself is just as important as all the other tasks that are lined up before us. 

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  66. Lizzie on

    Discovering Dahlias: Definitely a must have if you like dahlias. It gives you tips on how to grow, divide, and store your dahlias, so you can have beautiful flowers for years to come. And if you have to many you can always gift some to a friend. Really like the book as it tells me most everything I need to now about my favorite flower.

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  67. Laura Clarey on

    My favorite gardening book is actually yours…Cut Flower Garden. Even though I’ve done my own landscaping for years, this past summer was the first time I ever considered growing flowers for the purpose of cutting. I read your book last winter/spring and was so inspired. I failed 100% to grow all the seeds that came with my Discovering Dahlias book, but I am excited to try again this year!

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  68. Carissa on

    What a great collection of books! Thank you for sharing.

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  69. Beth Immell on

    The Flower Farmer: An Organic Grower’s Guide to Raising and Selling Cut Flowers. I love this book! It has opened my eyes to a whole new world.

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  70. Sarah Barg on

    Vita Sackville-West’s Sissinghurst – The Creation of a garden by Vita Sackville-West and Sarah Raven!

    The first gardening book I ever bought and the book that opened my mind to the wonderful world of gardening – especially British- gardening books!
    It introduced me to complex ideas, creating your own accidental rosemary variety, garden rooms, climbers wherever you csn fit a climber. It allowed me to dream of roses climing through fruit trees and suggested a nuttery wasn’t a waste of time.
    I csnnot thank this book enough for what it gave me in terms of never thinking your dreams too extravagant to reach for!
    xx

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  71. Libby on

    “A Gentle Plea for Chaos” by Mirabel Osler is one of the gentlest, sweetest, most inspiring books I have ever read. It’s perfect for reading chapter by chapter at bedtime and feels to me like reading it is taking deep breaths. One of my favorite aspects (other than her gorgeous writing!) is that it is actually an argument to impose a little less order in the garden. It’s a gorgeous read in a quiet and lovely way.

    Monty and Sarah Don’s “The Jewel Garden” is a different kind of wonderful. I like it because it’s the story behind one of the world’s most famous gardeners. I also really love his down to earth, practical voice. Reading it felt like the back story to watching Gardener’s World.

    “The 3,000 Mile Garden” by Leslie Land and Roger Phillips is a book I couldn’t put down. When I’d describe it to my friends they were confused that a book that consisted of letters between two friends could be that gripping. It was. I loved their curiosity about each others gardens and how much they each felt they could learn from the other. The juxtaposition of his public gardening and her private gardening was also fascinating. Who knew I could tear through inventories of plants with such interest? It was wonderful.

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  72. Elizabeth Kingsley on

    My favorite book is My Herbal encyclopedia. I use it for identification of herbs, uses for them and i use it to dry flowers and herbs by pressing them in the pages.

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  73. Tracy Smolsnik on

    My favorite book that inspired me is Celestine Prophecy…. Great book….

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  74. Cindy Hatella on

    Hinds Feet in High Places by Hannah Hurnatd. It is an allegorical tale of Much-Afraid, a woman searching for guidance from God to lead her to a higher place. A classic. Having gone through a difficult trial in my life when I read the book, it greatly impacted me, my future and my relationship with God!

    Thank you for this amazing opportunity. I am very curious and have always loved books. I love books about organic gardening, flower gardening, bread, cookbooks, Christian growth, bible studies and more! I think we have 100+ cookbooks between my husband and I.

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  75. Jenny Prax on

    I have recently gotten into growing my own flowers- my husband and I just bought our first house a couple years ago and I’m slowly grooming the yard into flower beds. My favorite book that I re-read during the winter is “Growing Perennials in Cold Climates”. It lets me plan and dream about spring and starting my seeds.

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  76. Nancy M. on

    I can’t think of a specific favorite book but I like just about any “how to” books. It is just so much nicer to have a book in your hands that you can page through and have it sit there for reference. So much easier than having your electronic device go to sleep while you still need it to stay awake.

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  77. Michelle Christopherson on

    My favorite is Vita Sackville-West’s Garden Book. Thank you for this opportunity to win such a neat prize.

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  78. Deborah Ziegler on

    Your Cut Flower Garden is my favorite ! It inspired me to start a neighborhood cut flower garden. My husband and I have a mutual love of growing flowers and started a flower garden to share flowers with neighbors and family. We find so much pleasure in sharing our flowers and delight in seeing the wonder on their faces as we hand them a bouquet of beautiful, colorful Dahlias ! They are one of everyone’s favorites. I love books since my childhood and fondly remember school book fairs and the delight of choosing a new book with my mom ! I am soo excited to enter this book give away !

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  79. Cynthia on

    Thank you Erin You are an inspiration. I’m enjoying your books and have gifted them..
    I have enjoyed , and found so helpful The Complete Gardener, by John Brookes.
    It is Comprehensive, full of how To,’s. very well organized
    I refer to it for answers to problems, garden planning .
    To plan during the Cold upstate ,shore of Lake Ontario winters…
    It is the joy of turning pages of wonderful photos, and losing myself to possibilities .
    This book covers outdoor , indoor gardening. Drying. Arranging, .and it is in a practical order.
    I’m fond of old children’s books too. Books..are magical…

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  80. Lisa Smith on

    Your Cut Flower Garden book is my favorite! It was gifted to me on Christmas morning 2019, by my daughter. 2020 was quite tough, with the spread of COVID and having to work from home. I had it prominently displayed in my home office and I would thumb through it weekly. It inspired me to add Zinnias and Dahlias to my 2020 garden. Then in 2021, I attempted to add Lisianthus , but it was not as successful as I would have liked. This winter I will be reading your book again, to gather more information about Lisianthus and to identify additional varieties of flowers to add to my 2022 garden. Thank you for all that you do and for inspiring us to be better gardeners.

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  81. Laura Turner on

    Favorite book? That is impossible! But because this is a gardening blog, I will say “The Secret Garden.” I loved it as a child, and want to revisit it … maybe this winter? We bought a VERY run down property that is taking years to “tame” (I hope to get rid of the invasive weeds and plant a meadow garden of native flowers and grasses). I chuckle when I remember that Mary Lennox uncovered her secret garden almost magically, while I seem to have found every noxious rash-producing weed in the northeast in my own backyard! Oh well, to be a gardener is to be an optimist, so maybe next summer will be when I finally see my meadow garden …

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  82. liz on

    With two little kids, right now pretty much all of my books are about parenting and trying to learn how to raise people well. I recently started a book called Everyday Blessings, The Inner Work of Mindful Parenting. So far it is phenomenal. I am a work in progress, and am so grateful for these resources that continuously encourage us to keep moving forward, trying, and seeing the beauty.

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  83. Lauren on

    My favorite gardening book is your cut flower garden book! I’ve read it cover to cover each year since you published it before I start my season. I’m starting your course this winter and have already started reading through the book. ❤️

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  84. Jaime on

    I am reading again Lisa Ziegler’s book Cool Flowers. I am getting ready for some cool flowers….Can’t wait for Spring!

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  85. Roberta on

    I enjoy all books on gardening, growing and flowers. Because most of our property is in shade that is what I am reading about.
    The New Shade Garden by Ken Druse is my latest and very informative. Great pictures and a lot of inspiration for me. Even the blip on good old garlic mustard weed gives me the encouragement needed to deal with this weed!!
    Now, if only deer could read books and decide they don’t like to munch on anything in the garden!!!

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  86. Jennifer on

    My favorite book right now is Lisa Ziegler’s book Cool Flowers. This winter I’m overwintering flowers for the first time, and am very excited for all of the new possiblities with season extension.

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  87. Monique Allen "Nicky" on

    Books, books, books. I love books and have thousands in my personal library. There’s nothing like holding a book in your hands and finding joy! My current favorite book is by a Maine herbalist – Deb Soule. How To Move Like A Gardener – Planting and Preparing Medicine From Plants. Deb is an amazing woman, herbalist, healer, gardener and medicine maker.

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  88. Annie on

    It’s impossible to pick a favorite! But some of mine are “Anne of Green Gables,” “Fahrenheit 451,” and “The Pendwerwicks.”

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  89. June Everson on

    It is always so hard for me to choose a favorite book when someone asks me. I’m a book nerd and my favorite book changes as to what season I am in my life. My most recent favorite reads are: Angry Housewives Eating Bob Bons, The Language of Flowers, and it Ends With Us. All of those are books I couldn’t put down!

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  90. Kayla Cryer on

    I love gardening books and would like to be a wonderful gardener like my mom. She has inspired me with gardening all my life. Now it’s my turn to create my own space

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  91. Liana on

    I also love books. Whenever we visited Powell’s bookstore in Portland, OR, I’d head straight to the gardening section. I loved sitting on the floor in front of the bookshelves and spending literally hours thumbing through the pages of someone else’s old book traded for cash. I could never get rid of any of my books! One of my favorite finds is The Ward Lock Encyclopedia of Gardening simply because it introduced me to Salvia Patens. My favorite color is blue, and I’m sure many gardeners know flowers listed as blue are usually a violet or a periwinkle. Most blue flowers are never true blue; however, Salvia Patens is a true blue. The truest blue I’ve seen in nature. I spent forever searching for the flower I saw in this book finally locating it at a small nursery in Long Beach, Washington. My garden has never been without patens since, and I take seeds from it every year to guarantee I will continue to have that flower in my garden. It’s a simple story about a typical gardening encyclopedia, but having that flower in my garden brings a uniqueness to it. I would’ve never known the flower existed had I not found the book.

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  92. Shaun on

    Wow! So hard to decide! I love all the beautiful books and so many other genres! The book I’ve gone to the most this year, so probably my favorite right now, is Mushrooms of the Upper Midwest. It has helped me a TON as I learn all about the flora & fungi growing in the wooded piece of land my husband & I were gifted recently.

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  93. Jenni Campbell on

    Ah! There are so many good books!! Right now, my favorite book is The Music of Bees, by Eileen Garvin. In this books, she tells the story of a woman who has a bee yard and how two boys begin to work for her. They all have unusual circumstances. Ms. Garvin tells us through this story about keeping bees and how gentle they are. She explains beekeeping in layman’s terms so that you can understand what she is explaining as the story unravels! It is quite good and kits home for me because I just ordered bees for my first year of beekeeping this coming year.

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  94. Marie on

    My favorite book is the Bible. Every time I look at these amazing flowers, I am at awe at the beauty; the colors, the varieties, the fragrances, the intricate details of design. All for the pleasure of mankind. I cant help but thank Jehovah for an amazing gift of this creation. Not only does the Bible tell us why were given these beauties, but answers all the important questions in life. No other book can do that!.

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  95. Karen on

    One of my favorite books is Reader’s Digest, A Garden for all Seasons. I strive to have color and texture in my gardens all year long, This book has beautiful color photos, many ideas for each season, and detailed information about the plants which to help me plan and reach that goal.

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  96. Denise B Sirotta on

    Well this is almost impossible to answer …The Family of Man , edited by Edward Steichen for the Museum of Modern Art. As a child I would frequently look through the photos, all 503.
    Intuitively I learned about life and the world through these images.
    And then there is Frederick by Leo Lionni. I relate to this field mouse. To brave the winter, Frederick gathers sun rays, colors and words that he shares with his fellow mice as winter drags on. “And how about the colors, Frederick?” They asked anxiously. Close your eyes…he told them of the blue periwinkles, the red poppies in the yellow wheat and the green leaves of the berry bush…”
    I garden because it fills me with good life energy. I try to share flowers and vegetables to bring joy to others.

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  97. Suzanne Marie Sherman on

    I was gifted The Cut Flower Garden for my birthday and I was thrilled to learn of Erin and Floret Farms. I refer to this book often to browse through the lovely photos, learn gardening techniques, and pique my imagination! I also love The Garden Awakening, by Mary Reynolds, a very wholistic approach to gardening that I, and most likely many, can relate to. I love many herbal books as well but I have already gone overboard and will leave those for another time.

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  98. Brooke on

    My favorite book is Anne of Green Gables because of the way LM Montgomery describes Prince Edward Island. Her poetic language of landscapes made me appreciate nature from an early age.

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  99. Heather Mingus on

    Oh I had no idea there were so many books out there! My go to for years is a 1997 signed copy of Lynn Byczynski’s The Flower Farmer. But right beside it is Floret’s Cut Flower Garden full of sticky tabs and notes. A big move has me on round three of a cut flower venture and I am thinking much more info is needed.

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  100. Sushmitha Sundararaman on

    Have you read the Irish plantswoman Helen Dillon’s Down to Earth book? It is one of the rarest books where the writing engages you so much that pictures become secondary. She is quite plain talking about her failures and at ease of her successes all the while providing wealth of information – it makes you want to try them yourself. She is so witty it will make you laugh out loud and forget you are actually reading a gardening book. Such an entertaining read! It is one of my favorite gardening books.

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  101. Leah on

    The book I return to again and again is Edible Landscaping by Rosalind Creasy. After checking it out from the library several times, I finally bought it! It continues to be an inspiration as I try to grow food and flowers in my landscape.

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  102. RUTH L on

    The Market Gardener by Jean Fortiet. Two and a half years ago my husband and I moved from the city to a rural town in Tennessee. We both wanted a simpler life and we’re tired of traffic, congestion and crime. We have 2 acres on the top of s hill overlooking a beautiful valley where we can sit on the back porch and watch the sunset each evening. I started reading organic gardening books and my little garden grows each year. I have also started adding flowers- mostly bulbs and perennials (planning on adding dahlias this year) and love the color and texture they add! Eating organic produce and having gorgeous cut flowers in the house has enriched our lives!

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  103. Taylor Barry on

    My favorite would have to be a tie between the Floret Farms Cut Flower Garden & Martha Stewarts Gardening Month by Month….the are the first two books I go when I began flower farming and are still the ones I reference the most when I’m not sure of my next step. They also have beautiful photos to support the text which helps remind me why I love flower farming so much. Absolute must haves!

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  104. Karen on

    The one book I not only read but deeply contemplate every day is A Course in Miracles. I’ve been working with this book for decades and never feel finished with it — passages I have read a dozen times still somehow offer something fresh and new to catalyze soul-awakening. It is a living transmission of the energy and consciousness of the Christ that elaborates on everything Jesus taught as captured in the New Testament. The Course is basically a manual on how to go beyond the limits of the separated ego and live more fully from the true, eternal Self, which is one with God. It delineates the mechanisms by which the ego keeps us in illusion and reminds us of what is real and true, beyond all ego-voices of fear and judgment. If you are ready to experience freedom from suffering, this book leads the way to the peace and love that passeth understanding.

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  105. Kristina on

    I love Monty Don’s book. The combination of all the elements really needed to create a healthy ecosystem, and therefore garden, were eye opening. It’s completely changed the way I look at my garden. And I think I enjoy it even more.

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  106. Anne VanOsdol on

    Here’s a book that once you open, you’ll be hooked, and you’ll go back to it again and again – Robert Dirr’s Encyclopedia of Trees and Shrubs, or his Hardy Trees and Shrubs, or his The Tree Book. I could go on…

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  107. Lisa on

    My favorite is Floret Farms: Cut Flower Garden. I love to pick up the book, read, look at the pictures. I have learned so much.

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  108. Shivaun Korfanta on

    My favorite book, so far, is “Branches and Blooms” by Alethea Harampolis and Jill Rizzo of Studio Choo. I don’t have a lot of cutting flowers in my yard (something I plan to change this Spring!) and this book shows you, recipe-style, how to make a big impact with just a few branches and some flowers. The photos are amazing, too!

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  109. Andrea Abel on

    My favorite book of all is the Bible. Written so long ago and still useful for life and holiness.

    In addition to that, I LOVE beautiful books and would adore this collection!

    Reply
  110. Lori Gross on

    My favorite book to inspire new gardening practices is Nature’s Best Hope by Douglas Tallamy. Whenever I am getting discouraged about making a difference for pollinators, wildlife and plant diversity, his book and practical advice get me inspired to keep working. To accomplish those goals another favorite is Pollinators of Native Plants by Heather Holm. It is packed with information about native plant choices and the species that utilize these plants. I refer to it almost every week!

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  111. Ellie on

    Favorite (non gardening) book is Birds of a Feather from the Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear. Female detective in post WWI London who’s processing her time as a nurse in the war and solving mysteries simultaneously. Favorite (gardening) book is Kristine Albrecht’s Dahlia Breeding for the Farmer-Florist and the Home Gardener; I am not a plant breeder, at least not yet, but I love learning more about the science of dahlia breeding!

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  112. Carol Sapp on

    My favorite gardening book is Martha Stewart’s Gardening. Such a joy to browse through. Second choice is Martha’s Flowers.

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  113. Abigail Miller on

    I can’t narrow it down to ONE favorite, so I’ll mention A favorite, which is Farm City by Novella Carpenter. I’m a farm girl and gardener myself, but Novella shows us that you can garden anywhere. You just have to use what you have.

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  114. Kristin K on

    Tasha Tudor’s Garden, beautiful pictures and inspiring for keeping year round interest in the garden. Thanks for this post, I love a good book list!!

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  115. Christina L. on

    The oldest gardening book on my shelf is Reader’s Digest New Illustrated Guide to Gardening. It has been a great starting resource for my gardening learning over the last 10 years since it covers everything from vegetables and flowers to trees and grass.

    Otherwise, the Little House and Harry Potter series have maintained spots on my bookshelf over the years. I am looking forward to reading and sharing them with my kids.

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  116. Patty Swartzbaugh on

    Like you I have been a book-a-holic my entire life. One I read over and over (so it must be a favorite) because it holds amazing wisdom, is Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh. It was my grandmother’s favorite and she passed on her love of it to me. It is a beautiful gift for friends in all stages of life.

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  117. DaNelle Jenkins on

    The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz is one of my most favorite books. I love to read and to gain understanding of timeless wisdom across cultures, time, and space. He wrote this guidebook of navigating life based on the Toltec tradition, his lineage. These “agreements” are reminders that allow me to stay centered (or return to center) as life is ever-changing. Returning to these insights help to anchor me. The four agreements are: “Be impeccable with your word”, “Don’t take anything personally”, “Don’t make assumptions”, and last but definitely not least, “Always do your best.” Simple, yet actionable and clear, this is a guidebook for our times as we forge our creative paths.

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  118. Melissa Burford on

    OMG, trying to only pick one favorite book is simply not doable, not even if I narrowed it down by genre, LOL. I read a lot, always have, all types of books so I’ll pick one, for this giveaways sake, and name _Bird_by_Bird_ by Anne Lamott because I go to it, in my head, whenever I feel even slightly overwhelmed and always take it “one bird at a time.”

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  119. Julie H. on

    25 years ago a dear friend gave me Martha Stewart’s Gardening: Month by Month, for my birthday. As a beginning gardener I was inspired by the beautiful photography and practical information. I have lost touch with my friend over the years, but her gift has remained close to my heart. Thank you Debra for a lasting foundation to the gardener I have become!

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  120. Janet Grant on

    It’s impossible to pick only one book, so I will tell you my first favorite, read to my second grade class by my favorite teacher, Miss Deiss. It’s Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. Everyone should have this book read to them!

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  121. Lydia Reading on

    A new book I have yet to read, but is on its way, I am greatly looking forward to The Dawn of Everything, A New History of Humanity. Taking a look at how we got to where we are in the world, and offering an alternative vision of “vast networks of hospitality and trade, rather than conquest, war and hierarchy.” Sifting thru 200,000 years of history to find out how inequality began. Sounds like a large read in front of the fire with a cup of hot cocoa to while away the winter. That and plan my garden for next year using my new paper pot maker for seedlings, also on its way.

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  122. Judith Vasquez on

    One of the favorite book that I have recently read and I love it; Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach. Great book that I find interesting for its message about never give up to pursue your dreams, and use all your potential to make them happen.

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  123. Susan Gilligan on

    One of my all time favorites is a children’s book by Andrew Clements titled Double Trouble in Walla Walla. It’s a funny, rhyming story about a girl at school and she can’t stop talking weird. My kids loved it as well!
    Erin, You are such an inspiration to so many, thank you, thank you for sharing your knowledge and expertise! It pushes me to do more in my garden and to try new things!

    Reply
  124. Patricia Louise Pavlich on

    Tasha Tudor’s Garden. I fell in love with cottage gardening after I read this book. I enjoy the wild and nature ways that are simple and that there is something new each day when I go out to the garden

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  125. Gabrielle Mancy on

    Your books!! And I’m being honest. Started a small cut flower farm in my side yard with your books as my guidance. 202y1 had a booth at our local Farmers Market and sold market bouquets each Wednesday from May-October. A ton of work but extremely rewarding. Everyone was thrilled with my arrangements. A few even said, “These bouquets and Dahlias you have remind me of this woman in Oregon”. What a compliment. I love my hands in the dirt- thats for sure. Mother of 4 children, restaurant owner, but I still find time to grow my flowers.
    Thank you.

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  126. Bridget on

    When I want to laugh uncontrollably I reach for David Sedaris. Number one story teller who without fail has you laughing until your sides hurt. Since the holidays are here, start with Holidays on Ice. Lisa See’s books are so incredible. Her storytelling makes you feel like you are right there with the characters. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is my favorite but they are all great!

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  127. Amy on

    Love in the Time of Cholera – I know people cite it all the time, but it’s still one of my absolute favorites.

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  128. Terri Russick on

    Pilgrims Progress! Beautiful allegory that always has some new detail to offer with each read.

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  129. Jerri on

    my favorite garden-related books from a Landscape Architect’s point of view:

    – Designing a Garden: Monk’s Garden at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, by Michael Van Valkenburgh
    – Hummelo: A Journey Through a Plantsman’s Life, by Piet Oudolf, Written with Noel Kingsbury
    – Latin for Gardeners: Over 3,000 Plant Names Explained and Explored, by RHS

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  130. Beth on

    Anything by David Sedaris! He makes me laugh out loud without fail. And Harry Potter books 1-7 have been my before-bed readers for years; they take my mind off the day but I know what happens so I don’t stay up wanting to find out what happens next.

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  131. Rhonda N on

    My favorite book is The Genus Lavandula by Tim Upson. I used to borrow my friends copy and finally was able to find a copy of my own. I ordered it from an Australian bookstore. It’s like an encyclopedia about lavender. I am just fascinated with the amazing plant. I started a small lavender farm with help from the friend who’s book I borrowed. If my house were on fire I would grab this book first!
    I’m thinking of growing some peonies next to my lavender patch. My two favorite flowers.

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  132. Lori Bell on

    I found a fun vintage book from 1959 called “Janine is French” by Lloyd Alexander. It is one I have read over & over because it’s just such a sweet story.

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  133. Sue Dempsey on

    Dale Carnegie’s “How to Win Friends and Influence People” changed my life in my middle school years. The title sounds like a master manipulator handbook, but it’s really about how to listen, speak and act with understanding, acceptance, optimism, and respect. It’s an explanation of human nature with specific instructions on just how to accomplish the generic “love one another,” when you don’t feel like or know how to love some of them. It even covers how to gently nudge people to expand into the greatness you see in them, when they lack direction or confidence. I wish everyone could have this treasure in their personal library.

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  134. Tracy R on

    My favorite book is A Time To Keep. It is the first book I asked my parents to get me. The illustrations are beautiful.

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  135. Brooke Simonson on

    I love my Cut Flowers by Floret farms! So much good info and stunning photos!!

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  136. Kristen on

    My favorite book right now is Chasing Eden by Jack Staub and Renny Reynolds. I get lost in its pages and the writing takes you through their gardens. 🥰

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  137. tanya w on

    Living in the high desert of the southwest gardening is much trial and perhaps even more error, and the book I relate to most is “The Undaunted Garden” by Lauren Springer.

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  138. Crystal on

    Narrowing down to a favorite book is HARD! Haha For this moment I’ll go with Start with Why. I actually own three of the four books listed in the business and personal development section. :) For years I’ve had this deep burning that I’m supposed to be doing something more with my life and my land (of which I’m a fourth generation owner of and super proud of). About four years ago I had a business idea that immediately went on the back burner since my then husband and I were building his business and working to get it off the ground. Three short years later after a heart shattering divorce and having nothing left to lose I started reading….and I read some more. Last year I picked up Start with Why after hesitantly circling back around to my original business idea and somehow in tandem and miraculously stumbled upon the Floret online workshop which was in it’s final week of registration and everything started making sense. I was terrified to invest in myself! Once in the course and having Simon’s book under my belt I was able to not only see my vision but I could feel it in every fiber of my being. Start with Why very simply, moved me. It propelled me into journaling all things business. It lit me up and got me excited about my future. Start with Why helped give me clarity and the gumption to begin designing a life that’s in alignment with my heart.

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  139. Abigail Baldwin on

    “The Crossroads of Should and Must” by Elle Luna changed my life – the way I view it and how I live it. It’s a beautiful, engaging, and reflective read. It helped me understand where some of the core beliefs I’ve formed about myself, others, and the world came from, and how this can guide me along a path that feels energizing and true to my heart if I intentionally following my ‘musts’ rather than my ‘shoulds.’ For example, I went into social work because I felt like I ‘should’ do that – focus on suicide prevention to honor loved ones lost to suicide. I felt like the culture we live in required it from me, if I were to be a “good grieved.” I realized that following ‘shoulds’ caused me to feel depleted. I finally started thinking about what my ‘musts’ are. What energizing me? What am I truly passionate about – when all of the noise is drowned out? What did I spend my time doing as a child? I realized what I’ve been missing these last few years – a life filled with nature, creativity, and of course… flowers. So I signed up for the upcoming Floret course and checked the box on a huge action step in following my “musts.” :)

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  140. Megan K on

    Okay I hate to be that person who doesn’t go with a flower book but……..Harry Potter…1-7. It got me through my childhood when my parents got a divorce. It was my getaway back in 3rd garde-high school. Highlight of my childhood for sure was those books! I would still love to learn more about gardening and flowers of course!

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  141. GEORGINA GLEASON on

    I am new in my love for planting flowers, so all your recommendations are a great source of inspiration.

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  142. Jodi Liberty on

    Its hard to narrow it down to just one book so I’ll pick a favorite gardening-related book. Great Garden Companions: A Companion-Planting System for a Beautiful, Chemical-Free Vegetable Garden by Sally Cunningham is probably my favorite gardening related book. I’ve actually purchased this book twice. The first one was pretty much destroyed after many years of use and having it out in the garden with me getting wet, full of dirt, being buried under plant material and my beloved yellow lab, Lilly Belle, (who was highly skilled at pulling weeds I might add) carrying it around for me in her mouth. This book was such an excellent reference and filled with a ton of amazing information that it was, and still is, indispensable to me. After the first book was wrecked beyond use, I couldn’t live without it and had to get another copy. As I said, it is filled with so much great information that she presents in such a way that is so easy to understand that even the newest gardener can follow right along. She tells great stories and has wonderful anecdotes. There are lots of lovely and helpful photographs and illustrations. And the tips, tricks, and ideas really work. I am in charge of the certified organic vegetable program at the production/retail greenhouse where I work and I reference and teach her methods to all of my customers that wish to remain chemical-free.

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  143. Lena on

    I read everything that appears in my hands. Last year somebody sent me a book “Cozy. The art of arranging yourself in the world” by Isabel Gillies. For as long as I remember my self, I have always been looking for a way to find peace, balance, and harmony with the world around me. This book taught me to look inside and see it in my heart. It has many examples and stories to see “cozy” in very simple things: clothes, postcards, pencils, walks, alone time, etc. Oftentimes now, I just stop and look, I always find what I need – it just comes from within.

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  144. Meagan Miller on

    My first ever gardening book as a young girl was “The Secret Garden”, and in it were a series of very old pressed flower stamps. I cherished this book, the thought of having my own secret garden filled me with wonder, and the old stamps were like my secret treasures. (I’m from NZ so can’t enter the competition, but thought to share anyway :)

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  145. Holly Sanders on

    I adore books of all kinds, but for gardening, I’m a big Jerry Baker fan. I love his Flower Garden Problem Solver book as reference. I planned on having a cutting garden for many years before I had yards. Flowers are the first things I planted each house I’ve lived in. I’e enjoyed your blog and Dahlia books as well, since I have a huge plot of Dahlias now, some of my favorites. Thank you!

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  146. Claudia Bennett on

    I don’t know how I can pick just one favorite. I love so many books. One that comes to mind is Tasha Tudor’s Garden I love her illustrations and old-fashioned wisdom. After reading other’s comments here my reading list has grown to the stage of “impossible to ever read them all.”

    Thank you for your continuous generosity.

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  147. Diane Moser on

    Gaia’s Garden, A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture by Toby Hemenway – I think it’s important to mimic nature when we design outdoor spaces. Nature has regenerative ecosytems. It’s better for the planet and reduces waste in all aspects including the amount of effort needed to maintain it.

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  148. Michelle Gagne on

    I love the book “Grow Something Different to Eat” by Matthew Bigs. I know it’s not a flower book, but much like growing unique and different flowers, I love to grow unique and different food. I am always trying to get my two kids to eat more fruits and veggies and this is a fun way to do it.

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  149. Anna Mae Hartness on

    I love the Elliot homestead books. She is a resident here in Washington state so I feel her information really applies to me for my area. I own Welcome to the farm and Family Table (One of my favorite cook books!) I absolutely love these two books, they are great resources in homesteading and cooking, along with they contain such amazing stories.

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  150. Kristin Cooper on

    My current favorite book is The Choice by Dr. Edith Eger. I read her book while going through my divorce and it was the best thing I could’ve done for myself at the time. So many life lessons and wisdom in those pages. I believe everyone should read this book, over and over again. Also, thank you for all the inspriation and amazing work you do!

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  151. Mel Himelright on

    My Favorite Book ever is More with less both the cookbook which is a treasure grove of recipes that are simple and natural and the idea book of how to actively walk it out. I am inspired every time I open them.

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  152. Natasha Holland on

    July and Winter: Growing food in the Sierra by Gary Romano. This book has lots of information on growing in a short season, high altitude in the Sierras and use of microclimates in the garden. I took a farm infrastructure course through the community College and was able to spend 2 days at his farm. It was such a great learning experience.

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  153. Leslie on

    I have many favorite books across many genres and subject interests, but if I had to chose one book it would be The Bible to have that anthology of poetry, prose, history, love letters and wisdom.

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  154. Sonya on

    All of these books sound wonderful! I love Martha Stewart’s Gardening: Month by Month. I misplaced my copy when we moved 2 years ago, but it has always been a favorite and an excellent resource. The photography is beautiful and it’s filled with a little bit of everything from gardening , pruning, drying flowers, recipes, etc. I don’t have any of the others yet, but they’re all on my list now. 🍃💜🍃

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  155. Kari on

    I first discovered ‘Cut Flower Garden’ while in line at my favorite nursery near my home on Bainbridge Island. I had always dreamed of planting a cottage garden full of flowers to simply nurture and admire as well as cut and bring inside. I bought it on the spot! This book was just want I needed to learn how to bring my love of gardening together with making a cottage garden a reality. And helped me get started and gain the confidence to ‘dig’ in, design and organize my available spaces. Along with hours of hard work and a great tan 😊, and by following the guidance in this wonderful book over the past two years, my cottage garden exploded this past spring and summer. It grew beautifully in stark contrast to a scary time in our world. The book sits on my coffee table- a bit dog eared now- but always close at hand when I take time to sit, read, dream and plan.

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  156. dxiña on

    What We Talk About When We Talk About Love: Stories by Raymond Carver… seemingly simple short stories that resonate so deeply like a long lost memory or forgotten sadness.

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  157. Sylvia on

    There are lots of books I love on growing & arranging flowers, but there are fewer books on the subject of dried flowers, which I love, so “The Complete Book of Everlastings” by Mark & Terry Silber is a favorite of mine. It IS a complete book, with information on growing, harvesting in the wild, & designing. One of the best things about the book is the hard to find information on when to pick the blooms, which can make the difference in whether or not the bloom dries successfully.

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  158. Marsha on

    So many wonderful books to explore! A trip to the library and/or bookstore is my most favorite. I enjoy a memoir, the Stillmeadow books by Gladys Taber document the simple day to day routine of life. They are a lovely escape from the hecticness of our world.

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  159. Gail Shevlin on

    I can relate to your love of reading books, libraries, and book stores. I am an avid reader and especially gardening books.I would enjoy reading your selected books! Happy holidays

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  160. Carolyn Kelly on

    The History of Love, by Nicole Kraus is heartbreakingly real, beautifully written and unique, weaving a few stories together, beginning with Leo, a lonely Holocaust survivor.

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  161. Emily Fuller on

    The Intelligent Gardener: Growing Nutrient-Dense Food by Steve Solomon
    The deep dive of soil health in this book is a lot to take in! It gives me so much to strive for and work on.

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  162. Megan on

    The beautiful images in Planting: A New Perspective by Piet Oudolf and Noel Kingsbury inspire me every time I read it. I am trying to find that balance in my own garden- the mix of grasses and natives but also cut flowers and plants.

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  163. Jennifer Sutherland on

    Nature’s Best Hope by Douglas Tallamy has inspired me to incorporate more native plants into our urban yard. I also return to Margaret Wray’s A Way To Garden every so often. I bought Cut Flower Garden before I knew who you were. Only later when a friend introduced me to the rabbit hole of dahlias and suggested you as resource, did I realize you had been one of my initial gurus from afar! Thank you for the ongoing inspiration!

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  164. Amanda on

    I love Braiding Sweet Grass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. It speaks to my soul!

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  165. Meggen on

    My favorite go to gardening book is The Essential Gardner, by Derek Fell. As a kid I went with my mom to a few different gardening/rose clubs & this was the reference book I learned the most from. I still consider myself a beginner gardener & always do my research on the plants I add to my landscape.

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  166. Heather on

    Impossible to choose just one book! Like you I have always been a voracious reader, even as a little girl. One of my favorites is The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. I feel like is a sweet book with gentle illustrations and contains lessons that are relevant, regardless of how much time passes. When I can’t find the time to sit with a book (my preference) I will listen to an audible one!

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  167. Elizabeth Walters on

    I own a number of the titles above – all of which I have enjoyed and been helped by. My favorite book (overall), however, is The Secret Garden, a novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett. The first time I read it- when I was a child- I could not put it down. I was absorbed into the magic and mystery of the secret garden and how the children uncovered it and took care of what they found there. It is a deep and beautiful story of rebirth, discovery, and healing. All wrapped up in a walled, secret garden. I have read it more than a few times over the years, and it gets better each time.

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  168. Leslie on

    My favorite “landscape garden book” is The Undaunted Garden by Lauren Springer Ogden

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  169. Danielle Clark on

    My father gave me Neil Sperry’s Complete Guide to Texas Gardening after I purchased my first home in Dallas and started planning different types of beds – vegetables, roses, flowers, vines. I still use it as my primary reference even though I now own a house in Houston and am a much more avid gardener by adding butterfly, bird and pollinator gardening to my list.

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  170. Katie Bigler on

    I have to say Erin, your books totally provided me the inspiration I needed to become a flower farmer. I read them cover to cover . . . love the pictures, and explanations. Thank you so much for publishing “Cut Flower Garden”!

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  171. Kelsey on

    Southwest Gardening by Rosalie Doolittle – it was my great grandmothers gardening book. There are still handwritten notes in the margins 💕💕💕

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  172. Connie Klingaman on

    My favorite plant book is Flower Confidential by Amy Stewart, it’s a behind the scenes look at the cut flower industry. It’s all rather mind boggling. She also wrote “The Drunken Botanist” about the history of plants used to make alcohol. I have to say though, it’s quite difficult to narrow it down to one favorite plant book, about as hard as having a favorite flower!

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  173. Kartini Maxson on

    10 years ago a dear friend gifted me with the book “One Thousand Gifts,” by Ann Voskamp. I often compare myself and how I feel about my life circumstances based on how I see everyone else’s. As I read this book, I was able to see beauty in the life I had and learned how I could live life more fully for myself, my family, and those around me. It was so transformation for me, that I felt impressed to share this book with other women in my life. To this day, 10 years later, I’m still counting blessings-far beyond One Thousand.

    Thank you for the gift of what you all do here! And for your spirit of generosity and giving through your giveaways and scholarships.

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  174. Brandon on

    I have really enjoyed “Making the most of shade” by Larry Hodgson, because it gave me good ideas to make the most of the shady areas of my yard.

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  175. Brandy Henderson on

    The Secret Life of Bee’s is definitely one that tops my list of favorites. I read it many years ago and find myself thinking of it quite often. It was a book I couldn’t put down. It had me all in my feelers and going thru every emotion right from the beginning. A story of loss, love, hope…..and so much more really. It’s easy to read and not too long. I highly recommend it 😊

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  176. Jessica Forbes on

    Thank you for this list, I don’t have any of these books yet, but hope to! I’m attempting to expand my gardening to include a flower business but the book I credit with even being able to consider that possibility is Carol Deppe’s The Resilient Gardner: Food Production and Self-reliance in Uncertain Times. Living for the past 10 years in the Pacific Northwest I was able to model my homestead style garden off of this book to enjoy year round food staples. Her idea of efficient gardening, get more output with less input, allowed me to have the space and know-how to to organize a large successful flower plot this year. Now I just need to learn more about how to share my glorious flowers with the world!

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  177. Erica Cole on

    Thank you for sharing the wealth of information you’ve learned on your gardening journey. You’ve helped me so much to fulfill my lifelong dream of becoming a gardener.
    I love reading memoirs and learning about people’s lives and perspectives. One of my favorites is, “The Hiding Place,” by Corrie ten Boom, a Dutch woman who built a secret room in her house to hide Jews during WWII.

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  178. CATHY R KAMPSTRA on

    First of all you are so inspiring ………I equally love Gardening and Cookbooks. My collection of books is nearing 1000 and I recently inherited a Landscape Designers Collection 300 + Beautiful Flower, Herb and Garden Design Books
    One of my favorite cookbooks is VEGETABLE LOVE by BARBARAKAFKA with CHRISTOPHER STYLER.
    As a family calibration we are growing microgreens, vegetables, herbs and flowers………………….in hopes of opening a business this spring.

    never to many books

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  179. Renee Kirkendall on

    I love Floret’s Cut Flower Garden. I am working on adding to my collection of books and love the knowledge I am gaining. It is cold in Michigan now and I am missing working in the garden, but reading and learn during the cold winter days helps.

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  180. Becca Hickin on

    Oh I love reading. I used to have more time to do it and love a good romance novel but now being a mum to a 9 month old I don’t get too much time. I recently brought ‘ cut flower garden’ and absolutely love it and keep going back over it for tips and reminders. Another I’ve recently purchased for inspiration on drying flowers is ‘Everlastings’ by bex partridge it’s a lovely read. Very informative and beautiful images.

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  181. Stacy Womack on

    Cool Flowers by Lisa Mason Ziegler. I’m just getting started with flower farming and this book has been so interesting and helpful.

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  182. Christine Barton on

    There are many floral books that I love and have been most helpful. That being said, Strength Finder 2.0 and The Lean Farm are the 2 that are at the top of our list. I was first to take Strength Finder, and then my husband, and then our daughter that is in college. Really helped set the stage for us to know how to work better as a team, and family. The Lean Farm, has been a continual guide, as we rework our 1890 homestead into a flourishing flower farm and small venue site. My husband now listens to most of his books while doing stuff around the farm. I still enjoy hardcover, and flipping pages, taking notes, and using a book mark. I think there is just something cool about having books stacked, and on the book shelf.

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  183. Sandy G on

    I don’t really have a favorite book, but I do have several authors that I love reading their books. They are James Patterson, John Grisham. Steven King and Jonathan Kellerman, to name a few. I just really enjoy crime stories. I’m pretty sure that, should I win one of these collections, that there will be at least one of them that would become a favorite gardening book. Thank you for doing this!

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  184. Patt Thomas on

    One of my all time favorite is Gardening in Georgia, month by month. Another is Cut Flower Garden, what a great book! Always look forward
    to Spring time, and planting new things.

    Reply
  185. Nabers Cabaniss Johnson on

    The New Flower Arranging from your Garden, by English flower arranger Sheila Macqueen, is my favorite book on flower arranging. It covers what a flower arranger should grow in her garden, and how to condition and arrange her flowers. While my edition is from 1995, it is a classic, and every time I pick it up, I am inspired by the photographs of her beautiful arrangements, as well as the information on what to grow and how to use different plant materials. While the author was English, she notes, for example, the beauty of the berries of Virginia Poke Weed or Phytolacca americana in a flower arrangement.

    Reply
  186. Bridget Gregus on

    My favorite book is A Year of Flowers. I don’t own it , but I check it out from my local library

    Reply
  187. Michelle G. on

    Hands down, Cut Flower Garden. I could not put it down. It truly inspired my to explore my passion for cut flowers. My garden is growing, cannot wait until spring.

    Reply
  188. Cate Armstrong on

    It is very hard to narrow down a favorite book! I have several series I absolutely love. If I had to list them in order, it’s be the Atlantis Grail series by Vera Nazarian, Harry Potter, and Outlander. I have a hard time giving books away after I’ve read them 🤣. I am attached, especially to the ones that are favorites. I like these series so much because of the adventure. I would love to add more books, especially garden books! I don’t have many, but I cherish the few I have. Thank you!

    Reply
  189. Tonya Gray on

    Cut Flower Garden is definitely a favorite. I also love Wildflowers of the Tallgrass Prairie by Runkel (and really any flower guide by Runkel)

    Reply
  190. Becky on

    My favorite flower book is your “Floret Farm’s Discovering Dahlias: A Guide to Growing and Arranging Magnificent Blooms”. I actually received it as an early Christmas gift from my mother, so I can stop checking it out of the library. Not only do I love all the photos, but I especially like the details on growing, storing, and propagating dahlias. I am just getting started and need all of the help I can get!

    Reply
  191. Terri Thornton on

    December 4th
    My favorite books to read are actually about the enviroment and understanding the wonderful planet we live on. I couldn’t grow flowers if I didn’t have a viable planet to work in and I am troubled by the direction that we are going. Some of my favorites are Underland by Robert Macfarland, Emily Dickinson’s Gardening Life by Marta McDowell, anything by Cullina or Douglas W. Tallamy – just to name a few. I also have many of the books you have listed for practical advice as well as your books. Can’t have too many books as far as I am concerned!

    Reply
  192. Leah Travers on

    My very first and favorite flower book (and I’m NOT just saying this,) is your “Cut Flower Garden.” My copy is dog-eared, full of post-its and bookmarks and when I’m in the house, it’s always within arm’s reach. My second fav garden book is “Cool Flowers,” by Lisa Mason Ziegler. It’s also dogeared and full of post-its. Favorite non-flower related books otherwise: Well, my Mom was a children’s librarian so any singular book hardly stood a chance…it was whatever either I or we, were reading.

    Reply
  193. Elizabeth Kay on

    I haven’t finished the book yet but I am really enjoying Dahlia Breeding for the Farmer-Florist and the Home Gardener: A Step by Step Guide to Hybridizing New Dahlia Varieties from Seed by Kristine Albrecht. Gardening is a creative outlet for myself and I love learning about how to hybridize dahlias!

    Reply
  194. Ashley Marie Laabs on

    My favorite (non-gardening) book has got to be Jonathon Livingston Seagull. It opened my mind in so many ways in such a smoothly written story form.

    Reply
  195. Krista Jeanne on

    I am not sure I could pick a favorite book. I love so many. I mostly read nonfiction, but my sentimental favorites are probably the Wizard of Oz and Anne of Green Gables.

    Reply
  196. Kasey Connors on

    My favorite gardening book is, The Vegetable Gardeners Bible, it has helped me so much. Plus it has been helpful when I lived in central IN and now in NW MT. I think that is the best part of the book!
    My favorite book otherwise, this is difficult because I didn’t have a favorite book growing up and just recently started having a love for reading. I always remember the book, Pat the Bunny, from my childhood and made sure my kids had it. Oh the Places You Will Go in Utero, was my favorite during pregnancy.
    I think my favorite book would be, Lilac Girls, because it was so engulfing, I truly felt like I was in the 1940s. This book also sparked an interest in history for me. Plus I love the details in it and knowing that the author spent so much time making sure it was accurate. I have much respect for someone researching and taking pride in respecting the past and it’s truth.

    Reply
  197. Tamara M on

    My favorite book is Maiden Voyage by Tania Aebi
    My dad and I bought when I was a teenager in a boating store of all places! I have been an avid reader my whole life. I was a teenager and went to get some boating equipment with him
    As we all know being a teenager has its own challenges but this book is about a young woman who’s father gives her a sailboat and she sails around the world solo! Her trials tribulations and relationships! I have read so many times – it’s moved many times with me! I am now 52 and and when I need a little boost in my courage , I read it again. I went through health issues two years ago and brought it out again.

    Reply
  198. Laura Wheeler on

    A Year in Flowers is such an inspiring book. I love using ingredients from garden to make lovely seasonal arrangements during every month of the year.

    Reply
  199. Kendra Utt on

    My favorite book is The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Its funny and charming, while dealing with the everyday troubles of living during war time.

    Reply
  200. Rebecca Watford on

    One of my favorite books has always been “The Tale of Peter Rabbit” by Beatrix Potter.
    – love the mischievous little rabbit with the blue jacket. He certainly enjoys a green garden!

    Reply
  201. Colleen Lanier on

    I love reading books. One of my favorite older gardening books is “Two Gardeners, A Friendship in Letters. The book is not only an interesting garden perspective between Katharine S. White and Elizabeth Lawrence but also a wonderful example of letter writing which is fading away quickly.

    Reply
  202. Christie on

    One of my favorites is The Forest Feast by Erin Gleeson. It’s a beautiful yummy book.

    Reply
  203. Yvonne Pegram on

    Discovering Dahlias has been a great book for me I am enjoying it and all of the lovely dahlia varieties. I plan to read cover to cover this winter. It has helped me to discover dahlias. I ordered mow for next season. The othe book that has helped me was Cool Flowers I reference it often along with your book for the dahlias. Thank you so much.

    Reply
  204. Christine Pops on

    Your book, Florets Cut Flower Garden is my favorite garden book! I was struggling growing flowers from seed and this was a game changer!

    Reply
  205. Josephine A Blasi on

    I was so excited 2 of your personal favorites in my own personal collection. One of my daughters and I both follow you and coincidentally, she had bought for me over the years as gifts the same 2 books I see in your collection. We both are flower lovers turned florists turned flower farmers in the making. The 2 books are by Frances Palmer and Martha Stewart. Great minds do think alike.

    Reply
  206. Jessica Missel on

    When I moved almost 3 years ago, I winnowed down my book collection to the essentials, but it has slowly been growing again. Books are a source of knowledge, inspiration, provide an adventure and good friends!

    Reply
  207. Kat on

    I love Eliot Coleman’s books, because his focus is not merely on the end solution but the process and experimentation he took to get to that solution. He values prototyping and data as much as I do!

    Reply
  208. Katrina Rosa on

    My current favorite book: Dying To Be Me by Anita Moorjani. She nearly died of cancer, experienced a near death experience and then recovered. She shares that she learned from her NDE that the source of suffering is fear. I realized I have been existing in fear – fear of death, fear of life.

    My madre, also had cancer. She died 3 months ago after living with cancer in JOY. I was her full time care-giver for 2 years. Lost and disoriented, not knowing what else to do, I began planting her favorite flower – tulips. More than 1,000 bulbs later, inspired by Madre and also Moorjani’s book I decided to consciously release fear. I am becoming flower farmer and will share the joy of blooms with my community.

    Reply
  209. Beverly Gingerich on

    My favorite book is ‘The Blue Castle’ by L. M. Montgomery, published in 1926. I love it because of the twists and major surprise in it, and it’s the sweetest love story ever.
    P.S. My 20-year old son has been growing flowers for several years, mainly for his own pleasure–and mine, :) but this fall, he purchased dozens of packets of seeds for next year with hopes of selling fresh-cut bouquets.

    Reply
  210. Stephanie on

    I love A short history of nearly everything by Bill Bryson. It speaks to my geeky side and makes concepts like quantum physics accessible to the average person. It really makes you appreciate all the wonder in the world of science.

    Reply
  211. Zaneta Colon on

    I never knew I could fall so much in love with growing cut flowers until I was introduced to floret and gardening through garden answer! I ordered The Cut Flower Garden book, by you, as soon as I heard about it! It’s my favorite and I am hooked! I built myself four garden beds, and began growing cut flowers! I don’t think I will ever not grow cut flowers. 😊 I am a nurse and I love my job, but some days I dream about being a flower farmer! Ha ha

    Reply
  212. Elaine Tatro on

    I absolutely share your appreciation for almost anything that Sarah Raven has ever written. She played a major role on defining cut-flower growing as a viable lifestyle and business concept. Can’t wait to read the “Fire- Starter Sessions”!

    Reply
  213. Hilda Shelton on

    Clive Barker’s trilogy, “the Abarat” are my favorite books. It is an Alice in Wonderland type of fantasy. I was fortunate enough to meet Clive Barker and he drew a whole page just for me and my husband. He was so nice. He had the most patches and holes in his pants I had ever seen. I love his creative mind, often creating dark horror stories. I love his artwork too.

    Reply
  214. Carol L deSousa on

    The first book I ever read about flower gardening was The Flower Farmer: An Organic Grower’s Guide to Raising and Selling Cut Flowers, 2nd edition, by Lynn Byczynski I could not put it down.

    The second book I read that I could not put down was The Cut Flower Garden by you. These two books alone made me get so excited to begin a flower farming venture!

    Reply
  215. Kathleen on

    One of my favorites for growing things is “The Joy of Gardening” by Dick Raymond. Taught me so much as I was just starting my gardening adventures—over 40 years ago!

    Reply
  216. Heidi on

    I would have to say one of a two book set I found at a thrift store I thiiink the titles are 10,000garden questions answered .They are basically an encyclopedia for anything garden , for commonly asked questions , and they’re cute taboot .

    Reply
  217. Mila Carney on

    I’m in my very first winter after harvesting seed! I know very little and have 1 book. So while it might be my favorite by default, it’s fantastically beautiful! It’s yours, and I love it!

    Reply
  218. Terri Shamroukh on

    So tough to choose, but I will pick Graham Stuart Thomas’ Cuttings from my Garden Notebooks. Thomas was a talented gardener, artist and writer. As I read this book I felt the warmth, generosity and expertise of Thomas as he discussed almost every aspect of gardening from climate and weather to soil and then plants. His sketches are also wonderful.

    Reply
  219. Sue C. on

    A Year of Roses by Stephen Scanniello

    Reply
  220. Heather on

    My favorite book is “Beatrix Potter’s Gardening Life: The Plants and Places That Inspired the Classic Children’s Tales”
    by Marta McDowell because I love to learn about the history of gardeners throughout the years.

    Reply
  221. Sarah McGrath on

    I love “The Intelligent Gardener: Growing Nutrient-Dense Food” by Steve Solomon and “The Book of Delights” by Ross Gay.

    Reply
  222. Debbie’s e Shaw on

    As a beginner gardener, I used to watch Monty Don’s show to find out how do make all of this magic happen! Fell in love with him, his garden and then his book of gardening.

    Reply
  223. Joanne Crouch on

    My first gardening reference book was Sunset Western Gardens. It’s not as spectacular as most other books but as a go to for quick reference it stays on my shelf.

    Reply
  224. Laura on

    I am a newbie gardener and my favorite book is The Complete Gardener. I became inspired to start organic gardening in my small 1/4 acre yard after reading Monte Don’s book. I’ve had some wonderful successes and epic failures over my two years of gardening, and this book has been my constant companion. I’ve learned how to grow plants from seed, compost and prepare soil for planting. I have ordered my first batch of dahlias for planting this spring and have reserved one of my raised beds so I can try my hand with cut flowers. In the meantime, I will be going to the library armed with your list of favorite books!

    Reply
  225. claire champagne on

    I love gardening and have been for over 50 years. My favorite book is The new Organic Grower by Eliot Coleman. I have learnt so much from his books.

    Reply
  226. Holly Marsh on

    Cut Flower Garden
    Grow, Harvest & Arrange Stunning Seasonal Blooms by Erin Benzakein with Julie Chai
    This book starts out with giving you the basics on everything a newbie flower farmer needs to know from planning, getting started, digging in, essential techniques to Erin’s favorite tools. It then guides you through the seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter, as Erin says, “Awakening to new possibilities of the four seasons.” Each seasonal section instructs you through tasks that you will do and enriches your knowledge of flowers that bloom in that season, and ends with seasonal flower projects to entice you. The seasonal format helped me as a new flower farmer understand the seasonality of the farming cycle. The in-depth detail about each type of flower from how to grow it, vase life tricks, and Erin’s favorite varieties makes this a cherished resource. This book is like an encyclopedia of flower knowledge from A to Z with photographs that are not only gorgeous but educational. This book kick-started my flower farming journey and gave me the knowledge I needed to get started. But it also inspired me to dream about the possibilities of what my farm could become.

    Reply
  227. Audrey on

    In addition to Cut Flower Garden, I love Cool Flowers by Lisa Mason Zeigler! It has taught me a lot about hardy annuals, succession planting and seed starting. Because of her amazing information I will get flowers much earlier than usual this spring and I can’t wait!

    Reply
  228. Elisha Ross on

    The land gardeners would be up there as my favourite book. Lots of practical advice with dreamy photography to boot.

    Reply
  229. Debbie on

    I love reading about gardens and love flowers. They both bring peace, hope, calm, joy, natural beauty, fragrance, and touch the soul. I am currently reading In Kiltumper A year in an Irish garden. Both husband and wife write month by month. It is a vicarious trip to Ireland. Blessings to all flower growers big and small for what you give to our earth and fellow humans.

    Reply
  230. Vonda on

    Honestly my favorite gardening book is Discovering Dahlias from you! I just love everything about it. It is such a beautiful book and has been so helpful in so many ways with growing my dahlias! It was one of my favorite gifts ever! I love your other books as well. They are all so beautiful and informative and am always picking them up to look things up. Thank you for sharing your love of growing beautiful blooms and gardening with all of us!

    Reply
  231. Sarah on

    Edit to my last comment. Cut Flower Garden, I meant to write, by Erin of course!

    Reply
  232. Sarah on

    My new favorite book is Cut Flower! It is helping my plan my first ever cut flower garden for 2022, so inspiring!!

    Reply
  233. Sarah Bankowski on

    So I am very very new to the cut flower farming world. I only have two books but they both have been very helpful so far. Lisa Mason Ziegler’s books : Cool Flowers and Vegetables Love Flowers. I have asked for Florets, Cut Flower Garden for Christmas so hopefully Santa comes through for me.

    Reply
  234. Sarah on

    My favorite gardening book is Gardening in Fort Worth by the Fort Worth Garden Club. It has really helped me with getting a functional compost pile and correcting my soil for growing flowers and food. The book was published by our local botanical garden.

    My favorite book overall is Moon Called by Patricia Briggs. Its an urban fantasy adventure about a Native American shape shifter in the modern world with vampires, were wolves, and witches.

    Reply
  235. Margaret on

    My favorite book for a while has been The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society a historical novel by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. It came out at a period where I was really into historical novels and I love it more each time I read it. Per usual the book is better than movie!

    Reply
  236. Dara Friedman on

    One of my favorite fiction books is The Garden of Small Beginnings by Abbi Waxman. I love it because it is a beautiful story that is sad and yet full of joy. In the story Lilian, the main character, works through the grief of losing her husband while learning to build a garden one small step at a time. As her gardening skills grow so do her friendships with the most hilarious cast of characters and her relationships with her beautiful daughters. This story shows that even in darkness the sun will find a way to shine if you let it and that sun along with lots of love and nurturing will lead to abundant growth.

    Reply
  237. Kris Dahl on

    Out of the many gardening books that I love, I want to focus on a few old treasures. First includes Ruth Stout’s “How to Have a Green Thumb Without an Aching Back” (1961), “No Work Garden” (1971), and while not a book, the very rare, very special, and now almost impossible to find, 1976 16 mm film, “Ruth Stout’s Garden”. I love Ruth Stout’s early works not only for her character and influence on carefree au natural gardening, but also because she was ahead of her time with organic no-till, healthy soil building through her no work, labor-saving, soil improving, continuous and permanent mulching, and intensive gardening techniques. Second, I’d like to mention “Square Foot Gardening” (1981) by Mel Bartholomew for his introduction to soil mixing and space saving techniques. There are lots of more contemporary books I love ranging on topics from Herbs in the Landscape and Edible Flowers to Compostng and Permaculture, but for good reason, perhaps due to my early exposure, I find both Ruth Stout’s and Mel Bartholomew’s gardening techniques to be timeless.

    Reply
  238. Tonya on

    I love books so much! It was difficult to pick just one!
    I am choosing- The Soul-Sourced Entrepreneur: An
    Unconventional Success Plan for the Highly Creative, Secretly Sensitive, & Wildly Ambitious .
    It’s such an easy to digest guide to business and business books are usually a tough sell for me!

    Reply
  239. Regina on

    Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney is one of my favorite books. I go back to it again and again. It’s such a lovely, inspiring story about following your dreams, and in Miss Rumphius’s case, doing something to make the world more beautiful by spreading joy with flowers.

    “It was the wind,” she said as she knelt in delight. “It was the wind that brought the seeds from my garden here! And the birds must have helped!”

    Enjoy this sweet book yourself and find out more about the real Miss Rumphius through this link: https://www.newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/how-real-miss-rumphius-decorated-maine-lupines/

    Reply
  240. Sheila Graham on

    I have a Southern Living Gardener’s Guide that I use all the time, especially when I was a beginner gardener. It has a pictoral guide with descriptions of of each plant and is also sorted by perennial, annual, trees, shrubs, herbs, etc. It has details about planting every type of plant with pictures. I found it very helpful when I first planted bare root roses. And it has details about pruning. Actually, it has everything you need to know as a Southern Gardener. This is my go-to book and dream guide for winter browsing.

    Reply
  241. Nattalie Hoch on

    The First 90 Days is a book I have recommended for new leaders. It’s timeless lessons about getting a fast start in a new role have always resonated.
    However the most recent book I’ve gifted is Cut Flower Garden. It was so inspiring as I started growing my own cut flowers during my layoff (yes a Covid related layoff) as gardening became my part of my therapy.

    Reply
  242. Carol Sackeyfio on

    Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants. By Robin Wall Kimmeter
    One of the few books I have read more than once.
    She does an amazing storytelling job of combining the objective science enriched by ancient knowledge! Her images are captivating and she relates them to everyday life and science. This book brings me a real passion for my outdoor environment and a deep connection to the places I spend the most of my time. I look at my garden in a more holistic space! I have given this book out the most!

    Reply
  243. Rosanne on

    I love books written by Elisabeth Elliot.

    Reply
  244. Michelle T. on

    The Bible because it tells of Gods great love for me and everyone else. It helps me live my best life for Him!

    Reply
  245. Molly Myers on

    Anything by George McDonald. Irish romantic writer from 19th century. Princess and Curdie and the Princess and the Goblin are timeless fantasies this momma needs at the end of the day! haha

    Reply
  246. Ari Daly on

    My favorite books are Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi and Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson. Both are beautiful, emotional stories!

    Reply
  247. Rick Weiler on

    Love the book ‘One Hundred Flowers’ by Harold Feinstein! I randomly picked the book up in a small bookstore while visiting family in Arizona. Almost immediately, I was inspired to explore the art of macro photography, specifically flowers. So much beauty can be found in that small wonderful world that I historically have simply passed by.

    Heck, after writing this, I am going to jump into the back yard and find a flower to capture!

    Reply
  248. Ashley Burwinkel on

    Goodness, one favorite? There’s so many I love for so many different reasons! One that always sticks out in my mind is Palomino, by Danielle Steele. I know it’s cheesy because it’s a romantic novel but it also has perseverance to overcome any obstacle in life. It’s just so beautifully written and I will continue to read this every so often in the mix of many new books.

    Reply
  249. Ali Newsom on

    Romantic Roses by Pierre-Joseph Redoute the illustrations are beautiful and for Reading The Language of Flowers, so well written I could picture her arrangements in my head…. Such a joy to look at all the wonderful flower/garden books while we wait for winter to pass

    Reply
  250. Mindy A on

    My favorite book is the Bible. I know this may sound cliché but God speaks to me through it and it truly guides every area of my life. Because of this book I can know the Maker of Heaven and Earth.

    Reply
  251. Molly Towell on

    There are SO MANY wonderfful books out there!! I don’t know if I could pick a favorite, so I will list my most recent read: Flowers by Carolyne Roehm. The photography of flowers was amazing and I was introduced to some new varieties of flowers I

    Reply
  252. Breanne P on

    My favorite book is The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. As a high school Floral Arts teacher, I love making connections to the flowers we learn about and to the reasons why they are used. Everything my students create in class has a purpose and meaning behind it. Additionally, I make sure to teach them about different cultures and backgrounds and how flowers tie into their celebrations and traditions. I love that there is more to it than just something pretty, even though I enjoy the beauty of a simple bouquet myself.

    Reply
  253. Kathy Tanaka on

    I love all things u teach💜 Your books r amazing and so detailed and beautiful. I know your suggestions for books would be the best. Thanks for doing what u do and letting us come along for the ride. 🌸

    Reply
  254. Hannah M. on

    My favorite flower book is Floriography: An Illustrated Guide to the Victorian Language of Flowers by Jessica Roux. I love it because I think there is something beautiful about sending messages through flowers. I use it anytime I buy/arrange flowers for family and friends, even thought they don’t care about the message I am sending with the flowers! The language of flowers is dying out it seems, but I love this book because it taught me something new and gave me new ideas when arranging flowers.
    My all-time favorite book is And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie. I love it because I enjoy mysteries and solving puzzles. The book has a twist ending that I was able to predict. Christie writes in a wonderful way that’s easy to understand, so I love almost all of her books, but And Then There Were None is my favorite!

    Reply
  255. Stargirl on

    It’s so hard to choose! I turn to Cool Flowers by Lisa Mason Ziegler frequently. In Bloom by Clare Nolan has such good planning ideas for a small flower garden. Cultivated by Christin Geall was a lovely read, as was On Flowers by Amy Merrick. I learn something new every time I page through a book on flowers.

    Reply
  256. Samone on

    My favorite book is a narrative poem by Christina Rossetti called, ‘Goblin Market.’ I have this small version of the book that fits in my grandmother’s tupperware pickle jar (that I would grab in case of a fire). It’s a children’s tale but it’s a great adult read as well. It can be interpreted in so many different ways, which is what I love about it.

    Reply
  257. Paige Kennedy on

    One of my all-time favorite flower books is Paper To Petal by Rebecca Thuss and Patrick Farrell. It is a beautifully illustrated tutorial on how to make paper flowers; realistic, beautiful paper flowers. My grandmother loved flowers but her assisted living facility didn’t allow live plants or flowers. This book taught me how to make a lovely bouquet with her favorite flowers and allowed her to proudly display them in her room. I now make them as special gifts or add a couple to gift wrapping to make it extra special. The step-by-step instructions and detail are spot on!

    Reply
  258. Suzanne Raley on

    My all time favorite flower book is “Discovering Dahlias”. I began oooing and aaahhhing over the beautiful dahlia blooms gardeners were posting on instagram and I instantly fell in love with dahlias, even though I had no knowledge of this flower. One search on instagram led to another that led me to the floret account and it is my favorite instagram account to follow. I instantly ordered her “Discovering Dahlias” book and I have learned so so much. Now I plan on beginning a small dahlia garden to see if they can thrive in Mississippi. I could not even take the first step toward this without Erin’s “Discovering Dahlias” book. I also applied for the scholarship to her online course, but sadly I was not chosen. I will continue to soak up any and all information that I possibly can from her instagram account and her website. Thanks Erin for always being so so generous by sharing all that you have learned over the years about cut flower gardening and especially growing dahlias. God bless Floret and Erin’s family. :)
    Suzanne Raley

    Reply
  259. Bill Ward on

    Hard one! I would have to say the Unsettling of America by Wendell Berry. Berry’s work inspired me to take a deeper look at not only national and international issues related to farming and agriculture, but my community and local food systems as well. I keep a copy in my office as reminder and conversation starter.

    Reply
  260. Jennifer Arndt on

    Your cut flower book is my favorite!!! My oldest daughter and I love strolling through our garden in the summer, learning flower names and dreaming up arrangements and our plans for the next season. I homeschool my kiddos and one of the largest parts of “arts” that we do is getting my kids into the garden and creating an arrangement full of color & textures! We splash little arrangements all throughout the house, such life it brings!

    Reply
  261. Traysa Zimmerman on

    I love the Gardening Month by Month by Ian Spence. Just ordered your Cut Flower book for myself & the Life in the studio for my oldest for Christmas! She’s trying to find all her groove in many creative outlets! Can’t wait to read with my kids!! So excited! Thank you for sharing!! I just found your page in Instagram❤️ Hope you have a blessed holidays!

    Reply
  262. Mindy Sotelo on

    So hard to choose my single favorite book. I feel like there are some books that fit the different seasons of our lives. I’m gonna say my favorite is Happiness is a Warm Puppy by Charles Schulz. The book is about enjoying the little things. This book is appropriate for all ages. My daughter and I read it and then will take turns saying happiness is…..x and we go through all kinds of things we are grateful for. When life gets hectic I always go back to this book and remember that happiness is all the little and big things we experience throughout our everyday lives. :) Two other books that I absolutely loved and recommended to everyone was, The Choice by Edith Eger and The Guaymas Chronicles by David Stuart. Both are memoirs and so beautiful and thought provoking. Happy reading and gardening!!

    Reply
  263. Sandy Gruber on

    This is hard. I have one of the Floret books and would really like another one!! I think it will be a Christmas gift to me.
    I checked out Lisa Mason Ziegler’s book, Vegetables Love Flowers, last year from the library and just purchased a copy for myself. I love gardening and I am always looking for ways to grow my veggies amongst the flowers, as it was this year. It used to be just a few marigolds planted here and there in my vegetable garden. So at the moment, Lisa’s book is my favorite.

    Reply
  264. Desi on

    First off, I have really loved your book, The Cut Flower Garden! It has been very inspiring and informative and has lead me to try many flowers that I had not considered before. I recommend it to all of my gardener friends. Another new treasure that I acquired recently is The Soul of Vermont by Richard W. Brown. It is filled with essays and photographs depicting country life in Vermont’s rural North Kingdom. The photos and essays are both fantastic and it leaves me dreaming of living a simple life in the country every time I pick it up!

    Reply
  265. Amanda Ehrichs on

    My daughter aspires to be a flower farmer (she is 10) and I have been trying to read books to help her start growing flowers this coming spring. So far The Flower Farmer by Lynn Byczynski has been my favorite read. It was so full of practical, easy to understand advice. We got a copy from the library but it is what we are giving our daughter for her Christmas present this year!

    Reply
  266. Sharon S on

    Lassoing The Sun. A journey that started out visiting all the National Parks in the U.S. and became so much more. Thanks for the great giveaway. Good luck everyone!

    Reply
  267. Treasure Winger on

    This seems impossible to pick a favorite book! My little collection is growing and they are all treasures to me. If I’d have to choose I must say that it would be Grow and Gather by Grace Alexander. This book almost felt romantic to me and it transported me to her place, her experience and her love for flowers. I have already read it twice. I just love it so much!

    Reply
  268. Tina on

    My favorite recent book is Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers! Thanks for hosting such a great giveaway :)

    Reply
  269. Cassie Schumacher on

    Earlier this year I read, “This Organic Life”, and I found it so thought-provoking. It has quickly become one of my favorites—to think about growing my own food but also sustainability and loving frugally. It was a great read.

    Reply
  270. Rhonda Leach on

    I absolutely love the book In Bloom! I moved to Maine from Texas–this is my seventh Christmas–and I began to garden again the way we did growing up in ND. I began reading the book in the cold of winter and it became my therapy…and then I found you! We have a little loft we rent to friends and family and as they look out to the sea they also have the wonder of seeing our beautiful flowers and the rolling back yards of our little village. They have access to the gardens when they respite with us…and it makes their stay much sweeter.

    Reply
  271. Cris Carlisle on

    Would LOVE to curl up with these books this winter as I am endeavoring on starting my own flower farm this coming Spring! You can never have too many books and references! Making my first seed order this week! Excited and nervous all at the same time 😊

    Reply
  272. Allison Jensen on

    I love Snowflakes in Photographs By W.A Bentley. They are a collection of the first pictures of snowflakes that were taken. It’s interesting to see all of the unique designs. I now enjoy watching the snowfall even more, especially when a flake lands on my window in such a way that I can see the intricate details of it.

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  273. Erin Wise on

    I love Monty Don’s- Down to Earth: Gardening Wisdom. His writing style is conversational, educational, and inspiring. It doesn’t hurt to have beautiful photos of his garden to look at as well. I love how functional and beautiful his gardens are- I am continuously striving for that balance in my own garden!

    Reply
  274. Sarah Wilkinson on

    It’s not gardening, but always reminds me of all there is to discover and explore: The Search for Delicious. It’s a kids book I first read in fourth grade about another kids voyage to find the true definition of delicious and all the ways it could be defined. Thank you for all of the book recommendations! I’m putting some on my holiday wish list now!

    Reply
  275. Eva on

    I love “Grow More Food” from the folks at Seattle Urban Farm Co and basically anything by Nikki Jabour! Of course, the Floret books are up there too :)

    Reply
  276. Christina Serrano on

    Nothing brings more excitement than the anticipation of opening a new book! One of my favorites for garden inspiration is The Gardens of Arne Maynard. You can get lost in its pages!

    Reply
  277. Jeanne Reimonn on

    I am enjoying The Pottery Gardener and The Flower Yard, both by Arthur Parkinson. He was featured on Gardener’s World and is a protégé of Sarah Raven. He has some excellent tips on growing fabulous flowers in pots as well as raising chickens. Also David Culp’s book The Layered Garden is full of good ideas.

    Reply
  278. Sharon Orlando on

    Sarah Raven’s “The Cutting Garden” is my first favorite (in the days before Floret!). I love the photographs of flowers organized by color and season. It’s a classic, especially for a beginning flower gardener that grows for cutting. I must love it… I found three copies in my house!

    Reply
  279. Claire on

    My favorite book is Patti Smith’s Just Kids for the beautiful language and how she weaves compelling stories of her life.

    Reply
  280. Yvonne L. on

    Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer is a beautiful, thought evoking book. Indigenous wisdom, scientific knowledge and the teaching of plants – Robin Wall Kimmerer is a botanist and a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, she embraces the notion that plants and animals are our oldest teachers.

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  281. Cindy on

    In the gardening category, Taylor’s Master Guide to Gardening is a comprehensive, beautifully illustrated reference. The Garden Planner by John Walker is organized in a handy flip format ideal for visualizing plant combinations. Beatrix Potter’s Gardening Life by Marta McDowell is full of photos and sketches and ties together how her love of gardening and nature influenced her writings. In the non- gardening category anything by Kate Morton or Carlos Ruiz Zafon.

    Reply
  282. davia mcnamara on

    My favorite non farming book is yes I can by Sammy Davis jr. it always inspires me! I’m so new to farming that every book I have picked up has been a favorite of mine but not to sound cliché-your books are ones I open often. Full of so much knowledge but the images always inspire me to keep going

    Reply
  283. Matthew Watson on

    The Dancing Wu Li Masters by Gary Zukav is one of my favorite books! A beautiful (and accessible!) explanation of how science, philosophy, and the magic of the universe intersect. All too often views and beliefs polarize us and this book presents a philosophical framework that offers a place for both spirituality and science. Definitely a must-read for anyone who likes to ponder their place in the universe!

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  284. Martina B. on

    I find myself turning to The Well Tended Perennial Garden by Tracy Disabato-Aust. Its helped me more times than I can count!

    Reply
  285. Anne Koons on

    The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca was one of the most fascinating books I have recently read. It is not a gardening book in the true sense ,but it is a true story of cell propagation and the profound effect those cells have had in science and immunology, for example in the development of the polio vaccine. Henrietta was a young black woman who died of ovarian cancer. Cells of that cancer were harvested without her or her family’s knowledge. This story traces the family’s growing awareness of the contribution her cells have made.

    Reply
  286. Meggie on

    All books are favorites. I love to have a book in my hand rather than the technical devises but I suppose my favorite would be the Discovering Dahlias by Erin I love to keep my hands busy and in the cold winter months this book has beautiful bright pictures that I turn every page in amazement and it gives me a dream of what could be possible in my garden when the weather warms up

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  287. Maureen on

    For many years, I have loved Tasha Tudor’s Garden as inspiration for beautiful garden and spaces. Maybe not practical, but lovely.

    Reply
  288. Stephanie Newton on

    I love books and it’s so hard to pick just one favorite! One book I love that was given to me by my Aunt is Soul Gardening, cultivating the good life by Terry Hershey… fantastic book demonstrating life is a garden and beauty is everywhere.

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  289. Monica on

    It’s hard to choose a favorite! I enjoy so many different types of books. I love the Harry Potter series. Books about peoples lives – I recently read a book about the life of JFK, I found it so interesting! And so many books about life that inspire me to do better!

    Reply
  290. Courtney Powers on

    Oh man. Favorite book is HARD! I’m going to have to go with the Harry Potter series… they were my first big chapter books that I devoured and I can read them over and over and still feel that same feeling as when you first start reading “big” books. I actually wrote a book report on the 4th one in 6th grade and it was 40 pages 🤣

    Reply
  291. Leslie Serrano on

    I would have to default to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice as an adult and I am very fond of the Harry Potter Series as well. The latest impressionable book I read was World of Wonders by Aimee Nezhukumatathil. I have never read anything with such insight into someone’s perspective. It was amazing and also wonderfully illustrated.

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  292. Emily Cornwell on

    It’s so hard to choose a favorite, but the book I return to the most often is Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen. I think it’s charming and hilarious!
    For the gardeners reading this, I just finished Founding Gardeners by Andrea Wulf. For me, it was a delightful combination of some of my passions – gardening, American native plantings, and history. Andrea’s notes and bibliography are impressive. I would recommend for winter reading.

    Reply
  293. Ellen on

    The Flower Farmer by Lynn Byzinski is fantastic. I have also read it multiple times, and it is still relevant. An excellent reference and inspiration, this book led me to grow more flowers and start my own farm.

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  294. Jennifer Smith on

    My favorite book is the Bible, our personal love letter from God. I am a King James version reader myself. Reading this book shows us where love comes from in our lives and explains how this beautiful world and all things in it are created by him for us. When I see sadness in the world I read again and again to reflect on how God made this amazingly beautiful planet, including each flower. Thank you for your recommendations !!

    Reply
  295. Janine on

    I would have to say my favorite gardening book has been The Prime Gardener by Barbara Damrosch as it gave me a good start into gardening many years ago along with my Grandfather’s tips growing up. I am starting to grow more cutting flowers and a friend recommended Floret’s Farm Discovering Dahlias book. I love it! Thank you for sharing the list above.

    Reply
  296. Amri on

    Thanks for the recommendations! While I have a ton of more serious favorites…. I always keep the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy as my escape from the real world and it gets my #1 spot :D

    Reply
  297. Mary Arnold on

    I ordered several of your recommendations for Christmas presents. My favorite author is Jane Austin and Pride & Prejudice is my favorite.
    Our daughter sent me some dahlia tubers for Mother’s Day & I am hooked. Your Discovering Dahlias is a wonderful book!
    I have enjoyed reading through all of the favorites people entered and have added so many to my book list.

    Reply
  298. Lizz Frost Yocum on

    Island of the Blue Dolphins has never left me. It’s about a strong, self-sufficient young woman who knows herself, her culture and the natural environment she depends upon.

    Reply
  299. Michelle Sumners on

    Just getting into flower gardening, but fave book this month is jill winger the Prairie homestead. Great recipes plus half the book is on gardening and farm animal care

    Reply
  300. Mcalah on

    Wow! Erin & team, this is such a valuable resource for a new gardener like myself. One of my biggest regrets in life is that I did not grow up an avid reader, so it is something I am continuing to work on. I find being interested in what you are reading makes all the difference and I myself, as Erin does, truly enjoy reading to learn! My favorite book of all time has to be The Lace Reader. The book was given to me by my godmother whom I adore and takes places not far from my home town! It is a book rich with mystery and loss but also hope and healing, an old wise tale laced into its pages. That book will always feel so special to me!

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  301. Maggie on

    Life In The Studio by Frances Palmer is truly a favorite of mine. I love that Frances respects the art she creates and doesn’t let the trial and error deter her. Although being creative can seem self indulgent, Frances, like Erin, generously shares guidance and hope to thousands of people like me dreaming of a life outside the cubicle!

    Reply
  302. Cessie on

    The Bible! It starts with God creating everything so beautifully, and centering the epic opener in a garden. And he gives us the charge to be good stewards of what He created. Best garden book ever ;)

    Reply
  303. Stina on

    My current favorite book is “Cool Flowers” by Lisa Mason Ziegler. I’m so inspired by her techniques and have already incorporated a lot of “cool flowers” into my flower farming plan for the next season. It’s exciting and fills up the winter days with even more planning and working.

    Reply
  304. Lorin Hernandez on

    My favorite book is a vintage Texas native perennials book that was my grandmother’s.

    Reply
  305. VJ on

    Your very first book!

    Reply
  306. Caron on

    I currently have 40 garden books including 3 Floret & the new Sarah Raven, “A Year full of flowers” plus stacks of magazines Garden Gate, Gardners World, Garden Answers, etc…definitely addicted so I’ve been donating mags to hospitals, library, etc to free up room. It’s hard to pick a favorite but I do like Container Gardening throughout the Year, Malcolm Hillier, 1995, published in US & UK. It has great ideas & pictures especially if you’re short on space and maybe only have a deck or balcony. When stationed in Omaha, my 8×8 deck was so packed with pots and barely fit a small table/chairs. Every winter all the pots got dragged into the garage until spring.

    Reply
  307. Ashley Blatnick on

    My favorite book, is one that opened the world of reading to me. Love comes softly by janette oake. I was in jr high when I read it. I liked reading as a kid but that book really opened my eyes to the world. It wasn’t a kiddie chapter book. It had meaning, and history and a realness. It let my mind wander and imagine.
    Reading is still a favorite pastime of mine. I seek knowledge and wisdom now more than fictional stories, But there is still something about a bookstore or the pages of a book that stirs my soul.

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  308. Keli on

    I’ve gotten into wreath making so I really love the Wreath Recipe book!

    Reply
  309. Juniper on

    I don’t have a favorite gardening book yet, but my favorite book PERIOD is The Count of Monte Cristo. The storytelling and scale is incredible, I’ve read it many times and it just draws me in again and again. If I had to pull a life lesson from it, it would be something around the value of persistence and a single focus, but really, it’s just great fiction!

    Reply
  310. Jen Sacklin on

    My favorite gardening book of all time is The Layered Garden by David Culp. Of the books you list in this post, I just got Monty Don’s The Complete Gardener and I’m halfway through and love it already!

    Reply
  311. trudeen renault on

    I love reading Mary Cicely Barker’s Flower Fairy books to my daughters and now my grandchildren! After story time, we go out and putter around the garden looking for fairies…just think of how many fairies are out in your flower fields!

    Reply
  312. Nadia on

    Wow thank you I will be referring to this list of books for myself and gift ideas 💡

    Reply
  313. C. Perez on

    I love true stories of survival and my favorite is All But My Life by Gerda Weissmann Klein. It is the story of a young girl who lived through occupied Poland and spent World War II in labor camps. While reading this, you can see God’s hand directing her path to survival and also see the love each person in the camps had for the others, helping to encourage them through the darkest of days.
    While the topic is heavy, it is truly the most inspiring story I have ever read.

    Reply
  314. Amy Prince on

    By the time December rolls around I am pining for the spring. Gardening books fill the long days of winter with the promise of what is to come. When I received “Cut Flower Garden”, by Erin Benzakein, I was inspired! It fueled my passion and helped me to hone my skill and love of growing flowers. I am thankful for those who share their knowledge in such a beautiful way!

    Reply
  315. Whitney on

    It changes frequently but my current favorite is the Autobiography of Santa Clause!

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  316. Stephanie Marsh on

    My favorite Gardening/Learning book is Martha Stewart’s Gardening Month by Month. I have used this book for nearly 30 years and bring it out still, at least once per year. I also love the Smith & Hawkins line of gardening books and Rodale’s organic gardening books. I have many newer published gardening books, but these are the ones I reach for year after year. Of course my favorite Dahlia book is Floret Farm’s Discovering Dahlias.

    Reply
  317. Laura Black on

    I love garden books and find them very inspiring, but it is hard to choose just one. I have found one author in particular to be very helpful for my area-central Florida-and that is Pamela Crawford. I think her first book was Easy Gardens for South Florida, folowed by Best Garden Color for Florida. These books were the result of careful research and observation she did on her property, and a list of plants she had found to be very successful. The plants are photographed and their characteristics are described in detail, along with recommendations like companion plants. She has books on planting containers, and i see she has some now which i haven’t read. The ones i have seen are beautiful and very well done.

    Reply
  318. Carrie Juchau on

    My favorite book is “Carrots Love Tomatoes” by Louise Riotte. As a specialty crop grower, I use this more than any other book for companion planting guidance. The integration of herbs and flowers increases every year as I learn more about how they impact beneficial insects and deter unwanted insects. And it just makes me happy to be in the garden to see all the colors and smell all the wonderful aromas.

    Reply
  319. Katelyn on

    My favorite book is Down to Earth by Monty Don. He speaks plainly and simply. The book is like a condensed version of The Complete Gardener but briefer and each chapter ends with a short summation of the points he makes, which is really helpful. His writing always inspires me with new ideas about how to garden and I am always left feeling empowered. I always learn something new every time I read it.

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  320. Tammy on

    I read a lot as well. I’ll find books about my current project and learn what I can. I love books. I guess I get that from my parents reading often. A book I found in my local library years ago sparked my interest. Perfect Plant Perfect Place by Roy Lancaster. It gave great information about so many different flowers, how, when and where to plant and lots of information about the importance of your soil. It gave step by step instructions and had great photos of the plants and “how to’s”. Found the great amount of information very helpful in learning about a wide variety of flowers! I would very much love to read your collection! I’m always looking to soak up more information about what I love to do…gardening as well as the business side of things! God Bless and thank you for sharing your gifts to the world!

    Reply
  321. Sarah on

    My favorite book is often times the book I’m currently reading, or have just finished. In this case, it is now the book ‘If Women Rose Rooted’. Such a beautiful weaving of memoir and folklore and a heartfelt cry to women to take up for the earth.

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  322. Monique Thomsen on

    I love Patina Farm by Brooke Gianetti. Her home and gardens are so amazing and tranquil looking. Her nook gives me so much inspiration and I love her rose arbors all over.

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  323. jody carter on

    Cool Flowers by Lisa Mason Zeigler is my current favorite flower book. It was a mother’s day gift a few years back from my daughter. I reference the book often while in the garden. It has helped me discover the season extension possibilities in the garden. I am a florist by occupation but my heart dreams of making a living off of my hands in the dirt. For now, my garden is a slice of heaven on earth, my own little Eden.
    Thank you for the opportunity to enter.

    Reply
  324. Jessa on

    My favorite book of all time is To Kill a Mockingbird. Every time I read it I feel a connection to a different theme. I also enjoyed reading it with my students as they grappled with developing their own thoughts in regards to justice – courage – gender roles – racial prejudice.

    My favorite leadership book is Good to Great. I am fascinated with HOW different leaders work to find greatness, as outlined through studying several successful businesses (warning – the book is twenty years old).

    Reply
  325. Dawn on

    The greatest book ever written. The Bible. I can’t read any book twice. But I hope reading the Bible never grows old.

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  326. Suzette on

    I love to read. My favorite fiction book is “This Tender Land” by William Kent Krueger. As for gardening books – I would have to say that your “Cut Flower Garden” has become my favorite. It is a beautiful book and I love the way it is laid out. Thank you for your hard work in putting it together.

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  327. Ali Papp Chesney on

    One of my favs is Gaia’s Garden! One of the first given to me about permaculture and working with nature in the garden.

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  328. Michelle H on

    Hmm. That’s so hard to pick just one! I find I refer to the two different books often: Vegetable Gardener’s Bible by Edward C. Smith and Fruit Gardener’s Bible by Lewis Hill. They both have a great amount of information that I need for growing and harvesting fruits and vegetables.

    Reply
  329. Rose L. on

    Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone – I love reading and was really fortunate to have a daughter that inherited that love as well. Although my son was not all that interested in books, he would listen if I read to him. When the Potter series was becoming popular, my kids were young but my daughter was old enough to read it, so each night at bedtime she and I would take urns reading the story while my son listened. We all fell in love with the characters and read the whole series. I cherish and miss those moments now that my kiddos are grown. It isn’t possible for me to think about that first book in the series without being reminded of those precious nights.

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  330. Elizabeth Betlejewski on

    One of my favorite books is An Island Garden by Celia Thaxter. Celia grew up in the 1800s and lived part of her life on a small island off the NH coast where she grew a cutting garden. Her book discusses the challenges of growing some old flowers varieties on a weather beaten island, even dealing with slug control in the midnights hours.

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  331. Madison Post on

    Our Daily Bread: The Essential Norman Borlaug by Noel Vietmeyer is a biography on an extremely important man who used intense selective breeding of wheat to completely revolutionize the crop and save a number of countries from mass starvation back in the 1960s-80s. It goes against today’s trends on the big push for organic farming, since Borlaug used manufactured fertilizers to help maximize crop yields, and is exactly why I believe people need to read it. It makes people consider all sides to the fertilizer argument…It’s pretty easy to be against fertilizer when you go to bed every night on a full belly.
    I am definitely in favor of doing things as naturally as possible in the garden, but reading these sorts of books gives light to all sides of the argument when faced with difficult topics like how to feed the world.

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  332. Lisa Smith on

    Derek Jarman’s Garden. This is not a conventional how-to book. It is a beautiful book that combines pictures of Jarman’s garden at Prospect Cottage in Dungeness (a forlorn and unlikely place for a garden) with excerpts from his writing. It’s an artist’s garden; he was also very sick for most of the garden’s life and so there is a real poignancy in the pictures of him tending it. For me, this book is about real gardening from the heart; the externalization of someone’s internal life–their soul ,if you will–and the ways a true garden and a life are inextricable.

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  333. Kim on

    My favorite book is Easy Answers for Great Gardens by Marianne Binetti. Local gardner with great tips and a down to earthWashington sense of humor

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  334. Pamela S. Young on

    I have never bought a gardening book until I got your Year in Flowers and Cut Flower Garden. I love them! I have grown in-door plants for years and have done pretty good with them. I’ve tried in-door flowers with not as much luck. I have a large flower bed and an area all around my house to landscape, and these books are great! I love your site and follow you to get my daily dose of beauty. Those flower shots sometimes just make my day!

    Reply
  335. meagan eldridge on

    To be honest, my favorite gardening book I own is A year in flowers. I received it as a gift when I was working as a florist and it is what really got me thinking about starting my own cutting garden. That tiny little seed of a dream turned into a micro flower farm and I can never imagine doing anything else! You are such an inspiration!

    Reply
  336. Christie on

    My favorite gardening book is The Way We Garden Now by Katherine Whiteside. It makes gardening projects so do able- the way I make my beds is because of this book !! The easy way is the best way !! Great ideas throughout and simplified way of going things is the entire point of the book!!!

    Reply
  337. Catherine Tilley on

    I have been reading “Cultivated, The Elements of Floral Style” by Christin Geall. It is beautifully written with breath-taking photographs. Geall weaves together art, music, history, literature and her own experiences and memories in a way that renders an enticing muse for the reader. I know this book will always be kept close at hand to fill my mind, heart and senses just as my flower garden does each time I step beyond its gate.

    Reply
  338. Deanna Boettcher on

    Oh so many favorite books I have – but if I must choose one, I would say Rosalyn Creasy’s Edible Landscaping! She really masters the art of landscaping with edibles. ..and she’s a beautiful photographer too.

    Reply
  339. Erin Ardoin on

    One if my favorites is Gather and Grow, a gardeners guide to a year of cuts cut flowers. By Grace Alexander. It mixes the best combination of beauty, creativity and the nuts and bolts of gardening flowers. It just speaks to me in a way I didn’t expect.

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  340. elizabeth on

    one of my favorites = Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner. i don’t think you will be disappointed

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  341. Tracey Johnson on

    I don’t have a favorite gardening book yet. I am very intrigued by those listed in the blog, but also in the comments. I’ve been planting flowers for years, but only now, at 64, and after discovering Floret and some other resources, actually GARDENING. My granddaughter has helped too. This spring and summer, Cora (almost 7 y/o) has been my near constant companion in the yard and planting. I feel the need to learn more, to keep the love of working in the earth stick with her.

    Reply
  342. Neva Leigh on

    My favorite book is My Antonia by Willa Cather. Written in 1918 it is a classic story about immigrants – the joy, the sorrow. Willa Cather is a beautiful writer and this is a tender story of the friendship between Jim Burden and Antonia. A portrait of a simpler time in middle America.

    Everyone who loves great writing should not miss The Country of the Pointed Firs written in1896 by Sarah Orne Jewett. It is a story about three months in a small town in Maine- all the lovable and eccentric characters who live there. Her short stories are excellent also!

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  343. Sally Dahlby on

    Gardening Without Work
    Though Ruth Stout is no longer with us, her book has stood the test of time, making it possible for those of us who struggle to “work hard”, to succeed at gardening ( flowers or veggies).
    Her attitude is delightful!

    Reply
  344. Daisy on

    My all time favorite book that I cannot get rid of and always have fun reading is Sybil Leek’s Astrological Guide To Successful Everyday living. I found it at a garage sale as a young teen and always loved reading about every zodiac sign in detail. It’s pretty much a guide to every area of the Zodiac signs life, even what to gift certain signs and how to befriend signs. Its an interesting fun book to read to myself and to friends especially when some of Sybil Leek’s statements seem pretty accurate on certain signs 😄

    Reply
  345. Sarah Adams Marr Dumas on

    My favorite book is Monty and Sarah Don The Jewel Garden. I love it because it is the story of rising to success from a tragic loss. The jewel garden is a perfect metaphor for this because it was created from the muddy fields of the Don’s garden and the jewel garden is gorgeous! Just stunning. Something like the lotus rising from the mud to great beauty. Very inspirational, hopeful and wonderful.

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  346. Leslie Johnson on

    I have a true passion for books. I love reading and learning and growing. I am still figuring out what I want to be when I grow up, and books encourage my constantly growing interests. It’s so hard to say what my favorite book could possibly be…but if forced to say so, I would choose the Bible. It is full of love and passion, wisdom and knowledge. It’s full of broken people like me who allow themselves to become a part of a story larger than their own. I am so captured by the truths found within. I have discovered the answer to every problem I have ever had on these sacred pages. In reading the Bible, I have also met my very best friend and experienced daily beauty from my most treasured relationship. Absolutely the best book ever!

    Reply
  347. Emily Harper on

    Oh, how to pick just one! My current favorite relating the human experience to the world of plants as a symbiosis would be Robin Wall-Kimmerer’s “Braiding Sweetgrass”… She writes so eloquently about not just Native traditions, but the natural human relationship between us, plants, and the so-called “inanimate” world. It moved me to tears!

    A great flower book I think would fit well in this blog post would be “Cultivated: The Elements of Floral Style” by Christin Geall. Its got gorgeous photos of course, but the text draws you in (I read it cover-to-cover and couldn’t put it down!) but she addresses so many of the beginner moments when it comes to floral design work. I found this book SO valuable in my first wedding season this past year.

    I would be over the moon to have any of the books in your list! What a great collection.

    Reply
  348. Melisa on

    My favorite book is The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan. That book jumpstarted my passion to learn more about nature and our inextricable relationship with the natural world. I read it during my formative years in college, and it helped steer me away from joining the medical industrial complex, and shifted my focus towards sustainable food systems instead. Michael Pollan’s fluid storytelling and captivating insights made the read both enjoyable and extraordinarily educational.

    Similarly, I have been enthralled with each book by Erin Benzakien. In addition to the beautiful storytelling and richly informative explanations, Floret’s books are filled with striking photographs that deserve to be framed. I have a copy of each release so far and can hardly wait for the next.

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  349. Jen Nathanson on

    It’s hard to choose between these two, so I am going with both. Together they encompass the 2 hobbies that bring me the most joy outside of my work. The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan and The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. Cooking, recipes, environmental sustainability and flowers – all leading to bringing others happiness!! Both books allowed me to learn more about some of my favorite things as well as take risks with what I cook, garden, grow and share. I love the idea of meaning behind flowers and using flowers to cope and spread a message.

    Reply
  350. Claire Painter on

    I am a type A, go-getter, list maker, big dreamer who loves flowers and gardening, and who also loves books. Just as it is difficult for me to choose a favorite flower, I find it nearly impossible to choose one favorite book. Considering this is a flower & gardening platform, I will share one of my favorites in this genre.

    A Gentle Plea For Chaos by Mirabel Osler

    There are many reasons to love this book. It’s beautifully written and so entertaining, but the primary reason it’s one of my favorites is because it has inspired me to lean into the chaos of the growing garden, specifically the cottage garden. I don’t have to fight it all time. I may allow it to grow and take shape and spill over. It’s refreshing to let go and just enjoy the beauty. The cottage garden is the perfect contrast to the cut flower garden; two amazing methods of gardening that require different ways of tending and maintaining.

    I desire for my life to be filled with flowers and I have set goals to get there, but I have so so so much to learn. A flower library kit would be a huge blessing. Thank you Floret for sharing you knowledge and expertise! I’m inspired by you & your flowers!

    Reply
  351. Debbie Coury on

    The Well-Gardened Mind by Sue Stuart-Smith. It was on the recommended reading list of a class I recently took and quickly became a book that I recommended to family and friends. It reminded me in so many ways how tending to our gardens can bring joy even when we may be feeling down and even heal traumatized minds.

    Reply
  352. Laura Walker on

    The Hummingbirds’ Gift by Sy Montgomery is a recent favorite for me as I love sharing my garden with these magical creatures. It’s a sweet story by the author in the quest to help these fascinating birds and I personally have designed my flower garden to help them survive. In return they trust me and I am able to experience their friendship and beauty in the garden.

    Reply
  353. Karen Seger on

    It is really hard to pick one! To Kill a Mockingbird would have to be the one. I have read it several times.

    Reply
  354. Kira on

    One of my favorite gardening books of all time is Reader’s Digest’s The Practical Gardener: Successful Gardening. It’s a little older now, at this point, but is still full of wonderful ideas for beautiful gardens! It covers everything from soil testing to pruning and how to recognize and buy the best plants or start and plant the best seedlings you can. It’s wonderful and full of the most beautiful drawings and pictures and even step by step instructions (with pictures) for certain techniques! This is such a great resource for any type of gardener and mine is a smudged, much loved, if a bit worn, kind of dirty, but reliable friend! The best kind for us who love to garden, am I right?

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  355. Mary Hofacker on

    I really like landscape design books. To build beautiful gardens with paths with a garden rooms along the way. I am a collector and reader of many books.

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  356. Kathy Macheras on

    How can I choose a favorite?!? I’m no good at that, but up near the top are the Lord of the Ring series and the Harry Potter series. They are just so good at taking me away to a whole different world.

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  357. KB on

    Down to Earth by Monty Don is such a treat, especially in the winter when there are no new Gardner’s World programs to watch. It’s so informative and soothing.

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  358. Stephanie Costello on

    So many many books to choose from. I still love the act of curling up with a book, turning the pages, making some notes, placing a book mark in the page and coming back to it later.

    Reply
  359. Susan Walden on

    Being a retired teacher, I have too many favorite books! For gardening, my go to book is Sunset Western Garden. It has all the answers to basic gardening questions. If I need further information my bookshelf is full of specific books on types of flowers, soils, specific species, and garden construction. If I have to pick a favorite book, it would be “Where the Red Fern Grows”. This book has a special place in my heart about growing up, understanding life, and dogs. I read it many times to my fifth grade class and could never get through the book without showing emotion. You could hear a pin drop in my room at the end of the book. You and never too old to read it. It has a special place in my heart!

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  360. Kirsten Butler on

    If I can only list one My first favorite book is The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton. I would sit and look at the illustrations for hours. She captured the change of seasons so well. I guess it’s kind of silly to say, as a grown woman, it’s still my favorite book. But it holds so many great memories for me as a child. I read it over and over again. And it is that much more special as I re-read it and share it with my children! 😊

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  361. Rachael Rendell on

    Reader’s Digest – Garden Encyclopedia – Plant & Flowers. I have lots of pretty flower books that I grab inspiration from, but this book is my go to when planning a new garden bed. Information is easy to read and is categorise in colour/size/shape/environment. It also opens my eyes up to what is out there to choose from, instead of just what the local nursery has on offer and allows me to create something amazing as I have the knowledge to just go for it!

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  362. Jojo Genden on

    One of my favorite books of all time is “Shoe Dog” by Phil Knight…it’s the story of Nike and its founder. He is a gifted writer and getting an insight into what it took to build such a global giant of business was very inspiring to a budding entrepreneur such as myself. I cried, laughed, and cheered…I felt the story was unique because it didn’t seem to hide the ugly parts or sensationalize the blitzy success parts – it just told the truth.

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  363. Lisa S Peterson on

    My favorite book is a series.
    It is “All Creatures Great and Small ” by James Harriet.
    I love his true veterinary adventures and his self-deprecating humor.
    I also have loved and bought all of Erin’s books.
    My favorite of her series is her book Discovering Dahlias.

    Reply
  364. Jessica Toloczko on

    My favorite book is Floret’s Cut Flower Garden because it is stunning and it was my first flower book purchase. I have learned so much from this book and am excited to implement so much more of what I learned in the next growing season.

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  365. Jody Hamilton on

    I actually have not read any of these books but plan to very soon. Thank you for the suggestions. I am a Master Gardener and have many gardening books and have gifted several gardening books to my adult children and spouses. I have followed you on the Magnolia network and have learned so much from watching. I would love to win your books.

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  366. Debbie Raggio on

    I love books as well. I wish I had more time to read them cover to cover. I purchased Florets Cut Flower Garden book recently and have enjoyed the beautiful photography and helpful gardening info. Thanks so much for all the hard work that went into this book !

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  367. Barbara Nelson on

    My favorite book is Successful Gardening on the Northern Prairie. It is a great reference book for those of us in northwestern Minnesota with our alkaline and clay soil.

    Reply
  368. Julie My eftkr on

    My professional interest as a Forester has always been in native plant communities . Current favorites include Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Kimmerer. Guiding people to see that we are part of the earth

    My second favorite, The Sun is a Compass which is a GREAT book about following your heart and realizing each day life is a gift

    My garden library 📚 s very small.. thank you for broadening my horizons with your suggestions

    But I will add, I have been tuning into bbc Gardeners World
    And have learned quite a bit from Monty Din

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  369. Lindsay M on

    My favorite non-farming book is Cannery Row by John Steinbeck. He just captures the American psyche so perfectly. My most inspirational farming book is The Resilient Farm and Homestead. It was very helpful when starting our small farm. Would I be pandering if I said the Floret books have changed everything for me in terms of incorporating cut flowers into our business? :)

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  370. Samantha Brooks on

    Your very own Cut Flower Garden! I am in my third year of flower farming and reference it many times a year!

    Reply
  371. Tiffany Lewis on

    The Bible is my favorite. Its a life guide book and full of every kind of stories.
    (Second favorite is probably the Harry Potter series. Never gets old. My oldest kid is about to turn 11. Hehe)

    Reply
  372. Jenny on

    If you want to free yourself from the dependency of constantly following recipes in the kitchen, try SALT FAT ACID HEAT by Samin Nosrat. It’s very well written and gives you the why behind making food taste good, which then leads to culinary creatively and freedom in the kitchen! Heaven!

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  373. Emily Woodland on

    This time of year, I love reading the first four books of the New Testament. It gives me such peace and reminds me how I want to pattern my life after Christ.

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  374. Jane Tucker on

    I have the first edition of Monty Don’s “The Complete Gardener” and I am studying hedgerows and hedge laying. I am looking at property and hope to move to a farmstead/homestead within two years. (And, I understand loving books and libraries…I worked in my college’s library during the school year and my hometown library in the summers!)

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  375. Lisa on

    My fav book this month is Kristine Hannah’s The Four Winds. Not many fiction books about the great depression that hold my attention the way this one did. Kristine grows with each book she writes.

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  376. Marilee Shiner on

    I love the classic books by Jane Austin. The way she describes people and how what they are thinking that drives them to do things fascinates me.

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  377. Hannah on

    A favorite was Evidence Not Seen by Darlene Deibler Rose, who was taken prisoner during WW2 and chronicled how God worked through her trials.

    Reply
  378. Angela Francis on

    Lisa Mason Ziegler’s Book, Cool Flowers really helped me to expand my flower farm potential. The book is a quick read, packed full of useful flower information. I also enjoyed her book, Vegetables Love Flowers which helped me expand my garden harvest.

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  379. Lynn Weeks on

    We are a family of confirmed bibliophiles – our family (myself, my children and my grandkids!) firmly believes you can never have too many books! We have even turned our “living room” into a library! My beloved oldest granddaughter, who would be so blessed to receive these books, writes regarding her favorite book: “That would be a very hard question if it weren’t for the Bible. 😊 No other story brings so much life and hope to its readers. Otherwise I might say The Chronicles of Narnia, Heidi, Anne of Green Gables, Little Women. . . really because the authors read the Bible and accepted Jesus themselves and brought those truths into their books.” I’m entering on her behalf as she lives in Canada. Thanks so much for the opportunity.

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  380. Beth Schultz on

    The 400 Best Garden Plants by Elvin McDonald is a good resource for researching and adding new varieties to the garden.

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  381. DEVONNA HALL on

    My current favorite is The Art of Outdoor Living – Gardens for Entertaining Family and Friends, by Scott Shrader. It’s my current favorite because we just bought a new house and I’m looking for ideas to plan my gardening spaces. And Erin’s Cut Flower Garden is in there too because now I have space for a cutting garden!

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  382. Joan B. on

    Small Plot, Bid Harvest by Lucy Halsall is a resource for fruit and vegetable gardeners with limited space. I garden in a community plot so I’m always looking for ways to utilize space. Hailstones and Halibut Bones by Mary O’Neill is a children’s book filled with beautifully written poems about colors. Colors across the spectrum are tied to tastes, smells, feelings and experiences. As an art teacher, I appreciate how color is woven through our daily lives in a multitude of ways. I sometimes read this in class to my students.

    Reply
  383. K on

    I really can’t say what my favorite book is beside the Bible but I did like “The treasure principle” by Randy Alcorn. It just really helps my eternal perspective

    Reply
  384. Pamela Klemencic on

    I honestly don’t have a favorite flower or gardening book, YET! I am retiring after having a career and raising children and can’t wait to find my favorite gardening book. (And also start Floret Workshop)
    I am so excited about my new chapter!!!
    Thank you for the inspiration!!!!

    Reply
  385. Melissa on

    My favorite book is Martha’s Vineyard: Isle of Dreams, by Susan Branch. I can’t say it changed my life – I had to do that myself. But it gave me hope, and it helped me feel like I was not alone.

    Reply
  386. Jess R. on

    Right now I am reading How The Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss with my little boy every night. It’s our Christmas favorite!

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  387. Kathryn on

    This is such an amazing list. I have a few of these (including the Floret books) but definitely need more to fill the winter months before I can get back out in the garden next spring.

    My favorite book is Pride and Prejudice which sounds cliche but I’ve read it at least 20 times. The character development Jane Austen achieves in this story is phenomenal and I feel like I know the characters so well – it’s like an old friend.

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  388. maureen sullivan on

    I am sure everyone is thinking of gardening/flower farming books. I am going outside the box. I love all of Erin’s books dearly ;but if asked what my favorite book is I always have an answer at the ready. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. The themes sadly continue to resonate even in the 21st century. Women are not heard, they are placed in gender specific roles, BIPOC individuals are still abused and marginalized and people with disabilities face incredible challenges. Yet still there is a voice that rises up to protect and represent despite the animosity and anger. Everything changes but nothing changes… Flowers are simple beauty that I can go back to, look forward to, cherish. They are things of beauty in an often ugly world.

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  389. Leann Moylan on

    I’m just beginning my flower-planting adventure, but my garden-go-to is The New Organic Grower by Eliot Coleman. I had the good fortune to meet him several years ago at an organic growers conference! I’ve adopted many of his methods for soil blocking, making compost & growing in high tunnels! I now have a long list of books to wish through, for future flower planting! Thank you for the inspiration!

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  390. Tonya on

    My favorite book is the Floret Workshop guide book. I cannot wait to get the updated version that will be arriving soon! It is full of such wonderful information. A Year in Flowers is another favorite. It seems I want to read anything having to do with flowers! It has become this insatiable interest that is wonderful to learn and wonderful to share with others.

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  391. Eliska Lynch on

    Gardening in New Orleans- this 1952 book was a publication of The New Orleans Garden Society and is still an invaluable resource today for those of us in south Louisiana. Growing plants in semi- tropical climatic conditions needs a garden manual all of its own.

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  392. Cindi Mackanic on

    I love reading the book lists of others–such inspiration! Speaking of which, Cut Flower Garden inspired a beautiful fall bouquet and just yesterday a lovely winter Christmas bouquet–all from my yard! Thank you Erin–Floret Farms. 2 other current favorites: Finding Freedom (Erin French of The Lost Kitchen) and The Family Kitchen Garden.

    Reply
  393. Rachel Doroski on

    Discovering Dahlias. Dahlias are my mom’s favorite flower and it brings her so much joy to grow them and arrange them in her house. I gave her this book and she was so excited. Dahlias will always make me smile because they make her smile.

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  394. Josine Gouwens on

    Thank you for inspiring me every time Erin! Recently I divided dahlia tubers for the first time in my life with the help of your video. Exciting to see if they will come up next year. And now you gave a whole stack of books for my Christmas wish list. In short: you feed my creativity with your beautiful photos and knowledge. And about creativity is also one of my favorite books: the Artist’s way by Julia Cameron.

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  395. Joey Cainong on

    Gardening in upstate New York, Zone 4, is so different from what I’m used to in the tropics. The deer has been a huge challenge for me. The book, Deer Resistant Native Plants for the Northeast, is helping me manage this challenge. Of course, I will always try to plant the “pretty” flowers – just have to keep the deer away.

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  396. Marilynne Booher on

    Small Plot Big Harvest by Lucy Chamberlain is a step by step guide to growing in small spaces! It was the first book to really help me maximize my space and in turn maximize my yield! I currently live in the city so it’s been a great tool for utilizing my smaller spaces to grow!

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  397. Alyssa K. on

    My first introduction to intentional gardening was A Year Of Flowers, and it is one of my most favorite books now. It covers so many flower types and I so appreciate the attitude of being creative and using what is on hand instead of striving for a perfect flower garden.

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  398. Andie Fritts on

    My favorite garden book is “The First Time Gardener: Growing Vegetables” by Jessica Sowards. It’s such a good beginner book with tons of information and encouragement, not to mention the photos are gorgeous!

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  399. LynG on

    In all honesty, my absolute favorite book is the Floret Workshop Course Book!
    It is the most comprehensive set of educational “how to’s” and valuable resources for the flower gardener for business or home.
    I know I can open that book and find almost any answer I need for my flower business.
    As a Floret Alumni, I buy an updated book each year and literally pour myself into the beautiful pictures, descriptions, resources and educational materials all over again. Love it!

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  400. Lisa Wilson on

    There are so many like yours and Elliot Coleman but right now I am reading ” Finding the Mother Tree” by Suzanne Simand

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  401. Babette DeLong on

    A new fav of mine is “The Healing Power of Flowers” by Claire Bowen and E’va N’emeth. How can a flower, something so beautiful, not be healing?

    Reply
  402. Terry Sessions on

    My most cherished gardening book once belonged to my Dad. It is full of detailed pictures and information. I’m not sure if it’s still in print but it’s definitely a favorite of mine to browse through each season.
    The Complete Book of Garden Magic by
    Roy E. Biles

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  403. Jennifer on

    Hands down, Charlotte’s Web, by E B White!

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  404. Anne on

    My favorite book that I reread every year almost is Shadow of the Moon by M. M. Kaye. Historical, romance, hard to beat.
    Favorite gardening book, man I have so many, but if I had to pick 2 I guess I’d choose In Bloom by Claire Nolan and Floret Farms Cut Flower Garden. I love to read and am always looking for new gardening books that I don’t have.

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  405. Katie Ollier on

    The Flower Farmer is always my staple! I go back to it the most!

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  406. Michael Forrey on

    Discovering Dahlias has quickly become my go-to book after it was gifted to me by a dear friend. It has proven so valuable in the development of my growing dahlia garden!

    Reply
  407. Angie Jean Koebler on

    Living in the north, I recently discovered Elliot Coleman and his Winter Harvest Handbook. It’s a cozy way to spend the winter, inspiring great garden planning ideas before late winter seed purchases.

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  408. Emily on

    Floret’s cut flower gardening book. I revisit this so often for ideas, how tos, and inspiration.

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  409. Zhanna Agarkov on

    Square Foot Gardening New Way to Garden in Less Space with Less Work, the book that ignited my passion for gardening and over the years cultivated the flower farmer in me. Thank you for sharing your favorite book list. I already checked out several books in the library.

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  410. Lisa L. on

    Floret’s Cut Flower Garden is so helpful and beautiful pictures too. Love dreaming up my many plans in the winter!! Thank you for being so inspiring!

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  411. Kim James on

    I love Lisa’s “Cool Flowers” book. It was so helpful! Love everything you do Erin, keep it up!

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  412. Jodi Sparkman on

    My life-long favorite book is Girl of the Limberlost written by Gene Stratton Porter in 1909. I likely first read it around age 8 and it will forever be part of my world view. It’s set in the swamp of Indiana and tells the story of Elnora a strong, girl raised by her bitter and unavailable mother in the deep woods. Elnora charts her own destiny by collecting and selling moths and butterfly collections to pay for high school and with her grace insight and big heart finds true friends, creates a career championing the natural world, overcomes her mothers despair and finds love in this timeless book. The characters are unforgettable, humorous and complex, the descriptions of the woods and swamps are entrancing and the romance is swoon-worthy. The book is also a snapshot in time, written at the turn of the century, by a female (!) author during the revivalist/naturalist movement in America.

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  413. kayla on

    Tough question! As far as fiction goes, The Nevernight Chronicle would probably be my favorite series.
    For nonfiction though, Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden would be the most influential, because it opened my eyes to just how magical flowers can be! Since then I’ve been reading a lot of gardening books and there have been some real winners but I reference Cut Flower Garden quite often, so I think it has to be my favorite :)

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  414. A. G. on

    Well, I’m going to be honest here and say my FAVORITE book on flowers is Floret’s Cut Flower Garden!😂 It basically has everything a beginner needs to know and I’ve learned a lot from that book! (Also I’ve found a lot of new favorite flower varieties and new must-grows!)

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  415. Sarah Zaniewski on

    One book I go back to year after year is “Carrots Love Tomatoes: Secrets of Companion Planting for Successful Gardening” by Louise Riotte. Not only does it keep me mindful when planning my garden it has helped me bring in more beneficial insects/pollinators, build and maintain a healthy biome in garden, increase my yields, and grow happier/healthier veggies. Who knew how beneficial radishes were to the entire health of a garden or that onions and beans don’t play well together!? It is a simple, down-and-dirty, book that has extremely helpful information with huge benefits to our growing spaces. I think I learn something new every year I go back to it!

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  416. Nancy Rabinowitz on

    One of my favorite flower books is “Backyard Bouquets” by Georgeanne Brennan. It is a great guide to choosing flowers to grow for, and designing garden bouquets.

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  417. Heidi Lemon on

    My favorite gardening book so far was The Forgotten Skills of Self-Sufficiency used by the Mormon Pioneers. While my flower growing knowledge is still budding, my vegetable garden growing and food preservation experience was even less until I picked up this book! I learned some very helpful things that helped me produce a great vegetable garden this summer, even in abnormal heat and drought!

    I look forward to reading my first Floret book this Christmas (I did tell my husband many, many times, so it should be under the tree, right?! :)

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  418. Nanette on

    Thank you for all these great recommendations. I want to read them all! I have to say, my favorite is The Flower Farmer by Lynn Byczynski. It was one of the first books on flowers I read. It not only was full of information but made me realize how much I needed to learn and experience. Which led me to Floret and all the generous information Erin an her crew offer. Still learning and getting inspired. Thanks!

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  419. sandy on

    I can’t believe that I didn’t mention Cultivated by Christin Geall. I love this book. I met with a group of fellow floral designers over Zoom last year and we worked our way through the book. It’s rich with information, beautiful writing, and gorgeous photographs.

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  420. Tracy Hung on

    One of my favorite books is ‘Calm my Anxious Heart’ by Linda Dillow. It reminds me to be content in my circumstances and to ‘bloom wherever I am planted’. I find it very encouraging. I am also enjoying going through the Floret books with my children as they gain an interest in gardening.

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  421. Amy Droz on

    Those all look fantastic! One of my favorite set of books are The Flower Fairie books by Cicely Mary Barker. When I was a kid my mom gave me the book that her mom had given her in the 1970s and since then I have collected several different editions and also decorated my little girls room with artwork from the books. The drawings and poems are just so sweet and the details of the flowers are amazing, I believe she went to Kew Gardens to study them when doing her illustrations.

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  422. sandy on

    Now I want to read all of those! Thank you for the great recommendations. I have always enjoyed Ann Lovejoy’s garden writing. I like her book, The Border in Bloom. I also love the book Roots, Shoots, Buckets, and Boots by Sharon Lovejoy (I’m pretty sure the two women are not related!). It has sweet illustrations and wonderful ideas for gardening and enjoying nature with children.

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  423. Janine Peak on

    My favorite go to book has always been Reader’s Digest 1001 Hints & Tips For Your Garden.
    The reason I love this book, it’s Contents is A to Z.
    Everything from flowers to gardens, landscaping, pest, prunings etc. It’s is easy to look up anything and read. Also, it’s a wonderful teaching tool.

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  424. Jan Trent on

    The Flower Farmer’s Year By Georgie Newbery. This was the second flower farming book I read which is probably part of why I’ve loved it – it became my flower Bible right away. I like the way it’s organized, her writing style, the pictures and the information provided. It’s a classic in my opinion. ( plus since she’s British her repertoire of “common” flowers is a little different, so the flowers she includes just add some freshness to what I see available in my area.) And thank you for providing your resource list…I too have started a book collection and I love seeing your recommendations to add to my library. (These will nicely complement my Floret books, particularly since you recommended them.) Thanks again!

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  425. Elizabeth S on

    My favorite book right now is The Life Giving Home by Sally and Sarah Clarkson! It’s about creating a cozy home and traditions that your family will treasure, while at the same time building relationships with them! I find it very inspiring!

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  426. Kyra on

    OMG! What a great post! BRB updating my Christmas list. My very favorite book in the world is “Meditations from the Mat” by Rolf Gates. It truly changed my life. The pages are daily reflections from a former alcoholic Marine turned yoga and meditation teacher who just has a wonderful point of view. I credit this book with deepening my relationship to myself through a consistent yoga practice and allowing me to celebrate 4 years of sobriety and freedom from addiction this Christmas Day! Without my sobriety journey, I would not have the life I live today with a beautiful home, fiancé, and 10 month old baby boy. Recently I also started a small floral design business from my kitchen table and Instagram and I am so grateful to have the time and mental clarity to pursue the work that makes my heart happy.

    For anyone that happens to be reading and struggles with alcohol or drug dependency… you are not alone, sobriety is a beautiful journey and gift, and you are WORTH the work. <3

    Reply
  427. Hope on

    As a lifetime lover of books, I have really hard time choosing. One of my all time favorites is a children’s book called The Little Blue Truck.

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  428. Anne R Phernetton on

    What a wonderful Blog Post, Erin. So much great info there, and some of your favorites are mine, too. My all-time favorite book is Mother Goose nursery rhymes. I still have my very own copy of this book (not just dog-eared, but dog chewed, too!) from when I was a little girl and so many of my family members read it to me – before I could read, I would tell them if they were reading it right or not because I had it memorized! I have given many, many of these to our great nieces and nephews. I love the book because it provides an opportunity for quality time with a young child on your lap, and gives that child a wonderful start to the world of reading.

    God Bless you, your family and your team for everything you pour into your flower farm and for caring so much about others that you continue to share your knowledge and life experiences with all of us.

    Reply
  429. Martha Bryan on

    Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life, by Barbara Kingsolver. Entertaining, thought provoking, inspiring, made me want to grow everything myself and eat local even more than I already did. Such a good book.

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  430. Teri Lucas on

    My first favorite gardening book was Mary Engelbreight’s outdoor companion. It was the first book where I saw how my garden could be a fun, cozy and relaxing space as well as beautiful.

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  431. Rosa Veldkamp on

    My favourite book? That’s like asking who my favourite child is!!😉😅

    Current favourites . . . anything written by Sarah Addison Allen, The Mitford series by Jan Karon, The Rangers Apprentice series by John Flannagan, anything by Eliot Coleman, all of Erin’s books, love Joel Salatin . . . well the list goes on . . . 😅😂😂

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  432. Susan Bolgiano on

    The Hummingbirds’ Gift by Sy Montgomery is my favorite book. We have a large vegetable garden whose bounty we eat year ’round. I have planted perennials interspersed with the vegetables. While working in the garden there is nothing so wonderful as having these small colorful birds taking nectar from Monarda or other flowers I have planted. I’ve had them hover near me, curious as to what I am doing. My flowers, both perennials and annuals, attract other birds too. It’s vital for all gardeners to be aware of how much flowers mean to our natural world. Thank you for offering to share these books.

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  433. Michelle Schuberg on

    It’s kinda hard to choose. Right now I am using Lisa Mason-Zieglers book Cool Flowers. She tells how to grow all the flowers my grandmother used to grow. I am trying to apply this practice on my own farm!

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  434. Amanda on

    My favorite books are children’s books. Brown Bear What Do You See by Bill Martin, The Hungry Catapillar by Eric Carle. Magical times reading to my three daughters and now I am creating special memories reading to my three grandsons. The wonder in their eyes as they snuggle up with you reading……….

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  435. Becky Whittenburg on

    My favorite book is The Ultimate Garden Planner by Peter McHoy. It is full of beautiful gardens that have inspired me wherever I’ve lived. I received it as a gift in the late 1990s and I simply love it.

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  436. colleen taylor on

    Our three favorite books since moving to Oregon from Santa Barbara are “Planting the Oudolf Gardens” by Rory Dusoir, “Gardening in the Pacific Northwest” by Bonnie & Campion, and although its not about gardening per se, “Medicinal Herbs” by the lovely Rosemary Gladstar. Natural plantings with natives, plants & flowers that “heal” and all the gorgeous flowers from Erin’s garden-WOW!

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  437. Antonia on

    My favorite book is Watership Down. I read this recently after my brother wouldn’t stop talking about it. It is surprisingly an incredible epic about rabbits that emphasizes the importance of home, safety, perseverance and daring that all takes place in the beautiful setting of the English Downs as seen by rabbits. It is a delightful book, and one that will remain with me for a long time.

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  438. Amanda on

    I don’t have any flower/gardening books yet but thanks to this post I will be heading to the library soon to check them all out! But, my favorite book of all time is All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. It’s my favorite because it is a beautiful yet heartbreaking story that takes place during WWII and gives a realistic point of view of how life would have been like for the characters. It is such a stunning story.

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  439. Marie Boone on

    My favorite book this year is the Nightingale, by Kristin Hannah. It’s about two sisters during WWII.

    Reply
  440. Jennifer L Hammill on

    When I stumbled upon Alan Bloom’s book, Perennials for your Garden, nearly 40 years, I was filled with so many emotions. I had never seen English style perennial beds before. I couldn’t believe the beauty of it– and how different it was from the style of gardening that I had always known. And while it was new and eye-opening, I also felt like I was returning to something that perhaps I had known in a previous life, for my love for it and attachment to it was instantaneous. It turned out to be the perfect first book on gardening for me, since it limited the numbers of perennials that it introduced— I think too many would have been overwhelming— and had plenty of “eye candy” to offer for inspiration. Still to this day, my life is filled with pleasure in working in and planning borders– although that style continually evolves!

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  441. Darien on

    Hands-down, my #1 all-time favorite book is…the Bible-God’s Word. It is the ultimate guidebook for all of life. There are no questions it can’t answer, and no problems that it’s principles can’t solve. It was written for mankind by the Creator of the entire universe Who loves us more than we can imagine. Without this Book, my life would be an empty, meaningless mess, but through it’s wisdom and directions applied to my daily life, I have a life of purpose worth living for my Saviour Who gave His all for me. And that includes using His gift of flowers to enrich and beautify the lives of others, so that they might find in Jesus Christ everything they need. For HE IS what MY LIFE is ALL ABOUT!

    “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.” Isaiah 40:8

    And a great THANK YOU to Erin and her team for their inspiration to pursue the dreams that God has given to me.

    Reply
  442. Brenna Kennedy on

    My favorite book is Discovering Dahlias. It’s the only one I’ve read! But it’s sparked a passion! My copy is well used already and I’ve learned so much in my first year of growing Dahlias. So much beauty has come into my life and soul all from that book. The next book I’m going for is Monty Don’s. I’ve got to get a few more techniques and tips under my belt and this looks like it. …..then I’m going to dig more into design and I can’t wait

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  443. Fernanda Longo on

    My favorite book is Botany in a Day by Thomas J. Elpel, was the first book I got when I arrived to US and was just the “click” I needed to start a passion with Flowers and Herbs. I’ve learned a lot with it since I was clueless about any plants, so there is a special place in my heart for it.

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  444. Beth D on

    My favorite is The Great Railway Bazaar: By Train Through Asia by Paul Theroux, because it’s all about the journey and what goes wrong and right along the way. It’s a joy to read.

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  445. Sherrie Holland on

    My two favorite books are Little Women and the Secret Garden. Both are just beautifully written and I can picture myself as a character in either one as I sit and them over and over. If I may add the movie the secret garden has the most beautiful Garden that I have ever seen in a movie.

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  446. Kim on

    When my husband and I first married I was gifted the book Better Homes and Garden Step by Step Landscaping. As a young married couple I loved the do-it-yourself information and photographs that the book contains. And it has been my favorite go to book in each of the different places we have lived over the past 30 years!

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  447. Jessica Flinders on

    My favorite book always and forever is The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. I am a nurse practitioner and helping people is a passion for me. My other passions are all things flower garden and all things British. When I look back over my life for the springboard of these obsessive passions, it is always this book. I recently read it aloud bit by bit to my always patient, tolerant husband and it was just as wonderful as it was the first time I read it as a young girl and then re read so many times until I had children with whom I could repeat the experience. Another passion that must be mentioned is of course reading. And there you have it, me in a book ;)

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  448. Christi Christian on

    My favorite gardening book is a collection from the National Gardening Club. A set of 20+ encyclopedia type books ranging from Big Book of Flowers to Gardening for Wildlife and Recipes from the Garden, and even a book full of tips submitted by club members. I lost my set last year when we lost our home in a wildfire, but was able to find another set on eBay. It was one of the first things I replaced.

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  449. Melissa on

    My absolute favorite book is the Bible! It is where everything began. The creation of beauty and growth and love. I can’t wrap my head around the creation of it all….flowers and varieties and colors….Amazing!

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  450. Betty Szudy on

    I think my favorite garden book is the Sunset Garden Book that was originally published many years ago. I, too was/am a library fan for the last 65 years as is my son (now 41). The Sunset book introduced me to the world of plants and I still refer to it (the newer version) with pictures—for inspiration and new plant ideas. I also love the three Floret books.

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  451. Megin Mannheimer on

    I love the new book, What Happened to you, by Dr Bruce Perry and Oprah … it’s an incredible resource on understanding how trauma affects the brain and behavior – psychology and flowers are my two favorite subjects!

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  452. Megan E on

    My to-read list just got exponentially longer! Choosing favorite books is incredibly hard, but I went with my first gut impressions :-)

    My favorite gardening book right now is The Foodscape Revolution because I’m trying to design a traditional kitchen garden mixed in with an abundance of flowers in our front yard/landscaping. A close second is Discovering Dahlias – I grew up super close to Triple Wren Farms (before they were there there was also a dahila farm in the area – my sister got her wedding flowers there 29 years ago) – and I’ve always wanted to grow dahlias. I’m hoping that I’ll be able to grow enough this year that I can take bouquets down to the local seniors’ home all summer.

    For novels, it’s a book called Obasan by Joy Kogawa, a Canadian poet. It’s a heartbreaking book, but her lyrical way with words (she’s also a poet) makes it hauntingly beautiful. I read it for the first time my first year of university and it’s stuck with me for almost 20 years.

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  453. Beth Preuss on

    My favorite flower design book is Sensational Bouquets by Christian Tortu. I have an autographed copy that was passed on to me by my mom. She and my father had met him in his shop in Paris in 2001. His beautifully philosophical approach to flower arranging in harmony with nature is such a delight and inspiration!

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  454. Stacy Young on

    My favorite book is DISCOVERING DAHLIAS , I’ve learned a lot of new information on Dahlias and hope to grow some beautiful new color dahlias next year😊

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  455. Lisa Myers on

    Any of these books would be wonderful to receive and read. I have your book, “Cut Flower Garden”, which was amazing and because you shared so many tips, I was able to start on my new journey as a flower grower (along with my small apple orchard). The book and what you shared inspired me so much, that I have signed up for the workshop this year too! Thank you Erin, for always sharing your tips, tricks, and amazing ways to live, love and grow with flowers. It always brings a smile me and to others.

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  456. Elsa Jacobs on

    Mans Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl is witness to resounding perseverance through intense persecution and the ability to continue on for the hope of a dream. Most precious, all time favorite read.

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  457. Laura on

    My favorite book is Little Women. I love to cozy up on the couch with tea and enter their world; they become my family for a moment. The abundant love that covered all strifes is so inspiring.

    As for flower books, gosh I have too many to pick just one!

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  458. Angela L. on

    I love A Year in Flowers because it covers everything you need to know in a quick, concise, easy to understand way, without being overwhelming in information, or terms that “regular people” can’t understand. I am looking forward to using it as a quick reference for this coming growing season!

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  459. Sharon Miller on

    Currently – Cool Flowers by Lisa Mason Ziegler. We really need to bridge the gap after spring bulb season while we wait for summer bounty. This book is very thorough and we are excited for our cool hardy annuals. Thank you for the book list. Can’t wait to check them out!!

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  460. Zoe on

    Gardening by Martha Stewart because it is a lovely book but mostly because of the sentimental attachment. My brother bought me a copy for my birthday when it was released- and called in a favor to have it inscribed to me and signed by Martha. My brother is a keeper too!

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  461. Kim Klonowski on

    The Little Book. Time travel, history, great characters, and a love story. What’s not to love?

    Reply
  462. Pat Preib on

    Coming from a family of readers and having recently retired from teaching, books have been at the center of my life since I can remember. There are so many books that I love and reread when I’m feeling low or restless for adventure. They’re mostly novels, but more recently, I find myself reading books about flowers, growing them, arranging them, the floral business and even university extension websites for more information.

    My obsession with all things floral started when, standing in my modest garden one gorgeous afternoon, I was again struck by the dilemma of whether to cut the flowers and bring them indoors or to enjoy their knock-you-out-at-the-knees beauty outdoors. Then–eureka! Why not grow some beds just for cutting flowers to bring indoors?! I was enthralled by the idea and had no idea what the first steps were. Lo and behold, the answers were awaiting me a few days later when I popped into a local housewares shop and a book caught my eye. It was Cut Flower Garden by a gal named Erin Something Unpronounceable. (My name is also unpronounceable.) I bought it on the spot and read the entire book over the next couple of days, entranced by the photos and inspired to the marrow to get serious about growing flowers. I am currently in the midst of launching a small cut flower business because of the joy that sharing flowers brings to me and others. And, of course, I own the entire Floret library now.

    Gratitude hardly covers what I feel I owe to Floret and the other floral farmers and designers who so generously share what they know with newbies like me. Every day brings new possibilities, challenges and beauty. In a world as fractious as ours, sharing flowers brings peace, community and purpose. Thank you!

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  463. Megan on

    One of my favorites (there are too many to count 😅) is the Book Thief. It has an incredible, artistic writing style that paints images with the words, but also an impressive use of formatting and type to help tell the story. The story is poignant, humanizing, and really struck a chord that people are generally, inherently good and having compassion is the greatest act towards being a good person.

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  464. Teresa Gill on

    My favorite book is the Dahlia book that Erin wrote!

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  465. Candace Andrie on

    Gardening by Martha Stewart
    One of my first books on gardening, that inspired me to more creative gardeninh

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  466. Samantha on

    My favorite book in the last many years is “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up” by Marie Kondo, what an incredible work! And my favorite garden book is “Cut Flower Garden” because it’s just sooo dang helpful as a reference and stunning to look at. I feel so lucky that today we have so many incredible books to read, by so many talented people ❤️

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  467. Judy Kellogg on

    I don’t have a flower garden book, but have been experimenting growing perennials and annuals for the last few years and I am totally addicted. I found you Floret and have learned SO much just from your webinars and newsletters. Thank you!I wake up dreaming about what to grow next. The gardening book I do have and love is about growing organic veggies and flowers together. “Great Garden Companions A companion planting system for beautiful chemical free vegetable gardens” by Sally Jean Cunningham I love it! And the idea of mixing veggies and flowers.

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  468. Judy Kellogg on

    I don’t have a flower garden book, but have been experimenting growing perennials and annuals for the last few years and I am totally addicted. I found you Floret and have learned SO much just from your webinars and newsletters. Thank you!I wake up dreaming about what to grow next. The gardening book I do have and love is about growing organic veggies and flowers together. “Great Garden Companions A companion planting system for beautiful chemical free vegetable gardens” I love it! And the idea of mixing veggies and flowers.

    Reply
  469. Rosie Macalister on

    You have given me a new book list to pursue and add a select few to my collection. Thank you Floret, always an inspiration !!

    Reply
  470. PJ on

    For children, Tops and Bottoms by Janet Stevens, a fun book about root vegetables and vegetables that are above ground, for adults, I continue to reference Theme Gardens by Barbara Damrosch. I particularly enjoy her ideas for butterfly and hummingbird gardens.

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  471. Sierra Delgado on

    “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle” by Barbara Kingsolver. It’s an awesome year-round journal style book that focuses on farm life and gardening.

    There are lovely recipes and so many wonderful stories woven throughout! This book is non-fiction but the author is celebrated for her many fiction stories as well. I LOVE that she invited her husband and daughters to contribute their own stories to this book since their farming was most definitely a family adventure.

    It’s incredibly heartwarming and inspiring!

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  472. Margaret on

    I don’t think I could choose a favorite book! The last book I read was with my 5 year old daughter, called “Luna Loves Art.” It’s a children’s book about a field trip to an art gallery and takes a surprisingly tear-jerking turn when it shows how art can allow people to feel and express their emotions in ways they weren’t capable of before.

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  473. Karen J Holland on

    I credit your “Discovering Dahlias” book on getting me hooked, which is good and not so good, on Dahlia’s and ordering way more than I could possibly use over the years. But…it’s also a silver lining because I’m able to give away bouquets all summer/fall and it’s such a great surprise. I can’t imagine a life without flowers and every year I’m adding more and more Dahlia’s. Of course I’m growing lots of other cut flowers but they are the crown jewels. Thank you for your passion and sharing your knowledge. It’s contagious!!

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  474. Kathy Compton on

    One of my favorites is Arranging Flowers by Martha Stewart. I love to try arranging flowers and found some great ideas in her book…I need all the help and creative ideas I can find.

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  475. Keressa Golden on

    My very first and only flower/gardening book I have at the moment, is Floret Farms Cut Flower Garden book and I love it!!! It’s given me soo much knowledge on how to grow my own flowers. Now my fingers are just itching to get in the dirt. Can’t wait for Spring!! 🌱🌻

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  476. Aimee Taylor on

    My favorite (one of many!) is Taxonomy of Vascular Plants by George Lawrence. It was a reference book in a college course I took that opened my eyes to the wonder of flowers.

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  477. Kim M on

    A couple of my favorite books are Gardentopia by Jan Johnsen for beautiful ideas on Gardena me backyard layouts, any of the Pottery Barn Spaces books for beautiful decorating indoors and out, and of course Cut Flower Granden by Erin Benzakein for getting me started on growing my own flowers.

    Reply
  478. Loren O. on

    The Harvester by Gene Stratton-Porter will always have a special place in my heart and shines in my mind when thinking of nature as well as love. Given to me by my grandmother who has had an overflowing garden every year of my life, no matter what. The strongest woman I know!

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  479. Brenda Barrone on

    Cut Flower Garden is one of my favorites because it was the inspiration for our cut flower business.

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  480. Barb F on

    Looking forward to these new favorites. Erin’s Dahlia book was a great help starting dahlia growing.

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  481. Michelle Dealy on

    I have had a love of growing things from a very young age and I love to read books to learn how to do anything new. The Vegetable Gardners Bible by Edward C. Smith and Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden are my two favorite books to refer back to constantly as I continue to grow new varieties.

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  482. Alejandra on

    Picking a favorite book ia like picking favorite child or flower! But as a farmer my life is consumed with soil books right now so I’ll share my favorite soil book. “Teaming with microbes” by Jeff Lowenfels. I call it a gatway book for anyone intersted in what happens beneath our feet! I’ve re read it several times, it’s easy to follow even if you’re not sciency and it’s so eye opening! It’s what startes my soil journey!

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  483. Maria Parker on

    I don’t have a favorite yet. I just placed ‘The Complete Gardener’ and ‘Five Marys Ranch Raised Cookbook’ on my library hold list. I can’t wait to read them.

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  484. Kaylee Coles on

    I’ve loved books my whole life (when I was a kid my parents had to take away the book I was reading if I got in trouble because I just didn’t really care about anything else). I grew up to major in English, not that anybody was surprised. I don’t have a favorite book since there are so many great ones, but I do really love “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.”

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  485. Matias on

    Lots of great books to choose from. The Hobbit by Tolkien is one of my favorites. I also love Monty Don and all his wisdom on plants, trees, veg and flowers. Love watching Monty on Gardeners World tv show. For me The Hobbit opened up a world of magic, love, mystery and a world to explore. Monty opened up a world of plants and diversity that I could not have imagined possible. Thank you Erin and team for all you do!

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  486. Karol Tortorelli on

    I’ve lived through a reading addiction phase mostly classic or romance, now it is collecting plants. How about favorite author? Margery Allingham or Ngaio Marsh, especially on Audible. I enjoy their characters and mystery stories. This will be my first year with a cut flower garden. I am slowly building a flower book library.

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  487. Mallory DeVries on

    My favorite book of al time is The Secret Garden. I re-read it every few years and it hits different each time.

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  488. Andrea on

    So many good books to choose from! A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle is a fiction favorite along with Redeeming Love by Francine River. Favorite nonfiction I would choose Resisting Happiness by Matthew Kelly or For the Love by Jen Hatmaker.

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  489. Jane Abernethy on

    I have two favorite books with uncomplicated but timeless themes, both rooted in the word “give.” The first book, “The Tale of Despereaux,” by Kate DiCamillo, is a story about the power of forgiveness, not only for the one being forgiven, but for the one bestowing the forgiveness. (Read the book—it’s better than the movie!) The second book, “Boxes for Katje,” by Candace Fleming, is based on the true story of the author’s mother. It teaches us that we all have something to give and can make a difference in someone’s life, no matter how big or small, or how expensive or simple the gift—or how young or old the giver is. The two books demonstrate that our actions can have a ripple effect and the ability to touch so many more people than we may have imagined.

    While these books are both classified as children’s books, they are infinitely relevant to readers of all ages. For me, they have messages that ground me as a human being, inspire me to do good for others, and remind me to be gracious and compassionate. Enjoy!

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  490. Racquel Pleasants on

    I start books and have a hard time finishing them. Except for this one, Astoria by Peter Stark. I have read and reread that book along with audible as it goes through so much history and struggle of claiming/discovering the PNW. Growing up on the NW side of Oregon and now living in the SE corner of Washington, this story is a reminder of what others went through, in and near my location(s). It’s a humbling reminder that where I live and where I grew up is a huge privilege and something to not be taken for granted. This history was not taught in general history classes, some of these events were discussed in my college history classes of the PNW, but to have it all right here in this book, is priceless. And listening to the author reflect on this piece of history while driving hwy 97 through the sagebrush lands, it was like I was teleported back in time (except I was in the luxury of my car and not out in the elements with minimal protection) & I could envision what the overland travelers had to go through and where the Native Americans hid for their next ambush or pow wow.

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  491. Connie Haas on

    For me a couple trips to England and listening to the quiet wisdom and experience of Monty Don has just solidified the gardener that has been developing in me for many years. I come from a gardening family….great grand parents who were homesteaders and grew fruit and berries for their livelihood. They taught me the foundational garden steps as a child and my heart is to share this love of all growing things worh my children and grand children.
    Thank you Erin for other recommends that I will definitely seek out. So grateful for this community of growers and potter’s. God bless and strengthen and teach us as we go!

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  492. Sarah on

    As many others have said, whatever I’m reading at the time! So currently it’s Tell the Bee’s That I am Gone, by Diana Gabaldon.

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  493. Levi Sallee on

    My favorite would have to be Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling. Perhaps not the best book in the series, but this first novel opened up an entire world of fascination and wonder that still makes me smile, even today!

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  494. Diane on

    I have so many books on my favorites list! But the book I read over and over is Home Below Hells Canyon by Grace Jordan.

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  495. Michelle S on

    One of my recent favorite genres of books have been coffee table books, especially flower and gardening books. The colors and textures make me so happy while paging through. I can’t pick just one, there are too many that make my heart sing!

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  496. Susan C. Roberts on

    So many favorite books – but as I live in Mississippi for general gardening Month by Month gardening in the South by Don Hastings was a go to for many years. As I came to love dahlias my of course and discovered Floret I’ve worn out my Discovering Dahlias book and I love the Year in flowers as well as Cut Flower Garden as well!!
    When I was younger, my mother bought the Square Foot Gardening book by Mel Bartholomew and it gave me grand ideas for a way to garden in small spaces – there are several new versions now.
    I can’t wait to find some of the books you have recommended! There are never too many books- just not enough time to read!!
    Thank you for inspiring us all!!!

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  497. Kathy Willis on

    Oh…Charlotte’s Web and Understood Betsy. And of course Little Women. Though I’m an avid reader, the books I read as a child impacted me the most.

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  498. Sara Groeneweg on

    I love some of these books so much!! Going to add a few to my Christmas list. Thank you for sharing.

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  499. Yvonne Grady on

    I too have always been an avid reader all my life. I read anything I could get my hands on, the library was like a candy store for me. After all my chores you could find me up in a tree reading weather permitting, other wise I could be curled up in some corner allowing my imagination to soar. I found it to be a wonderful way to explore the world and learn.

    One of the books that I love is, The Shack by WM. Paul Young. While it is a fictional story it also is a deeply moving story for me that reached into my soul asking, Why does God allow all of the unspeakable pain in our world? The answers I received and the insights were a true revelation for me. I now look at things differently in life! I have shared this book with all my friends as it is so insightful, it will make you laugh cry and perhaps repent..

    Another one of my favorite books is, Carrots Love Tomatoes by Louise Riotte. It is about companion planting for a successful gardening. It is chock full of wonderful information. It is my go to source every planting season, for a successful bountiful harvest. Louise also included several layout plans for different needs according to your gardens needs. I highly recommend this book!

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  500. Catherine Constant on

    My favorite book is Proverbs in the Bible. It speaks to what I want to become. I desire to be successful as a woman, wife, entrepreneur, and gardener. I love your book too, Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden. When I discovered it on Amazon, I felt so satisfied by the picture of you holding the dahlias. I do not like to cut my flowers because I have a limited amount in my urban English-style cottage garden. However, for the next growing season, you have encouraged me to grow more zinnias and experiment with dahlias so I can cut them and bring the floral arrangements indoors. Thank you for writing it. I also enjoy your Instagram posts too!
    Catherine Constant

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  501. Sarah on

    I can never say enough good things about Brené Brown’s Daring Greatly… but Cultivated: The Elements of Floral Style by Christin Geall has hands down been my favorite floral book to read so far. I adore how she weaves little history lessons into the pages of extremely interesting and helpful information. It’s rare that I read a floral book and come out feeling like I learned a ton, but I definitely did with this book.

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  502. Nina Knapp Jebens on

    I love Louise Riotte’s Book Carrots Love Tomatoes. It details companion planting to strengthen growth and thus reduce the need for pesticides and fertilizers! It’s fantastic.

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  503. Christy Taylor on

    Florets Discovering Dahlias is now one of my favorite books. Although I have all the others plus many many more, this one just grabbed me. For a few years now I have wanted to start my own flower farm but was soooo overwhelmed by all the choices. After spending much time with this book ( and my love of dahlias) it has made me change my direction a bit to just specialize i in this beautiful flower group. Thanks for all you do and and great inspiration.

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  504. Julie C on

    Oh my gosh. One?

    I can barely pick one for each genre.

    But here goes……for gardening I would have to say Cut Flower Garden, because it got me into growing…wait for it…a cut flower garden. I had done other types of gardening in the past, but never a cutting garden. I was (kinda still am) going through a difficult time in my life after suddenly and unexpectedly loosing the person closest to me, and this book was just the right book at just the right time. Getting outside, working with my hands, growing something beautiful that I could bring inside, create with and share with others was basically like therapy for me. And the clear, concise, detailed directions made it all possible for me to do, since at the time I didn’t have the energy to research each step individually. Following the steps and instructions resulted in an abundance of flowers that continues to bring a bit of sunshine with each bloom.

    And I have to agree with your love for libraries. My mom would take me once a week after school when I was growing up, and I could never get enough. I still use the library to this day. I always have a book at the house, and have gotten into listening to audio books on my drives. If you anyone here hasn’t listened to Tom Hanks read The Dutch House, do your a big favor and check this one out.

    Thanks for the list, it will keep me busy for a while. And I would love, love, love to win your starter kit. Thanks for all you do for the flower community.

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  505. Carolyn on

    Mary Oliver’s New and Selected Poems is forever a favorite. The words through which she shares her experience of the natural world are so moving and inspiring.

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  506. Rebekah on

    My favorite flower farming book so far has been Discovering Dahlias. Discovering Dahlias really opened my eyes to how many shapes, sizes and colors Dahlias can be! My Favorite none flower farming book is probably Tramp for the Lord by Corrie Ten Boom. Tramp for the Lord was really inspiring and taught me so much!

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  507. Jen Barrow on

    I am currently obsessed with Foraged Flora by Louesa Roebuck and Sarah Lonsdale. The moody images give me endless inspiration and the feel of the book’s fabric cover brings an unexpected calm.

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  508. Karyn Tori on

    Favorite all time book would be hard to pick… I recently received Sarah Raven’s A Year Full of Flowers and have loved soaking up her inspiring photos and enthusiasm!

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  509. Sarah on

    My favorite book of all time is The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, The Hobbit is a close second.

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  510. Kelli Davis on

    My favorite book is, “The Giver.” It reminds me of what is important in life. I read it shortly after losing my mom to cancer and it helped reiterate to me that great loss comes because of great love and that is SO worth it!

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  511. Aimee Enriquez on

    Whiskey in a Teacup by Reese Witherspoon
    She’s a great story teller and so funny.

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  512. Jocelyn on

    Discovering Dahlia’s has been my favorite for 2021!!! I was a first time dahlia grower this year and WOW did I get hooked. I’m obsessed and plan on doubling our rows next year :) Thank you for inspiring me to dive into the flower growing world. Life was a much happier and more colorful place with flowers this year. <3 Another all time favorite is Circe by Madelyn Miller.

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  513. Melissa Hoang on

    My favorite book is The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. I fell in love with historical fiction reading this inspiring story of two sisters and their heroic journeys. Set in France during the German occupation of WWII, this is a story about the strength and perseverance of women in the most terrifying of circumstances.

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  514. Beth on

    I cannot tell you how many times I have read again and again Floret’s Cut Flower Garden- I learn something new every time! I also love watching Monty Don on Gardeners World- I have always wanted one of his books

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  515. Kaitlyn McDonald on

    On Flowers by Amy Merrick is my favorite flower book. She blends together all the aspects of being a florist: the flowers, where to find inspiration, the people you meet on the job. The book itself is inspiration, and beautifully written. She perfectly balances the tone of her advice: the only thing she pushes is ‘grow where your planted’, everything else is a rule meant to be broken, or an apparent constraint that will push you towards creativity (for instance living in the city, or only being able to afford grocery flowers).

    You don’t need perfect conditions in order to create something beautiful.

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  516. Maren on

    I love Floret’s Discovering Dahlias. Beautiful pictures.

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  517. Katherine Smith on

    I Lost My Love in Bagdad by the late Michael Hastings. Very much unrelated to gardening and cut flowers. I’ve just discovered growing flowers for myself this past year and like you said in your docu-series, it changed me and I literally can’t wait for this coming growing season.

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  518. Daina on

    When reading your story, I thought about the library my dad had. It was two corner bookshelves, and I would sit in his chair pouring over the encyclopedias. I loved it! I have my own bookshelf organized by various topics. A favorite fiction book of mine is the Twilight series. I love the story and the romance! I was also inspired by the author’s story for writing it. A current nonfiction favorite is DK’s “Flora: Inside the Secret World of Plants”. It has amazing photography of plants and flowers, and so many fun and interesting botanical facts. I recommend it!

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  519. Karen Rigney on

    “The 36 Hour Day” by Nancy L. Mace and Peter V. Rabins is currently my favorite book. It is holding my boat steady, while my world rocks and rolls. It is my go to when I need advice.

    Newly diagnosed with an unknown dementia type, my husband needs me and we stay close to home, more and more.

    I spend my days sorting seeds, taking cuttings from my garden; I am propagating whatever I can for next year; cooking, sewing and often checking in with my new reference book.

    It is a Godsend, thank goodness I only need the first few chapters at this time.

    Reply
  520. Emily B on

    My favorite book is “The Faithful Gardener” by Clarissa Pinkola Estès. It’s my favorite because the language and storytelling are so gorgeous and hopeful. I read it at the start of every winter and it makes me weep with its beauty every time.

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  521. Esther Heaper on

    My favorite book is Little House in the Big Woods!
    My mom would read it to me as a kid before I could read. My kids are now reading it to me! I love to hear these stories.

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  522. Heather Apgar on

    I love the Hiding Place by Corrie tenBoom which is a true story about a lady in Holland and her family helping hide Jews and get them to safety during the Holocaust. She survived a concentration camp a traveled the world telling her story. I love stories where people, especially women, overcome insurmountable hardship to see great rewards for their efforts!

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  523. Jane Park on

    My favorite book is Ruth Page’s Gardening Journal. She provided the foundation to be a competent gardener. Ruth hooked me into gardening over 30 years ago. Today, I’m still loving the arts and science of gardening.

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  524. Peggy Gentile on

    I recently, rather reluctantly, relocated to North Carolina from NJ. While not my dream destination, I’ve been quieting myself and trying to make this…home. I joined the community garden which has been a godsend! What is it about people who enjoy getting their hands dirty!?! The people here have been a huge support and a wealth of knowledge. Adjusting to life…and gardening in the south has been an adventure.
    My favorite book and resource during the transition was recommended by a garden member and native North Carolinian.
    Carolinas Garden Handbook – All you need to know to plan, plant & maintain a Carolinas garden, by Toby Bost & Bob Polomski.
    Wonderful photography (why I love your books!!) with clearly presented and clearly organized information. Highly recommend it!

    Reply
  525. Emilie on

    I have some favorites from my adult life, but I still always come back to Miss Rumphius–my favorite childhood book that made me dream of living in Maine. It stuck with me throughout my life and I finally decided to move here a few years ago! :)

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  526. Laurie on

    Into the Wilderness by Sara Donati. Historical fiction and a lifelong love story that offers a little sweet escapism into the past. I’ve read it over and over again.

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  527. JoCarol Cohen on

    I too love the library as a child and read every Frog and Toad book many times. A recent favorite was Blood, Butter, Bones by Gabrielle Hamilton as it helped me fall deeper in love with cooking.

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  528. Amanda Ward on

    One of my recent favorites has been Dearly Beloved by Cara Wall! It’s a gorgeous story about marriage, lifelong friendship across differences, and faith. 10/10 recommend.

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  529. Erin on

    Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. Mans search for Meaning. And I currently cant check out enough library books on gardening

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  530. Pam Poisson on

    Thank for this wonderful list!
    My favorite go to gardening book is Ask Ciscoe by Ciscoe Morris.
    It’s pretty basic, but that’s usually all I need. I like that he is from the PNW and knows what works here.
    This is one of the same reasons I’m drawn to Erin’s books.
    Although I’ve never cuddled up with Ask Ciscoe like I do with Erin’s books, he is always at hand.

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  531. Katie on

    I really enjoyed the book Mindset by Carol Dweck. It’s very eye opening regarding the importance of having a growth mindset in life and work.

    Reply
  532. Lani Rossmann on

    It is impossible for me to pick just one favorite book! But, one of my recent favorites is the Flower Color Guide by Darroch and Michael Putnam. I love to create flower watercolors and this book, although geared more toward flower selection and arrangement, is a wonderful resource for artists as well.

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  533. Jaime on

    I wasn’t going to choose a book about gardening, but I simply could not narrow down my favorite book to a top five, much less an absolute favorite, and narrowing the subject at least got me down to two.

    First is VERSAILLES, by Jean-Marie Perouse de Montclos. While it is not a gardening book at all, and the writing is a rather scholarly dive into the history of Versailles from hunting lodge to chateau, it’s the photographs that drew me in. They are just stunning. When I was at Versailles with a high school group trip many (many!) years ago, I was SO eager to see the gardens as I’d been dreaming about them since I was five and first saw the photo book my sister bought when she was there. And then, they walked us past all of the gardens after the chateau tour, to the Hamlet, and then to the bus to leave. I was devastated. Though I’ve told myself that I’ll go back one day to see the gardens, that was long ago, and I’ve chosen to travel to other places I’ve never been before. The photographs in this book don’t make up for not seeing the gardens in person, but they are a wonderful substitute.

    The second is VISIONS OF PARADISE by Marina Schinz. I picked this up buried in the corner of a used bookshop while in college. The text gives historical context and basic design standards of a variety of garden styles (Italian, English, herb, rose, landscape, etc.), but again, it was the photos that grabbed me. I’ve had this book since Clinton was president and I can’t begin to guess how many times I’ve picked it up and flipped through the pages, pausing to daydream about the locations within.

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  534. Jordan on

    Thank you for sharing so much amazing information! I’ve followed for a while and have learned so much and been thoroughly inspired by you! My favorite book is Water for Elephants (and always, Harry Potter). 💕

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  535. Hannah on

    Wow, a favourite book, that is so difficult! from a gardening perspective I really like Rachel de Thames Top 100 star plants, and also Gardens of Plenty by Marilyn Abbot about potager gardens. And Paradise and Plenty by Mary Keen some beautiful photos in all of these. Enjoyed the Duncton Wood books when I was younger, and The Language of Flowers by I think the last name is Diffenbauch – a fictional story. So many great books out there.

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  536. Sarah on

    My hands down favorite books are The Nightingale, The Hiding Place, and Cut Flower Garden🙂🥰 The author of the Nightingale paints a vivid picture of what women went through during WW2. I love seeing the faith experience of Corrie Ten Boom and all she has to go through in her autobiography, The Hiding Place. And Erin, if it wasn’t for me randomly buying your book, Cut Flower Garden on a whim because of the gorgeous photos then I wouldn’t be a flower farmer now! 💕

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  537. Ela Nicolaides on

    I totally relate to that love of books that teach and inspire. Ours were spilling over our available bookshelf space, so, not having the excuse of “this is my livelihood,” I’ve declared a moratorium on buying new gardening (and cookery) books. Painful but necessary! So I offer a slightly quirky choice that I’ve just been given by my daughter, who somehow found it unused at a charity-run second-hand bookstore (which allowed her to skirt the ban!): “A Gardener’s Journal: a ten year chronicle of your garden” published by Lee Valley. A big heavy tome, which gives you space to record all aspects of your gardening over a ten-year period. I’m starting my garden more or less from scratch, so this will be a beautiful way to record its progress. Plus, I’m an ambitious, adventurous gardener, but not an organised one, and I’m looking forward to the help this gives me to be more mindful in my activities and to be able to refer back to the learning gained from each season’s experiments.

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  538. Rhonda Luse on

    I’m so excited about this giveaway! All those books look so amazing! One of my favorite books is Heidi. I read this aloud to my children several times as they grew up. Such a sweet story!

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  539. Kharizma McAnulty on

    Also this blog post is getting bookmarked! I need most of these recommended reads!! I might need to build another bookshelf or two.
    Thank you Erin for sharing your favorites! I already bought TWO!

    Reply
  540. Rachel on

    I love the Hiding Place by Cori Ten Boom. In World War 2 she hid Jews fleeing from Nazi Germany and ends up in a concentration camp because of it. It shows what sacrificial love and bravery look like in the midst of great danger. It’s so good.

    Reply
  541. carmen snouffer on

    My favorite book is the daily devotional ,Jesus Always -Embracing Joy in His Presence ,by Sarah Young. Being encouraged to look for and find joy and embrace joy, in spite of all the challenges of the last year has really helped me keep my eyes looking up and stay positive !

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  542. Chantal S. on

    My favorite book is The Great Good Thing, a lovely young reader chapter book. I also have fond memories of my dad reading The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe to me so that book is definitely at the top of the list.

    Thanks for sharing joy through books and flowers 📚🌸

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  543. Donna Adams on

    Very hard to pick one book but I will hoping to win your collection 😁. Where the Crawdads Sing. Thank you for all your inspiration and I love your series on Magnolia network.

    Reply
  544. Carolyn on

    My favorite book is Braiding Sweetgrass. It’s a magical book that combines indigenous knowledge of botany and classical western knowledge of botany. Robin Wall Kimmer writes with such delight, it’s impossible to not fall in love with nature as you read.

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  545. Kristin on

    I hate picking a favorite book! But probably my childhood favorite was The Chronicles of Narnia. Now I love sharing then with my kids. I loved the adventure, the conflict of good and evil and choosing to do what’s right on difficult circumstances, and so much more.

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  546. Jackie Holman on

    My favourite book is Gardens at First light. It has beautiful photos and is super inspirational.

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  547. Kharizma McAnulty on

    ONE?! Are you kidding me?? Ok.
    Since this is a garden blog I will steer in that direction.
    ONE?!
    I want to say “The Lavender Lover’s Handbook” by Sarah Bader because lavender changed me on a molecular level and this woman’s farm gave me dreams to follow.
    I want to give a shout out to “Evolutionary Herbalism” by Sanjah Popham because this man holds a key to life and his teachings are profound and well…evolutionary.
    ONE YOU SAY?!
    Fine. It’s this one…
    “Magical Gardens: Cultivating Soil and Spirit” by Patricia Monaghan.
    I found this book at a library sale over 20 years ago. I have turned the pages of this book so many times I am on my third copy. I have given it away and recommended it more than any other garden book. It captures the essence of a gardener’s soul. It allows dreams of the garden to develop like the seasons; a seed, a sprout, the riot of color and the letting go. Yes, this well my be my favorite one of all.

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  548. Chris Bouchard on

    The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible is a favorite gardening book… picking a favorite “just reading” book is hard as I’ve been a voracious reader since I began way back in 1st grade. Although I’d probably say any Nancy Drew book as the start to my lifelong love and inspiration for our farm’s name, Red Gate Farm.

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  549. Lisa craddock on

    The Well-Tended Perennial Garden by Tracy DiSabato Aust, followed by The Garden Primer by Barbara Damrosch. These have been my go-tos for years. Before I REALLY started gardening actually. I’m loving all of the suggestions in the blog and plan to check some of them out! Thank you!

    Reply
  550. Melissa on

    My favorite book is The Hobbit, I know totally strange and out there lol. But it was my most memorable book reading it as a child.

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  551. Stephanie on

    My favorite Book would have to be Little Women. My Grandmother and I were about half way through the book when she passed away in a car accident. I still have the page marked where we stopped.

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  552. Esmer Garcia on

    Floret farm’s Cut Flower Garden😍 📖..I started following you in Instagram and just had to get your book…just love the whole story about how your love for gardening started….I even brought some sweet pea seeds and planted them in my garden. Really enjoyed your book and still do, love everything about it….and it just so nice to take the time and appreciate and see the beauty of God’s creation. 💐

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  553. Kaye Hall on

    Margaret Moseley’s A Garden to Remember by Martha Tate

    A gorgeous garden 80 years in the making!

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  554. Tori on

    Salt, fat, acid, heat by Samin Nosrat. I know it’s a cook book but it reads like story. Also her scientific explanation of how and why certain things work is so enlightening and the illustrations are charming.

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  555. Rochelle on

    I have always loved the book Little Women ❤️ I love imagining I live in those days and appreciate the simpler seasons of life. I also love that it has been made into movies 🤣

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  556. Amy Albano on

    This is a hard one, but I think my favorite is Discovering Dahlias! The layout is absolutely beautiful and it has been an excellent tool for a first time dahlia grower! The instructions and advice have been invaluable! Not to forget the pictures!!! I could look at them all day and dream of future garden plots! Just love it!

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  557. Jacilyn on

    Don’t panic by albertagirlacres.

    Such a practical book for cut flower beginners!

    Reply
  558. Erin Robinson on

    So many favorite books it’s hard to pick just one! A classic that I cherish (and at the top of my favorites list) is The Secret Garden. I remember reading it as a child and feeling like I was in another world. Rereading as an adult is so endearing and inspiring.

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  559. Sarah Nutter on

    Cut Flower Garden!

    I sent a copy to my mom in Canada when we couldn’t be together during the pandemic border closings. We would plan our flower gardens together over FaceTime using this book. It kept us connected. 💛

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  560. Denise Kerley on

    The secret life of bees by Sue Monk Kid I love it because it is based around gardening with bees and has a wonderful story

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  561. Morgan Gilbert on

    Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden is on my birthday/Christmas wish list. My fingers are crossed that I will get to start reading it soon!

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  562. Loree Cain on

    Cut Flower Garden is beautiful and inspirational, and spurs me to start my flower business dream! Right now it’s still a hobby, but I have hopes to get there, and keep this book by my bedside to serve as that nudge into something new!

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  563. Tonya on

    Florets farm Cut flower garden.
    I saw this bookon online and ordered. Ive been gardener for years but I didnt know anything about cut flowers farming until I came across this book. I was totally in awww over her photos and easy to understand, great knowlege of flowers. It has changed my goals in life.

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  564. Darrella Cavenaugh on

    I received your A Year in Flowers a few months ago. I’m a bit obsessed with Florets. Ha! But seriously, it brings me joy to see the beautiful flowers, the creations of the arrangements and the possibilities. I’ve also learned the names of flowers I never knew, and of those I never knew existed. Thank you for the work you and your team have put into this book and others. Its a blessing I’ll pass down to my grandchildren. God bless!!

    Reply
  565. Fred LaValley on

    “A More Beautiful Question” by Warren Berger. I listened to this on Audible, and then bought a hard copy to actually read because the content is so rich. It challenges you to think critically and creatively, and to ask questions. It is an inspiration and challenge to be inquisitive and curious, and then to pursue an answer AFTER you’ve pursued the best question. This is relevant for me with my wife and children (don’t kids usually have the best questions?), at work, church, with neighbors, and even meeting the stranger while shopping. Questions are the door to exploring the world.

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  566. Courtney on

    Cut Flower Garden :) I may not have started playing out my garden dreams yet, but this book is so inspirational and helps me prep!!

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  567. Joyce B Johannes on

    It’s hard to narrow down a favorite book but I think I will have to say Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver. Her characters and their relationships and her descriptions of plant and animal life are brilliant and mesmerizing. I can read her books over and over! Love this post by the way…thanks so much for inviting all of us into your world of favorite books!

    Reply
  568. Jean H on

    All the books 😊
    This time of year I check out the King Arthur Flour Baking Companion from my local library. There is a recipe using leftover cranberry sauce for a coffee cake that is delish.

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  569. Kelly Ferguson on

    I’ve enjoyed The Layered Garden by David Culp followed closely by your collection. :)

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  570. Mandy Herron on

    This guide is so helpful as I build my floral book collection. Erin, your helpful “Discovering Dahlias” book has started a major obsession for me! I am hoping to start growing my collection of dahlias as I grow my floral business.

    On the business side of things, one of the easiest reads that is often inspiring and helpful was “Rework,” by 37 signals. I read it in college and I got it done in a few hours—so simple and straightforward.

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  571. Stephie McCumbee on

    My favorite book is Cut Flower Garden. It was a gift from my husband and my first and only garden book.

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  572. Shu Jean on

    When choosing a favourite book, this quote comes to mind: “I could no sooner choose a favorite star in the heavens” (from the movie Ever After). For this assignment, I will choose my newest favourite, The Scholomance series by Naomi Novik. The writing and the cliffhangers! I am anxiously waiting for the 3rd book.

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  573. Kaylyn on

    Discovering Dahlias is my favorite book because it helped guide me to all the resources here at floret. Now I feel that growing a successful flower garden is possible. My grandfather used to have a large vegetable garden and after moving into his house I want to honor him with creating a garden of my own in the same space.

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  574. Lauren on

    I have really enjoyed The Complete Gardener by Monty Don. I like how it shows different tasks in different seasons (although our winters are a bit harsher) and other how to’s. Also, not a book per se, but I love looking through the Whole Seed Catalog from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds in the off season and dreaming of varieties I could grow and reading the seed stories.

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  575. Amy Beaupre on

    My parents had The Self-Sufficient Gardener by John Seymour. I remember looking through it as a child. It is filled with great illustrations. The book is now mine and still love to look through it.

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  576. PeggyGierhan on

    and I shall have some peace there by Margaret Roach, I love reading how gardening has changed people’s lives

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  577. Taryn on

    I don’t know how to pick a favorite book! There are too many. Shaye Elliott’s books always make my heart sing, though. Whether she’s romanticizing the beauty of the cottage garden or preaching on the realities of farm life her language is so poetic that I find myself entirely consumed!

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  578. Savannah Dorris on

    I’ve read and referenced Cut Flower Garden so many times, it is my favorite flower book. Where the Crawdads Sing is my favorite fiction!

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  579. Gerri on

    I have no answer to the question! I love to read and always have but one favorite? A book that changed my life?? People have. I would sweat this, since I’m not obeying the rules but with close to 3000 entries, it would have been a long shot to win! Thanks for the great list of books.

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  580. Gretchen Zagzebski on

    Frances Palmer’s book is food for the creative soul! Not to mention her secret ingredient (orange juice) in her pie crust has changed my baking world forever!

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  581. Jessica on

    One of our favorites is Seed to Seed because it has really helped us to better understand how we can get more plants every year!

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  582. Jill Brennan on

    One of my favorite books is Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher (or any book by her) she has such a way of creating characters and stories that you can escape to. I have read this a few times and will be restarting it again today for a little classic escape.

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  583. Jessica on

    One of my favorite gardening books is The Winter Harvest Handbook by Eliot Coleman. It opened my eyes to gardening in winter and how to do it.

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  584. Kayleen on

    One of my favorites is Shauna Niequist’s Bread and Wine. I love books that combine everyday life and food :)

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  585. Trudy on

    My most practical home gardening book has been the Four Season Harvest by Elliott Coleman. We have produce all year around now in zone 6. Winter gardening is so easy too- with low hoop covers, it’s well worth the effort towards the end of summer to let your produce wait for your daily harvest all winter (no weeding, no canning or freezing just there in the garden “refrigerator”). Bonus winter greens taste way better and the bugs are gone!

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  586. Catie on

    My favorite book is Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver! This book completely changed the way I think about life and they way I interact with the earth. I’ve made a lot of changes in my habits and gardening since reading it!

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  587. Carol Bonsignore, Local Roots Floral on

    Erin, like you I am obsessed with flower and gardening books and have all 3 of your wonderful books in my library. One of my favorites is a children’s story, Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney. I love this story because it depicts an independent, strong female character who travel the world spreading lupine seed. I so want to be a Miss Rumphius!

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  588. Sandi Keene on

    I love Sara Midda’s South of France : A Sketchbook. It a small book with charming tiny sketches lovingly watercolored. The book is filled with travel memories, art, and my personal favorite, color swatching. It’s inspiring and delightful. Always a joy to peruse. It will fit in your purse.

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  589. Kelly Ann Myers on

    My favorite book is Carolyne Roehm’s “Preaentations” . Her books are so beautiful!!!! I love all of them!

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  590. Melissa on

    Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry- a fantastic adventure and a truly American story.

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  591. Chris Allen on

    My favorite book is Pride and Prejudice. It has definitely stood the test of time and gives me pleasure when I reread it.

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  592. Nicole Crumbley on

    Before there was Erin & Floret there was the great Monty Don! I love everything he does from his books to his wonderful gardening shows. And no surprise my favorite book The Complete Gardner is also on your favorites list.

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  593. Joelle Cole on

    My favorite book is The Maggie B. My mom read it to me when I was little and I’ve read it to my children. The story is so sweet and shows a love between a brother and a sister. And the pictures are spectacular!

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  594. Heather on

    I have so many well loved books. One of my most often used is a church book of recipes my moms church put together, but I also love the Magnolia Table by Joanna Gaines recently.

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  595. Stephanie Mills on

    Flower, vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver, was a game changer for me. It made me look at food and where it all comes from so differently.

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  596. Kristen on

    The Strengths Finder book is a stellar recommendation. It teaches you to further develop and lean into your strengths, rather than trying to be the best at everything. I loved taking the quiz that comes with it, reading about my own strengths, and some great ways to put those talents to work. This book has been enormously helpful.

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  597. Susan Armstrong on

    A Woman’s Hardy Garden
    Helena Ely

    I had recommendations for this book when i began my cutting flowers garden and found that although written a long time ago her use of readily available elements made me begin with a back to basics approach which gave me a great foundation for success in growing and designing my gardens.

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  598. Dedra Gourdin on

    Most of the time when I read, it will be either a book on farming/gardening/flowers or an inspiring biography. With the weather turning cold next week and outdoor farm tasks winding down, I am eager to dive into my winter book list. I was excited to have some additional recommendations on one of my favorite subjects to add to the list!
    My favorite farming/gardening books have been those by Eliot Coleman. These are the books that got me excited about farming initially, and also started me down the road to getting the education I needed to be successful in this venture. Although he grew vegetables, and I grow mainly flowers, his focus on organic methods opened my eyes to a better way of farming that works with nature rather than fighting against it.
    Since one of Coleman’s books has already been highlighted in your post, I will also include here a favorite biography. The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown is an excellent read!

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  599. Brenda Embry on

    I’m a book junkie now, but the first book I ever read was Shepherd of the Hills by Harold Bell Wright. It was written in 1907 but the story captured me and I read it over and over as teenager.

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  600. Brandie Hatch on

    My favorite book is a Dog’s Purpose. Though it makes me cry any time I read it, I find that it truly hits home to all the ways a dog can show its love for life and people.

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  601. Anne Halvey on

    I worked in an Antiquarian and Used Book Store for several years and was exposed to many different gardening books. I liked reading the essays of Colette’ called Flowers and Fruit. I also liked Childe Hassam’s Impressionistic depiction of the flowers and garden of an artist colony in Maine. There were so many beautiful books I could go on and on and on.

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  602. Jessica Jones on

    Milk Street Tuesday Nights by Christopher Kimball is my favorite cookbook! I’ve cooked nearly every recipe. They’re delicious and very flavorful.

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  603. Pammy Barnes on

    The Marvellous Fluffy Squishy Itty Bitty – By Beatrice Alemagna
    It’s pink, it’s fluffy and it’s itty bitty. A magical story with beautiful illustrations. I love it! And there’s a flower shop in there too xx

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  604. Jenny Miller on

    The American Meadow Garden by John Greenlee and A Hole is to Dig by Ruth Kraus. ✨

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  605. Amanda Renner on

    I recently had my second child, and she has come to love a book called Thelma the unicorn. I love the book because of the joy it brings her, and also the message behind the book. The take away for me is self acceptance even in a world where we are expected to be everything but ourselves.

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  606. Janine Wheeler on

    Reflecting on a favorite book, I realized that Simple Abundance – A Daybook of Comfort and Joy by Sarah Ban Breathnach is it! I have owned this book for over 20 years and yet I’m reading it again on a daily basis. It has been especially reflective during these trying times.

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  607. Willow Leach on

    Picking a favorite book to a book lover is like picking a favorite flower…almost impossible! Siddhartha is a favorite that I try to reread every year and I find new parts that ring true depending on what is going on in my life at that time. Any book that you get drawn to over and over (especially reference books!) are always valuable in life.

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  608. Darline Mitchell on

    This is a difficult question, one favorite among so many and to choose only one. I would have to choose a children’s book. The one my grand blessings ask me read to them when they are snuggled on my lap. Today I choose Moose The Messy by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat.

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  609. Laura Luque on

    While fiction, I think my favorites are the Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien, my mind loves to travel and there are so many beautiful places to go in his books. Sorry if I’ve posted before, I couldn’t find it and my comment so I don’t think I sent one yet, and what I started was still in the box so I wanted to make sure I entered.

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  610. Anya Turner on

    I love the Book of Flowers – a collection of paintings by Pierre Joseph Redoute – it’s a garden on paper. I also love the New York in Bloom, Paris in Bloom and London in Bloom by Georgianna Lane.

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  611. Isabel Bonilla on

    I’ve already added some of these to my wish list. One of my favorite books from my home library is The Gossler Guide to the Best Hardy Shrubs. It’s my go to book when I want to research a shrub, and they include notes on growth rate, etc

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  612. Kelly Cantwell Brown on

    This is so hard! I have so many gardening books, and I rotate through them over and over again. My recent acquisitions to the library are “Windcliff” by Daniel J. Hinkley. He’s so inspiring, and “Organic Gardening” by Charles Dowding. Digging the No-Dig method! Do catalogues count? David Austin’s Rose catalogue is next to my bed. But, your book, “Cut Flower Garden” unleashed something in me. It reminded me of my obsession with growing plants; almost seeming to give me permission, reinforcing I wasn’t wasting my time, so I jumped back in and haven’t looked back. It’s awesome!

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  613. Andrea Garro on

    I am so passionate about this one and only life and I have found that books are my way of maximizing those experiences and joys by opening up its cover and finding inspiration, emotion, travel or respect for the authors message and creativity. My favorite book wow this is tough! My answer in this moment is Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. When I read this book I had just moved cross county with newborn twins. I moved to a city where I did not know a single soul and no family support. In a moment where life seemed to be simply too much I was inspired by Elizabeth’s paralleled breakdown and how it lead to her rebirth. She followed her desires with vulnerability that inspired me to always face the light and to live in my authenticity. I love all books. The books I bring into my home become a part of me. I find comfort and endless inspiration from my books. All of these books you have recommended would be such a special addition to my library. I would cherish and reference each one and refer to them when planning my garden in my vineyard in Vista, California. 🌸🌼💐🪴🌱🍇 🙏🏻

    Reply
  614. Brynn Moore on

    My new favorite book to read and keep open on the table is the Popol Vuh. I like to read through sections and learn more about the culture of my ancestors while enjoying the art, language, and history. A book in the fiction genre that I think makes a great accompaniment to this book is the book Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia!

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  615. Michal on

    I wish I had just one favorite book, but instead it is a favorite author. Barbara Michaels. Many years ago my mom introduced her to me and I fall into her books time and time again. I get so enthralled I often “surface” confused when the real life weather doesn’t match what is going on in the story. Just talked myself into anther marathon reading adventure!

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  616. Gabriela Garza on

    My all favorite book is hands down the Floret Cut Flower Garden! I love this book for its beautiful photography, variety of blooms, education, and inspiration that I can bring to my own garden!

    Reply
  617. Sue Rosenfield on

    I don’t have many gardening books but my favorite so far is Floret Farms Discovering Dahlias for the gorgeous colors and photos and easy to read information. If I am a lucky winner I’d love to win or eventually get Life In the Studio by Francis Palmer. it sounds like the life I want to live.

    Reply
  618. Jenny Collins on

    My favorite and first gardening book is your Discovering Dahlias. I’ve had a veggie garden for the 30 years I’ve been married. I’ve grown dahlias for about 15 years and love every stage. Their beauty brings much joy. I’ve never read much about them but have learned on my own over the years. When I bought your dahlia book and read every page- oh my, I learned so much. I never even knew you could grow dahlia seeds. Thanks to you I’m excited to try planting my seeds this next year. Thank you for sharing your gift with flowers in a beautiful but down to earth way!

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  619. Laura Minthorne-Brown on

    Great timing to come across this blog as I was just going through my favorite farming and gardening books on the shelf this afternoon while prepping for the Floret workshop! Home libraries are some of my favorite libraries, I love how they open conversations and give you clues about the interests and dreams of the people they belong to. What you find there might surprise you. My favorite book ever since I was a kid is The Black Stallion. The themes of freedom, resilience and victory seem to inspire me at any phase of my life.

    Reply
  620. Eve Julianna Weinberg-Poultney on

    I have so many favorites, Floret Farms Cut Flower Garden is one of my favs! Also, another favorite is Holistic Orchard. Oh, it’s hard to pick just one! I hope I am your contest winner. 🌸

    Reply
  621. Cindy Jensen on

    My favorite book is Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. I’m not sure why, but reading Jane Austen in a zombie story just makes me happy.

    Reply
  622. Vida Wu on

    Wow, it’s so hard to pick a favorite book, but I’ve always been fascinated by antique botanical, insect and other natural history engravings, so Albertus Seba’s Cabinet of Natural Curiosities comes to mind. I have been an avid gardener for about 4 years now (and an orchid enthusiast for long before I had my own yard). One of the things I love doing in my garden is observing wildlife especially all the amazing creatures that I never noticed before. I enjoy creating my own “cabinet of curiosities” by photographing butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, spiders interacting with my flowers. Gardening makes you appreciate all the wonders of nature and I’m awed that I can find that right in my own suburban backyard.

    Reply
  623. Valerie Calvo on

    Next to my Bible, Bird Songs is my favorite book. It is a compilation of 200+ North American birds, the region they live in and their habits. The best part is that you can push a button and hear the song they sing, any time you want! It makes the outdoors and gardening even more enjoyable as I listen and try to identify their happy melodies. I first learned many of the botanical names of flowers by pouring over books in the winter, awaiting Spring.

    Reply
  624. Angelina Vdov on

    My ultimate, favourite novel I have ever read, is hands down… Lavender mornings by Jude Deveraux. It was the book that first inspired me to look at a garden differently and to becoming obsessed with them. After the book that’s when I started studying the different types of plants!

    Reply
  625. Heidi on

    Recently I have really enjoyed books by Kristin Hannah, The Four Winds and The Nightingale. I loved reading Gone With the Wind years ago. So many good books out there and not enough time!

    Reply
  626. Cindy Inman on

    My current favorite is First, We Make the Beast Beautiful by Sarah Wilson. It’s a book about anxiety and it’s helped me get through a lot.

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  627. Sandy Amdor on

    Ishmael, The Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver, Freedom by Erin French and of course I’ve ordered all of Erin’s Books but mostly I’m diving into the Dahlia book because I want to be successful at growing them because they are so beautiful.

    Reply
  628. Casey Gooding on

    My favorite book I read this past year is “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking” because now finally at the age of 42 I know it’s okay to need alone time and allowing myself to accept that is actually what makes me reenergize. No longer do I fight my true quietness. Now, I take care of my introverted soul and find peace in my new career as a backyard farmer. Working alone with nature, flowers, and delicious produce gives me joy among the best company.

    Reply
  629. Amber Uhlhorn on

    Being asked to pick a favorite book is like being asked to pick a favorite child! I have a favorite author, Guy Gavriel Kay. If I have to pick one, I’ll say The Lions of Al-Rassan. I love his books because they have twists you can’t predict and little vignette side stories about characters who only enter the main story briefly.

    I learned about your farm through your Discovering Dahlias book. I moved this past year onto property with enough sun to actually grow dahlias, which I’ve always loved. I enjoyed the book so much that I bought your other two books. Thank you for passing on your knowledge. They are all beautiful and very informative.

    Reply
  630. Megan Payment on

    One of my favorite books is Lark Rise to Candleford by Flora Thompson. It takes me back to another time and place, which is such a fun part of reading in general.

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  631. Kristin on

    The book I return to again and again is Madeline L’Engle’s “The Irrational Season.” It carries me through the year, providing me with inspiration and hope.

    Reply
  632. Debra Bryner on

    Growing up I was fascinated with reading biographies. I remember when I was about 10 spending an entire afternoon reading about Helen Keller. I still love reading about people and the lives they lead. As a teacher I was always in used book stores or at book sales to find books to share with my students. When I retired I was able to share books with each of my students and 3 other classes. Now, my favorite book is not a biography, but in 2020 when I was in a local bookstore I asked if they could recommend a book they enjoyed and I was handed “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse” by Charlie Mackesy. I bought it and ended up reading it twice that first day and many times after. I love this book! It may look like a children’s book but it has life lessons expressed in a way that anyone can relate to. It is an easy read with great simplistic illustrations. I have given it to many friends and family members to read.

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  633. Lynn L Emerson on

    I am thankful for your list of books. I enjoy flowers although I live in the woods and can’t grow many of them (Rhodies do well in my year–so does moss!). I love color and express it currently express this through my jewelry making. Now that I am retired, I am looking forward to trying flower arranging, and seeing what I can grow at home. As a retired teacher, I have too many favorite books. I’ll tell you about two of them for this season. They are both children’s books. The first is called Winter is the Warmest Season by Lauren Stringer. It starts out with the statement “Winter is the warmest season.” The pages go on to explain why the child (protagonist) thinks so. It is a delightful point of view book. For the holiday season, one of my favorite books to share with children is A Wish for Wings that Work: An Opus Christmas Story by Berkeley Breathed. Poor Opus! As a penguin, he yearns to fly! He can’t. Opus’s only wish is that he could fly. I will tell you that Opus does fly at the end of the book but he learns a lesson, too. I’ll let you read the story to find out the lesson.

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  634. Courtney Dutton on

    Pride & Prejudice is my favorite book. I first read it in 8th grade as a 14 year old girl. I have since read it so many times, I have it almost memorized. It is my favorite book to pick up when I’m not sure what I want to read next. It’s like a hug from an old friend— comforting, familiar.

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  635. Hannah Whitney on

    The truth for me is that I’m actually not great at reading, which sounds weird to say! I often have a hard time getting through books maybe because I’m always trying to fit in too much other stuff. I wish I could blame it on being a new mom but that would be a lie! Haha. However I can say that my most favorite semi-recent purchase is “This Immeasurable Place”, the most wonderful cookbook (but much more) from the women of Hells Backbone Grill. If you have not heard of it, please put it on your bucket list and visit them in Boulder, Utah in addition to checking out their books!

    Reply
  636. Tricia Torrens-Burton on

    My favorite book right now is a daily devotional that my dad used for almost 40 years. It’s called Living Light. He died last year and I have loved using it daily this year, especially when he has highlighted text. (Highlights have been goosebump-inducing!)

    I don’t have a favorite non-religious book. How can one choose!? I read Francis Palmer’s Life in the Studio cover to cover. Joanna Gaines’ Home Body is a treat too.

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  637. Madison on

    My favorite book/ series has got to be the Gallagher Girls series by Amy Carter. I have yet to find a book or series that I have so vigorously recommended to women in my life. I read it when I was young, but it is so inspirational for a young woman’s mind and really piqued my curiosity. I love self help books though, most notably Think like a Monk and Blue Zones of Happiness. My favorite floral book I have gotten within the past 6 months is Foraged Flora with beautiful photography throughout, focusing on artistic elements to portray the organic finds.

    Reply
  638. Sarina Lagor on

    One of my favorite quotes from my grandfather is “every book becomes a favorite.” I really try to hold onto that reminder to be mindful, and dive into each and every book I read when I read it.

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  639. Em Swan on

    My favorite book is The Phantom Tollbooth. I read it with my son but it is exceedingly fun for any adult. I have always liked children’s books of any type for the imaginative creativity and art work, too.

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  640. Alice H Siebecker on

    I would have to say due to living in the northern Rockies at elevation, one of my favorite books is The Well-Tended Perennial Garden by Tracy DiSabato-Aust. I use perennials in flower arrangements and I refer to her book often for care and upkeep. Keep your books coming – I love them!

    Reply
  641. Amanda Reynolds on

    The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas is my all time favorite book. It is an epic slow burn that fully demonstrates how the power of tenacity and persistence can be used to gain success in any area of life. It‘s the only book i’ve read where I felt that I had taken a journey and become changed by the end.

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  642. Tiffany Valle on

    My favorite book is “The Little Prince” by Antoine De St Exupery. It is a children’s book that is also amazing and nostalgic for adults. I give this book to every baby born in the family and as Graduation gifts. It has touched me so profoundly. In the book there is a rose who is vain and superficial and the Little Prince strives to care for her. It’s full of so many beautiful lessons and wonderful quotes; here are two of my favorites…

    “ Well, I must endure the presence of a few caterpillars if I wish to become acquainted with the butterflies.”

    And

    “If empty…One couldn’t die for you. Of course, an ordinary passerby would think my rose looked just like you. But my rose, all on her own, is more important than all of you together, since she’s the one I’ve watered. Since she’s the one I put under glass, since she’s the one I sheltered behind the screen. Since she’s the one for whom I killed the caterpillars (except the two or three butterflies). Since she’s the one I listened to when she complained, or when she boasted, or even sometimes when she said nothing at all. Since she’s my rose!”

    I wish everyone luck. I will definitely be looking into these books. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
  643. Carly on

    Does a cookbook count?! Much like your love of flowers I have a love of cooking. Ina Garten is my go to whenever I am seeking comfort in the form of delicious food. Not only are her recipes simple and require few ingredients but they are downright delicious! Plus her beautiful photos can’t help but make you want to run to get into the kitchen to whip up a little magic!

    Reply
  644. Diana on

    Eckhart Tolle’s “A New Earth” was a very influential book in my life and opened my eyes to new ways of thinking

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  645. Valerie on

    A favorite especially now is discovering dahlias because I’ve been using it to decide what tubers to buy for the spring. I’ve gardened in varying amounts for 20 years and never grew dahlias, mostly because I didn’t realize how many different kinds there are. Mind blown! And so grateful for the beautiful book. The table I sleep next to is covered in books. My husband just shakes his head when I bring home more. I figure there are worse habits to have. <3

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  646. Savannah on

    Anne of Green Gables has always been my favorite!! Nothing is better when she say Dianne is her bosom friend and describes what it is! It makes you think of your friends and if they classify as a blossom friend! The wide eyed innocence she has in this book is so wonderful when the world I live in is losing or lost its innocence!!!

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  647. Susan on

    Loved The House In the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune. It was unique and heart warming!

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  648. Jess Amick on

    My favorite book is The Little Prince. I have loved this book since I was 5 years old. “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye.” It speaks to being imaginative, open-minded, and aware of and sensitive to the mystery and beauty of the world. Family, friends, connectedness, and being mindful and present in your life.

    Reply
  649. Lidia Jo on

    My current favorite read is Pacific Northwest foraging by Douglas Deur. It’s absolutely amazing the amount of edibles that are readily available to us. We have forgotten about these natural resources with generations past and modern conveniences.

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  650. Lidia Jo on

    My current favorite read is Pacific Northwest foraging by Douglas Deur. It’s absolutely amazing the amount of edibles that are readily available to us. We have forgotten about these natural resources with generations past and modern conveniences.

    Reply
  651. Jodena on

    Like others have said, my favorite is the one I’m currently reading. Right now I’m reading the latest book in the outlanders series. I love a good bookstore too even though they are dangerous for me to go into😂

    Reply
  652. Lidia Jo on

    Wow, what an amazing list! Thanks for sharing, I now have 5 books waiting for me at the library. Can’t wait to check them out and e idea which I can’t live without.

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  653. Taylor Paddock on

    My favorite book currently actually takes place partially on a flower farm!! It is called The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart by Holly Ringland, I love absolutely everything about it. If you haven’t read it yet Erin, you would love it! It emphasizes the beauty and importance of native Australian flowers throughout the book, as well as the stories that flowers can tell and how they are their own language. The way it’s written is truly artistic, creative, and deeply moving. It follows Alice, a sensitive, curious soul, and gives a different perspective and look at domestic violence and generational trauma. A masterpiece, truly. Reading it was the first time I had heard of a flower farm and I fell in love.

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  654. Michelle Brooks on

    Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingall Wilder. Hands down my favorite. I loved it because it was “true” stories of how she lived her life. Must have read this series 100 time

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  655. Kerry Maloney on

    A single favorite of anything is something I simply cannot identify. I would prefer if I could, to modify the question somewhat and answer that my current favorite book is The Paper Garden by Molly Peacock. It is an absolutely captivating biography of the 18th century botanical artist and collage maker, Mary Delany, whose astonishingly beautiful and accurate cut-paper flowers are now housed in the British Museum. There is so much to appreciate in this intelligent examination of a woman’s life: love, friendship, art, flexibility and the power of noticing things in their minute detail. I was entranced by the discovery of Mary and her work, and by the way Molly Peacock presents such moving meditations on creativity and the beauty that is life. A richly rewarding read…and the pictures! Truly mesmerizing to any lover of flowers.

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  656. Vaofua Mauigoa on

    My favorite book is The Sculptor in the Sky by Teal Swan. I’m into spirituality/esoteric knowledge and this is an amazing book because it answered so many questions that I had about how the universe worked. I love it so much! This book will shift your mindset big time.

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  657. Shelly Lehto on

    I love to read, currently I’m reading “Gardening When it Counts” by Steve Solomon, I also love “Seed to Seed” by Suzanne Ashworth. I am mostly a vegetable gardener but after finding Floret I am planning a cutting flower garden. Fiction, I love “Star Girl” and the “Book Thief”. I volunteer in my local grade school library and always recommend those two fiction books to my older kids.

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  658. Sue Olson on

    Quick as a cricket – a favorite children’s book by Audrey Woods . As a mom of three adult boys who all enjoyed the book, i now give it as a gift at baby showers or as a new baby gift. Classic for our family !

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  659. Debbie on

    I always loved “The Pilot’s Wife” by Anita Shreve. Even though I last read it years ago, I can still remember her description of the wife’s shaking hand as she drank coffee and received word of the accident.

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  660. Liz Volger on

    One of my favorites is Under the Tuscan Sun. Much better than the movie!

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  661. Jenny S-R on

    I’m not sure there is just one favorite book so I’m going to share a few :). Favorite kids book “Say Something” by Peter Reynolds – a fabulous message for kids and adults. Favorite early reader book (series) – The Dragon Masters series. Great for the whole family. Favorite book from college “Youth in Revolt” because it was the first book that made me laugh out loud multiple times when reading. Favorite current book “Orphan X” – an entertaining book series that is written fabulously. The literature quality of a classic with the entertainment level of a just for fun read.

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  662. Carrie Proulx on

    My goodness, it’s liking picking a favorite child! Exodus has always been a favorite , cookbooks keep things interesting but lately your books have knocked the doors of gardening wide open and I’ve really enjoyed the last couple years more than ever. I know it’s just a beginning!

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  663. Alicia Bustamante on

    One of my favorite books is by Jenny Lawson called Furiously Happy!! Such a funny and relatable read for everyone!! I literally would die laughing at this book.

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  664. Megan on

    My favorite book is The boy, the mole, the fox and the horse. By Charlie Mackesy. It is beautiful book for children and adults! My favorite flower growing book so far is yours! I love the Cut Flower Garden book!

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  665. Sarah S on

    I’m not sure how to pick my favorite book as I have always loved to read, but I have a favorite author to share- Barbara Kingsolver. She writes mostly fiction with a biology background, which is my field of study, but also weaves a page turning narrative within each body of work that I have read.

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  666. Adriana Sparks on

    I don’t like sounding cliche on this one, but my favorite book is my Bible. As a Christian woman married to her high school sweetheart with two kids.. the pages are tattered and torn from years of walking through beautiful and trying seasons. Tear filled pages, sticky finger prints from little ones.. It’s carried with me and a constant reminder to always keep striving to love one another. My garden is how I can show people I love them by sharing something that i toiled over to grow, to pick and arrange and share out of a place of love. I often attach twine to a note on my bouquets that says “something beautiful is always in bloom”.

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  667. Jennifer H. on

    As a child I read and re-read A Little Princess, by Frances Hodgkin Burnett. I loved everything about that story. As an adult I fell in love with the book, A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. It was so beautifully written and the characters felt like old friends by the end of the book.

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  668. Connie Anderson on

    Right now I’m reading Make Something Good Today by Erin and Ben Napier. I’m enjoying it!

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  669. Charlotte Snoberger on

    My favorite of all time books is Les Miserables. I read it in high school and it really stuck with me. The utter generosity and love of some of the characters for people who were completely undeserving. The insight into the life and perspectives of certain groups of people. This book changed how I looked at the world and my brain still references it. It taught me to look past people’s surfaces and to really love them, to try to see deeply where people are coming from and how that can affect their actions. And now I need to go read it again! I feel like this book is just as influential to me today as it was 20 years ago when I first read it.

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  670. Amy Claborn on

    I have to say Cut Flower Garden! I am a nurse and it has been such a tough year and a half! Your books and blog post helped me get through and forget a lot of the hard stuff and focus on something wonderful! I planted my first big flower garden and am planning an even bigger one for next year! I can’t wait to by seeds!

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  671. Jaime Mayo on

    Gosh, how do you pick a favorite?! I tend to be one of those wishy-washy people that doesn’t have a favorite anything–or perhaps to play to my strengths as you mentioned, I am one of those people who LOVE EVERYTHING and everyone. :) I see the good in all and recognize that there is a time and a season for all things. For flowers, I really love Seasonal Flower Arranging by Ariella Chezar. For novels, I really love The Clan of the Cave Bear books. For fantasy, I’m really loving Brandon Sanderson books right now. For nonfiction, I really love 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. I’m currently listening to Freakonomics and thoroughly enjoying it! :)

    Reply
  672. Jinger Lamanna on

    It’s so hard to chose a favorite. This past year though, I have to say YOUR book, Cut Flower Garden, has been my favorite. Not only are the pictures beautiful, but it was so easy to follow the step by step instructions and it got me going on my dream of having my own cut flower garden. I got so many compliments and questions on how my flower garden was so amazing and I had to tell everyone I learned it all from your book!!

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  673. Adriana on

    My favorite book is my personal Bible. It is a constant reminder to me that my life is about purpose. In the every day no matter how big, small or significant the task is, it all matters, is important and a part of something beyond us.

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  674. Elaine Madansky on

    The Lean Farm by Ben Hartman is among my favorite farming books. Hartman’s focus is on how to gain the greatest efficiency in everything that’s done on a farm. A lot of time is wasted in the work that farmers do and finding ways to gain efficiencies helps farmers achieve the elusive work-life balance that farmers are always seeking in their lives!

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  675. Melanie on

    My all time favorite is Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. I accident stumbled upon the movie one time and was hooked which led me to reading the book. The characters are all amazing, chilling. There is nothing like an old, gothic mystery to reel me in.

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  676. Anita R Roberson on

    I really enjoyed The Market Gardener: A Successful Grower’s Handbook for Small-Scale Organic Farming by Jean-Martin Fortier because I was fortune to hear Mr. Fortier speak and he served as one of my initial farmer inspiration stories as a small farmer and cut-flower grower. He was able to show how hard work and dedication on a small property can lead to big rewards.

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  677. Katie H. on

    I have an eclectic taste in books and love a bunch of different genres and authors, so I honestly don’t know if I have an absolute favorite! But one book that really captured my imagination when I was younger was The Secret Garden. I loved how the garden not only came back to life but that it also changed the characters. I would pretend that doors would lead me into my own secret garden as a girl, and I’ve had an affinity for ivy covered walls ever since! It’s probably one of the reasons why I love the Children’s Garden at Longwood Gardens so much!!

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  678. Kelly Kays on

    “The Supper of the Lamb” by Robert Farrar Capon is an incredibly unique cookbook that is also not a cookbook at all. Charming and inspiring and a complete joy! “Cultivated; the elements of floral style” by Christin Geall is a great resource with breathtaking floral photography. Cheers!

    Reply
  679. Gretchen on

    I can’t think of a favorite book as an adult, but growing up I read Jane Eyre at least 5 or 6 times. I like Jane’s strength of character, and how she grows and matures through the circumstances and difficulties in her life. I used to read all the time and loved going to the library and used book stores. A few years ago I went back to school and didn’t have time to read for pleasure. I recently got a new job and have felt very overwhelmed, but watching Growing Floret and reading your posts has inspired me to start reading again and reminded me how much I used to love gardening. I’ve started slowly but am really enjoying it. As soon as I read your post this morning, I went on my library’s website to look for some of the books you recommend. I can’t wait to read them.

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  680. Brandy on

    For fiction, I love “P.S I Love You” bawled my eyes out! Also the “Twilight” series (please no judgement ha ha). I love the mental escape. I am in the mental health business so self-help books are my go to and my all time favorite is “The Body Keeps the Score” heavy but amazing information and so helpful for anyone’s healing journey with trauma. For gardening, only because of nostalgia, “Great Green Book of Garden Secrets” by Jerry Baker. I used to look through this book as a kid that my mom had and take in all of the pictures.

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  681. Noor Hakim on

    My favorite book is Heartless by Marissa Meyer. I’ve always been a voracious reader but university really knocked the desire to read right out of me. Heartless was what brought me back from my hiatus. It also has an extra special place in my heart now – my best friend was going through an incredibly difficult part of her life. In order for me to have an excuse to always call and make sure she’s ok, I suggested we read this book together! I’m happy to say she’s doing so much better, and our little book club is still going strong!

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  682. Debbie Klein on

    Jim Harrison’s The Road Home. He paints the stories of generations with words. It feels like a long walk with my grandpa.

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  683. Beth O’Neil on

    This past summer I found a treasure trove of historical fiction books written by Marie Benedict: Carnegie’s Maid, The Only Woman in the Room, The Other Einstein, and The Personal Librarian. What really speaks to me in these books is the innate power that women have to be and do all that we can be; the power to be our true selves that we, on occasion give away, don’t claim, or simply don’t always know we have.

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  684. Lisa Rawle on

    I would LOVE to win this! I made a list of these books as I read your descriptions and I am eager to get my nose in one!

    Reply
  685. Nerida Grady on

    I too have quite the gardening related book collection, and it all started with my mum’s Reading Digest books! She would regularly purchase them for herself, even though she’s not a gardener, and I secretly knew they were for me. I still have every single one and I adore them to this day. But, my most favourite book is by my favourite horticulturist Monty Don, The Complete Gardener. I love his enthusiasm for all things gardening, and that enthusiasm is evident in his books. I feel like he’s talking to me directly when I read it, and his advice is practical, easy to understand and achieve at home in my own garden. I just love it ❤️

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  686. Marcia Koenig on

    One of my favorite books was All the Light We Cannot See, and most other historical fiction I do also love all cookbooks and gardening books, so far have 2 of 3 from you.

    Reply
  687. Alisia on

    Hello,
    My favorite book is The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett. I love the beautiful pictures Ms. Burnett paints with her words. The wonderful things that can happen to us if we would just spend time in a garden. A few years ago when I lived in a tiny trailer park there was no room for flowers. And one of the ways I found to fill my empty flower soul was to read this amazing book and imagine myself in a garden able make things come alive.
    It has only been recently that I found Ms. Erin and Floret. I am so grateful I did. To be able to learn all about the blooms I grew up with and love is very precious for me.
    Have a lovely rest of your day!
    Alisia

    Reply
  688. Daniel on

    My favorite book is The Holistic Orchard by Michael Phillips. It’s a book about growing food which is something I love doing, but I also found myself laughing almost every page at the playfulness with which it is written. Thanks for sharing all these titles!

    Reply
  689. Laura Buller on

    My favorite book is the Secret Garden by Frances Hodges Burnette. I love this book because of the description of the revival.and regrowth of the hidden garden. The garden is a restorative place in the story and in life.

    Reply
  690. Ashley L. on

    What a good question!! My absolute favorite book is called “Homeless Bird”, a heart wrenching story about a girl’s life in India as she “comes of age” and her continual pressing on throughout the challenges in her life to find hope, happiness, and love. Since it was written for youngsters, it’s a quick read!

    Reply
  691. Amber on

    My favorite book….usually whatever I am currently reading. Haha. I am reading Prayer in the Night and it’s so good and encouraging that even though someone always has it worse it doesn’t mean I shouldn’t allow myself space to mourn or grieve the various trials of my days.

    Reply
  692. Amanda Goodreau on

    I think my favorite book is… Well if it’s fiction, it’s When Crickets Cry, by Charles Martin and non fiction… I think I have to go with The Book of Pie, by Erin Jeanne McDowell. I WILL learn make a perfect flaky crispy pie crust.

    Reply
  693. Kerri on

    I am not a reader by any means, but getting into flower farming has sparked my interest in reading significantly. I have enjoyed many of the above books including Erin’s. I just started Georgie Newbury’s book from Common Farm Flowers. Her accent and no frills approach have me smiling throughout the book. I also enjoyed The Glass Castle on audio that I read along with high senior’s English class.

    Reply
  694. Sarah Sikes on

    Not quite a gardening book, but I have always found an attachment to The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon. I have read the novel cover to cover several times and I reminded every time that everyone has a different approach to how they interact in society. It is refreshing to take a step back and view the world from a perspective so different from your own.

    Reply
  695. Megan Levinn on

    Oh gosh, it’s hard to pick just one favorite book! Harry Potter and the Giver are usually at the top of my lists. I would say these top my lists for the character growth and the standing up for the underdog aspects of the novels. I also enjoy the idea of magic and love flowers because it’s real life magic coming alive :)

    Reply
  696. Laura Regnier on

    Picking just one is hard to do but my favorite book in all seasons is my Bible. It is the one that you can read and reread and always find something new. ❤️

    Reply
  697. Jessica Antonyuk on

    I love books as well!! I’m rereading Uncle Toms Cabin, as well as all the new seed catalogs as they come in!

    Reply
  698. Katrina on

    My first favorites are Harry Potter! I love nostalgically rereading them.

    I also feel obligated to recommend Nature’s Best Hope by Doug Tallamy for any gardener who loves birds, butterflies, or bees. TLDR: native plants are critical to supporting beautiful lives of all shapes and sizes.

    Reply
  699. Cassy on

    If we’re talking gardening books, then I’d have to go with Monty Don’s “The Complete Gardener”. Such a wealth of knowledge, it’s incredible! And if we are talking non-gardening, I would say “Cry, the beloved country”. It’s heartbreaking and beautiful and left such an impression on me.

    Reply
  700. Patricia Reyes on

    ‘The Garden Awakening’ is one of my favorite gardening books.

    People laugh at how I describe my connection with my gardens. This is the first time I found someone describe it the same way I do. I have always allowed the garden to guide me in how to tend to it; where to place paths; where to plant a particular plant. I often am told that my hobby is gardening – I do not understand their comment. My connection to my land and me tending to it is no different than I drinking water to exits. Many neighbors walk by my property and dislike that I have replaced the lawn with California Natives, which go dormant during the summer. While their front yards are green with grass, my yard dies back and sleeps for 3 months. While my garden is green and has blooms, the frost has browned their lawns. ‘The Garden Awakening’ endorses my perception, and has given me the courage to keep educating people in the wonders of native plants.

    Reply
  701. Katie on

    Current favorite book would have to be The Lightkeeper’s Daughters. The unfolding of Elizabeth and Morgan’s connection is absolutely beautifully written, and I just love how the narrator switches between characters and time periods. Any story with a bit of mystery is sure to have me up until 3:00am. That’s what coffee is for, right? :)

    Reply
  702. Christina K. on

    Too many good books to choose from! In this season of life I have really enjoyed “Cool Flowers” by Lisa Mason Ziegler. It has helped me to embrace my cooler climate and has opened my eyes to the many different ways to grow flowers

    Reply
  703. kim on

    “The Curve of Time” by M. Wylie Blanchet – a memoir of a young widow and her 5 children’s summer adventures on the B.C. coast in the late 1920’s and 30’s.

    “An Island Garden” by Celia Thaxter with gorgeous impressionist paintings by Childe Hassam

    Reply
  704. Jen on

    The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman. Sometimes it feels more like a memory than a story.

    Reply
  705. Jessie on

    I’ve been reading through Vegetables Love Flowers, by Lisa Mason Ziegler. Lots of practical advice for those of us who love flowers but also need to feed our families (with 4 kids and one on the way, it’s becoming a financial necessity to grow as many of our own vegetable as possible!). Her writing is inspiring and practical; I highly recommend it!

    Reply
  706. Charlotte Litton on

    I just found Martha Stewart’s Encyclopedia of Crafts, it’s jam packed with fun. Thanks for the amazing giveaway.

    Reply
  707. Jacqueline on

    I love The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. Awesome World War II book … amazing!

    Reply
  708. Lee Ann Shenefiel on

    The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov. A Russian classic novel in which the Devil wreaks some mischief on a Soviet Moscow that, of course, doesn’t believe (since Soviet Russia was officially atheist). The story goes back and forth between 1930s Moscow and ancient Jerusalem. It’s an intellectually delicious piece, which touches on some indelible literary themes including the corruption of empire, history repeating itself, and the enduring qualities of art. It also produces my favorite line in literature: “Cowardice is the most terrible of human vices.”

    Reply
  709. Lindsay Kahle on

    So far it’s been the flower farmer by Lynn byczinski.. it has the most applicable info

    Reply
  710. Kim Haste on

    My favorite book is Discovering Dahlias by Erin and the Floret team.. Sounds corny, huh? I promise I am not pandering. I have read this book cover to cover. I have highlighted and dog eared. It’s my favorite book because it has opened my mind and eyes to a world I didn’t know existed. Before Growing Floret aired, I had no idea what a flower farmer was or that growing flowers was an amazing industry.
    I am so excited to start my first ever flower garden this spring owing solely to you wonderful folks at Floret. Using my book and my new yearly planner (which, by the way, is beautiful) I am scrounging around friends and family to put together everything I can make work for Erin’s suggested lists. I am reading what the library has to offer and have visited all of the used book stores and thrift shops looking for flower gardening books.
    I am ready and waiting for those first seed offerings in January. I am just praying my thumb turns out to be green.
    Kim H.

    Reply
  711. anne heinold on

    Your book Cut flowers gardening is so inspiring, with so many ideas.

    Reply
  712. Bethaney Cotten on

    There are so many books I love, but a book I go back to, over and over, my comfort-food of an book, is Anne of Green Gables. Such lush descriptions of PEI, a love of nature, and an appreciation for the messy complexity of life.
    Unoriginal, I know, but there are a reason classics become classics!

    Reply
  713. Joshua McAllister on

    I have read a lot of books over the years. Asking me to pick just one has left me a little stumped. The ones that immediately comes to mind is Fahrenheit 451. It is one of those books that can predict the future of our society. It is one of the books that just makes you think. Others that I love are To Kill a Mockingbird and The Book Thief.

    Reply
  714. Shannon on

    “The Outsiders” by S.E. Hinton, I read this book in middle school and read it once a year for many years following. It touched my heart.

    Reply
  715. Rose Melanie Simard on

    I am not very original and will not make you discover a new book because my favorite is your book the cut flower garden. I do not own it yet but I’ve borrowed it so many time from one of my gardener friend. I just love looking at the pictures and there is so much growing information that helps me with my own garden

    Reply
  716. Kristina Warren on

    Have you been able to visit our little town in Northern California? Had no idea she had a cook book but now I do! Looks like there is a lot of great reading material on your list and very excited to check some of them out. Just wanted to say thank you for being an inspiration for following my dreams and heading into my second year with my small flower farm that has brought much joy to my life and our small community.

    Reply
  717. Lee on

    My recent favorite has been Cut Flower Garden. I’d already planted most of my community garden plot this year when my wife bought me the book, and it got me dreaming and planning about our plot for next year!

    Reply
  718. Ti on

    Girl of the Limberlost. Wonderful story of nature… uplifting and takes one back in time and to the wonderful country.

    Reply
  719. Katelyn Berry on

    Discovering Dahlias. I’m just getting back into the gardening work and dahlias stole my heart this year! I’ve just cracked your book and have taken notes in your face books and why I’ll need to slowly add them to my (soon to be) collection!!

    Reply
  720. Carrie Anderson on

    The Road by Cormac McCarthy. The language is exquisite and nothing said goes to waste.

    Reply
  721. Carolyn on

    How to o choose a favorite book!? The Bible is the best for sure and my favorite to read to kids from my childhood is The Phantom Tollbooth. It’s a complete play on words and so clever. I am giddy thinking about all these books!! Thank you for the giveaway!

    Reply
  722. Nicola G Whaley on

    My favorite book that gave me the gardening bug and appreciation for all living things was “The Secret Garden”, I loved how that took me right to that special place every time I picked it up!

    Reply
  723. Ti on

    Love the dahlias which I had for the first time this year! Penhill Watermelon was all twisty and lovely!!!
    thank you for sharing.

    Reply
  724. Janet on

    To kill a mockingbird bird
    I read it during my very impressionable teen years, I fell in love with the characters, Atticus, little finch, boo Radley, and all the rest. For me it was just like being there. The Story was well told about loss, love and injustice.

    Reply
  725. Pam Smedley on

    Floret Farm’s Cut Glower Gardent is my most dog-earred book on gardenting. I have read and reread this entire book. I find it is accessible for gardeners at my entry level and each time I revisit it, I am able to expand on my experiences with all the knowledge Erin shares in this book. I know my granddaughter will cherish this book someday, with my notes in it, remembering the flowers we grew and cut out back!

    This is now my third time round, expanding my thoughts about what I will grow this coming year. I’ve written notes and underlined important parts throughout the book. I share this book and love the feedback I get when my gardening friends thank me for sharing such a useful book.

    *And Erin, thank you so much for sharing your favorites. I’m looking forward to checking them out. I can’t believe I didn’t know about the Monty book!

    Reply
  726. Mia Kania on

    I love all of Wendell Berry’s novels because he writes about farming and his love of nature is profound. He is the only writer whose books I reread, and find something new to ponder each time. I would recommend Homecoming or Jayber Crow as a start into his world. Such fine writing.

    Reply
  727. Tammy Spear on

    What a wonderful giveaway!! Thank you! My favorite books are To Kill a Mockingbird and The Alchemist. I also love the You are a Badass books – all. of. them. by Jen Sincero. :)

    Reply
  728. Emily on

    My favorite garden-related book is The Resilient Gardener by Carol Deppe. She doesn’t teach “how to grow a vegetable garden”. This is “how to actually feed yourself from your garden” and how to go about thinking about it in a way that allows you to adapt your garden plans to your own local situation. It’s garden philosophy but in a very practical sense.

    Reply
  729. Amy Elsemore on

    I have several gardening books that I enjoy, but honestly your book, A Year in Flowers, is my favorite! I think what attracts me the most are the beautiful photos. It has introduced me to many flowers I had not seen or considered growing in the past. I also love all the easy to follow instructions for arranging flowers and the tips and tricks to make it all happen. The bonus is that I don’t live too far from Skagit so I feel connected because we are “neighbors”. If you can grow it, then surely I should be able to.

    Reply
  730. Anna Jackson on

    Your Cut Flower Garden book is my favorite! It has really sparked my joy of cut flowers and inspired me to try growing my own. Right now I’m trying to learn as much as I can and enjoying every bit of the process! ❤️ Thanks for sharing so many resources.

    Reply
  731. Lindsey Casper on

    Am I allowed to say the Cut Flower Garden by Floret? Absolutely love it. Been highlighting and scribbling notes in there since I got it. I also recently read Seed to Dust by Marc Hamer. It is good for the soul to read a few chapters a day to put perspective on life and all things beautiful, both in life and in death. He has an enchanting way of writing. I was living and seeing his garden through him and his hands. It’s a treasure.

    Reply
  732. Terry Numa on

    My favorite books are a series by Jan Karon, The Mitford Series. I am a children’s librarian and I grew up in a family owned flower shop. This is one of my favorite children’s books , If You Plant a Seed by Kadir Nelson.

    Reply
  733. Katie on

    My husband and I collect vintage books and my collection of vintage gardening books has expanded exponentially since I knew I wanted to start my farm. One of my favorite go-to’s as a resource is The Practical Book of Outdoor Flowers by Richardson Wright. Written in 1924 – it has an amazing collection of advice and photographs that have helped me through designing and growing my own garden.

    Reply
  734. Nancy Fuller on

    One of my favorite books is ‘The Self-Sufficient Gardener’ by John Seymour. It was my first deep-dive into intensive gardening and once I opened the book I couldn’t put it down! The book is so detailed and the illustrations are as well. There is so much to learn from this lovely tome. The book explains how using a deep bed method the home gardener can grow more food with higher yields in a deep rich organic soil with less labor than traditional gardens. The author and his wife lived a self-sufficient life and provide first-hand experience in this guide. I go back to this book over and over and find that even after 30+ years, I can still learn from it. I get lost in this book every time I open it. It has paid for itself many, many times over! This book has the magical effect of stopping time for me and I have spent so many enjoyable hours studying it! The topics range from growing veggies, fruits and herbs, storing, canning, salting, drying, making cider, wine and jam, keeping bees and chickens, choosing and caring for tools, building healthy soil, increasing harvests, creating garden paths, building a greenhouse, understanding climate zones and micro/climates, controlling pests and disease, growing in every season and so much more! I never tire of this book and highly recommend it! It is a veritable encyclopedia of garden wisdom and I am so blessed to have it in my library!

    Reply
  735. Katie Bell on

    The Count of Monte Cristo. Can a story line and characters even get more deliciously complex and satisfying?

    Reply
  736. Sarah Roberts on

    Quiet by Susan Cain. I loved this book and it really resonated with me while working I. The corporate tech scene in an open office plan. Helped me understand that there were others quietly suffering in an extroverted environment, but also to see this part of myself as a strength and not a weakness.

    Reply
  737. Cindy on

    Thanks for the list. My favorite is by Tracy DiSabato-Aust:
    The Well-Tended Perennial Garden: The Essential Guide to Planting and Pruning Techniques, Third Edition

    Reply
  738. Darcie on

    The Little House On The Prarie series, by Laura Ingalls Wilder. As a young girl, I simply wanted to be Laura.

    Reply
  739. Kerri Santsaver on

    I think it would be A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. I loved it from the first time I read it at 14 through adulthood. My books have always been my source of comfort, and I re-read them over and over. This one’s cover is falling off but I know I’ll keep reading it.

    Thanks for all the suggestions. I’m adding them to my winter reading list.

    Reply
  740. Robin Corwin on

    A good biography has always been my “go to” read. I always enjoyed fascinating stories about someone else’s life. Since starting gardening in my own it’s been a habit to go to blogs for information. Then I ordered myself the Discovering Dahlias book and I love being able to reference and make notes right within the pages of the text.
    This list of must haves helped me finish my Christmas list!

    Reply
  741. Lisa B on

    I always loved the Little House on the Prairie books when I was young…It was my first historical fiction book! I still love reading that genre.

    Reply
  742. Linda Knight on

    My favorite book about flowers is Cool Flowers by Lisa Mason Ziegler. There is so much valuable nuts & bolts practical how-to information packed into this little book. So well-organized, I reach for it all the time. It’s totally changed the way I garden and grow flowers.

    Reply
  743. Miranda Muller on

    I love anything by Philippa Gregory. I just love reading anything history related.

    Reply
  744. Leah on

    My favorite book is Pride and Prejudice. I love Jane Austen’s characters!

    Reply
  745. Christie on

    My favorite book (not brown nosing here) is The Cut Flower Garden by You! The reason it’s my favorite is because it has helped me to realize me long time dream of having my own cut flower garden! I have learned so much from it and use it as a constant reference. I never would have thought that I would grow flowers from seeds and become more brave to try new things every year. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and inspiring us!

    Reply
  746. Victoria Kabluyen on

    10X by Grant Cardone, multiplying your actions by 10X to push your limits and see what you really CAN do, it’s all about taking action- for someone that over analyzes, over thinks everything and becomes OCD just to perfect anything, the book reassures me that taking action beyond my limits is greater than striving for the impossible perfection.

    Reply
  747. Anna on

    Underneath The Scarlet Sky… a true story of two people who fell in love during WW2. The main character and I share the same name and there were many things about her that I recognized in myself. I won’t spoil it but it’ll leave you with the feeling that ……that even though life throws you challenges there’s only one option really… find the joy you can in each day, no matter how small and hold it close. And hold those you love close as long as you can.

    Reply
  748. Shannon O’Brien on

    I love love really anything that Monty Don does including his complete gardener book. He sees gardening as a long term goals of leaving something behind for the next generation. It’s almost this romantic way of thinking about gardening where you leave something beautiful behind. The pictures in the book are great just like your books :)

    Reply
  749. Theresa Marz on

    I have a new favorite- The Vanderbeekers of 141st St, its set in current times but the (large) family is wholesome and sweet. What makes it extra special is that i read it first with my two girls (who also adore it!) and loved it so much and loved each new book from the series even more. Reading at bedtime is the absolute best❤️

    Reply
  750. Mikhaila on

    My favourite book is “The Jewel Garden” by Monty and Sarah Don. It talks about how a garden helped them through the ups and downs of life. This book really showed me how gardening can have a positive impact on our physical and mental health. Such a good read!

    Reply
  751. Terry A. on

    That’s a hard question, because there are different things I like about different books, but today I am going to go with God at Work, by Gene Edward Veith. It explores the doctrine of vocation, or our “calling.” God works through those vocations, whether it’s the mom changing a baby’s diaper, the farmer growing his/her crops, or any of the many callings a person may have. It’s comforting to know the mundane, the ordinary things that consume our time are of value, and the book has given me a new perspective on those daily activities that I do.

    Reply
  752. Charlotte Van Wormer on

    You can not ever have too many books! I have many of your favorites and will never part with any of them. I love your cut flower book and am anxious to read your new book about dahlias. Thank you for all the wisdom you share with us!

    Reply
  753. Alice G on

    So many good books in your list of favorites. My favorite books are books I read over and over with my children. “When the sun rose” by Barbara Helen Berger and “The Velveteen rabbit” by Margery Williams plus The Winnie the Pooh chapter books. I look back with nostalgia for the times of story and imagination with my little ones now all grown. In recent times, “Where the crawdads sing,” by Delia Owens and “Becoming,” by Michelle Obama. Perhaps all books about living, changing and becoming.

    Reply
  754. Karen B Walker on

    I credit my father for my life-long love of books. Each year I go through and pick my favorites from that year. Every now and then I make a list of the TopTen ever (which does change as I find new favorites.) But if I had to choose a favorite book it would Charlotte’s Web. I have a first edition of the book, bought for me by my father when it was first published. I cannot count the number of times I have read it. Having been an elementary school teacher for 37 years, I read it aloud over and over. The kids never tired of hearing it, and I never tired of reading it. My first edition copy now has a broken spine and one of my goals for 2022 is finding someone who can repair it.

    We recently purchased Discovering Dahlias, and are enjoying the fabulous photography, but more importantly, learning how to fix the mistakes of our first season of growing dahlias.

    Reply
  755. Marie on

    Winter Solstice, by Rosamunde Pilcher – an atmospheric, heartwarming, read-by-the-fire book for this time of year

    Reply
  756. Kelly Ferraro on

    My favorite book is Circe – about the “witch” in the Iliad, written from her perspective. Flowing words and a beautiful story from a woman’s perspective. Would love to add these gardening books too though!

    Reply
  757. Charlotte on

    Discovering Dahlias is my favorite book!!! :) Because it’s my first and only flower gardening book – I treasure it and read it often! :)

    Reply
  758. Candace L Northrop on

    As a retired kindergarten teacher, Thank You, Mr. Falker, by Patricia Polacco, is an all-time favorite book of mine. Thank you, Erin, for your generous spirit in sharing all that you love with all of us! Blessings to you, and best wishes for peace-filled holidays.

    Reply
  759. Nicole Acha on

    I just started my flower book collection. Starting of course with Cut Flower Garden and Discovering Dahlias. Another great book I ordered is Cool Flowers by Lisa Mason Ziegler. I live in zone 5b. This book has taught me so much about flowers that will tolerate our Michigan Winters. So excited to continue to read and grow!

    Reply
  760. Amalia Groh on

    One of my current favorite reads is “The Hate you Give” by Angie Thomas. But one has to listen to the audiobook to feel all of the emotions.

    Reply
  761. Alix Crittenden on

    Well I just got your book Cut Flower Garden and I LOVE it because it’s so beautiful and informative but a really good one I’ve worn out over the years (and which your post reminded me to revisit) is High Altitude Planting by Ann Barrett. I love this book, even though it’s super utilitarian and doesn’t have amazing photos, because I live above 6,000 feet and the information in this book is some that I can’t seem to find anywhere else! She talks about microclimates and gives great lists of Species and varieties that might work. It’s awesome.

    Reply
  762. Carmel Welch on

    I love books and it’s definitely a challenge to pick a favorite! But The Art of Gardening….design inspiration and innovative planting techniques from Chanticleer is full of creative and inspiring plantings with an artistic flair. I hope to see it in person someday!

    Reply
  763. Kathy M Oberle on

    Living in Colorado my entire adult life and digging in the dirt for over 45 years now, Sunset Magazine’s Western Garden is an encyclopedia of knowledge like The Joy of Cooking is for the kitchen. It’s been my go to for years although now with the wealth of the internet in my pocket as I play in my garden for hours a day, I don’t consult it as frequently. I also have and consult your Cut Flower Garden and accompanying journal along with countless other books. Gardening and reading are key elements on my top 3 all time favorite things to do list!

    Reply
  764. Christina Garcia on

    “The Samarai’s Garden” by Gail Tsukiyama because the two people who love each other in this book take care of each other in such a gentle way. I can imagine the peacefulness of the Samarai’s rock garden that he rearranges, tends and expands for his love.

    Reply
  765. Jenny on

    The Pacific Gardener by A.R.Willis. Gifted to me by my grandmother although well worn its handwritten note on the inside of the front cover makes it a keepsake. As an immigrant from Denmark it’s what she used as a guide to learn how to garden in this new space. I will always remember her creativity and gorgeous design of westcoast gardens.

    Reply
  766. Lisa Padden on

    I had the blessing of being a librarian when my children were young. It was a delight to pass my love of reading on to both of them. Through it all, my favorite book has been The Mists of Avalon. A huge Arthurian fan it was wonderful to find a telling of the legend from the perspective of the women in Arthur’s life.

    Reply
  767. Kelly Crowder on

    I grew up with my mom who is now 76 years old. Growing up she worked as a freelance landscaper and interior decorator. As I got older I found a lot interest in both fields. It wasn’t unusual on the weekends to go to nurseries like Heronswood or Christianson’s Nursery to purchase just the right plants. At night we would pour over landscaping books from the likes of The The American Woman’s Garden by Rosemary Verey and Ellen Samuels, Cultivated Pleasures/The Art of Romantic Gardening
    by Kim Freeman, Martha Stewart’s gardening books, Victoria Magazines and
    Tasha Tudor’s Garden, The Cottage Garden by Christopher Lloyd, just to name a few.

    Recently, we have poured over Grow and Gather by Grace Alexander, Farm to Table by Amanda Brooks and your wonderful books.

    Tasha Tudor’s Forever Christmas is one of my most treasured of all time as it represents peace and tranquillity.

    As mentioned above, my mom is 76, and I am 59 years old and we still have days where we will pour over the gardening books, as each book holds its own beauty and years of memories. Thank you for this wonderful chance to win some beautiful and wonderful books.

    Reply
  768. Judy Carranza on

    A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle is one of my favorite books. A favorite teacher read portions of the book after lunch each day. Erin’s books are also on my favorites list!

    Reply
  769. Belinda Olsen on

    One of my favorite books has been Leadership and self deception. It’s a really great book full of several lessons to treat people as people.

    Reply
  770. Judy Bales on

    I LOVE BOOKS! They are in every room in our home. We have many different collections but in the “growing realm” my favorite book is, “A Handful of Herbs”. It is a simple and lovely reference book for gardening, cooking, and decorating with herbs.

    Reply
  771. Melody Howell on

    My all time favorite book is also my favorite book when I was a child…. The Secret Garden.! It never gets old and I have my original copy my mother gave me when I was a little girl. The joy of pretending I would have my very own secret garden someday. Someday has not come…. yet! I believe it is coming. Until then books are the gardens of my mind.
    🌸🌺🌼

    Reply
  772. Kristen Lombardo on

    I love to read as well. Your books are my favorite flower books…and have inspired me to create a larger flower garden next year.

    Fiction…I just finished The People We Keep and loved it. Midnight at thr Blackbird Cafe was amazing.

    Reply
  773. Haley Wentz on

    The Secret Garden is easily my favorite book. My mom and grandmother read me this book when I was a little girl and is what initially sparked an interest in flowers. Later, my mom decided we needed to create a secret garden in our own back yard. We found an antique key at a garage sale one morning and got to work! We had big plans for this “secret” garden of ours. We only got so far, but I have sweet memories of digging in that dirt and waiting to see if anything would grow. I have since reread it muliple times and it always brings back sweet memories and inspires me to dream of and finish that garden!

    Reply
  774. Erin Cork Woolfolk on

    The complete collection of Beatrix Potter tales. I never read them as a child, but since having my own children I have thoroughly enjoyed reading the stories. I also find the illustrations completely captivating. I’m an artist, so beautiful illustrations are really important!

    Reply
  775. Laurie on

    So hard to choose—I love books on gardening, cooking and sewing or creating, but I think my favorite is The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe because of the memories of reading it aloud to our kids. They loved the story and CS Lewis is such a great writer. I miss those times.

    Reply
  776. Mary Murray on

    Asking my favorite book is like asking which of the five senses I like best. My favorite book is usually which ever one I’m currently reading. Growing up it was Ella Enchanted and retellings of fairy tails. Now it’s The Glass throne and The Summoners series or any book that teaches me something new.

    Reply
  777. Christie Thomas on

    My all time favorite book would have to be “Where the Crawdads Sing”. It’s amazing and you can’t put it down! I’m jealous of all who get to read it for the first time. Nothing like a book that makes you think about getting to read it all the time! I too spent my childhood riding my bike to the library after school every day and now I volunteer in our library bookstore as my work and family schedule allows. All the proceeds from the sales go back to programs that rhe library provides to the public 💗 Your favorite books look amazing and I am LOVING all of your books! All so inspiring!

    Reply
  778. Malia Gomez on

    Educated- it’s a beautiful reminder of the value of an education!

    Reply
  779. Gwen Boulter on

    I have too many favorite books to list them all but Discovering Dahlias is on the list. And because of it there are a few shelves in my basement that are filled with tubers.

    Reply
  780. April Pratt on

    How do I even pick one book? Ha ha well I love so many but ……I am going with a fiction book, I hope that’s ok. I love non-fiction too…. but
    At Home in Mitford is my favorit book. Why you ask? Well, the love of life and food and flowers and simple living. I love the peace it brings after a very busy day working in my garden. But I do love the food talk and the flowers….Father Tim is an avid gardener in it. What more could you want. It like a beautiful spring day with trees singing in the wind and flowers scents mingling in the air….sigh I love spring!

    Reply
  781. Sarah T on

    I love to read. Right now I’m reading the Kent Chronicles series by John Jakes and it very good. My most precious “book” is a recipe book put together by my sister of my Great Grandmother and Grandmother’s recipes.

    Reply
  782. Meagan on

    So hard to pick a favorite book, I love so many. The Harry Potter Series is definitely one of my favorites. I re-read the entire series every couple of years.

    Reply
  783. Susan on

    The Shell Seekers by Rosamund Pilcher is a long time favorite. I’m looking forward to exploring the titles on your list.

    Reply
  784. Gordon on

    My favorite gardening book is the Western Garden Book. I try to replace mine every 5-10yrs depending on how torn up it has gotten over time. :-)

    Reply
  785. Sara B on

    I’m not sure I can even choose a favorite book! I’m an avid reader and love to venture into any new book. So much so that I don’t really read books more than once…there are so many new books to discover!! :) I definitely love The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah for a good historical fiction book. It was just a great read and one that has stuck with me.

    Reply
  786. Kathy Grube on

    I love the Discovering Dahlias — I received it for Christmas last order for the pre-order and was so excited when it arrived. I have read and learned so much this year. I love looking at the photos and choosing new additions for the garden. I have learned more about planting, clipping , gathering seeds and storage of tubers. It has been a go to book for me in this past year. Thank you for all of the work you put into this book.
    Kathy

    Reply
  787. Jessica Schneider on

    Thank you for sharing your favorites! My wishlist has certainly grown! Books and flowers are two of my favorite things and book about flowers – oh my! So my favorite book I own is yours – Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden!

    Reply
  788. Becky Pope on

    I love The Perfume Garden. I really enjoy historical fiction and this book has that along with the art of creating beautiful fragrances from the garden and nature.

    Reply
  789. LEA KELLY on

    It is SO difficult to narrow it down to one “favorite” book – so I will just narrow it down to a favorite for 2021! I have been in a book club for Women for more than 15 years and we have read more than 160 books together! This year in our book club we read the Autobiography called The Heavenly Man: The Remarkable True Story of Chinese Christian Brother Yun by Paul Hattaway, and Brother Yun. It is an incredible glimpse into a life and a world that seems so different from my own, but it has been incredibly thought provoking. The stories shared remind me of the fields of flowers that you share with the world from your farm – something growing and flourishing that causes AWE! Thank you!

    Reply
  790. Kara on

    I think this is one of the hardest and best questions you could ask of someone! My current favorite book is “Braiding Sweetgrass” by Robin Wall Kemmerer – educational, insightful, beautiful.

    Reply
  791. heather anderson on

    Love all kinds of books! the ones on your list look fantastic! My favorite is the Holy Bible because it is a well of life giving water! Looking forward to checking out some on your list, they look beautiful. Thanks for the opportunity.

    Reply
  792. Carol Lieb on

    Discovering Dahias. – encouraging and easy to follow. Gorgeous photos.

    Reply
  793. Kate on

    Anne of Green Gables is a forever favorite – even as an adult Anne still feels like an older sister I can look up to!

    Reply
  794. Carol-Ann Torrie on

    My favourite book is another Monty Don book: The Senuous Garden. A book that is a beautiful delight in every way. But now I need to check out the one you recommend, too. I think its going to be on my wish list!

    Reply
  795. Claire on

    My favorite book is My Side of the Mountain that I read wayyyy back in 5th grade. It an adventure where a young boy goes out in the Adirondack mountains and survives by living in a tree and foraging. Still my favorite all these years later!

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  796. Alice W. on

    The Mists of Avalon sparked a lifelong interest in revisionist story telling, mythology, and folklore.

    Reply
  797. Betsy on

    The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai, because it broke my heart open and touched me in a beautiful way. I love a good character driven novel, of which the characters stay with me long after I’ve finished reading!

    Reply
  798. Diane Astarita on

    Hans Christian Andersen The Complete Fairy Tales & Stories because it’s full of magical stories of all lengths.

    Reply
  799. Dorie Von Thun Knott on

    So many favorites ! Cut flower garden is such a great go to! Learned so much from this book!

    Reply
  800. Barbara Burks on

    I love Allen Armatage’s book. Specialty Cut Flowers! Packed full of answers to so many of my questions about cut flowers. So grateful that I found this book. Can not express into words just how much his book has helped me in my new journey into the world of cut flowers.

    Reply
  801. Annette Z on

    That’s a tough one…probably To Kill A Mockingbird. Such a classic, and it still pulls at my heartstrings Everytime.

    Reply
  802. Ron Shaffer on

    My first flower book was Lynn Byczynski’s The Flower Farmer, and it has been a very good guide to get us started. I especially enjoyed all of the stories of other flower farmers throughout this book.

    Reply
  803. Erica V on

    I just love to pick up random books from gardeners telling the story of their garden… recent one I love and was recommended by Sue Goetz a landscape designer in the Tacoma areas is Foxgloves & Hedgehog days – Secrets in a Country Garden by Daniel Blajan. Just a heart warming treat to read 😊

    Also love the Diary of an Edwardian Lady by Edith Holden. Her watercolors of native flowers and fauna are fabulous!! ❤️🥰

    Reply
  804. Jeanne McCabe on

    My favorite book is actually a series, I just loved all the Harry Potter stories. I loved reading them with my kids as they were growing, it is such a creative world and a fun escape.

    Reply
  805. Ashley on

    My favorite book is The Giver by Lois Lowry. I like to re-read every year!

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  806. Glory on

    I live in southern Utah and I love the desert flora & color against the red rock. I must admit though, we lived in the Seattle area while raising our family and I dearly miss the dahlias i so easily grew there. Oh how my heart aches for them. I do have your books and I look through them and dream of days gone by. Your books are displayed for all to see and enjoy.

    Reply
  807. Angela Turley on

    Magnolia Table cookbooks volumes 1 and. 2. Delicious recipes!

    Reply
  808. Madelyn Stroud on

    My favorite book is”Eat a Peach” by David Chang. I go back to it over and over again. The honesty and courage but strength is inspiring and it makes me feel seen and less alone.

    Reply
  809. Heidi on

    Sooo many favorite books! I really love The Secret Life of Plants, The Power of Now, and of course I love all 3 of your books 😊

    Reply
  810. Kate Bode on

    During Covid I practically Begged my local library to put together a book bundle of floral related books. I needed to see the joy of arranging, the colors of nature and the hope of gardening. My favorite was Blooms by the Phaidon editors, (2019). The contemporary arrangements by well respected designers throughout the world was salve to my frazzled soul. Beauty…it makes my heart happy.

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  811. Laura on

    I have many “favorite” books, but of those I’ve read recently, Discovering Dahlias, which was gifted to me by my sister, who introduced me to Floret, for my 60th birthday a few months ago is my recent favorite. It has inspired me to dig in and learn more about growing flowers (I’ve loved flowers forever and have grown perennials for many years), and try my hand at growing some dahlias and other flowers and plants that I don’t experience with.

    Reply
  812. Vikki Sanders on

    Cut flower garden is my favorite gardening book so far. I have always wanted to grow flowers but just didn’t think I could. With encouragement from my family and this book, this year, I decided to try some dahlias and wow- such a joy! So many blooms for gifts and to brighten my home! I am looking forward to expanding my garden and my library too! Thank you for the list, i now how lots to add to my Christmas wish list!

    Reply
  813. Jessica on

    Favorite book to read over and over: Pride & Prejudice…Mr. Darcy everytime.

    Recent read that I just fell in love with: The Alchemist…the way the plot was less about the plot and more about finding your path really spoke to me.

    Reply
  814. Doralee on

    Discovering Dahlia’s is a favorite and I recommend it to so many of my flower loving friends. It opened up a new world of flowers to me and is just a beautiful book to look at!

    Reply
  815. Carol W on

    Carol Walker on Dec. 1st, 2021
    I would have to say Erin’s book, Cut Flower Garden. I encouraged me to plan and try to grow flowers for cutting.

    Reply
  816. Helen on

    It is so hard to choose a favorite book of all books, but I am picking two. The first is Doug Tallamy’s Nature’s Best Hope because his idea of a Homegrown National Park is truly nature’s best hope. He is inspiring and convincing when he talks about it being up to individuals in their own back yards to replace some of their lawns etc. plus he is funny! I am now reading his most recent book The Nature of Oaks and that may very well become my favorite Doug Tallamy book. Secondly I have to pick one of Tana Frenchs books The Searcher. A favorite because her writing is beautiful and reading it transported me to the Irish countryside. All of her books are favorites of mine!

    Reply
  817. Tracie on

    So many to choose from! The Hiding Place by Corrie TenBoom. Her courage and faith are so inspiring. I love reading memoirs and this one is particularly moving.

    Reply
  818. Mary on

    All time favorite books are the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I’ve read them so many times. So many good lessons to be learned. There’s good in this world worth fighting for, average people can make a difference everyday….so much good stuff in there can’t list it all. “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us”…good stuff!

    Reply
  819. Amanda Parks on

    A favorite book is an impossible question- A Tale of Two Cities? A Prayer for Owen Meany? A Wrinkle in Time? East of Eden? So many to choose from! Our current favorite Christmas picture book is The Clown of God.

    Reply
  820. Teri Hanekamp on

    For gardening books, I have two of Erin’s books, which have inspired me, and I also like books by Jerry Baker such as the Great Green Book of Garden Secrets because my parents gardened using Baker’s books. I remember them from childhood, and I have used his books myself many years later.
    One of my favorite all time books is Max Lucado’s In the Grip of Grace. It is a book that reminds us that with faith there is always hope and the possibility of new beginnings in our lives.

    Reply
  821. Clare Loxterkamp on

    My favorite book is The Elements of Style by Strunk and White. The foundation of society is built on language and communication. Grammar is the pillar stone.

    Reply
  822. Heather Champney on

    Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
    I love the way she explores and explains the inter connectivity of all living things and our obligation to be good stewards of what we have been gifted.

    Reply
  823. Judy O. on

    “Down the Garden Path” (copyright 1932?!) by Mr. Beverly Nichols…a great British gardener and storyteller! Laura from Garden Answer mentioned this book in one of her posts several years ago. It’s out of print, but luckily I found a used one online. Pure fun!

    Reply
  824. Erin E Stewart on

    About this time last year I discovered Floret. And quickly begin devouring any other flower book I could get my hands on. What a beautiful world I discovered! I love all the Floret books of course. But if I’m choosing favorite books of all time, Anne of Green Gables is right up there. And Anne would totally understand my newfound love for and fascination in flowers. ;-) I’m hoping my children can have the kind of idyllic childhood Anne enjoyed at Green Gables, surrounded by beauty and flowers!!

    Reply
  825. Mary on

    Cut Flower Garden is still my favorite! It is such a beautiful book & so easy for beginners like myself to understand. This is the book that inspired me to try my own backyard cut flower garden once I realized what a “do-able” project it is. Thank you for sharing your wealth of knowledge!

    Reply
  826. Mandy C Carroll on

    Favorite book is “A wrinkle in time”. Always, always…love, hope, following the heart and persistence of the path.

    Reply
  827. McKinzie Lytle on

    My favorite fiction book is A Countess Below Stairs by Eva J. which is a Downton Abbey-esque story of a Russian countess who fled Russia to become a servant in an English estate during the revolution.

    But I’m in the middle of Teaming with Microbes by Jeff Lowenfels and Wayne Lewis and I’m loving it! It’s all about the soil food web and how it supports a healthy garden and I’m finding it so interesting! The nerdy side of me is truly delighted and it’s opened my eyes to al sorts of new ideas.

    Of course, I also have every Floret book published and they have pride of place on my shelf. My gardening books were in the last box I packed when I moved and the first one unpacked. 😅

    Reply
  828. Jennifer Solter-Jones on

    A recent gardening book I enjoy is the Garden Primer by Barbara Damrosch because it’s just so simple and straight forward information. A favorite fiction book of mine is The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfus because it is so completely unique and genuine and engrossing that it take me away to new worlds every time I pick it up.

    Reply
  829. Sarah Mulhaul on

    The Red Tent and Tribe. Very different books that both focus on connection.

    Reply
  830. Lizzy on

    My favorite would have to be Cut Flower Garden by Erin! A friend of mine had a copy and I skimmed it one day and the flower bug bit me and I got hooked,
    decided to purchase it for myself and now I’m following my dreams of having a successful cut flower business. Her book made me realize my dreams aren’t too far out of reach and I can achieve what I’m going for ✨

    Reply
  831. Michele on

    My favorite book is A Wrinkle in Time. A childhood classic that I keep returning to.

    Reply
  832. Tess Hackett on

    Some of my favorite books are written by Gene Stratton Porter. While they aren’t exactly gardening books they are works of fiction that have wonderful characters and introduced me to a love of nature and plants. The Harvester talks about a man determined to live a clean life and help ease the pain in life with the plants he gathers and harvests in the woods. (I won’t give away what happens to but it’s well worth reading.) Some of her other books I enjoy included Keeper of the Bees, Girl of the Limberlost, At the Foot of the Rainbow.
    I don’t have a lot of gardening books yet but I love books and your recommendations look like great books I will have to add to my wish list.

    Reply
  833. Tia on

    My favorite book is Encyclopedia of Country Living. I love all the topics that practical advise that it has to offer.

    Reply
  834. Pam Fowler on

    “We read to know we are not alone” *C.S. Lewis
    One of my favorite quotes.😉
    I read The Secret by Rhonda Byrne every January to refocus my energy and thoughts on what I really want and what I’d like to achieve. The gentle reminder to also focus on gratitude is life changing 🤍

    Reply
  835. Kim on

    ‘Braiding Sweetgrass’ by Robin Wall Kimmerer has been on my nightstand since 2018! A book that has touched me deeply & have shared w/ all my friends.

    Reply
  836. Gail Boos on

    I love your Discovering Dahlias book. It’s beautiful to look at and has so much good information about dahlias! Thanks for the list of books to add to my wish list!

    Reply
  837. Kristi Hoffman on

    I’ve just started collecting flower books! I bought Robbie Honey’s ‘The Accidental Botanist’ this summer. EB’s book, ‘Discovering Dahlias’ was my second! Both beautiful and inspiring!! I’ll check out the recommendations listed!

    Reply
  838. Kat Hayes on

    If I had to narrow down my favorite books:

    Cookbooks – Six Seasons – great book highlighting seasonal produce in unique ways to make the produce the star! Tartine – I use their base recipes on a weekly basis to create baked goods for all occasions.

    Childhood books – Matilda, Ella Enchanted, and Fantastic Mr Fox. Now that I have children of my own, I’m overjoyed that my daughter has these as her favorites as well and we can read them together.

    Timeless classic, guilty pleasure – The Princess Bride. I’ve read it at least once a year for the past 20 years. It’s inconceivable how good it still is ;)

    Reply
  839. Amanda on

    Having a favorite book is so hard; there are so many! But one book I can always read is Pride and Prejudice. The banter is mesmerizing, characters are complex, and it transports you to another time!

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  840. Barbara F. on

    The Complete Gardener: A Practical, Imaginative Guide to Every Aspect of Gardening by Monty Don is one of my favorites. I love Monty and all his insights.

    Reply
  841. Dawn Hunt on

    Just browsing the comments is a gift!

    The book I have opened more often than any other in the last few years is Food Grown Right, In Your Backyard by Colin McCrate and Brad Halm, co-founders of Seattle Urban Farm. Well organized and easy to implement suggestions resulted in an impressive garden my first year. This is my go to reference as I add more vegetables.

    Reply
  842. Valérie on

    I’m so happy to find J-M Fortier’s “The Market Gardener” in the list because it’s also one of my favorite. So much of the knowledge can be transferred to flowers. The author is french Canadian like me, so it’s a bit of “home away from home” when I read it.

    Reply
  843. Stephanie G on

    Ooh, so hard to pick just one! I would say one of my favorites is The Name of the Wind because it is so engaging, detailed, and wonderfully written. Might be time to read it again!

    Reply
  844. Mo on

    Gosh so many to choose from…. I’ve just read ‘gardening for bumble bees’ by Dave Coulson nd loved it. Seed to Dust was a great gardening memoir by Marc Hammer ! I’m certainly checking a few of your selection out.
    Merry Christmas

    Reply
  845. Hannah Swank on

    The book that I will pick up every time I need some help figuring out what to do with my crazy kiddos is Hunt, Gather, Parent by Michaeleen Doucleff. Her stories of traveling with her daughter to find out what parenting looks like in other parts of the world is inspiring and has helped me get my bearing as a mom of 3.

    Reply
  846. Jamie Wright on

    I love to read cookbooks and my favorite one that I have bought is a book called Classic Italian Cooking. My favorite garden book so far has been David Austin’s English Roses. I love food and flowers!

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  847. Yvette on

    My first gardening book was Larousse Gardening & Gardens. I’ve read it many times. Another book I’ve read cover to cover multiple times is Apples of Nortj America by Tom Burgord. A book I used a lot when I was gardening for others was The WellTended Perennial Garden by Tracy DiSabado Aust. I love books and have shelves too..

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  848. Judy on

    I have always loved to read and would have thought I died and gone to heaven if I could have checked out 100 books at once. My favorite books to read are by Maeve Binchy because characters in one book sometimes are part of later books.
    My favorite gardening g book is Kitchen Gardens by Mary Mason Campbell which you can only find used. It is my favorite because I love to cook and love nothing better to be able to use what I have grown in my cooking. Also there is a chapter on making floral arrangements from flowering herbs and edible flowrs.

    Reply
  849. Kathy Spampinato on

    Oh my that’s like asking who my favorite child is. I’ve been reading so much during the pandemic. I love a Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles.

    Reply
  850. Taylor Ferguson on

    I really love Great Garden Companions by Sally Jean Cunningham! I don’t think I can pick a favorite fiction book, maybe a top 10, but that would take a lot of deliberation lol.

    Reply
  851. Melissa on

    I first discovered Monty Don on Netflix and he inspired me to improve my home garden. The Complete Gardener has been indispensable to this project. This giveaway is pure gold!

    Reply
  852. Jenna R on

    My favorite horticulture book is Discovering Dahlias. I have learned so much from it in the short time I have owned it. I have loved dahlias for a long time and you have taught me even more about this amazing flower and how to start breeding on my own.

    Reply
  853. Cindy on

    East of Eden beautiful story of gardens, land, family, friendship and redemption

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  854. Betsy on

    Love your Dahlia and would love to send a copy to my father.

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  855. Cassandra on

    Outlander by Diana Gabaldon is my all time favorite book series. Your Cut Flower Garden book was my first book about flowers and has inspired me to read a few others. Thank you for sharing your library!

    Reply
  856. Teresa Naples on

    Such a great idea ! I’m hoping for one of Floret’s books for Christmas so it can become my favorite!

    Reply
  857. Liz Sallee Bauer on

    I was gifted your beautiful dahlia book last year. I can not even begin to tell you how much I loved it and became obsessed with dahlias. I’ve been going through cancer treatment so my gardening had to go on hold but I brought that book to every chemo treatment and I just devoured it. I have so many notes sticking out of that thing! Sitting in my infusion chair, little by little I found and ordered 150 of your recommended dahlias:) My elementary school kids planted them and then made stunning bouquets to give to people who brought meals to us when I was too sick. Thank you, it was exactly what my head needed:)

    Reply
  858. Samantha Denefe on

    How can I pick a favorite book!?

    Currently I’m reading Farming the Woods by Ken Mudge & Steve Gabriel. We bought 20 acres out on a woody mountain. I’m planning for a flower patch on the flat top and farming the woody part through the hill. I’m also on a permaculture kick and going through a stack I got at the library. I also discovered an author named Douglas Tallamy and really enjoyed his book The Nature of Oaks.

    Also I just went to our library website and reserved all the books on your list they have! Haha! It’ll be perfect to curl up with this December!

    Reply
  859. Wendy Whitfield on

    Frances Palmer, Life in the Studio is a favorite, I lover her living philosophy. She is so immersed in every aspect of her daily living. Of course the photos are amazing, she is definitely a star to follow.

    Reply
  860. Sandra Doane on

    Thank you for sharing your favorites Erin! I own several of your picks and now have more great ideas for my winter reading. I have been so inspired by The Complete Gardener by Monty Don. We have been composting for years, but this year we really improved our outcome following Monty’s instruction. We also started our own leaf mould. His environmental practices and advice have added to our gardens in a meaningful way.

    Reply
  861. Marie on

    I have been soaking up the feel goods from Ogden’s the heirloom garden- such inspiration in mapping out and planning a cottage style garden that will mature into something wild and beautiful with time. Thank you for this beautiful and generous giveaway!

    Reply
  862. Michele Perkins on

    My favorite gardening book is one of yours, Discovering Dahlias. It is full of great information about growing dahlias and the photography is outstanding. (I was finally successful this summer growing dahlias without those pesky earwigs.). Thanks so much.

    Reply
  863. Sara B on

    My favorite book is fiction. I read The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah and it has stuck with me. It’s so incredible in the way it depicts the fierce beauty of nature. Love that book!

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  864. Linda Burns on

    I just picked up your book, Discovering Dahlias, and I anticipate many delightful hours browsing and planning through these long, cold, wet and windy winter evenings.

    Joy! Joy! Joy!

    Reply
  865. Nicole Martineau on

    The Flower Hunter: Seasonal flowers inspired by nature and gathered from the garden. The books contains so much inspiration and beauty!

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  866. Lauran on

    Cut Flower Garden is one of my favorites. It was a generous gift from a flower-loving friend, who bought one for herself and knew how often I would reference it for inspiration. Thanks for all you do.

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  867. RA on

    I have Amy’s On Flowers and I have always loved it. Her style is similar to mine and similarly sentimental, which I love <3 I also like Debra Prinzing's books because she's such an inspiration to the industry- I am from western Washington and she's just such an icon of the local flower movement. Her books are also not pretentious at all, she just approaches writing and designing with a sweet voice.

    Happy reading!!

    Reply
  868. Carol Oberholtzer on

    The Flower Farmer by Lynn Byczynski is my favorite flower farming book… its packed with so much practical advice!

    Reply
  869. Kari on

    My favorite book of all time is Cabbage Moon by Jan Wahl (1965). It was read to me from a young age by my Nana & Papa. This beautifully illustrated story is about a man who steals the moon (a head of cabbage) from the sky and rides it home on his bicycle. As he is preparing to turn the moon into a batch of coleslaw, a stilt wearing princess and her sweet little dog rescue the moon and place it back into the sky where it can be admired and enjoyed by all. I cared for my grandparents for the last 10 years of their lives and lost them recently. Just looking at this book warms my heart and puts a smile on my face as I know they are watching down on me just like that cabbage moon.

    Reply
  870. Chelsey Mulligan on

    Backyard Homestead by Carleen Madigan and Mastering Pizza/Pasta by Marc Vetri and David Joachim are some of my favs!

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  871. Brynn on

    Honestly, your Cut Flower Garden book is my #1. It’s what got me into growing cut flowers and seeking special varieties to grow. I love the story, the photography, and wealth of information in one book! <3

    Reply
  872. Lindsay on

    “Island of the World” by Michael O’Brien

    Reply
  873. Julie F on

    I love flowers and flower arranging but I’ve actually only just gotten into gardening this past year or two of lock down but I’ve jumped straight in with both feet. Nearly every day around lunch time I had to go out and make the rounds of our little yard to check on all the veggies and flowers (even when there was little more than tiny shoots to look at). Your book A Year in Flowers is actually my first ever flower and gardening book! I got it as a Christmas gift last year and I’ve been loving it-especially the bit at the end that tells you when the best time is to cut various flower and their expected vase life. So helpful!

    Reply
  874. Jennifer on

    My favorite book is The flower Farmer by Lynn Byczynski . The reason why is because as I was reading and soaking it all in I could see the future for myself and I loved it🥰

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  875. Emily on

    Little Women, because every time I reread it, I am taken back to reading it for the first time with my mother.

    Reply
  876. Ruth K. on

    My favorite gardening book is The Practical Encyclopedia of Gardening in Dictionary Form edited by Norman Taylor 1942 edition. The book was a gift from my daughter for my birthday. I love old books as well as new ones. I have some plants from my grandmother, mother, my husband’s grandmother and mother etc. My gardens are my happy place.

    Reply
  877. Abby B. on

    Could never narrow it down to an all time favorite, but right now I am really enjoying Thuss and Farrells’ “Paper to Petal”. In the spring my go-to book will probably have changed back to a gardening manual, but right now, with all my plants sleeping, I enjoy looking at the beautiful crafted paper interpretations of flowers.

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  878. Karen C on

    I am very new to this adventure so I don’t have a favorite flower book. I first learned about your amazing work through a local cut flower farmer in my home state of New Hampshire. She attended one of your workshops before. I am a 5th grade teacher and have so many books that I absolutely love. One of my all time favorite is Oh the Places You’ll go by Dr. Seuss. I have asked for all of your books for Christmas and I cant wait to hopefully get more of these suggested books to inspire my new adventures and passion.

    Reply
  879. Eileen Smeby on

    A favorite book of mine is “Time Began in a Garden” by Emilie Barnes.

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  880. Sarah Thomas on

    Love this booklist and can’t wait to check some of them out! I love anything by Tasha Tudor and have enjoyed Cozy Minimalist by Myquillyn Smith. She’s inspired me to bring in foraged cuttings to decorate my home seasonally. I’m hoping to expand my gardens to have more floral options.

    Reply
  881. Erin on

    The Nightingale was an awesome book because it told a WWII story through the eyes of so many characters!

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  882. Heather Sixiengmay on

    I love the Oulander series for many reasons but the parts with the main character’s garden and using plants for her medical practices is enjoyable.

    Reply
  883. Rahshel desjarlais on

    Hands down my favorite book is your Discovering Dahlias book. It just so happens to be my 5year old daughter’s favorite as well. The photography is captivating, I love how it’s organized and the information is invaluable!

    Reply
  884. Melissa on

    One of my favorite books is the Garden Primer. It was given to me by my grandmother (Nan) when I was young and I’ve kept it ever since. :)

    Reply
  885. Leigh Ann Wisham on

    Cut Flower Garden will be at the top of my list! I have just retired from 28 years as a business owner and I’m ready to find my next chapter!

    Reply
  886. Sarah Laipply on

    My favorite book at the moment is Eternal by Lisa Scottoline. The story is fantastic and I couldn’t put it down.

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  887. Wanda Kent on

    One of my absolute favorite books of all time is A GENTLEMEN IN MOSCOW by Amor Towles. Every sentence is beautifully written and creates a magnificent story of Count Rostov and his life in Moscow while under house arrest in the Hotel Metropol. Once you immerse yourself in reading about his adversity and triumphs you don’t want the book to end. And when it does, you feel like you’ve known the Count all of your life and he’s family. I love this book and I wish there were a library full of literature like this!

    Reply
  888. Carey McCormick on

    I would have to say reading has been a passion of mine since 2nd grade when my teacher read Charlotte’s Web to our class. I read it so much to my girls as they were growing up my daughter named her puppy Charlotte. I love referring back to Martha Stewards Month by Month garden book. The step by step of what to do in your garden has proven to be very value in organizing my gardens. I truly love Tasha Tudors books, between her and Martha they make everything seem so easy to do.

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  889. Lori Jordan on

    I fell in love with dahlias years ago and bought two books to learn more: Encyclopedia of Dahlias by Bill McClaren and The gardener’s guide to growing dahlias by Garett Rowlands. I also recently bought all three of your books.

    Reply
  890. Sally Waritz on

    Your books are favorites! I love floral arrangements and growing roses.
    Frances Palmer, an unbelievable talent!!
    Another favorite is Paula Pyrke Decorating With Flowers.

    Reply
  891. Audrey Ravenek on

    Currently, my go to is “The Well Tended Perennial Garden” by Tracy DiSabato-Aust. The book gives all kinds of tips for care and maintenance of perennials along with a full guide to all kinds of perennials.

    Reply
  892. Barb H. on

    I think my favorite would be your “Cut Flower Garden”. It is so easy to look up things and it has opened my eyes to many new types of flowers and fillers.

    Reply
  893. Christine on

    One of my first and favorite gardening books is Pat Welsh’s Southern California Gardening : A month to month guide. This book was instrumental when I first started gardening over 20 years ago. It’s a must have for gardening in hot Mediterranean climates. I still use it to this day!

    Reply
  894. Michelle J Cloutier on

    Under Heaven by Guy Gavriel Kay. I spent all day contemplating this question. I am a varocious reader, and become deeply attached to well rounded characters from favorite books. I also re-read my favorites, for many reasons, foremost that they are inspirational to me in one fashion or another. It was interesting for me to commit mentally to a “favorite.” Of all the books I’ve read, Shen Tai is by far the most interesting soul I’ve ever had the pleasure to encounter. He makes me strive to be a better human.

    Reply
  895. Jules on

    Gosh, how to even go about narrowing down favorite books in the attempt to pick just one?! It would be like trying to pick a favorite flower… Perhaps it would be possible to pick a favorite in every category, or favorites at different seasons or times in life, or a favorite for different purposes, but surely it would be impossible to pick just one all-time favorite!

    So I think I could pick a favorite book in every genre, and there have certainly been favorites in different stages of life. When I need a book for nostalgia’s sake or for inspiration or reassurance, I know what I would pick up. But I couldn’t possibly pick one ultimate favorite! So, to make it a bit easier on myself, I will simply say that my favorite recent read has been ‘The Moon Under Her Feet’ by Clysta Kintsler. It felt both like a deep remembering and reimagining to read it, and made me feel all different ways about being a woman.

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  896. Sarah Buchanan on

    Thank you for your list of book recommendations.
    One of my great loves in life is books and the other is gardening so I am looking forward to have many happy hours ahead reading combing both loves including your new additions.
    My favorite gardening book is “The Gardens of Levens” by Chris Crowder. In classic English style the book exhibits topiary gardening at its best. The gardens features tulips as well so its perfection for me and comes highly recommended.
    “The Land Gardeners Cut Flowers by Bridget Elworthy and Henrietta Courauld. This book serves more as a plant reference guide and is also highly recommended.

    Reply
  897. Christy on

    My favorite book currently is a collection of Mary Oliver’s poetry. I love how it reminds me to pay attention to the everyday moments of my life.

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  898. Tara on

    Currently loving all things related to the micro biome! Reading Fiber Fueled, and learning a lot. Thanks for doing this giveaway!

    Reply
  899. Abby on

    Discovering Dahlias has quickly become my favorite book! It has seen many areas of Virginia as I take it practically everywhere with me. I have reread it multiple times and it’s overflowing with bookmarks and post it notes! Hands down the best introduction to such an amazing flower.

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  900. Serina Wells, Petal & Rake on

    Wow. Between the post and all the fabulous stories in the comments, we now all have even longer reading lists! I just commented yesterday how I needed more books in my life! In Gardening: Plant Propagation by the American Horticultural Society. Invaluable reference book when your obsession to make more plants is real. In psychology: The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell. When we learn how we relate to others, everyone wins. In Business: (One I recommended to every new entrepreneur I meet) Start with Why, Simon Sinek as mentioned in the post. Happy Reading!

    Reply
  901. Chelsea J on

    One of my favorite books for flower arranging is Everlastings, great ideas for dried flowers.

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  902. Barb on

    So many good books! I am in love with A Year in Flowers. My greenhouse inspiration is Greenhouse Gardeners Companion by Shane Smith

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  903. Ada Horne on

    Picking a favorite book is like picking a favorite flower! Pretty much impossible. Cur Flower Garden is probably my favorite flower-related book, though. Otherwise, Autobiography of Red is up there as a favorite.

    Reply
  904. Jenny Hines on

    I have loved books my whole life, especially old books, I collect them. I am a history buff and also love growing and homesteading books. Books enable you to go to another place, another time, another world. I have so many favorites, Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald are a few. The Wizard of Oz series by L. Frank Baum is one of my all time favorite series. One of my favorite biographies is by Robert C. V. Meyers and it is Teddy Roosevelt’s biography. Another all time favorite is about my paternal grandfather’s ship in World War II, Sweet Pea at War: A History of USS Portland by William Thomas Generous Jr. From his book I learned by grandfather’s ship is one of the most decorated in the History of the US Navy. A farmer, a Cherokee man was a hero, he enlisted after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, ans served 6 years. Another book I love, is Julia Child’s the Art of French Cooking. I have so many others, sewing, flower growing (including your three books), homesteading, animal care and more. Honestly, the only books I have met and haven’t liked would be my college Chemistry and Statistics books, lol.

    Reading is power and unlocks endless possibilities. Books give us the tools to realize our dreams.

    Reply
  905. E. Sunny Beamish on

    Unfortunately living in Canada doesn’t qualify me
    But I have received your latest book for Mother’s Day-and will be content .
    Thanks for sharing all your experience and beautiful flowers.

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  906. Ada Horne on

    Picking a favorite book is like picking a favorite flower! Pretty much impossible. Cur Flower Garden is probably my favorite flower-related book, though.

    Reply
  907. Ashley W on

    A favorite book (that it’s time to reread) is Free Play: Improvisation in Life and Art by Stephen Nachmanovitch. I read it during a college dance improvisation class, expecting to loathe the subject matter as a natural planner, and then I realized how many of the lessons were challenging but valuable time after time.

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  908. Mary E Silkowski on

    Eliot Coleman books are comprehensive and easy to read, as are the books by his wife, Barbara Damrosch. Their generosity in sharing what they have learned, and are learning, during their gardening careers is admirable and much appreciated. It’s just like what you are doing with your books, workshops and mini courses. Thank you!

    Reply
  909. Kay Maney on

    “Discovering Dahlias” is now one of my favorite gardening books… your step by step guide helped me so much in starting my first Dahlia garden…. I selected most of the plants from your book….I am looking forward to next season….lots of plans for bigger flower beds…Thanks Erin…you are such a great teacher…

    Reply
  910. Liisa Von Ende on

    Currently I am loving A Year Full of Flowers by Sarah Raven. It is full of inspiration and has been a constant reference as I plan next years garden. That, in addition to your most recent book have been on my coffee table since I received them 💛.

    Reply
  911. Kyenne Williams on

    Okay, my FAVORITE non-flower books are On Good Land by Michael Ableman (love his writing, descriptions and how he frames the discussion) with Alice Water (who is a light in my life…) AND Danielle La Porte’s The Fire Starter Sessions.

    GREAT selections. Thank you for offering these wonderful wide-ranging selections.

    Reply
  912. Jen on

    Flower Confidential piqued my interest in flowers and was a great introduction to the industry!

    Reply
  913. Brooke on

    The Harry Potter series. I know it’s not one book but it’s one story. I love the imagination of the whole world you’re brought into and the life lessons of the importance of family, friendship and love.

    Reply
  914. Melissa on

    I love books period. I really love books by Michael Pollan, floral design books by Judith Blacklock, and novels by Jojo Moyes. I love any book that can teach me something new or help me escape.

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  915. Andrea Miller on

    “My Antonia” by Willa Cather. Ms. Cather brilliantly captures the beauty of the open plains in this novel. When I read it I feel my soul is standing amoung the wheat and sunflowers, feeling the sun on my shoulders and breeze blowing across the field, endless blue skies and high wispy clouds.

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  916. Kerry Ellis-Besancon on

    My favorite book is The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher. It is my comfort book….I have read it dozens of times. When I am stressed or worried, I will often pull it out, open to a random page and loose myself in a lovely story about a family in England. I absolutely love it!

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  917. Aimee on

    I have really liked all the Floret books. The flowers for all reasons is beautiful. I also really loved “Seasons at the Farm: Year Round Celebrations at the Elliott Homestead. “

    Reply
  918. Mollie on

    Thank you for being such an inspiration and for sharing so much knowledge! I recently started a little flower business and I am happily growing and selling bouquets at a local fruit stand. Your book, Cut Flower Garden, is amazing and I have read it all the way through and I reference it all the time. I never get tired of flipping through the pages and seeing those gorgeous pictures and your creativity. I appreciate everything I have learned from your book and blog. Your other two books are on my Christmas list this year! I have also adored the book In Bloom. She grows such beautiful flower combinations for striking arrangements. I would love to grow my library with more of your favorites!

    Reply
  919. Kim J on

    I think my favorite gardening book to date is Floret Farms Discovering Dahlias. I was gifted several different tubers about 3 years ago with a brief verbal discussion about storing and how to plant. Off I went, thinking I grow lots of different plants including a wide variety of Gladiolus all with their own idiosyncrasies and growing conditions. I had some success with dahlias the first year, lost more than 3/4 of my tubers over winter so began researching on the internet of all places. I am surprised now that any survived. My growing and storage techniques have changed as I learned by experience and now have many surviving tubers and great growing plants. This year I joined a group and finally became aware of Florets. (And I live in the Skagit Valley) and picked up my first book -Discovering Dahlias and it immediately became my turn to, favorite. The book is easy to follow and the photos are fantastic!!! Can’t wait to pick ip the rest.

    Reply
  920. Leeanne Biance on

    Cool Flowers by Lisa Mason Ziegler is a nice reference. It has inspired me to retry my hand at winter sowing which I have not done since my now adult children were young. I recently received Cut Flower Garden and I’m looking forward to learning and being inspired to grow new flower varieties in upstate NY -zone 5b.

    Reply
  921. Jennifer Boehm on

    I love to read and have so many books on wild flowers, gardening and flower farming. However one of the books I love the most is a fantastic local find by Eric Bergeson, Successful Gardening on the Northern Prairie. Living where I do, in such extreme climates in each season, that his book is such a great resource on what is hardy and thrives here from trees, shrubs and other perennial plants, including flowers. The knowledge he shared about soil types around here and fertilizer suggestions has helped my gardens thrive!

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  922. Diane on

    I love your Cut Flower Garden book, it introduced me to your wonderful farm and my new love of dahlias! (Also love Discovering Dahlias!). I want to get Five Mary’s Cookbook, I’ve been following them for a bit and love to watch life on a ranch!

    Reply
  923. J. Davis on

    Anne of Green Gables is one of my all time favorites. I read it the year I broke my arm and had to spend Christmas in the hospital. It has remained a favorite through the years. There are so many good books out there, it’s hard to narrow it down to one!

    Reply
  924. Kelley on

    Happy to see others chose children’s books as well! As an educator and mom, I love a good rhyming book with vibrant illustrations and a lesson to be learned. “The Circus Ship” by Chris VanDeussen is one of my faves. I am looking forward to getting some inspiration from some of your listed favorites during this off season!

    Reply
  925. April Taylor on

    I love David Culp’s The Layered Garden. I learned so much and love his sense of humor. The photography is gorgeous! Your book Discovering Dahlias I love as well – started me on my journey with planting them.

    Reply
  926. Michelle Buday on

    My favorite book growing up was ‘The Secret Garden’ by Frances Hodgkin Burnett. I would check it out of the library over and over. My teachers eventually caught on and made me get a new book! I have always loved gardening, plants and flowers! I still love that book and re-read I’d it once in a while!

    Reply
  927. Melissa Clark-Reynolds on

    My current fave is “English Song” also publishes as “English Pastoral” by James Rebanks. It made me fall in love with weeds, hedgerows and agrarian life all over again.

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  928. Wendy on

    I am a book worm. I love books and normally check out a stack of ten or so and read them in a few weeks. I love vintage books and have several on gardens and gardening. Some of my favorites are Tasha Tudors Garden, An Island Garden by Celia Thaxter with beautiful illustrations by Childe Hassam, Flower Book for Children by Thornton Burgess and several more. Recently I have had to go through some of my garden books and donate them to others. I gifted your Dahlia book to my son who has grown dahlias for several years. We both enjoy it!

    Reply
  929. Lauren Von D on

    Oh, so many books! “Summer at Castle Auburn” by Sharon Shinn is my annual read since I was young. My current favorite is “The Book on Pie” by Erin Jeanne McDowell.

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  930. Debbie on

    The Lorax, by Dr. Seuss aka Theodore Geisel. I grew up with his books, as did my children, and have maintained that everything you ever needed to know could be learned from Dr. Seuss (not to offend all those wonderful kindergarten teachers out there!). He was a true visionary who clearly saw the wrongs of the world that needed righting and believed the purity, innocence and queries of our children could make a difference. Published in 1971, I was already on the road to teenager-dom and sadly missed his message of environmental stewardship and sustainability, although these were things discussed with my children in their formative years.

    I happened upon the book this past summer, in the midst of heat domes and wildfires, and when I presented it to my 32-year-old son as a birthday gift, tears came to his eyes – and then mine. The experience affirms the work of all gardeners who are such dedicated custodians of our earth.

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  931. Veronica on

    My go-to gardening book is Cool Flower by Lisa Mason Ziegler

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  932. Tamara Stahlman on

    Life in the Studio by Francis Palmer lives by my nightstand. I have torn out many magazine articles about her flowers & her pottery….she has been my inspiration for years. I began gardening & making pottery in the 1980’s. At first for pleasure and then as a business while raising my young family. Then life got busy & I just made pottery for gifts & myself. We moved to the country & jumped in to growing vegetables & then flowers….thinking about making pots for the flowers…because of Franchise Palmer & her inspiration, I am once again making pottery! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

    Reply
  933. Amanda W on

    I don’t know how to pick a favorite book. But my favorite recent read is Native by Kaitlin Curtice. I plan to reread it again soon. I think we have so much to learn about how our whole lives relate to land, and gardening definitely helps that learning.

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  934. Jan W on

    I just love Martha Stewart gardening month by month every year. It was my mothers and I grabbed it for myself..what wonderful helpful things she has in the book

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  935. Shelly R Shangle on

    My favorite book is, Where the Crawdad Sings. It is inspiring and is a story about preserverance. This young girl also learns to live off from the land and puts her knowledge to great use as she grows older.

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  936. Diane on

    I can completely relate to your love of libraries and books since childhood. I am the same way. My favorite book that I’ve read this year is Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan, but really there’s too many to choose from.

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  937. Debbie Bigham on

    I love my gardening books. The color and variety helps me get thru our cold and long winter here in Michigan. Thanks for this opportunity.

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  938. Rhonda Lorenzen on

    One of my favorite books is Homer’s Odyssey by Gwen Cooper. I am not even a “cat person” and I fell in love with this inspirational book about a three-week-old abandoned blind kitten that Gwen adopted in 1997. Spanning 12 years, the memoir covers Cooper’s experiences with Homer (and her two other cats, Vashti and Scarlett) as she endured a see-sawing professional and personal life. Homer teaches that even the biggest obstacles are obtainable. **I laughed, I cried, it was better than cats**

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  939. Kayla V on

    This was so helpful, thanks for posting! I have two favorite books, at least in the design/nonfiction realm. The first is Made to Stick by Chip and Dan Heath. It’s a really great overview of creativity and why some ideas take off and others don’t. My other favorite is Joyful by Ingrid Lee, which has a lot of wonderful design tips to bring more joy and whimsy into your home.

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  940. Phyliss T Brassey on

    I became obsessed when I learned about Erin (from Shannon Ables) and even though I have only a patio for growing in pots, I am already thinking about Spring. My good friend Emily Levitt is a Master Gardener and has oodles of books I devour.
    We are so lucky to have Floret and now I’m trying to locate a cop of Sara Raven’s book.
    Happy Holiday Season to the entire team and special wishes for a Delicious, flower-filled 2022.

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  941. Sherri S. on

    I adore the 2 (cheating, naming 2, but one is a large lavishly illustated book and the other her biography) books about Mary Delaney, whose marvelous botanical collage are an inspiration. And she didn’t start making them until she was 72 years old! If anyone is not aware of her and her work, you must go check it out!

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  942. Joy C. on

    I have just began my journey of gardening over the last 2 years. When beginning, and with no experience in vegetable or flower gardening, I picked up 3 books to get started and learn about different plants, where, and how they like to grow. Seriously, I hardly knew a plant from a hole in the ground! I STILL regret agreeing to babysit a “locally famous” neighbors 4 prized houseplants for the winter while she was out of town 20 years ago. I did warn her that I was not the right person when she asked because I had a proven track record of killing houseplants somehow. But she insisted, ” I have faith in you! How hard can it be? It’s only for 4 months, they just need water when they are dry, and you’re the most responsible person I know!”. I think you can guess what happened – yes, all 4 of them to my horror. Then I had to experience her horror, she never spoke to me again, then told people at a party I was unable to attend, (because I knew she would be there and couldn’t look at her), “yes, she’s a nice person, but not as responsible as you’d think – just don’t let her take care of your plants when you’re out of town”! Which, of course, deeper confirmed my ineptness! I really did vow to myself never to touch another plant as long as I lived. Instead, for 18 years I would just stand in floral and garden departments breathing in and admiring every single thing I could see. I even had a local floral store owner ask me to stop dropping in to stand, smell, and look – it made her employees nervous. Even though she knows I’m not weird, and have ordered from her before, it didn’t matter that it was my weekly beauty and stress reliever walking home from work. Alas, I have gotten over all the trauma when realizing the very plants I would like to have and grow, is the very thing that would heal my previous social misgivings and bring confidence. So at a local used book sale I purchased 2 big beautiful books (with pictures!) “The Ultimate Gardening Book” by Carole McGlynn, and “The 20-Minute Gardener” Western Garden Book by Sunset Magazine. Then I came across another introductory book at the time “Vegetables Love Flowers” by Lisa Mason Ziegler. They were enough to make me think “I can do this, I just need to focus on a plan”. Then I came across your blog and web-site – and that’s what really changed what I thought and felt inside about gardening and flowers. Thank you. Even though I haven’t been able to get them yet, your “Cut Flower Garden”, and “A Year in Flowers” will hopefully be added to the other 3. – Very Best Regards, Joy

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  943. Samantha Bates on

    Oh goodness, this is a tough choice to make given I enjoy so many books, but right now the favorite that popped into mind is a childhood favorite that I go back to time to time to take me back. It is Roald Dahl’s, The BFG. I love the friendship and adventure.

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  944. Melissa on

    I love Gaia’s Garden by Tony Hemenway! It is full of practical ideas about implementing permaculture on a small scale. Whenever I start a new project on the homestead, I pull out the book and go over the information I need.

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  945. Catherine M King on

    Thank you Erin for so generously sharing your book resources! And what fun to read the comments – such a great idea! I do love Discovering Dahlias – thank you for that beautiful guide. I also love any book by poet Mary Oliver; her poetry always makes me stop and “smell the roses”. Right now I am imbibing Blue Horses c. 2014. A treasure on every page – she was a gardener of the whole natural world! And one more that I was reminded of in the Comments: A Language of Flowers, by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. Many themes – from the foster care system, healing wounds, motherhood, and how flowers can communicate and heal!

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  946. Heather Phillips on

    In Bloom by Clare Nolan is the book that is bringing me so much inspiration right now. As a beginning grower it is helping me to plan my small growing space, and is inspiring me to think about my future with plants and flowers in a different way.

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  947. Megan Blum on

    I always find great inspiration from your blog and work. Thank you so much for all you do. One of my favorite books of all time is Little Women. It is such a joy to read each and every time. I love learning through the lives of the March sisters. I feel like I grew up with them too. Now I have two young daughters and I keep coming back to Marmee’s wise words. I can’t wait to share this book with them in the future! My oldest daughter helped me plant our sunflower seeds this year, so I can’t wait to also pass on a love of growing beautiful things.

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  948. Vicky F on

    I love educational books that I can learn from, but my favorite book from when I was young is, The Crystal Cave, a young Merlin story. I’ve always to live in that secret cave!

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  949. Jerusha on

    I love and treasure books so it’s hard to pick a favorite. I’ve currently been loving ‘The Private World of Tasha Tudor’ by Richard Brown. Richard Brown follows Tasha Tudor through the four seasons of her life, art, garden. It’s all in her own words and filled with stories from her childhood and her perspective on life and making her own way in it. Highly recommend!

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  950. Brandi on

    Right now I am enjoying Discovering Dahlias. :)

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  951. Kristina Smith on

    I am enjoying the book North and South currently and just finished the Wingfeather saga by Andrew Peterson – a must read!

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  952. Paula on

    I have been gardening since the 80’s, and certainly collected a few books along the way. My ‘go to’ bible at the time was Rodale’s Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening – revised edition 1984. As much as I love that book (and I still have it- albeit the corners have been chewed up by beloved pets over the years), my all time favorite book is Garden Primer by Barbara Damrosch. Barbara and her husband Eliot Coleman are organic gardeners, and their show ‘Gardening Naturally’ (Discovery Channel, 1993-2003) led me down the path of organic alternatives to pesticides and fertilizers, and how to create a thriving ecosystem in the landscape. Barbara’s husband, Eliot, is also an author and has developed a series of tools for small scale gardeners at Johnny’s Selected Seeds. Barbara (and Eliot) inspired me to care about our planet and the impact I have on the earth – how to build a better, greener world. Because of them, I purchased my first book, the encyclopedia of OG. When Barbara wrote Garden Primer – that book replace the encyclopedia as my all time favorite book, and it has been my fave all these years.

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  953. Valerie on

    Love Ann Patchett’s The Dutch House but I’m in Toronto Canada so don’t qualify for the chance to win the fab book collection 🥲 I enjoy following your Instagram and the mini-courses, etc. Happy times growing flowers!

    Reply
  954. Wendy Lauman on

    Books? I am obsessed with books for sure! I always have 40 new books reserved at the library because that is the limit. So I use my husband’s card to reserve new books too even though he is not interested in flowers, cookbooks, or crafts.
    Some of my favorite books are Red Notice by Bill Browder, Wesley the Owl by Stacey O’Brien, Winterdance by Gary Poulsen, Fastest Things on Wings by Terry Masear, Feather Thief by Kirk Wallace Johnson, Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean, For All the Tea in China by Sarah Rose, and Endurance by Alfred Lansing my neighbor on Long Island where I grew up. Each book teaches me new things.
    Then there is fiction and children books with amazing illustrators.
    It would be a thrill to see more books – no such thing a too many books.

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  955. Nicki R on

    My favorite book is cool flowers. I love that it is helping me to extending my flower growing season.

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  956. Stephanie P on

    My favorite book is probably Anne of Green Gables. I love picturing all the flowers described!

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  957. Becky C. on

    Books bring me so much joy and inspiration that I honestly can’t pick a favorite.

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  958. Melissa A on

    I loved The Power by Naomi Alderman. I think about it all the time!
    Your Discovering Dahlias book is another favorite–it’s such an incredible resource throughout the year.

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  959. Crystal on

    Like you as a child I was always checking out books from the library. Riding my bicycle there was a favorite thing of mine, then going home to read them. One of my favorite books is Maya Angelou’s ‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings’. My favorite books now are on gardening.

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  960. Kylee on

    My long-standing favorite book is Gone With the Wind. Scarlet O’Hara is such a deeply flawed person (aren’t we all) and I think she is often misunderstood and disliked. What people don’t realize is she is a survivor of the utmost kind. No matter what comes her way she buckles down, puts herself back together, and does what needs to be done.

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  961. Kris on

    My favorite book that I read this year is The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah. I learned a lot about the dust bowl era and I was obsessed with the book.

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  962. Rachel B on

    My favorite book from the past is “The Bold & Brilliant Garden” by Sarah Raven. As a former landscape architect, I was inspired by her luscious, amazing color combinations and she helped me to think outside the box in my planting designs. I also loved the glorious, mass plantings of Piet Oudolf in “Landscapes in Landscapes.” Now, as I start to grow more of my own flowers for my new horticultural therapy business, I am excited by this list of amazing books you have shared! It has been great fun reading about other favorites in all the comments!

    Reply
  963. Nicole Moore on

    Years ago, I stumbled on a picture of a dahlia flower and thought what the heck is that. As I did some “digging” (🥴) I found floret and that’s where my book collection started. I’ve slowly started purchasing all the dahlia books you’ve recommended. My favorites would have to be Dahlia Breeding by Kristine Albrecht, the cut flower garden, and the discovering dahlias.
    I’d also like to mention that I started noticing people were doing hashtags of taking your online class years ago . So I clicked on one of the hashtags and messaged Marryn Mathis about if she recommended your online class. I took your class, (which I highly recommend as well) and am so glad I did. You all have been such an inspiration to me. I have finally had the opportunity to purchase some acreage and can’t wait for my dream to come true as a flower farmer.
    Thank you for the inspiration and also your encouraging words to just try and dig in.

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  964. Marina Michahoohoo on

    Love in the Time of Cholera by Garcia Marquez because everything about the book is perfect.
    Close second is The Master and Margherita by Bulgakov.

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  965. Julia Williams on

    I’ve always planted container flowers every summer, but have gone down the permaculture road these past few years in effort of becoming self sustainable as much as possible. The most recent book is The Family Garden Plan: Grow a Year’s Worth of Sustainable and Healthy Food by Melissa K Norris out of Washington state. I just discovered your story on Netflix a few months ago and fell in LOVE with dahlias. So I want to try my hand at growing some cut flowers for the local flower shop-which was completely inspired by your story. Thank you for all that you do for others and sharing your knowledge.

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  966. Angie on

    All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. Exquisitely written, beautifully sad.

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  967. Deborah Gatz on

    When I was a kid, we lived a very short distance from the library, which became my second home. When I wasn’t at the library, scouring the shelves for books to read while I sat there in the children’s room, in the summer I would take books into the little hiding-spot-reading-room I had created in our huge forsythia bush. Hidden by the beautiful draping branches, holding a book in my little green “room”, I was in my happy place.
    I still love reading. That said, how on earth do you pick a favorite? Madeline took me to Paris, Ferdinand took me to Spain, Dickens/Austen/and the Bronte sisters took me to England from the wild moors to sophisticated Bath. But – in honor of flowers – I’d vote for The Secret Garden where the healing of hurts and relationships was possible due to the imagination of one plucky girl, the hard work of young children and the beauty of a garden brought back to life showing that old things can be made new.

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  968. Nichole Kean on

    Braiding Sweetgrass because this book gave me the words to explain how my soul feels when I’m in the dirt.

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  969. Jennifer C on

    Maybe not my forever favorite book, but I just finished Tools of Titans by Tim Ferriss. It is so inspiring–I love hearing how so many successful people do what they do so well, what motivates them, and what their spirit animal is (a surprising number of sloths).

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  970. Andee Zeigler on

    Sarah Ravens book is always on my bedside table along with another favorite. I was gifted a copy of Marc Hamer’s book, “Seed to Dust: life, nature and a country garden” the chapters are the months of the year with beautiful short stories from a painter turned gardener. He speaks to the sorrows of a gardeners heart in fall and winter and the work and joys of spring. I read it year round, my companion to the ups and downs of loving life most in the garden.

    Reply
  971. Patricia Kozlik on

    My favorite read of all time is “The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter” by Carson’s McCullers. I was quite young when I first read it. She was very young when she wrote it. By the end of the book her characters are just so beautifully described that you literally feel you know them. About 20 pages before the end, there is a twist that left me sobbing. A very moving book about human connections.

    Reply
  972. Dawn Orza on

    “Braiding Sweetgrass ” Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teaching of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer is my absolute favorite book. I’ve read it 3 times and will read it again and again. I love it!

    Reply
  973. Nora Swalls on

    It is hard to pick one! I love sharing ideas on books so I want to go through all of these posts. I have to go with “For One More Day” by Mitch Albom. I am excited to add your books to my list.

    Reply
  974. Katie on

    My favorite book is a young adult book series— but I still reread it every few years. The Golden Compass and the whole rest of the series!

    Reply
  975. Kristine Moody on

    My favorite book is Enchantment by Orson Scott Card. It is a fantasy novel that traverses time yet is a timeless love story. It is so rich in description, character development, and plot that by the time the book ends you can only want more. But unfortunately it was not written as an epic fantasy series because it definitely should have been!

    Reply
  976. Trudy Cuoghi on

    Oh my, I can totally relate to this post! I remember waiting each week for the book-mobile to show up during summer vacations, then torturing my poor aby sister by making her sit through readings, or giving her reading assignments as a makebelieve teacher. Our mom was a teacher so I guess it was only natural; and she inspired us both to continue lifelong learning. Of course it would be impossible for me to chose one favorite book and one subject alone. I love all three of my Floret books, and several recommendations from the 2021 Workshop. Other flower farming reference books I would recommend include “The Market Gardener” by Jean-Martin Fortier, for basics of growing seasonally and under cover, plus growing for market advice. There is also the book that began my love of flower arranging, “Madderlake: Trade Secrets” by Bill Jarecki and Tom Pritchard. They were pioneers in the “wild and natural” school of flower arranging, utilizing branches, berries, veggies, and foraged materials. It is out of print but can still be found from used book sellers. More gardening books recommendations include – “Vegetable Gardening the Colonial Williamsburg Way” by Wesley Greene for traditional methods using hotbeds, cloches, and “wildcrafted” trellising constructed of windfall branches; for veggie gardeners, “Home Grown Pantry” by Barbara Pleasants which includes both growing and perserving methods; and last, but not least, books by Jerry Baker for old timer, homey garden remedies for flowers, veggies and their pests.

    Reply
  977. Bess Brownlee on

    Yay books! I have been loving both ‘A Year in Flowers’ and ‘On Flowers’ and return to them again and again! Beautiful work ladies!

    Reply
  978. Allie on

    I have a really old “Language of Flowers” victorian style book that I love and is a lot of fun to use for wedding work and to give bouquets that little something special.

    Also it’s hard to choose between The Hobbit and Dealing with Dragons by Patricia Wrede. I love fantasy novels that transport me away from reality.

    Reply
  979. Andee Zeigler on

    I was gifted a copy of Marc Hamer’s book, “Seed to Dust: life, nature and a country garden” the chapters are the months of the year with beautiful short stories from a painter turned gardener. He speaks to the sorrows of a gardeners heart in fall and winter and the work and joys of spring. I read it year round, my companion to the ups and downs of loving life most in the garden.

    Reply
  980. Penrhyn Olsen on

    The #1 Ladies Detective Agency series has been a favorite for years. A friend and I have been sending each other the latest books in this series featuring the remarkable wisdom of main character Precious Ramotswe (the #1 ladies detective!). It’s been a fun way for us to stay in touch.

    Reply
  981. Rachael on

    As an avid reader as well, and also spending MANY hours at the Mt. Vernon city library (where I’m wondering if you took your kids there Erin!) as a kid, it is so hard to choose a favorite. I think though, one of my all time favorite books is Swiss Family Robinson. I love their creativity, their determination to make an incredible island life, and the amazing adventures they go on. It inspires me to be creative and adventurous!

    Cheers from Skagit Valley :)

    Reply
  982. CHRISTINE PETERSEN on

    I found the American Horticultural Society A to Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants to be an invaluable reference when I was learning to garden. Even with the internet, I still use it to read about specific plants. I also love Landscaping with Daylilies: A Comprehensive Guide for the use of Daylilies in the Garden by Oliver Billingslea to be an excellent resource.

    Reply
  983. Ruth Ensor on

    My favorite book is The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. Very inspiring and touching.

    Reply
  984. Maddison Perzel on

    One of my favorite books is pilgrim at tinker creek! Sometimes you just need to get away into nature with her writing. Can’t wait to add these all to my list, thanks for sharing

    Reply
  985. cyd on

    how to choose? as a kid, i read “island of the blue dolphins” dozens of times. it is based on the true story of a girl left behind on an island when her tribe evacuates, leaving her to fend for herself for 18 years. i envied her solitude and self-sufficiency. only recently did i realize i acquired a similar life years ago when i began spending half the year at an alaskan cabin, accessible only by small boat, fishing/gathering and growing masses of flowers and vegetables. so i guess that book had a bigger impact on how my life turned out than any other.

    Reply
  986. Karen on

    I love Cut Flower Garden! It is so inspiring! It has lots of useful tips.

    Reply
  987. Elizabeth Castellanos on

    The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein is my all time favorite book. I told an ex-boyfriend “I can’t give you anymore” and he responded “I have a book for you”.
    The book summed up our relationship.

    Reply
  988. Linda Freyberg on

    One of my favorite books is Love Does by Bob Goff. His follow up book is called Everybody Always. He is one of my favorite authors and I am always inspired by his stories and creative ways he makes a difference in the world. Definitely an inspiring read on both books.

    Reply
  989. Jack Wilkinson on

    My favorite book is the first time gardener by Jessica Sowards! (Roots and Refuge Farm) She is just the best at explaining every process down to the tiniest detail, and of course fantastic pictures!

    Reply
  990. Monica Kovaci on

    My current favorite is Vegetables Love Flowers by Lisa Mason Ziegler. I love the easy going writing style, growing tips and of course the pictures. I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to receive a collection of your favorite books.

    Reply
  991. Alyssa Johnson on

    My new favorite book is “Get out of your head” by Jennie Allen. I struggle to let go of powerful, defeating thoughts and the author provides encouraging messages and strategies to take those thoughts captive and conquer them.

    Reply
  992. Myla Diamond on

    I have many favorite books and one of them is Bringing Up Bebe by Pamela Druckerman. It is a fun and informative book about an American mom raising her children in France.

    Reply
  993. Donna on

    I am an avid reader and love books of all kinds. I’ve been drawn the last few years to all things garden and homesteading. My newest book I am in love with is “Spirit of Place”. The pictures drew me in and I get lost in the dreaminess of them. I also love “Discovering Dahlias “ which I have loaned to a friend! So hopefully it makes it back home soon! I just recently ordered “A Year in Flowers “ and anxiously awaiting it’s arrival!

    Reply
  994. Kimberly Beaumont on

    I winter sow most of my annuals from seed so my favorite and most used garden book is The Gardener’s A-Z Guide to Growing from Seed to Bloom by Eileen Powell. I use this book to refer to hardiness and germination for the varieties I sow. I love gardening books, ( on line just doesn’t cut it), and this one has no pictures, (and I love the pictures) but the information it contains is invaluable to starting a large variety of seeds. I always find what I need in this book. Highly recommend for seed starting.

    Reply
  995. Norma Evans on

    I have so many favorite books! The first one that popped into my head was Chronicles of Narnia

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  996. Katie on

    Today my answer is Winds of War by Herman Wouk, but ask me another day and my answer will change!

    Reply
  997. Kaylin on

    My favorite book is “Kaffir Boy in America” by Mark Mathabane. I read it in English class 20 years ago and still think about it often. Such an inspiring story. I wasn’t a huge reader, but so loved it that I ordered an autographed copy of it along with two other books he wrote including “African Women,” another eye-opening read. They opened my young eyes to a whole other world. Today, I’m a big reader and collector of books so I understand the overflowing book shelves. The books seem to multiply overnight and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

    Reply
  998. Jeanne Cummings on

    One favorite from a lifetime of being a voracious reader is too hard. I love so many genres’ from classics, historical fiction, fiction, children’s, Christmas, gardening, cooking and on and on. My favorite author is Pat Conroy (Prince of Tides, The Great Santini etc. and all of his writing as he was such a wordsmith) and I tend to favor many Southern writers.
    I also grab new authors today and love a quick read as well…
    …my library overflows into every nook’ncranny …much like yours sounds…thanks for being able to follow your gardens as I no longer have a big garden yet still manage a lot of greenery/flowers on my little deck.

    Reply
  999. Elizabeth Zdrojewski on

    My current favorite flower book is Discovering Dahlias. Being a new gardener with dahlias, I found that this book was extremely helpful with any questions that I may have had. Also, a bonus with the book is all the beautiful dahlia pictures throughout it. This book is definitely a must have for any dahlia grower!

    Reply
  1000. Lisa LeMontangue on

    My favorite book? This must be the hardest question for anyone who loves to read! I have a number books on gardening numerous other topics that I refer to often (for fiction, I generally borrow books from the library). In searching for an answer, I looked at my bookshelves and asked myself which books I pull off the shelf most often. I’m sure everyone with find this amusing (or ridiculous), but the book I reach for most often (and actually enjoy using) is the dictionary! I adore the English language and tend to read slowly so that I can absorb every word, noticing the unique way each author uses punctuation and sentence structure to convey their thoughts. When I come across an unfamiliar word, I can often surmise its meaning based on context, but I love to look at the definition to get a deeper, more nuanced understanding of it. Yes, I can look up words on my phone in a pinch, but it’s just not the same as holding a dictionary in my hands. My co-workers and family find this quite entertaining–or perhaps annoying, I can’t be sure!

    Reply
  1001. Adrienne Hegedus on

    I find so much joy in your books, Erin! I also just read Suzanne Simard’s Finding the Mother Tree which was amazing and I would highly recommend it. On the flip side, Dave Grohl’s new memoir “The Storyteller” was awesome. And I am also thoroughly enjoying Celeste Barber’s memoir “Challenge Accepted”.
    I think I might have a book problem… it’s a good one to have!

    Reply
  1002. Emily on

    My favorite book has got to be Ira Wallace’s Grow Great Vegetables in Virginia. Her fantastic work and experience in the south, especially in Virginia and the Historic Monticello Gardens, shaped the beginning of my gardening. It always inspires me to be true to where I live and to believe in the important role in nature we play on this earth.

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  1003. Karen McKee on

    My current favorite book is Dahlia Breeding for the farmer-florist and the home gardener by Kristine Albrecht. I am a novice home dahlia gardener but Kristine explains things in such detail and so simply that I actually think some day I might be able to hybridize.

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  1004. Jasmin Williams on

    I love reading too, especially when the weather is bad and I can’t do anything outside. My sweet mother took me to the library every week growing up, so I felt obligated to finish each book I checked out. We have had to downsize quite a bit, but some books I just can’t give away! I especially love collecting books about Christmas, Chinese culture, and children’s books. I recently read a book called Heirs of Falcon Point by Traci Hunter Abramson and I highly recommend.

    Reply
  1005. Lydia Brubacher on

    Hello!! I’m so inspired by you and your flowers! Thank you so much for all the work you do to share your advice and glimpses of the flower farm!! I think I’d have to say my favorite book is the Bible. It is absolutely the best book just because it is God’s Word and shows me what He says and how to live. I love reading and I have all three of your books and like them very much! I am a very small scale flower farmer and it is very helpful to have sources to look into for help!

    Reply
  1006. Whitney Sweeny on

    My library has a section for local/regional authors. I recently discovered a set of books there By Carol J. Michel. She is a devoted gardener and also a blogger though I didn’t know that before her books. Her books are compilations of essays about gardening and gardening life. Everything from a letter to her favorite gardening shirt, to garden swear words, to a story about Beauty and the Vegetable Feast! She is so witty and fun and true to my experiences and thoughts as a gardener! It makes for wonderful reading! Start with Potted and Pruned and enjoy the fellowship through her pages!

    Reply
  1007. Helen Sullivan on

    Years ago I worked at the local library and was introduced to Tasha Tudor . Her books and illustrations made a big impression on me, mostly because she loved gardening with a passion and it showed in her floral paintings. She also lived simply and raised goats and gardened organically.. The private World of Tasha Tudor is the best!!

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  1008. Kate on

    My favorite book related to gardening is “The Seed Underground: A Growing Revolution to Save Food” by Janisse Ray. Her books are all brilliant, but this one tells an important story of why we need to work together to save and exchange seeds, especially on a local level. Read it and save seeds!

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  1009. Geneva Ivanovich on

    One of my favorite books is More Decorating With FLOWERS by Ronaldo Maia. I love to grab a cup of coffee or tea and look at the beautiful arrangements and look for inspiration. It’s also a coffee table size which is a plus!

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  1010. Janna Christensen on

    Oh, my favourite book? Well, if my favourite is decided by which book I spent the most time with this year, then #1 would have to be Discovering Dahlias, as I poured over every page choosing the most pleasing varieties to grow in my garden, and learning how to grow (fertilize, pinch, cut, dig, cure and store) these beauties. The second most favourite this year was Cut Flower Garden… I 100% spent the most time with these two books this year (and I’m not just sucking up).

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  1011. Susan Chappell on

    The first gardening books I bought when I became a homeowner years ago in the Pacific Northwest were the books by local author and gardener Ann Lovejoy. She wrote in a down-to-earth yet inspirational style about successfully growing a garden in our area and I bought every one of them.

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  1012. Linda Muir on

    Erin, Thank you for sharing these books. I was especially pleased to see ones on your list for personal growth as well as gardening & flower ones. I have so many favorites, but one I return to for personal reflection is called “Meditations from the Mat – Daily Reflections of the Path of Yoga” by Rolf Gates & Katrina Kenison. Each day has an essay and quote to reflect on. The quotes come from all areas music, sports, the arts, the Bible, yogis, famous people – ancient & contemporary, etc. The book is divided into sections following The Eight-Limb Path of Yoga. There are 365 reflections but no dates which allows me to explore a specific aspect of yoga, just open up to an essay, or follow it day by day.

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  1013. Jono on

    My favourite is discovering dahlias!!!!! It’s just coming into dahlia season here in Australia so it’s a book I’m referencing every day! Thank you so much for creating this thoughtful and beautiful book!

    Reply
  1014. Megan Bradford on

    Of course I love flower books! But this year’s best read was From Scratch. It worked through grief, motherhood, and cultural differences while also sprinkling in Italian culture and recipes. I absolutely loved it! Another great read this year was This Is How It Always Is. Also a beautifully written experience with parenthood!

    Reply
  1015. Jenn on

    My current favorite is that lovely Monty Don book, The Complete Gardener (if I won the giveaway I’d give my copy to my best gardening friend). I started watching Gardener’s World during lockdown after a friend donated a raised bed to me and I’ve been completely obsessed with all things gardening (and Monty Don, let’s be honest) ever since. It truly kept me sane during the last year and half but doesn’t feel like something I’ll give up as life slowly goes back to normal. It’s unlocked a true love for getting my hands in the dirt, and I feel like I’m carrying on the gardening tradition of my grandfather and aunt. This year I’m focusing more on flowers – and tomatoes, because a Southern woman has to grow tomatoes… I plan to spend the winter months learning and reading as much as I can.

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  1016. Terry on

    Impossible. Just one? What about one per genre? One per each year of my life? All time favorite? Fiction? Biography? Children’s book? Cookbook? Jeepers, just ONE?

    Okay…heavy exhale. Guess I will just go with my current favorite book, the one I have borrowed from the library half a dozen times or more. I am really enamored with Erica Tanov’s book entitled Design By Nature. I love this book because the author beautifully imparts her affinity for natural elements and illustrates how they influence and infuse her design aesthetic. Things like the way the water ripples and shimmers, cast shadows, the color and texture of bark. Beautiful vignettes, nothing overworked or slickly over styled, a primarily neutral-leaning palette, it all creates a mood that feels very quiet, grounded, clearly connected to the natural world. And who couldn’t use more of that, right?

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  1017. Lauren on

    During quarantine I read “Where the Crawdads Sing.” I absolutely loved the story and as a biology major loved how the author goes into detail with the description of nature.

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  1018. Mary Ellen Howard on

    I have so many favorites, it’s hard to pick one! I can say that one of my favorite authors is Elizabeth Berg — her trilogy “Durable Goods” “Joy School” and “True to Form” are some of my absolute favorites. For flower books, of course I LOVE “Discovering Dahlias” as they are my new obsession! I would love to read Monty Don’s book, as he is another favorite (I’m obsessed with Gardeners World!) Thank you, Erin, for inspiring and teaching so many of us with your incredible flower farm. I love how you freely give such wonderful, helpful information on growing beautiful flowers.

    Reply
  1019. Vanessa on

    Erin! You are amazing. Truly. Through “Growing Floret” on Magnolia Network, I found you and your work with flowers. Your story brought me tears of joy and I love that your mission is to “spread beauty” into the world. I always say to my friends to Shine Bright and you are shining brightly! Thank you for all that you do and for the courage to continue to show up everyday and be who you are and live what you love. You have made a difference in my life through inspiration and beauty— and I have started to grow flowers and found that I enjoy putting my hands in the soil.

    I, too, am an avid reader since I was a kid. I share some great business books in your library— “Start With Why” and “Blue Ocean Strategy”— and I will add some of yours to my list. I do need to start my flower growing collection since I began planting herbs and flowers this year. So, I really appreciate your library starter offer and invitation to learn to grow flowers.

    One non-fiction book that has moved me— because as a kid I loved a class in school teaching all about nature— is titled, “Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature” by Janine M. Benyus, which offers a way of looking through the lens of nature to create in regenerative ways that give back to nature. Whether we create products or business models, or organizational teams, as described in the book “Teeming: How Superorganisms Work Together to Build Infinite Wealth on a Finite Planet” by Dr. Tamsin Wooley-Barker, the practice of Biomimicry aligns us with the cycles of nature to thrive and flourish— just like flowers! Thank you again to you, your husband, Julie, and your awesome team!

    Reply
  1020. Rhonda Vagt on

    this week my favorite is Cool season flowers Lisa Mason Ziegler, I am in zone 4 and want flowers for Mothers day. this book is great for show how to plant early

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  1021. Whitney H on

    My favorite book… ooo gosh how to pick?!?! There’s Harry Potter, Dune, any Ottolenghi or Jane Austin. All are great books but when I think of gardening my favorite has to be Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. It was the first garden book I ever owned and the one that inspired me to garden in the first place. My first garden love was vegetables (or more importantly food), it was gardening veggies that lead me to flowers. In the book, she weaves a beautiful story that follows her and her family through a year of being self-sufficient and gardening organically. It is just beautifully done, interesting, and informing… in a way for me it was like a nostalgic farm romance novel where the stars are the veggies.

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  1022. Mercedes Castillo on

    My favorite book is The Mothers by Brit Bennett. Beautiful writing, interesting topic– all that you need to be immersed.

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  1023. Elizabeth on

    Thank you for sharing books that have impacted you! And there are so many interesting books in your list. I am especially interested in the Martha Stewart month by month gardening book. That sounds incredibly useful and she no doubt has some incredible strategies. I love Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. Like any book, it has more detail than any of the movies or musical renditions. I don’t know if it was his intention, but it is a good analogy of the spiritual principles of law and grace found in the Bible. It is a really thick book and worth the read.

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  1024. Delene Henderson on

    Floret Farm A Year In Flowers
    Gave me the inspiration to do more in my flower garden. Much more such an awesome guide!

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  1025. Nancy A. on

    The first chapter book my dad read to me was Frances Hodgson Burnett’s “The Secret Garden.” It was about courage, grace and the power of make believe, and yet, most importantly for me, the novel planted the idea about the magic and joy derived from the beauty of the garden and friendship. I have read it numerous times throughout my life. It has had a powerful influence on my garden journeys and the importance of sharing that joy and beauty with others. Mary Lennox, the protagonist, was transformed by the magic and mystery of the secret garden. May we all delight in and find comfort and strength from our gardens. My favorite book for a very long time.

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  1026. Lindsay kimmons on

    My favorite books are from the Harry Potter series. I know I know it seems silly considering there are so many wonderful literary masterpieces out there but it’s HP for me. These books (and movies) were such a huge part of my childhood and they always seem to take me right back to that place as soon as I open the cover. They will always be a form of comfort and inspiration for me. The same goes for flowers. I always remember gardening vegetables with my Papa Ed and picking wildflowers with my Nanny Shirley with excitement and hope at what each harvest would bring. I would always be amazed at what we could do with a little dirt, seed, water and love or what beauty we could produce with some flowering weeds. You would almost think it was magic.

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  1027. Rachel Sandoval on

    My favorite book is the Secret Garden- I first read it as a child but actually just re-read it this year and still love it!

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  1028. Kathryn on

    My favorite book is, “Anne of Green Gables.” Itspoetic and reminds me to dream and to be honest with myself!

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  1029. Rhonda VanNess on

    I also love books so choosing a favorite is very hard. Right now I’m really enjoying “Garden Inspirations” by Charlotte Moss.

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  1030. Linda Williams on

    My favorite garden book is Tomatomania. It includes a description of various varieties to peruse, tips on growing, and recipes! Almost everyone can grow some variety of tomato and get the satisfaction of eating the fruits of your labors!

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  1031. Bethany on

    My favorite is the cut flower garden. The picture are beautiful and I find it inspiring.

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  1032. Amélie Savoie-Saumure on

    I can’t say of all time, but my favorite read this year was Hidden Valley Road by Robert Kolker. I love this genre, it was so well down with the parallel story of this overwhelmed and overwhelming family with the development of our comprehension of schizophrenia. Super interesting, nothing like I’ve read before.

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  1033. Charlene Hubbard on

    I really enjoy Monty Don’s the Complete Gardener.
    It has a format that appeals to me. The photography is lovely.
    Each time I go through this book it makes my soul sing.

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  1034. Teresa Smith on

    My favorite is Floret Farms Discovering Dahlias because it has opened the world of growing beautiful dahlias to me. I just recently purchased it and am already making plans for next spring!

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  1035. Rebecca Fish on

    Hi! There’s one book that has always been my favorite since I was a child. It’s called Beauty by Robin McKinley. It’s written so vividly that the characters, colors and sounds literally dance from the pages. I hope my girls someday will enjoy the book as much as I still do.

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  1036. Phoebe Grealy on

    My favourite is The Third Plate by chef Dan Barber where he travels around the world looking at all the amazing ways people are growing food and bringing back extinct varieties of wheat, flowers, heirloom vegetables and also how soil makes a huge difference to a culture’s health and community.

    Can’t wait to read all the books mentioned!
    Phoebe

    Reply
  1037. Sheri Rossi on

    One of my favorite books (it’s impossible for me to definitively say there is ONE favorite) of all time is Emma. I feel like it covers a lot of emotions and moods so is pretty good whether you’re in the mood for a laugh or a cry. For gardening, I do love your book ‘Cut Flowers’. My sister gifted it to me for my anniversary a couple years back and it has sparked and motivated a lot of my gardening projects dinner.

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  1038. Katie Lila Broadbent on

    Big Magic-Elizabeth Gilbert
    This book lights a fire in me every time I open it.
    “A creative life is an amplified life. It’s a bigger life, it’s a happier life, an expanded life, and a hell of a lot more interesting life. living in this manner— continually and stubbornly bringing forth the jewels that are hidden within you— is a fine art, in and of itself.
    Because creative living is where big magic will always abide.”

    Well said EG. ❤️‍🔥

    Reply
  1039. Ed Meyer on

    Your Discovering Dahlias is my first flower book and a fav. Being new to dahlias it has some amazingly inspiring photographs and all the info I can handle as I get my bearings!

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  1040. Julie Finley on

    I’m really enjoying Discovering Dahlias, Cut Flower Garden (love your info and gorgeous photos!) and Cool Flowers by Lisa Mason Ziegler. I learn and absorb more every time I open these great books!

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  1041. Kim Burrall on

    My favorite book is The Bible. What a joy it is to know the Creator of all that is beautiful.

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  1042. Linda W. on

    I’d have to say that Crockett’s Victory Garden would be my all time favorite book in honor of my Dad. I remember looking through his copy every spring/summer it as it was his go to reference with all of his notes in the margins, he was an avid gardener, as well as watching the series on public TV. I was just recently just gifted a copy for my birthday this past fall to add to my tiny collection. For flowers, the only books I have are Erin’s- Cut Flower Garden and Discovering Dahlias which I plowed through over and over this year as it way my first year growing a cut flower garden and I am hooked!!! I still can’t believe that I was able to grow such beauties and even used them at my son’s wedding… can’t wait for spring!!

    Reply
  1043. Nicole on

    It’s so hard to choose one, but if I had to, I would go with Lord of the Flies. I remember reading it at a young age and found it so profound. I loved all of the symbolism.

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  1044. Jessi Mau on

    Wow, just one favorite? I guess I have to share the book that teaches me something new each time I read it–“Til We Have Faces” by C.S. Lewis. It’s the ancient myth of Psyche and Cupid masterfully re-told through the eyes of Psyche’s older sister, Orual. This was the last novel Lewis wrote, after the death of his wife, and is much darker in it’s themes as a result. It reads like poetry and completely transports me to another place. The imagery of the middle ages, the deep emotions of grief and possessive love, the transition from a silent child to kingdom queen–no other book has yet to fill me with as much wonder as this one does.

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  1045. Elizabeth Ritter on

    Anne of Green Gables, by LM Montgomery for the vivid descriptions of apple trees in bloom, Lillies of the Valley hidden in the shady bends of forest brooks, and bouquets of fall leaves.

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  1046. Kayla Mock on

    One of my favorite books is The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett ! I love it because it was one of my favorites as a child, it’s a classic, and it’s sort of the story of how nature (the Moore and the Garden itself of course) heals and nurtures the souls of the characters in the book.

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  1047. Andrea on

    My favorite book is “Angle of Repose” by Wallace Stegner. What happens when an aging grandson looks back over his life and the lives of his grandparents (a dreamer and woman who loves him.) I’ve read it twice and listened to it once and I’m not done. I’ve never been so smitten by a book in my life.

    Reply
  1048. Agnieszka "zakatekpodlasem" on

    I have no experience in growing flowers, so I do not have any books on this subject. I started my preparation from a vegetable garden, so flowers grew in it, but those with additional tasks. I do not know the items listed here, but I will gladly meet and learn something new so that my discounts will delight with their beauty in the future. Until now, I have sown such simple flowers as marigolds, sunflowers and nasturtiums. I was guided by the principles of permakutura when establishing a garden, our fields are no dig. Books to which I gladly returned are “Permaculture” by Sepp Holzer and “Permaculture Gardens. To Touch the Earth” Monika Podsiadła / Andrzej Młynarczyk. From them I learned that it is worth planting flowers in a vegetable garden, how to combine plants to enjoy biodiversity in the garden. We have an apiary in the garden and we try to sow many species so that the bees can benefit from them. The first time I made bulb lasagnes with sapphires, tulips, daffodils and hyacinths. I would love to learn something new about flowers and each book is a wonderful gift 💚

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  1049. Gail on

    My favorite book, since high school, has been A Tale of Two Cities. However, it just may have been unseated by a new read; Hamnet. A book of historical fiction, this novel is beautifully written and artfully switches between two timelines. The story revolves around the family of Shakespeare yet it never truly names him in the story. History does show that Shakespeare had a son name Hamnet who died when he was 11. The author does an amazing job of crafting a story around historical facts. Nothing better than reading a good book! Except maybe creating a magnificent garden!

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  1050. Gayla Thompson on

    The Cutting Garden: Growing & Arranging Garden Flowers by Sarah Raven

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  1051. Kathy Blakeslee on

    I”m so new to growing flowers I’m reading everything I can get my hands on. So, I find it hard to pick…. Erin, your Cut Flower Garden book I’ve dog eared so many pages so, I would say that one is my go to book. :)

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  1052. Valerie M on

    My first favorite garden book was Better Homes and Gardens Garden Book copyright 1951. This was always intriguing as a little girl as it has beautiful pictures and is ring-bound which seemed cool. I still have my mother’s copy! Not as cool today but it piqued my interest in gardening for sure.

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  1053. Kathleen (Kathy) Wagner on

    Hi Erin and your Floret crew.

    I am a novice at growing flowers, but would love to try my hand at it. I’m approaching 60 yrs old and have begun to daydream about what I’d like to do in my retirement. Gardening and growing flowers has made the top of my list, especially after seeing your episodes on Magnolia Network. You are an inspiration.

    I’m an architect by training, so many of my favorite ‘go to books’ are focused on that subject. But for pleasure I really enjoy reading biographies or autobiography! My most recent read is Michelle Obama’s “Becoming”. I so enjoy learning about other peoples lives and how they see the world and what adversities they manage to overcome in their lives. It’s inspiring to me and humbling. And gives me the courage to face my own fears in life. It also makes me feel so grateful for the things I do have…my health, my children/family, my work, and my dear friends. Thank you, Erin, for sharing your Floret stories/life with all of us. You really are a trailblazer.

    -Kathy W. (from the Boston area)

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  1054. Dana on

    Where the Red Fern Grows is still my favorite….and I still cry every time I read it.

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  1055. Trista on

    My all time favorite books are the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. I love the way she writes and how she weaves so much history so seamlessly into her books. I can get lost in them again and again and discover new details each time. I am new to the gardening world and looking forward to checking our some of these new titles as I get started! Thank you for sharing your favorites.

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  1056. Heidi Biersner on

    Too many to pick one 😅 – my most recent favorites are The Prairie in Seed by Dave Williams because it has taught me how to identify and harvest native prairie seed in my home state to help grow and preserve the prairie; and Parenting by Paul David Tripp – gospel minded parenting principles that help me see my role as a parent in a different light.

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  1057. Kathy on

    I have most of Eliot Coleman’s Books – such amazing wisdom packed into each that has made my organic gardening journey exciting and fun. So I would have to say”The New Organic Grower” has influenced me the most.

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  1058. Kat on

    Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer is poetry, education about sustainable farming, inspiration of how one person can make a real difference and memoir of a remarkable person, I think about it frequently as I work in and plan my gardens.

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  1059. Caitlin E on

    Isn’t that kind of like picking a favorite kid? Ha!
    I’d have to come back to any of the Calvin and Hobbes. I know they’re actually collections of comics, but I have such good memories of laying on my stomach and reading them until my back ached, and I can open up to any page and laugh.

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  1060. Kristin Lovig on

    The book that comes to mind is “Where the Sidewalk Ends” by Shel Silverstein. I was in grade school when one of my teachers read it to our class. What fun!! Who knew poetry could be fun?!?! It inspired a life-long appreciation for poetry and a good sense of humor. I actually read a few poems the other day, while stuck in my bedroom with covid. I had a few good giggles and it certainly improved my mood!

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  1061. Lynette on

    Goodness. How do you choose a favourite book (or child)? Here are some favourites from different genres: The Complete Gardener by Monty Don, Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards, Story Genius by Lisa Cron, The Looneyspoons Collection by Janet and Greta Podleski, The Complete Mediterranean Cookbook by America’s Test Kitchen, and Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder! Enjoy!!

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  1062. Shannon Wells on

    Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. She’s a botanist, so I align with her science side because I am a soil scientist. But she’s also native so she’s brought together traditional knowledge with her scientific knowledge and I find it fascinating and beautiful and inspiring. I can only dream to see plants and life the way she does.

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  1063. Jennifer Unruh on

    I love to read..I love information, I love down time with a book. There are so many favorites, of many kinds, for me. The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis are a strong favorite. Imagine Heaven by John Burke has had a tremendous impact on me. I love laughing over James Herriott. And the list goes on. When I want to learn something new, I search for books. Erin’s books have had significant impact on my first flower farming year. I am planning the second year, now. :) So thankful for the information and inspiration shared!!

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  1064. Sarah Lacko on

    Oh man, when I was little I would get lost in Beatrix Potter, Secret Garden and Anna of Green Gables! The beauty, the adventure and nourishment of gardens captivated me. A long lover of books and now, as an adult, dog eared copies litter the greenhouse and office and book shelves of our home, yet never satiates the need of finding more beauty and inspiration in someone else’s story. Cheers to good books, all of them.

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  1065. Anna on

    My favorite book this year is “Braiding Sweetgrass” by Robin Wall Kimmerer. I highly recommend it.

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  1066. Jenni on

    My favorite book is “The Sibley Guide to Birds”. As a young teenager I sacrificed $15 (about whole month’s worth of allowance and cleaning money) from my savings for a camera to purchase a used copy of this book. As an avid birdwatcher, I spent hours poring over it and studying birds I had seen in the mountains behind our house. A few years later I got a job and was able to afford more field guides as my time in the forest gave me curiosity about the butterflies, dragonflies, and eventually flowers that I observed along the way, but that well worn copy of Sibley’s still sits in a place of honor. It has traveled to many different states with me, I’m kind of surprised that it’s not falling apart yet.

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  1067. Becky Burton on

    Plant Propogation by American Horticultural Society—it is a fully illustrated guide to propagation of nearly any plant you can think of! Truly a treasure.

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  1068. Sue Sturgis on

    My book would have to be The Potted Herb written and illustrated by Abbie Zabar. It’s an old book from the 80s that I adored from the moment I picked it up and read the dedication ‘To all those who want a little garden in their lives’. I was about 19 when I found this book, in college, and having always lived in a city had big dreams of living in the country with expansive gardens. That always seemed to be out of the equation. However, I soon adopted the philosophy that a garden can be in any size. It can even be a little pot and it was this book that opened that door. Now more than 30 years later, I still love the illustrations and the way the recipes are written. Who couldn’t fall I love with a book that ends an herb butter recipe with: ‘serve it on Sunday morning muffins along with Champagne poured over apricot purée’? I wanted to live in that world and without any space for a proper garden, it was this book encouraged me that I still had access to it by simply potting up some herbs. This book has had such an impact on me that the title is on the top of the list for possible business names.

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  1069. Selene on

    Caste…continuing my AR journey

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  1070. Hannah Grace Puchuela on

    I just started into liking to read books & One of my first book and definitely favorite is Cut flower Garden by floret. I’m so amazed by the amount of flowers i could possibly grow, they’re beautiful.

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  1071. Arlene Mcconnell on

    So hard to chose when you love books, gardening and growing like learning! We never stop growing and learning! The older we get the more we want to learn!

    Living in Maine our seasons are very limited in Spring, Summer and Fall. We spend the most time planning for those seasons…have to say that Rodale’s illustrated Encyclopedia of Perennials by Ellen Phillips & C. Colston Burrell.

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  1072. Robin on

    Strength Finder sounds Perfect for My First Year selling My Flowers!

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  1073. Melinda on

    Living Seasonally by Joe Eck and Wayne Winterrowd. A beautifully written book full of inspiration for designing, planting, cooking, etc. Really a fabulous book to read!

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  1074. Robin Fortenberry on

    My current fav is Discovering Dahlias, all the great information and pictures have been pulled in. I am desperately searching my soul for the patience to grow such beauty.

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  1075. Cassandra Gelman on

    One of the first garden books I bought was The Well-Tended Perennial Garden by Tracy DiSabato-Aust. There is so much inspiration in that book. I haven’t read it lately but the ideas remain in my mindscape.

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  1076. Olivia Diaz on

    Discovering Dahlias spurred a new love for flowers for me. I want to know all the details since I’m a newbie and it has given me a great place to start, with confidence I’m doing it right.

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  1077. Jodi Ussher on

    I recently moved from a high rise at the foot of the Sierras to a beach in Florida, trading a convenient life for one to get messy in the earth! Raised-Bed Gardening for Beginners by Tammy Wylie, my first book, opened my eyes to possibilities of growing veggies on a manageable scale. My second book was Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden because you have to feed the spirit as well as the belly!

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  1078. Val Colvin on

    Like your large list, it is HARD to pick just one book! One that made a huge impact on my gardening in the 80s was Mel Bartholomew’s Square Foot Gardening. We got to know Mel after our home school won their school contest! We later adapted his methods on our farm. Thank you!

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  1079. Katie Cafferky on

    My favorite is your Cut Flower Garden. It has been a tremendous inspiration to me. I’m dreaming big and want to start my own cut flower garden in the near future. You are an incredible resource! I am so thankful for you + your community!

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  1080. Amanda Granados on

    I do love Floret Farms book Cut Flower Garden for a how to book, I really love Cookie and Kate ‘s Love Real Food for recipes and I love a good novel like Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens or Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. I can so identify with your story of loving books and visiting the library often. Thanks as always for sharing your personal and practical notes. I now have a gardening library wish list. I hope that my friends and family with support our local bookstores along my gardening journey.

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  1081. Melissa Durkin on

    My favorite book the The Bible. The Bible breathes life into dark places. It challenges, corrects, encourages, exhorts; it is the living word of God. It is always timely. It is thoroughly true. It is the perfect compass for today’s life. It reveals God’s plan for creation, people, and our need for a savior. All of the fullness of God is witnessed in this book and lived by example in his one and only perfect son Jesus.

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  1082. Suzanne on

    “Safely Home” by Randy Alcorn….incredible book!

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  1083. Boston Chandler on

    My favorite book is Confessions of a Mask by Yukio Mishima. There are such wonderful descriptions of nature and complex interrogations of the self that when those two things mingle you begin to look at the world in a new way!

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  1084. Lydia on

    Ring of Bright Water by Gavin Maxwell is a favorite book. This book awakened a sense of delight in the natural world, and promoted stewardship of the land for me when I was an adolescent and finding my way towards adulthood. I remember with fondness exploring with the author through the adventures and scenery between human, plant, animal and the environment. Thank you for encouraging sharing of books!

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  1085. Jennifer Wagener on

    My favorite new book just happens to be one I ordered from Floret Flowers, a signed copy Discovering Dahlias. Knowledge is power (couldn’t be more true) and I know my third year growing dahlias in 2022 will be the best. I’m soaking in each page and you better believe I’m saving seeds next year.
    Thanks, Erin and Team

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  1086. Amanda Hulet on

    One of my most favorite books that I refer to is Cool Flowers but I’ve also fallen in love with Pasta Grannies!!! Both of these are great reads. You learn so so much!

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  1087. MJ on

    I was also raised in and out of different libraries and it stuck even past childhood. I moved several times and loved seeing each library and what it had to offer. Now 39 … I take my kids too. We have a very nice library in ND. They do fun activities with the kids and makes a great place to sit with a book … while your kids do crafts, get a book read to the, or watch a movie. I hate to admit that I checked your book (Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden) from my local library, because I did not quite have the budget this last year for it. It was amazing and through my week juggling kids I was able to open it and get so much help. The pictures where amazing and I can’t wait to order discovering Dahlias. I have been obsessing about ordering it after the holidays pass. Also I loved Cool Flowers – by Lisa Mason Ziegler. These books where chalked full of exciting and extremely helpful information. I felt so blessed by God to have these 2 books by my side through this last season of growing. As for novels … I loved Blue Willow as Child. I actually collected it after, because of the story. I am a hopeful romantic who loves books about love and a good hallmark story. Currently I have checked out : Flowers by Alan Cormack and David Carter to learn as much as I can about drying flowers.

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  1088. Marisa Nallie on

    Your book Cut Flower Garden started my love for flower farming. While this is my first year and I am both excited and nervous YOU have given me the confidence to make the leap :)

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  1089. Mallory on

    I really liked ‘Growing Flowers’ by Niki Irving. Just a really easy and helpful read and beautiful photos.

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  1090. Julie Sullivan on

    I love “Tricia Guild: Colors, Patterns, and Space”, her floral patterns and use of color are amazing.

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  1091. Genesis Estes on

    I LOVE BOOKS! And you can never, ever convince me to go electronic with something as sacred as books. If they are part of my personal collection, I put colorful tabs in them, I dog ear them, I split their spines and set my coffee on them as I read in the morning, I underline items that make me stop in my tracks. I know that this will not be popular with the bibliophiles of this world but my books are meant to be read and loaned and forgotten and then re-read when discovered. My favorites that sit on my desk currently are The Decoration of Houses, an oldie but a goodie that reminds me where interior design started (I am a historic interior designer), Elements of Style, an absolute textbook of architectural terminology and styles that I refer to often (ever wonder what those grid thingies in your windows are called? muntins), Restoring Your Historic House, a book rapidly becoming a favorite and this morning I found myself immersed in Monty Don’s The Complete Gardener as I pined for his green arched wooden gate that makes me feel like I am about to be transported to the Secret Garden and luscious lime walk that leads to it.

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  1092. Katie Kleiber on

    One of my absolute favorite is your cut flower garden for growing my new flower business. It a great reference guide.

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  1093. Terri Cebulla on

    My favorite book right now is “High Five Habit” by Mel Robbins. It is a much needed positive personal development. One that is helping me unlock my dreams, believe in myself a little more. Perfect timing for year-end to launch into the new year with new goals! Especially Erin’s workshop that I took the leap for and signed up. All things possible!!!!!

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  1094. tiff hanks on

    My favorite book is Floret Farm’s Discovering Dahlias: A Guide to Growing and Arranging Magnificent Blooms by Erin Benzakein with Jill Jorgensen and Julie Chai. This book is my favorite because it gave me confidence to jump into the world of growing dahlias this past year. What a beautiful display my dahlias gave! We had so many spectacular blooms. It was great fun to share them with friends and my kids’ teachers.

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  1095. Maggie on

    One book I go back to again is Till We Have Faces by CS Lewis. It’s a retelling of the myth of Cupid and Psyche and it’s just a gut punch of emotion.

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  1096. Angie Davy on

    I love your book Cut Flower Garden. Its such a great reference book that i’m always pulling out to see how to grow a particular flower and when to harvest and what I might want to grow next season.

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  1097. Emily White on

    One of my favorite books is Salt, Fat, Heat, Acid by Samin Nosrat. I absolutely love the illustrations , her authenticity, and genuine love of sharing food.

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  1098. Connie on

    My favourite book is practical self sufficiency, it kickstarted my permaculture journey and is a fabulous resource for sustainable home design! 🥰

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  1099. Ashley on

    The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom is my favorite book because it’s a story of courage during one of the worst times in history about her risking her life to help save others and her journey of pain, hope and forgiveness. Both inspiring and the book that grew my interest in that period of history and the value of someone’s life story.

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  1100. Lena Compton on

    I love folklore and the the book East of the Sun, West of the moon illustrated by Kay Nielsen is one of my favorites because of his gorgeous illustration style.

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  1101. Hani on

    I’ll always have a spot in my heart for Besler’s Florilrgium, which is basically just 500 pages of swoonworthy botanical engravings.

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  1102. Gayle Norris on

    Crockett’s Victory Garden by James Underwood Crockett- a gift from my garden-loving grandparents on my college graduation— so very inspiring!

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  1103. Deb on

    Your A Year in Flowers is my favorite because it’s the only one I’ve read! Im a total newbie (found you on discovery plus over the summer) and bought the book to use at a Cousin Camp we did with our grandkids (we had daily themes). So happy for them to delight in the beauty and wonder too!

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  1104. Michelle on

    I love the Book of Flowers by Redoute. Just gorgeous. I also have a very large collection of cook books. Love to cook and garden!!

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  1105. Ashlin Wilson on

    I really love Vegetables Love Flowers by Lisa Ziegler. I love the pictures, her story flow, and the knowledge she willingly imparts.

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  1106. Candyce Mitoma on

    Floret Farm Cut Flower Garden has been my inspiration since my retirement. I have always love to play in the dirt but now I have a great reference book that I continue to use as a reference book! Dog eared and not even a year old. Photographs are so beautiful even the flowers that were not my favorite variety I love!! I did not know where to start!! Photographs are so well done that I love looking at them!! My new coffee table book!!

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  1107. Rebecca Washington on

    “Art & Fear: On The Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking” by David Baylee’s and Ted Orland. Whenever I’m facing a blank sheet of paper or canvas or paralyzed in fear of venturing into something I’ve never done before, remembering this book calms and relaxes me. It brings me back to enjoying the process and each moment and stops the thinking that I need to have stranglehold control of the outcome.

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  1108. Colleen A Conner on

    Where to begin.
    Pipi Longstocking started it all for me. Who could resist such adventure!
    Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry. Nursing my son in one arm and reading with the other. Could not tear myself away from that story!
    Such loving memories of reading to my son every night. All of Roald Dahl and all of Shel Silverstein.
    Onward and Upward in the Garden by Katharin S. White edited by her husband E. B. White.
    We Took to the Woods by Louise Dickinson Rich.
    The Joy of Geraniums by Helen Van Pelt Wilson.
    Garden Flowers in Color by G. A. Stevens.
    Rodale’s Encyclopedia of Herbs.
    All of Fredrick Backman works and Rick Bragg. Both evoking so many emotions.
    And the list would not be complete without mentioning Flower Farmer and Cut Flower Garden. My son bought an old farmhouse in the Catskills on 62 acres 3 years ago. These two books I gave to him as a housewarming gift. He invited me to live here. He works in the city and is here every weekend to exhale. With the information from these wonderful books and the website we were able to grow the most beautiful dahlias and many other flowers. Thank you for all you do!!
    And after reading all the comments I now have a new list for winter reading. Yay!

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  1109. Lora on

    Heaven is a Garden is my most recent favorite book I had checked out from the library. Definitely worth the read to help give me ideas for designing the landscaping for around our house. It’s hard to pick a favorite when a book about gardening of any sort is open in my hands.

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  1110. Rickie Kinder on

    I am an avid reader/collector of books. Right now I am in love with This One Wild & Precious Life by Sarah Wilson. Beautiful cookbooks are also something I have been collecting my favorites being Six Seasons by Joshua McFadden or Half Baked Harvest by Tieghan Gerard.

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  1111. Anne Duvall on

    It’s so hard to pick a favorite book. I love the Anne of Green Gables Series. I also love any book where I learn how to do something better, whether it be gardening, cooking, baking, quilting, etc.

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  1112. JESSIE AULL on

    The world of bees from the work bnb of Rudolph Steiner
    I love this book because its beyond fascinating and Rudolph Steiner is a genius!!!!

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  1113. Linda Schooley on

    My current favorite garden book, since it changes when new authors are uncovered, is “The Layered Garden” by David Culp. I am struggling with my garden beds and want to have full and year round beauty – this book addresses that. Tips and techniques are also given, along with all types of bed planning, from screening beds to extra large beds. I haven’t yet finished it, but am taking each bed design at a time and learning much from this book!

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  1114. Robin Blair on

    Floret Farm’s Deiscovering Dahlias is my favorite book. I’ve read it so many times because I love how easy it is to follow the instructions. The pictures are so beautiful and easy to see the details.

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  1115. Samantha Burge on

    One of my new favorite books is Atomic Habits by James clear. It is a wonderfully clear breakdown of the habit formation process and how to apply those principles to make and break your own habits. It’s an incredibly empowering book. I’ve already used some of the lessons in the book to form some habits that have held through the year, and appear to be a new part of my life. I try to share about this book any time I have the opportunity because it’s truly life changing. Whoever reads this comment, please read this book!

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  1116. J. Hoek on

    Farm Anatomy by Julia Rothman is one of my favorites. It is a great reference book ranging from livestock to gardening, and the illustrations are fantastic.

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  1117. Carrie on

    Not a flower book, but REDEEMING LOVE by Francine Rivers!!! Oh my goodness, talked about being sucked in and thinking, “they need to make this into a movie”!! WooHoo, they are. Comes out on January, if interested! 😁

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  1118. Lane Hartwell on

    My two favorite books that I consider sacred to me are photography books, as I am a photographer. Exposure by Mary Ellen Mark and In the American West by Richard Avedon.

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  1119. Katharina on

    I really like the book Gardening for Bumblebees by Dave Goulson. I really like bumblebees and it is so interesting to learn more about how to make a garden more bumblebee friendly.

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  1120. Deb Moss on

    Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. It’s a book of finding one’s self.

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  1121. Ellette on

    I love the “Vegetable Garden Bible”
    It helped me so much when I started my raised bed garden years ago. I’ve lent it out to friends just starting out with their gardens also. The pages are a mess because of dirt and water but it just shows how much it is loved!!

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  1122. Leslie Wasik on

    The Art of the Commonplace, which is a compilation of essays from Wendell Berry. I have such a hard time branching away from agricultural nonfiction, and at the very least, Berry’s work peels me away from reference-style books and into a world of poetic agrarian literature. I feel like his words allow me to look at the life we live on our little farm with a fresh and simplified perspective.

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  1123. Maribeth Gardner on

    Or great books listed here. As a lover of all things gardening and fiction I have to recommend the novel “Digging In” by Loretta Nyhan. Warm funny and all about the transformative power of gardening.

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  1124. Aubrey Varner on

    I give so much credit to following my Flower Farming Dream to the book The Dream Giver by Bruce Wilkinson. It wasn’t until my next door neighbor told me about this book later in life that I picked it up and it forced me to not listen to those people in my life that have been so discouraging for years and years and gave me the courage to go for it and start by small business. Other favorites include Blue Rabbit and Friends and Love You Forever.

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  1125. Laura Olson on

    Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden by Erin….I have read it front to back so many times!!

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  1126. Jill Cooper on

    One of my favorites is Local Flavors (Cooking and Eating from America’s Farmers’ Markets) by Deborah Madison. While there are plenty of recipes, there is also really interesting information about wild foods, weather, seasonal fruits and vegetables, herbs, and growing conditions.

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  1127. Deborah Wickins on

    Thank you for gathering such a comprehensive list of resources all in one place! My favourite gardening book is also Martha’s Gardening Month by Month. I have an original edition that I have been referring to since I bought it in 1991. My other go-to is the Moosewood Restaurant Kitchen Garden.

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  1128. Sophia on

    One of my favs is Steering By Starlight by Martha Beck. I love a lot of her books but that one really inspired me.

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  1129. Michelle Walsh on

    One of my authors is Mary Kay Andrews. Her newest book is The Santa Suit. Her books just make you smile!

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  1130. Abigail Varughese on

    One of my favorite books growing up was “Hatchet.” I grew up camping with my family but that book really got me interested in how many resources are at our fingertips simply through nature. So cool!

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  1131. Leira Correa on

    One of my favorite books is The Gentle Art of Domesticity by Jane Brocket. She is a woman with great achievements in arts, literature and wine that found her true joy in the slowness of making and caring for her home and a family. She sings to my heart in her approach to crafting and living.

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  1132. Ann Marie Mitchell on

    James Beard’s American Cookery because of the mix of practical recipes, history and personal notes. Lots of room for creativity

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  1133. Sondra Chamberlain on

    I’ve been reading like crazy this last year but I just helped my son with his English class assignment – we read The Hiding Place. What an amazing story of faith and doing the right thing even when it’s hard and will cost you something. A great lesson for us all!

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  1134. Suzanne on

    I got a pop-up book by Robert Sandy’s as a wedding gift and thought it was kind of a strange gift. I’ve ended up loving it. Very intricate and interesting. My nieces ask to see it every time they visit.

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  1135. Maggie on

    Wow how to choose! A currently favorite of mine is And Once More We Saw Stars by Jason Greene. It’s an autobiography that starts with a tragedy, but is about overcoming loss, holding onto love and beauty, and accepting that the process of grief is ugly but manageable when you lean into those who want to help you. Written so well, it’s super honest and honestly made me cry in public a couple of times.

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  1136. Rachael on

    A few years ago a florest friend brought me a bouquet of dahlias. They say on my dining table and I stared and stared. They are such fascinating flowers. The next year I grew them. This past summer I grew LOTS OF THEM! My sister gave me “Discovering Dahlias” in January and that sealed the deal! The next favorite book of this past year was Great Garden Companion, Sally Jean Cunningham. I read that cover to cover as well in an effort to fit my flowers in with the veggies. I had the most amazing gardens last year! Chaotic and beautiful and productive! Happy Gardening everyone!

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  1137. Kelly Wright on

    I love Gardening for Butterflies by the Xerces Society. I have been able to transform my yard into a sanctuary for Al kinds of pollinators. It’s gratifying and peaceful

    Reply
  1138. Ka Bao Lee on

    My favorite book is also my 2 year old’s favorite book, The Pout Pout Fish. To me this book is all about perspective, and sometimes it takes someone else to show you a new perspective. The fish who thought he was a pout pout fish, learns that he is actually a kiss kiss fish. It’s a good lesson about your own perspective and what is possible. A very simple book but so valuable as adults who are often bogged down by the day to day and forget to look at things differently, to see the good at times. Don’t always be a pout pout fish!

    Reply
  1139. Jan Towne on

    I am a retired librarian so I loved your story about going to the library and the helpful librarians. I am delighted your children are great readers now. Many of the books on your list I have read and many I own. One of my favorite books is Fresh Water for Flowers. It’s translated from the French. It’s a wonderful story of flowers bringing people together and second chances and happiness and love.

    Reply
  1140. Andy Holmes on

    One of my favorite books of all time is Back To Basics – A complete guide to traditional skills by Abigail R. Gehring. It has helped me put into perspective how traditional skills and knowledge have been passed down through millennia and that the internet (amazing as it can be!) isn’t necessary to connect with the vastness of human knowledge, experience and discovery that we have been practicing everywhere on earth for thousands of years. I also love fiction (5th season by Jemison!) and sci-fi (Hyperion series by Simmons!)

    Reply
  1141. Katheryn on

    Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, By Fannie Flagg. I love all her books. She writes stories that keep you wanting to turn those pages!

    Reply
  1142. Sara Hausback on

    Discovering Dahlias is one of my favs. Gorgeous photography too! Thank you for all of the content you share. I truly enjoy it.

    Reply
  1143. Debra on

    Wow, I think you really struck a chord with this post! So many avid readers—it’s a delight to read all the comments.
    Choosing one favorite book is like choosing a favorite child! But if I had to pick a book to have alone on a desert island I’d choose any novel by Jane Austen or Julian Fellowes. Great stories that always reward another read!
    Thanks for this thoughtful list. Just in time for gifting!

    Reply
  1144. Katie on

    More Than a Body is my current favorite non-fiction book. So much good stuff in there about honoring your body no matter what and not focusing on how it looks.

    Reply
  1145. Tracy P on

    Love these recommendations! One of my favorite authors is Barbara Kingsolver, I love the way her books, like “Flight Behavior,” have connections to the natural world. I also love your dahlia book, I need to get my own copy!

    Reply
  1146. Veronica Straub on

    My favorite books are Alexandra Stoddards Open Your Eyes and Creating A Beautiful Home. She helped me to appreciate the small things in life and not saving special items for special occasions but using the special things all the time and truly enjoying your life every day!

    Reply
  1147. Patty Reay on

    On This Earth:Photographs from East Africa by Nick Brandt. I had never seen photographs like this of the wildlife and landscape of Africa. Or of anywhere else either. Not just in terms of photographic technique, but in the expression and emotion of the subjects. A true artist. Mind blown. Or more precisely, opened up to a whole new world of photographic expression.

    Reply
  1148. Tara on

    Loved The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah! Excited to look through your list of recommendations :)

    Reply
  1149. Tamra Ryan on

    One of my favorites (especially in the depths of Winter!) is “Martha’s Flowers: A Practical Guide to Growing, Gathering and Enjoying”

    Reply
  1150. Nina Arredondo on

    I don’t remember at what age for the first time I saw the movie called The Secret Garden I’m thinking maybe about the age 8 or 9. One day as a teenager I found the book The Secret Garden and I knew I had to have it, I don’t remember where I found that book, I probably found it at a garage sale LOL. Anyways I’ve read that book several times and even though I haven’t read it anymore now that I am an adult, I still have that book. I grew up on a ranch and I remember my dad having a small vegetable garden beside our trailer home and in front of our trailer home at the edge of the skirting I remember flowers, some years the flowers were the same, other years he would change them. I’ve always had this love for gardening especially flowers and for so many years I have tried growing them sometimes succeeding, sometimes failing. Most recently around June of this year 2021 my dad gave me some tiny little plants to grow chili peppers and I’m happy to say that I have succeeded, for the past few weeks we have been picking from these 2 foot tall chili plants because we love spicy foods. A few years ago I stumbled across floret flower and I fell in love with the dahlias and I have been wanting to try growing different flowers and I also want to try growing other vegetables. Three of the books you mention on your blog are ones I have been wanting, they’re on my book list and after reading the other ones you mention, now there are four more I’m intrigued about. One of them reminds me of growing up on a ranch during the first 10 years of my life, I wish that I could have kept growing up on a ranch because I loved watching my dad take care of the cows, I also loved watching him take care of his garden and flowers. I live in the city now and it’s just not the same I miss the country, and my goal is to have or slowly add these books to my shelves so that I’m able to read them and keep learning and grow flowers and vegetables, I have to start off small since our property is so small.

    Reply
  1151. Mev Clark on

    “Anne of Green Gables” (though Anne and I don’t agree on the beauty of zinnias) and C.S. Lewis ‘ “Space Trilogy”!

    Reply
  1152. Ashley on

    Atomic Habits is probably my favorite book right now. It helps make big goals easier to obtain in bit size pieces. Not everything has to be so overwhelming.

    Reply
  1153. Tania on

    I have so many favorite books! Right now my favorite is your Discovering Dahlias book. I just love the photos in the back of the various dahlias listed by color. I can enjoy those pages over and over and do! As my husband said I must be dreaming in dahlias.

    Reply
  1154. Angela Willard on

    My current favourite garden themed book is Seed to Dust by Marc Hamer; full of poetic wisdom a seasoned gardener receives from working with plants through generations. Beautiful 💓

    Reply
  1155. Tracy on

    Hi,

    My most recent favorite was “Then She Was Gone”, you didn’t say it had to be about flowers. LOL
    Love your posts, I have learned so much about flowers from you.

    Reply
  1156. Beth Houser on

    Thank you for sharing all of your favorite books!! I love Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert and Living A Life Of Surrender by Michael Singer. I have read both multiple times!! My favorite flower book is actually the Floret course book!!

    Reply
  1157. Leslie Cuma-Fontaine on

    I love the Year-Round Vegetable Gardner because it helped me to realize I can still garden in the dead of winter with the right tools.

    Reply
  1158. Jennifer on

    One of my favorite books is Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. I go back to it time and again for perspective and direction. It is timeless..

    Reply
  1159. Sara Pettit on

    Big Food Big Love by Heather L. Earnhardt. This book spoke to my southern soul. And the best biscuit this southern woman has ever had! Along with heartwarming stories to go with her delicious recipes. And Girl, Stop Apologizing by Rachel Hollis. Highly motivating, go get it type of book. Love her refreshing candor.

    Reply
  1160. Teri Sutton on

    This is the perfect time of year to read. Before the flower growing takes up all of my time.
    Here are some of my favorites.
    The Flower Farmer by Byczynski, Lynn
    Rachel Ashwell: My Floral Affair
    The Flower Farmer’s Year: Newbery, Georgie
    Fresh from the Field Wedding Flowers: Byczynski, Lynn, Benzakein, Erin
    Floret Farm’s A Year in Flowers: Benzakein, Erin

    Reply
  1161. Alexis Mack Penzell on

    I enjoy gardening books, especially those I can peruse for perfect pictures of what I’ve planted and hope to emulate. Consoling myself that with practice, my gardening skills will improve even though I know I can anticipate the unexpected from Mother Nature. One of my favorite books is Margaret Roach’s “A Way to Garden”.

    Reply
  1162. Virginia on

    I really appreciated “The Flower Recipe Book” when I did all the flowers for my sons wedding some years ago. It was the first book I read listing the individual elements in floral design. I always did my own flower arranging for holidays etc but the wedding was really a big challenge. The book was very clear and very helpful.

    Reply
  1163. Twozdai Hulse on

    The Organic No-Till Farming Revolution by Andrew Mefford – reading all the interviews with farmers across the US who have been testing and using different methods of farming with out tilling. Their learnings, failings and success are inspiring!

    Reply
  1164. Kris Koponen on

    Language of Flowers, a favorite novel of mine, follows a young girl into her early adulthood, as she struggles in life in the fostercare system until she is taken in by a woman flower farmer’s home. There she learns about life, love, passion , Victorian meanings of flowers and how flowers, that are shared, can help others and ultimately help herself. Enjoyable fast read, with many references to flowers that make up bouquets of present and past (and their victorian meanings).
    My favorite garden book always sits on my livingroom table… Floret’s Discovering Dahlias! The information is invaluable and the photo’s are pure joy! Dahlias became my passion when I moved to La Conner Wa and the farmland here inspired me to grow more dahlias. Thank you for sharing your dahlia knowledge with all us!

    Reply
  1165. Tanya on

    As I read you blog I’m knee deep sorting through my parents lifetime of treasures. Sadly my 85 yr old dad passed away suddenly last week joining my beautiful mum who went to peace 10ys ago. My dad was an avid vegetable gardener and his current crop of corn and other vegetables are still being shared by many. My parents encouraged a love of books and each one I pick up evokes wonderful memories. To choose a favourite is easy though it is ‘What bird is that?’ By Neville W Cayley. My dad would patiently guide me as I went through the pictures teaching me to identify all the birds. 💕

    Reply
  1166. Amanda on

    My favorite books would have to be The Little House on the Prairie series. We read them aloud as a family & my children love them as much as I do.

    Reply
  1167. Becki on

    The Bible is an amazing book that speaks into my life every time I pick it up! The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis are some of my favorites with their rich symbolism and fantastic stories!

    Reply
  1168. Hailey on

    I just started getting into reading about a couple years ago and am now addicted. One of my favorite books would probably be Edenbrooke. It has an interesting story from beginning to end and includes the sweetest love story.

    Reply
  1169. Brooke on

    My 2 favorites are your book, A Year in Flowers and Dahlia Breeding by Karen Albecht. I bought a year in flowers because it was recommended by my watercolor painting teacher as a reference for painting flowers and leaves. Who knew that 9 months later, I would have forayed into growing Dahlias, started a cut flower garden of my own, purchased way more seed than I have room for for next year’s flower garden, started collecting rose bushes, and started a whole new flower obsession that I never knew was within me. I just recently purchased the Dahlia Breeding book, because I saved seed from my own Dahlias this year and can’t wait to plant them next spring and start my own Dahlia breeding patch. My wallet doesn’t thank you for starting this obsession, but my heart sure does!!

    Reply
  1170. Christine on

    When I was little, Secret Garden was my absolute favorite. It still is and I read it almost every year in the springtime. It makes going out into my own garden feel that much more magical.

    Reply
  1171. Leslie Lee on

    Well I would have to say Harry Potter… why do I feel so dumb saying that?!? That was the series that got me into reading other books. AND NOW I get to see the joy of reading in my kids as we read that together and they go on the adventure.

    Another thing I’ve been loving which also feels super silly…. Is seed catalogs LOL. I love the pictures and reading about the plants.. I’m newer to gardening and had no idea you could grow so many things. Things that are tasty, beautiful or even medicinally beneficial.

    I’ve also recently bought a few gardening books but my fave is your book. The cut flower garden! It is beautiful and full of such good info. I’m hoping to make my garden a little more beautiful next year. Starting to learn about flowers has been so exciting.

    Reply
  1172. Wendy on

    Like others, I have lots of “favorites” and go-to books that get read over and over or which are referred to frequently over and over. Right now, my very fave book is “Cultivated: The Elements of Floral Style” by Christin Geall. It is a delightful book with wonderful photos and so well-written. Tons of tips and things to learn on principles on floral design with much to learn on color, shape, creativity, different styles written in such an inspirational style.

    Reply
  1173. Sherry Smith on

    Flower Confidential by Amy Stewart was the book that started me on my quest to find and grow “real” flowers, the ones that drew in the bees and made you so happy to just be.
    Why didn’t supermarket flowers have any fragrance? Why did they have blue roses? Why were they all the same? Well, Amy Stewart set out to find the answers and the resulting book is eye-opening, engaging and a delight.
    Thank goodness we now have growers like Floret to give us back flowers as they should be!

    Reply
  1174. gretchen on

    From way back – Secret Garden ~ I probably need to revisit this one.

    Reply
  1175. Anna on

    My favorite is Pride and Prejudice. I love the romanticism and unexpected turn of events. I see so much of myself in Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy’s pursuit of her and kindness in the end makes my heart melt. Now that I’ve read it several times, it has become like a familiar old friend.

    Reply
  1176. Jeannie Haupt on

    I am so new to this idea of flower farming that I have only read “Cut Flower Garden” by Erin and Julie. It has so many tips for beginners. I will surely read it over and over again. Looking forward to reading more about cut flowers!

    Reply
  1177. Ruth Ohlman on

    “This Beautiful Truth” by Sarah Clarkson is a recent favorite because I felt known and nourished as she wrote about beauty among suffering in a way similar to how I’ve wanted to express the same truth, that beauty feeds our souls…

    Reply
  1178. MK Sneeringer on

    I have many favorite books but I will tell you about my latest favorite: The Beatryce Prophecy by Kate DiCamillo.
    This is a children’s book and I am an adult but I can recommend this to all ages. The book has the look of an illuminated manuscript from the middle ages with lovely, elaborate initial letters at each chapter.
    The story begins “It is written in the Chronicles of Suffering that one day there will come a child who will unseat a king. The prophecy states that this child will be a girl. Because of this, the prophecy has long been ignored.”
    The adventures that follow with a cantankerous goat, a monk with an eye for the earth’s beauty, and a lost, feverish, injured girl open your heart to the power of story and of love.

    Reply
  1179. Susan on

    I love the Beverly Nichols’ garden series. Funny and informative, still today!

    Reply
  1180. Amy on

    My favorite book is Cut Flower Garden because it started my dreams of having a cut flower garden and I’m excited to grow and gift beautiful flowers.

    Reply
  1181. Sarah on

    I love books! It’s hard to pick just one. I love historical fiction, biographies, spiritual growth books and flower books. I definitely don’t have enough bookshelves. I’m currently reading two books – habits of the household and Montessori baby.

    Reply
  1182. Tahlia Fleming on

    Wow! What a list! Thanks for putting this together. I feel like I have a shopping list in front of me now…it’s hard to choose which to read first. My favourite gardening book would be Floret Farm Guide to Cut Flowers as I am new to this whole journey and it’s the first book I’ve found that I can relate to in Australia, is sectioned in a way that makes sense to me and has so much information for a beginner like me! I’ve also just got my copy of Potager by Kali Martin and am loving it too.

    Reply
  1183. Stephanie S. on

    When I knew next to nothing about growing flowers, except that I loved to do it, DIRT by Dianne Benson was wonderfully helpful. Not only was it full of information, but also it was funny, opinionated, and accessible, even to a rank beginner like myself.

    Reply
  1184. Nancy Harris on

    I too am ridiculously addicted to books. I will always love the written word although I appreciate all the internet tools as well. My favorite gardening book is, Voices from the Earth: A Year in the Life of a Garden by William Longgood. He paints such a vivid picture of the beautiful world and micro system that lives in our gardens. It opened my eyes in so many ways. As for my favorite book on flowers, hands down it’s your first book. Thank you for sharing with us all.

    Reply
  1185. peggy piscopo on

    Pioneer woman Super Easy cook book. I’ve learned to cook again with her new recipes Try it ! Fast and yummy sway my family ! Love your books and show !

    Reply
  1186. Jess on

    So many! First that comes to mind is non-ficiton, selfhelp book Spirit Junkie by Gabby Bernstein. This book truly helped my journey in healing and is near and dear to my heart.

    The public library by my house was always a special place for me. I would always check out the max amount of books possible.

    Reply
  1187. Nicole Woltersdorf on

    I love Grow and Gather by Grace Alexander. Stylistically it is beautiful and has great information in it. Although there is a lot here I haven’t read and really need to!

    Reply
  1188. Ethan on

    My favorite would have to be Redeeming love. It’s such a whirlwind of emotions but is truly amazing!

    Reply
  1189. Gretchen Fehrenbach on

    Right now I’m loving “You Are a Badass” by Jen Sincero. It’s such a good read to really get motivated and dig deep on thinking of your “why” and how to achieve that ultimate dream!

    Reply
  1190. Jessica Manbeck on

    My all-time favorite book is Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. As a child, I went down the rabbit hole with Alice to visit an amazing, magical, confounding world filled with colorful characters – human & not. The enchanted landscape has been with me since and the fantastic imagery has guided me through a life of color as both an artist & a flower gardener!

    Reply
  1191. Mary Ellen on

    How can I pick just one?! I’m going with two. Stephen King’s On Writing is a must for any writers/artists/creatives. It offers solid advice and is incredibly inspiring. And Bill Bryson’s African Diary makes me think, laugh and cry – I reread it often. Thanks for all these wonderful book recommendations and for hosting this giveaway!

    Reply
  1192. Maggie Cunningham on

    This list is so exciting to read through!! My favorite book is Pride and Prejudice because I could read it over and over again and not get tired of it. I love the happily ever after ending!

    Reply
  1193. Anna Duffy on

    My latest favorite book is The Hourglass by Tracy Rees. I have enjoyed several of her other books, but I especially like this one because a lot of the focus is on mother/daughter relationships. It has lovely settings and two main characters (alternating chapters) with the stories of their lives unfolding over time and some very sweet romance as well.

    Reply
  1194. Evan Johnson on

    My favorite book is and will forever be the Bible. I love that no matter where I am, I find truths in there that speak straight to my heart. It’s truly amazing that it actually reads me! No other book can do that. This book truly has shaped me into who I am and who I will become.

    Reply
  1195. Tammy Regimbal on

    “In the French Kitchen Garden, The Joys of Cultivating a Potager” by Georgeanne Brennan, was given to me Christmas 2020 by a neighbor who decided that someone with the name of Regimbal should have a potager. I couldn’t agree more. A lovely and practical guide.

    Reply
  1196. Kathy on

    My favorite book is Georgie Newberry’s The Flower Farmers Year. Especially if you live in a temperate climate like southern Great Britain where she has her farm.

    Reply
  1197. Chelsea m. on

    I have enjoyed your Cut Flowers book along with Vegetables love Flowers to expand my gardens!

    Reply
  1198. Amanda N. on

    As far as gardening and flower books, my husband bought be a used copy of the AHS’ Encyclopedia of Gardening and that has been such a great help and reference for everything!

    I want to be able to say that my favorite book is something super fancy and grown up, but it’s Gail Carson Levine’s “Ella Enchanted”, which I’ve re-read probably more than any other book. I love it because it’s a fairy tale retelling where the heroine is thoughtful and flawed, and in the end, she saves herself.

    Reply
  1199. Joyce Winget on

    I love Kristine Albrecht’s Dahlia breeding book. It is so interesting the different ways you can propagate dahlias. I started growing more dahlias from seed to plant for my bees and my son Luke’s bees.

    Reply
  1200. Stevie, aka Dolly Westberg on

    As I came across your new “favorite books” posting, I had to chuckle when you shared that you had “books stacked on the floor and in every corner of the house.” I just went through ALL of my books as my recent request to my husband was “could you build me a new bookshelf” in which, he immediately got on it. I now have it in place and almost filled with those stacks that I had as well.

    I absolutely love books. It is so hard to narrow down just one knowing that I have many favorites but one that sticks in my mind is, “The Private World Of Tasha Tudor.” It was a gift from my mother and it opened my eyes to gardening. Her technique, if you could call it that, was to garden with abandon and barefoot. It was not filled with instructions but more about inspiration. She was a watercolor painter/illustrator and used her gardens in her works. Looking through the pages of beautiful photographs and cut flowers brought me to the realization that I could try my hand at starting a garden.

    Twenty eight years later and here I am still in awe of the generosity of gardeners such as your self sharing what you have learned and giving me the courage to add a new section of a raised bed dedicated to Dahlias. I have come a long way since the gift of a book brought me to all the garden beds I have today.

    Reply
  1201. Katrina Smith on

    My favorite book as of right now is “It’s not supposed to be this way” by Lysa TerKeurst – Really helped me feel like I am not alone in my struggles and also encouraged me and helped me feel stronger at the end of the book.

    Reply
  1202. WANDA MASON on

    Oh boy, only one book?!? OK, THE LAVENDER LOVER’S HANDBOOK by Sarah Berringer Bader, because I am a lavender freak! And this book touches on just about everything I want to know about lavender and do with lavender. The photos are beautiful, the info concise and everything about it feeds my passion for lavender. I do not have a large yard but so far have managed to grow about 20 lavender plants of many varieties, always adding to this number, wherever I can find another sunny spot. This book has blossomed a creative spirit in me as I have made lavender wands, lavender baskets and lavender wreaths. I have distilled lavender for oil, made lavender teas and bouquets for many friends.

    I also need to give a shout out to my favorite fiction book this year, PALE MORNING LIGHT WITH VIOLET SWAN: A NOVEL OF A LIFE IN ART, by Deborah Reed. A lovely book set on the Oregon coast. My heart beats a little faster when I think of it. Just read it♥

    Reply
  1203. Sadie Kenyon on

    Some of the books I’ve been diving into lately are,
    The flower recipe book,
    Backyard bouquets,
    Cut flower garden,
    Cool flowers.
    Anything that expands my limited knowledge is a current favorite!!!

    Reply
  1204. Linnea on

    Oh I don’t know that I have a favorite! I do enjoy your books as they are informative as well as beautiful!

    Reply
  1205. Kathleen on

    Your list is pure gold. So excited to look into so many titles. As for me, it’s hard to pick a favorite, but I’m reading a book called The Saturdays by Elizabeth Enright out loud to my kids right now, so I’d say that’s my favorite.

    Reply
  1206. Sarit Oberlander on

    My favorite book is Animal Vegetable Miracle (and anything else by Barbara Kingsolver). I love the concept of trying to eat only local for a year and her stories of how Barbara’s whole family got involved with the farm. Such good inspo for the life I want to create for my family!

    Reply
  1207. Kelli Long on

    Thanks for all the recommendations! I can’t wait to check these out. My most recent favorite is The Family Garden Plan by Melissa Norris.

    Reply
  1208. julie ann lesnick on

    My favorite gardening book is The New Seed Starters Handbook By Nancy Bubel. I have always been fascinated by seeds, how to harvest them, store them and then grow them. ( I love to collect them also!) I like heirloom gardening. I love growing items that are not sold locally and having friends and neighbors introduced to something they have not seen or tasted before. I like pushing the boundaries of where and when seeds are grown and creating microclimates for them. I love extending the growing season by starting seeds indoors and transplanting bigger and better plants when the soil is ready!!! I could go on and on- basically I love dirt!!! It is my get away from everyday stressors of work-hopefully someday I can transition into a new job- starting my own business related to gardening!!

    Reply
  1209. Elycia Gifford on

    My favorite book is Fried Green Tomatoes at Whistle Stop Café. I love the characters, the relationships, the storyline. I have read it a dozen times over the last 15 years and each time I relate to something new.

    Reply
  1210. Laura Luque on

    While fiction, I think my favorites are the Lord of the Rings series by JRR Tolkien. I did much more reading before children but those stand out a bit.

    Reply
  1211. Kate Sandford on

    Such a hard question! I haven’t thought about labeling any book as my favorite recently. But I’m currently reading a book called The Good American about a man who told the stories of endless refugees and people in the middle of war and disaster. I love storytelling. I love remembering that it is the individual lives they are important. So…. Favorite right now I guess? 😉

    Reply
  1212. Liz on

    My current favorite gardening books are ‘The Regenerative Grower’s Guide to Garden Amendments’ by Nigel Palmer and ‘The Lean Farm’ byBen Hartman. Living on an island makes you rethink your farming practice – most items are shipped in (expensive and increases costs), what’s efficient and effective at maximizing quality along with profit, the materials used frequently on the farm and how it will be disposed of (such as netting, landscape fabric, etc.). I don’t have all the answers but these books are helping me to transform my small flower farm into a farm that will hopefully be less reliant on imported sources that also takes advantage of using locally sourced inputs from our area and trying out homemade biological amendments that will increase my soil diversity. I also think you hit it out of the park with ‘Discovering Dahlias’ – just love it! Aloha:)

    Reply
  1213. Linda on

    My favorite book right now is Magnolia Table Volume 2 by Joanna Gaines! It’s a cookbook but definitely filled with so many recipe goodies that I’ve attempted for the holidays!

    Reply
  1214. Kathy Roeters on

    Currently my favorite book is God of the Garden by Andrew Peterson. It is full of spiritual metaphors and divine beauty which inspire me to really live life to the full. I also love the cover illustration.

    Reply
  1215. Kim Bowling on

    I love all books because they either transport you to another place and time, or they teach you something very valuable. It is hard to narrow it down to one book, but the book I have loved the longest is, Blueberries for Sal. My parents divorced when I was 6, and when my mother was at work, my aunt would take me to the library to read and check out books. This was the one book that I would check out over and over. I buy it for all of my family and friends when they have children, and of course have a copy for myself. Kuplink, kuplank, kuplunk!

    Reply
  1216. Mary Nagy-Benson on

    “A Year in Flowers” has been the book I return to most often because it shows the depth each season has — so much potential for local flowers, local arrangements. This book travels with me pretty much everywhere I go, yes on vacation, too. I love all flowers but I have a special place in my heart for local flowers — grown by people I know, and not in some greenhouse and shipped. Thank you for this resource. I look forward to reading your other favorites soon.

    Reply
  1217. LeAnne on

    This is an amazing resource. Thank you for sharing and providing brief information on each of your favorites. I look forward to checking a few of these out.

    Reply
  1218. Christy Avey on

    My favorite book! There are too many. But related to gardening… this last year, probably Discovering Dahlias. It was a year of discovery for me as I grew them for the first time. The book was a huge reference for me as I had so many questions. Practical and beautiful- 2 things I appreciate.

    Reply
  1219. Rebecca on

    One of my favorite books right now is The Beginner Gardener by Jessica Sowards. I’m really trying to up my gardening game and she really explains everything so well and at a level all can relate to!

    Reply
  1220. Mya Totzauer on

    My favorite all time book is Floret’s Cut Flower Garden because that is the book that first sparked my dream of being a flower farmer. My next favorite book is A Year In Flowers because I love how it breaks it down to the different seasons.

    Reply
  1221. Carley Arnold on

    Any Stewart’s Wicked Plants is wonderfully fun!! It was such a great tiptoe into thinking about how humans have perceived and interacted with plants in recent history… it led me to go to grad school to study ethnobotany! These books would be so fantastic to read!

    Reply
  1222. Anna on

    My favorite book is “A Woman After God’s Heart” by Elizabeth George because it gives really good advice on how to practically live in a way the honors God and your family!

    Reply
  1223. Linda on

    All of these books inspires me to go out and read! Thank you for the suggestions and I’m definitely starting a collection!!

    Reply
  1224. Patty Alvarado on

    My favorite book and the one that had a profound impact on me is called Unbroken. It is a true story about Louie Zamperini and the remarkable life he led. He faced so many challenges and overcame them with an astounding attitude. I had the pleasure of seeing him speak when he was in his late 80’s. His spirit and zest for life was remarkable! He was presented with a skateboard and proceeded to ride it onstage! It made me look at life’s irritations is an entirely different way.

    Reply
  1225. Heather on

    Favorite Gardening Books: Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden – I felt like the world just opened up before me as I was reading this for the first time. It have me steps to make my dreams come true.

    Cool Flowers – Lisa Mason-Ziegler – this one blew my mind! I never knew I could get such a head start for the spring. It felt very freeing and exciting!

    Reply
  1226. Lizbeth on

    My favorite book is by Caleb Carr, the Alienist. It is beautifully written and catches you from the first chapter. But I also love Prince of fire but Daniel Silva and the Book of Mormon (scriptures). Honestly I read a variety of books but alway come back to those three.

    Reply
  1227. Erica on

    My favorite book this past season was Garden Insects of North America by Whitney Cranshaw and David Shetlar. I took a class with Dr. Cranshaw and enjoyed every minute. Plus I love insects :)

    Reply
  1228. Lori Sutton on

    My all time favorite book is Watership Down. I love imaginary worlds and animals, and it took me to a different world when I would read it. I’m currently reading your book Cut Flower Garden and love it. My husband and I are moving to a townhome in the spring time in the city here and won’t have much room for a garden so I love how your book teaches to grow as many flowers as possible in small spaces. Thank you!

    Reply
  1229. Cathy Seymour on

    Going to go with an oldie – Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach. It spoke to my heart as a young college student, and I was moved to share it many times over with friends.

    Reply
  1230. Hope Kramer on

    My favorite book would be “The Outsiders” by S.E. Hinton. I read it in high school english and it captivated my imagination on how it would have been like to be a teenager in the 50s 60s. It’s my favorite era and it still inspires me today to write my own story along the same lines.

    Reply
  1231. Whittney Chauta on

    I can’t pick a single favorite, but one I love love love and recommend to everyone is “Homegoing” by Yaa Gyasi. It’s a beautiful story that follows a family through many generations, starting in pre-colonized west Africa, through enslavement across the Atlantic and into today. It’s so beautiful and heart wrenching and redemptive. Truly a lovely book. Everyone should read it!

    Reply
  1232. Rachel Meriwether on

    Native Plants of the Southeast by Larry Mellichamp is one of my all-time favorites and I have found myself referring to it quite a bit recently! It is landscaping season and I find this is a great starter book for people who are wanting to start working with natives as this book is focused specifically on natives for use in the designed landscape. The pictures are gorgeous and the text succinct while still being useful, perfect for the average homeowner!

    Reply
  1233. Dominika Best on

    My whole world has been books since I was eight years old and when I discovered Agatha Christie. I read her entire catalog by the time I was ten and then head-dove into reading. I used to read a book a day so picking out a favorite is truly difficult. On top of that, I am a fiction author as well and love some of my own books.(hehe) But if I had to absolutely pick, the fiction book that is dearest to my heart is The Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett. I found the exact copy I used to have as a kid and read it to my own daughter and it was magical. (I cried at the end of most of the chapters) And Erin, your books ‘A Year in Flowers’ and ‘Cut Flower Garden’ have kept me sane throughout this pandemic. When I feel down, I grab one of them and flip through the pages and immediately feel like I can breathe again. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for putting out these wonderful books. It’s ignited my love of gardening and flowers like nothing else has in my life :)

    Reply
  1234. Kathy Biesecker on

    One of my new favorites is “Don’t Panic: A Business Guide to Small-Scale Flower Farming” by Sarah Adams… a funny, easy-to-understand, and methodical book that gives great insights about how to start a small operation, from soup to nuts. In particular, love Sarah’s stories of challenges she’s faced along the way and how she has surmounted them! And, of course, I own all three of Erin’s gorgeous books… I thumb thru them daily to get new inspiration!

    Reply
  1235. Jacquelyn on

    Favorite Book? Wow that is a hard one. I would like to cheat and say the entire Harry Potter Series! haha

    Non-Fiction Favs: “Wake Up” by Lindsey Teague Moreno, “Anatamy of A Story” by John Truby, “Pegan Diet” by Dr. Mark Hyman, and “A Table for Friends” by Skye McAlpine

    Reply
  1236. Shelby Ruggles on

    While I enjoyed most of the books assigned twelve years ago by my environmental literature professor, one I consistently replace on my shelf each time I give it away is, The Living Great Lakes: Searching for the heart of the inland seas, by Jerry Dennis.
    Part travelogue part history book…I could tell you all about it, but I encourage you to see for yourself!

    Reply
  1237. Stephanie Sohm on

    Honestly, I can never pick a favorite book when people ask me. I’m a writer & I swear I love every book ever written because I know the effort it takes to turns words into a creative work that people will love as much as you do. So I will just pick a favorite book that I’ve read recently. “The compound effect” by Darren Hardy. This book helped me realize how impactful small steps in the right direction can compound into big changes in my life. It’s a great read!

    Reply
  1238. Kara Inzunza on

    So hard to choose just one. But of the books I’ve read this last year some highlights were the science of selling and the four winds.

    Reply
  1239. Sujata Millick on

    Hi, my favorite book (and really useful book for my Zone) is the Sunset Western Gardens book. I got it ages ago, and it’s a bedside winter book, when I look through the pictures and decide what will work in my Zone. And with climate change, and all the weather perturbations, I feel that as gardener, I should make wise garden choices for my local climate. I love some of the fiction books listed here by other commenters….So many books coming out with a botanical theme or set in nature. The garden is going to so many places.
    I’ve just discovered this summer the world of flower farming, and Floret. Ive always gardened flowers and veggies, but never tried selling my flowers. I feel so late to this flower world! I grow my cut flowers in my suburban yard. Yikes! So, I see now from your collection, that there are many books that cover that side of the garden. And, will have to check them out. Here’s to a winter of reading!

    Reply
  1240. Amy Ford on

    My most recent favorite book is Where The Crawdads Sing, my favorite adventure book is a tie between A Walk in the Woods & Into Thin Air, my all-time favorite book is Middlesex and the book which changed my year is yours, Cut Flower Garden! I’m currently reading The Overstory and loving it. 📚❤️

    Reply
  1241. Grace Erickson on

    I love any books on Prince Charles of England’s garden at Highgrove. It is the the most inspiring garden and his ideas on organic growing and sustainability are profound. I learned more from his books than just about any other.

    Reply
  1242. Renee Boehnke on

    I love reading so much! I visit our local library every few weeks and usually come home with too many art/design/gardening books. My kids have inherited a love for books from me too. My favorite book to read with them this time of year is Carl’s Christmas by Alexandra Day because of the sweet storyline and nostalgic illustrations. My mom would read it to me each Christmas season growing up and I enjoy carrying on the tradition. Thanks for offering this lovely giveaway!

    Reply
  1243. Alison S Sluka on

    Such an amazing person you are. Thank you for sharing such great books. My favorite gardening books are the Sunset Western Garden books, for general information. The Burpee Seed Starter by Maureen Heffernan is also well loved and was a gift from my grandfather from his collection.
    I’m currently reading Get out of your way by Dave Hollis. It’s making me realize I don’t give myself credit for where I am, and how insecure I’ve been, and that my dreams and goals matter.

    Reply
  1244. Adrienne on

    The New Organic Grower and The Market Gardener changed my life! Both books were such a helpful, gentle ease into my farming career and both Eliot Coleman and JM Fortier are unbelievably generous and concise with their knowledge!

    Reply
  1245. Kaitlyn Schiltz on

    I have a difficult time choosing favorite books because there are so many interesting things to read and so much to learn! However, peoples’ stories really stick with me and last year I read “The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row” by Anthony Ray Hinton. Anthony was an innocent man who spent more than 30 years on death row for a crime he didn’t commit. It’s an incredible story and Anthony’s perspective and example is one we can all learn from.

    Reply
  1246. Charlene Kagele on

    I love all of my quilting books that have applique and embroidered flowers in them! Elly Sienkiewicz, Kaffe Fassett, & Judith Baker Montano are amazing artists that have inspired my love of flower gardening outside. I would love to have any of Frances Palmer’s books, as I have a love of an 1862 painting done by Frances Flora Bond Palmer, titled “Landscape, Fruit and Flowers” and I’m curious of the name connection. You have inspired my gardening & love of flowers and I have enjoyed your blog and newsletters so much, learning and experimenting along the way… definitely would enjoy owning any of your books! Thank you so much, for all that you do for the amazing world of gardening. We reside in the “other” Washington, the very arid Columbia Basin of eastern Washington!

    Reply
  1247. Megan on

    Favorite Gardening Book: Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden – This book inspired me to start my own cut flower garden and we had vases and vases of flowers this year. It has even inspired me to start planning a flower business that my husband and I can retire to.

    Favorite Book of All Time: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott – I love this book immensely and would recommend it to anyone. It helps remind me of what is actually important in life.

    Reply
  1248. Laurie Youngquist on

    I could never pick just one book…here are the first three that came to my mind; Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer for its relationship between people and the earth. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon for a wonderful adventure filled with love. Cut Flower Garden for inspiration to create beauty in my own life.

    Reply
  1249. Daniela Klimsa on

    My favorite is still your Cut Flower Garden. I really like how it’s organized and since I live in PNW it’s perfect in terms of timing too so I don’t have to make any adjustments which is great for an inexperienced gardener like myself.

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  1250. Deborah on

    I’m a fairly new gardener and just discovered you not so long ago and signed up for your blog updates
    so i don’t have any books on flowers or gardening at the moment
    so i am very interested in yours and your favorite list!
    as for my favorite book, since I am a photographer and I love to photograph birds and flowers
    my favorite books are ” understanding exposure” and a very old antique book on birds that i have.

    Reply
  1251. Ramona Anderson on

    Hard to pick, I think my favorite is any book I get to read with my kids cuddled up on the sofa. I just want to choose to love these sweet precious moments.

    Reply
  1252. Leslie on

    My favorite book (forever and ever) surprisingly isn’t a gardening one. It’s called “Finding Your Own North Star” by Martha Beck, and it truly saved my life as a young, deeply bewildered 20-something. Highly recommend for anyone feeling lost in life. 💛

    Reply
  1253. Joelle Pickering on

    I love the book The Small-Scale Poultry Flock by Harvey Ussery. This is a must read for anyone interested in keeping poultry whether you live in town with a small yard or out of town on acreage. His knowledge and experience are obvious, but his sense of humor makes the book truly special.

    Reply
  1254. Holly Robertson on

    When my husband and I decided we were going to move from Chicago to his family’s 10-acre farm in Reinbeck, Iowa, the first book that I bought that opened my eyes to small acreage production was Jean Martin Fortier’s book, The Market Gardener. We decided to grow and sell via farmer’s markets and CSA – my husband grew the flowers and I grew the vegetables. Then I got bit with the flower bug and there’s been no turning back. Two of my favorite flower books that I reference often is Floret Farm’s A Year in Flowers and The Cut Flower Garden. For those times that I need a kick in the pants to remind myself that I am capable of more than I think, I re-read You are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life. I could keep listing more but these are some of my top favorites!

    Reply
  1255. Darya on

    I discovered “The Layered Garden: Design Lessons for Year-Round Beauty from Brandywine Cottage” by David Culp when I was looking for garden design rules and tips. This book ended up being so much more — it brought my acreage dreams down to earth when I realized how much work his 2 acres are; it helped me discover so many new flower varieties that could do well in Texas that aren’t commonly known; it introduced the idea of “natural drift planting” which was a huge help; and it just made me feel so good about loving plants, because he definitely loved his. It’s a great read for someone who wants to grow a garden and needs inspiring stories of how bigger gardens started and grew into something great.

    Reply
  1256. Kate Richardson on

    My favourite book is The Midnight Circus by Erin Morgenstern. I just love the way it pulls you into the story, it really hits all the senses with the creative descriptions within the story.

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  1257. Jennifer B on

    Such a hard task to choose a favorite! Pride and Prejudice has always been a book that I’ve gone back to and feels like “home” when reading.

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  1258. Kelly Butsch on

    Cut Flower Garden was the book that started it all for me. I’ve never been a gardener, have tried growing vegetables but usually lost interest half way through the season. When I discovered flower gardening that all changed and now I find myself lost in my flowers for hours at a time, singing to them, talking to the birds, bees and butterflies that they bring.
    Cut Flower Garden gave me a starting point with so much important information to get started without being overwhelmed.
    I’d have to say that Dahlia Breeding by KA is a close second. How cool that we can create a whole different flower from each seed?? That we can manipulate nature to get 100s of different varieties from one flower?! This was my first year saving seeds (only my second year growing flowers) and I can’t wait to see what I get in the summer!
    If I’m not reading some historical fiction (and the occasional beach read/romance novel) you can find me with a flower book in hand before bed each night.

    Reply
  1259. Lauren on

    Specialty Cut Flowers by Allan Armitage is an invaluable resource for me. I’d much rather flip actual pages looking for answers rather than going down rabbit holes online. There is so much information packed into one volume and the data comes from great sources. I just love it and hope they print another updated version soon!

    Reply
  1260. Lene Feldthaus on

    My favorit book is danish and writen by Claus Dalby “køkkenhave i krukker”. I would love to win all the flower books. Im starting a new cut garden in spring – and i am so exited :)

    Reply
  1261. Eman Desouky on

    My current fav book is: Undrowned: black feminist lessons from marine mammals. I’ve always felt a kinship to marine mammals as a black woman growing up in the U.Sz and this book helps me understand why!

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  1262. Kirsten on

    Anne of Green Gables has always been my favorite book of all time. I first read it when I was 8 years old and have read it probably 20 more times since then. I would play in my flower garden as a young girl and imagine all the rich wordage that Montgomery used to describe the beautiful flowers and plants in her book. Anne was obsessed with flowers and plants and I think that’s where and when my live affair started!

    Reply
  1263. Katherine on

    Omg, there are good ones that I have read, but StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Tom Rath must be one of my favorites. I found out about the book and bought it right away. It’s taught me my strengths and weaknesses. It’s taught me that I’m always questioning the why and that I love to learn and think about challenging things. I even took another test that tells me what I would excel in as an occupation I got Farmer. It’s no wonder why I love challenges.

    https://personalitymax.com/report/?pt=21-26-53-26&mi=43-50-93-77-7-37-87-97&ls=87-33-82&bh=42&name_key=0ca1ac049d

    Reply
  1264. Susie Neider on

    I have always loved books! My Mom is a book lover and actually started volunteering at our school/public library when I started kindergarten as I am the youngest. She then was hired as the librarian and made a career of encouraging kids to read and challenge themselves to continue for life. My favorite flower book is A Year In Flowers by Erin Benzakein! The information is amazing and the photography is so gorgeous, I am always referring to it and enjoying every minute.

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  1265. JesS on

    I’m always looking to update my classroom bookshelf and the ones that I’ve had to replace because they get used so much are The Complete Gardener: A Practical, Imaginative Guide to Every Aspect of Gardening by Monty Don (can’t wait to get the new edition- it’s on my Christmas list) & Martha Stewart’s Gardening: Month by Month by Martha Stewart. Both are fantastic, even the younger people coming in for open house thumb through them!

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  1266. Carol Sammons on

    My first gardening book was Martha Stewart’s Gardening: Month by Month given to me by a friend for my birthday in 1991! It was so beautiful and inspiring! I have been collecting garden and flower books ever since. I have to admit, my library is also a bit out of control. However, one can never have too many books and the wealth of knowledge, inspiration and joy they provide.

    Reply
  1267. Katy on

    My favorite book of all time is Mary Oliver’s Upstream. It is a collection of essays that spoke straight to my heart during a hard time in my life. Now each time I pick it up it feels like home.

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  1268. Erik Martin on

    The Hobbit. I love adventures and stories of people achieving goals in spite of adversity.

    Reply
  1269. Ashley on

    Since I’m just getting into the world of flowers my favorite book is actually A Year in Flowers by you guys! And if we’re talking novels, my favorite book is called Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson. Kind of similar concept to Pride and Prejudice.

    Reply
  1270. Christi Helms on

    It is so difficult to choose a favorite book, as I love so many, but “Prodigal Summer” by Barbara Kingsolver is way up on my list. From its verdant green cover to the three beautifully written, intertwined stories of the natural world and human nature, it is a treat for any nature lover.

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  1271. Christal on

    I just wanted to say Thank you for the information and inspiration. I haven’t read any of the list yet, but am looking forward to it all.

    Take care and best wishes!!!

    Reply
  1272. Whitney Jerome on

    I’m new to flower farming and on a budget so I have to save up for books. So far I only have a few but your book Cut Flower Garden and Lisa mason Zeigler’s Cool Flowers are m absolute favorites! I’ve learned so much from them!

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  1273. Alicia on

    A recent favorite of mine is actually a children’s book called Owl Moon by Jane Yolen. I don’t remember reading this as a child, but as an adult I couldn’t love it more. It’s a story about hope and adventure. The father-daughter relationship depicted in the book reminds me of my own relationship with my dad- so much so that I teared up reading it.

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  1274. Donna on

    From the books you mentioned, Floret Farm’s Discovering Dahlias is my favorite because it is full of gorgeous photos of and info about my favorite flower.

    Fav of all time? Probably Cosmos. It prompted my career choice.

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  1275. Jan on

    Five Mary’s cookbook is my favorite! I use it at least once a week!

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  1276. Margaret on

    My favourite book has been Edible Wild Plants, the Peterson Field Guide, since I first recieved it – my tenth or eleventh birthday, or around that age. I’ve carried it through trees and airport terminals, read it in hammocks and on rooftops. I found everything about it inspiring, from the way in felt in my hands to the little details throughout the book. I’m convinced it has been an essential part of my childhood. It is magical and educating all at once; now it feels like a friend. Despite being dropped in the dirt, left under a rosebush – it has survived. Of course, I take better care of my books now than at eleven years old, so just in case I win the book lottery, fear not: they won’t be sitting about outside.

    Reply
  1277. Sarah Adams on

    My favorite book changes based on what is happening in my life. I really enjoyed “Things You Save In A Fire” all about forgiveness and moving forward; a little kitschy but has a good message.

    Reply
  1278. Julie Pierce on

    Thanks very much for this list and all the reader comments. I too lived in the library as a child, and it remains one of my happy places. My two favorite gardening books (in addition to Erin’s, of course) are The Well-Tended Perennial Garden (Tracy DiSabato-Aust) and A Way to Garden (Margaret Roach). As for non-gardening books, it’s too hard to choose one!

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  1279. Stephanie Stone on

    My tattered and dogeared Sunset Western Garden Book is my favorite resource guide. It makes finding something for my zone really easy and has been my go to for many years. But, for flowers without a doubt, Floret Farms Cut Flower Garden. That book gives me inspiration and information.

    Reply
  1280. Rebekah Bissonette on

    The Complete Gardener by Monty Don is my current favorite. I don’t have any others on your list as of yet. We were formerly living in an apartment with a balcony with room for only two pots!! Now that we’ve bought a house with a nice yard my head is swimming with ideas. We went to an estate sale and bought all the gardening books there, mainly hostas. Your giveaway is a wonderful thing. Thank you for the chance.

    Reply
  1281. Mell Fraze on

    Favorite book? What a horribly unfair question to ask a bibliophile, lol. I would have to list at least a dozen books in each of several categories to cover all my favorite books.

    My most treasured book though, that is an easy answer… A Narnian Story by Diana K. McClure c.1974 . I may have the only remaining copy in existence, for all I know. It is basically a fanfic set “in between” the Chronicles of Narnia self-published, in a limited printing, by the author who my dad happened to know & he bought a copy because he loved the Chronicles of Narnia so much. My dad had to have the book binding redone a couple times when I was a child because I read it so often. When my dad passed away that was the one book from his collection that I absolutely had to have. I haven’t read it in a decade or more but I have let my kids each read it after they read the Chronicles of Narnia so long as they are very careful with it since the book is basically irreplaceable.

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  1282. Kallee Wharton on

    Cool Flowers by Lisa Ziegler has been such a game changer for our flower growing. It has been a huge help getting a head start on the season!

    Reply
  1283. Carolyn Wilson on

    Like everyone else said hard to pick just one, happy to see so many other book lovers! Cookbook-The Dude Diet and The Dude Diet Dinnertime by Serena Wolf. Funny and easy and it’s food my husband and kids like but better for us and still delicious. Twelve Dancing Princesses told by Marianna Mayer but the real reason it’s my favorite is the illustrations by K.Y. Craft. Of course all of the Floret Farms books! Cool flowers by Lisa Mason Ziegler. Outlander series is my latest favorite by Diana Gabaldon. The show just doesn’t do them justice. I bought them all because I am going to start them over once I’m done with the last book. Anything by Elin Hilderbrand. Beach reads but so amazing! John Gottmans books on relationships are the best. And he also has great stuff on raising emotionally smart kids. Five Plant Gardens by Nancy J Ondra is so nice to look at but also has lots of info for landscaping ideas. Sooo many more! Susan Cooper The Dark is Rising series is a must for teens or anyone really. Have to go to the library now it seems missing all the books!

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  1284. Ann on

    Cool Flowers, Lisa Ziegler. It extended my growing period.

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  1285. Jessica on

    I absolutely love The Flower Farmer by Lynn Byczynski! I picked it up years ago as a newbie farmer to use as a reference and then promptly read it cover to cover.

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  1286. Cheryl on

    I an also a book lover but have none on growing flowers. I am recently retired and my daughter and I have just found you and are excited to begin our study of growing a cut flower garden. I plan to by your book for her at Christmas. Thank you for sharing all of your knowledge with us.

    Reply
  1287. Linda Rowe on

    I love a book that is categorical and beautifully stages with clear photographs. I have a few faves but the stand out is Martha Stewart m’s COOKIES. The book is categorized by Soft and chewy, Crispy, and other textural anecdotes that help you hone in on what you’re looking for.
    I have some family members (daughter and nephew) who are trying to make a go of a farmette business plan. I’d share this library with them.

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  1288. Katie St. Clair on

    What a great list! It’s gotta be Cut Flower Garden for me!!

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  1289. Tara on

    My favorite gardening how-to is Crockett’s Victory Garden. It is my perennial go-to. I ignore his pesticide recommendations (I garden organically!), but love the layout and hard-earned advice. Whenever I see one at a thrift store, I buy it and give it to a friend.

    Reply
  1290. Pamela Rodriguez on

    The Green Witch; by Arin Murphy..The Complete Guide to the Natural Magic of Herbs, Flowers, Essential Oils and More… I love to continue to learn as much as I can about the benefits of herbs and flowers and how we can incorporate them into our overall health and wellness. I would LOVE to learn more about edible flowers as well. I am not familiar with edible flowers in general and am so intrigued by them and how we can use them to enhance our meals and how to incorporate them in our arrangements…..I would so appreciate any feedback on this topic from you Erin as well as other followers and gardeners…..and if there are any other curious gardeners out there with questions regarding the topic of Edible flowers!!!!!! Happy Gardening!!!!!!

    Reply
  1291. Christine on

    Picking a favorite books is a next to impossible task but one I really love and revisited many times is Brene Brown’s The Gifts of Imperfection. I love her work so much and this book is one I have gifted many times because it has helped me so much and I want everyone else to read it too.

    Reply
  1292. Kaylie on

    I have so enjoyed your “Cut Flower Garden” book. Through following your business my basic garden knowledge has grown tremendously. The pictures throughout the book are exceptional and light a fire in my heart to get excited about each growing season. This next year we are transitioning from our 4 small raised beds to a larger enclosed cut flower garden. Through your book and excitement on the Floret Farm, my love for flowers have come alive in a fresh way. Thank you so much!

    Reply
  1293. Teresa Landers on

    My favorite book would have to be The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo. It has completely changed my life. Growing up poor, I never wanted to get rid of things if I thought I could use them later. Learning how to let go and unclutter my space, changed me mentally and made me more successful.

    Reply
  1294. Constance Reeder on

    Such a lovely website and post Erin – Thank you so much.

    I am reading two books right now – both of which keep me for hours when I find the time. They are so lovely and relaxing and share with me the gardening lives of two people I admire most as artists and gardeners. The first, which I’ve almost completed, is “Beatrix Potter’s Gardening Life” by Marta McDowell. I love Marta’s style of writing and she has managed to take the story of a beloved artist, which has been told time and time again, and has made a book that is by far the best (my humble opinion) about Beatrix Potter I have ever read. The second is “Unearthing The Secret Garden” also by Marta McDowell, and although I’m only into the second chapter – I feel the same as with the first book I mentioned, I could absolutely sit and read it for hours and hours with a hot cup of Chamomile tea and lots of honey – by the fire of course!

    Blessings!
    ConstanceReeder.com

    Reply
  1295. Hannah S on

    I bought your A Year in Flowers books as a gift for my sister this Christmas and love it so much I asked my husband for a copy for myself!!

    Reply
  1296. Norah on

    My favorite books are the His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman. The writing is just fantastic and pulls you into his incredible, beautiful, and terrifying world.

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  1297. Laura Fincher on

    My favorite book is Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese. I loved it because it took place in a different part of the world that I know little about (Ethiopia) and it gave me a deeper appreciation for the beauty involved in the field of Medicine. Great characters as well!

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  1298. Renee on

    Well – of course aside from ALL of the Floret books – I really love “The Flower Recipe Book”. I was new to flower arranging and the books gave me a totally different and “easier” way of thinking about more complex arrangements. It made it more straightforward to think in cooking terms – which I’ve been doing much longer than flower arranging. In truth – it is challenging to pick a favorite. I have a fledgling library and the books I have are all different and all inspiring!!

    Reply
  1299. Anissa on

    It’s hard to list a single favorite, but I will say one of the most impactful books I have read is ‘Failing Forward’ – Max Lucado

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  1300. Jenny on

    My favorite book is One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez . It is ripe with symbolism and metaphors telling a story of the inevitable and inescapable repetition experienced in history but told with magical realism that gives us hope.

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  1301. Jacqui on

    I don’t come from a ‘book family’. So when I read this book in grade school, it captured my heart and set me on the path of adoring books for the rest of my life. The book is ‘Where the Red Fern Grows’ by Wilson Rawls. It is the one that started it all and, for that, it is my favorite.

    Reply
  1302. Violet Hayes on

    Christopher Lloyd’s Succession Planting for Year Round Pleasure is probably my all time favorite gardening book for really useful advice on getting the most beauty out of whatever amount of dirt you have.

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  1303. Kathryn on

    I love the Five Marys cookbook too! So many yummy recipes. We have been getting their meat for years.

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  1304. Ryan on

    One of my favorites are vegetable gardening in the southeast by Ira Wallace. Growing up in the north east I had quite the learning curve to learn growing food in north Alabama. This book shortened the learning curve for me significantly. Other favorites include any cookbook by Hank Shaw. The recipes are wonderful and his writing makes it seem easy to make while also pushing the boundaries of your culinary comfort zone.

    Reply
  1305. Kate M. on

    My favourite is The Secret Garden. I’ve always loved the story of finding healing and acceptance through restoring a neglected garden, and now I have a garden of my own that I’m slowly bringing back to life.

    Reply
  1306. Leslie on

    It’s hard to choose just one favorite book, but lately I’ve enjoyed reading Harry Potter with my kids and my favorite flower-related book has been seasonal flower arranging by Ariella Chezar.

    Reply
  1307. Ashley Fogle on

    As a new flower gardener, I LOVED Cut Flower Garden. It has helped me with basics and given me beautiful pictures of how to arrange my new flowers :) I cannot wait to plan and work in my spring/summer garden next year with my new help! I started the planning process already and have started to buy my bulbs and corms for the upcoming season and am so excited to see these grow firsthand. Thank you!

    Reply
  1308. Karen Combs on

    Discovering Dahlias is my favorite because it opened a whole new world for me- never thought I could have success growing dahlias in North Texas but I have! I always admired them but never thought I could grow them until this book gave me a little kick in the pant’s to try– and now I can’t wait to add more next season. My second favorite is Neil Sperry’s Complete Guide to Texas gardening- I’ve been following him since high school and he’s got it dialed in for our long hot summers.

    Reply
  1309. Annette on

    On Flowers by Amy Merrick is fantastic!

    Reply
  1310. Tracey Sherman on

    I am a reader and a writer and my library, too, is overflowing, but what book lover can resist the opportunity to add to his or her collection? Plus, it is nearly impossible to choose a favorite! Of course I own and love Erin’s three books, and they are regularly perused. But to add to the growing list of favorites, I’d have to say Farmhouse Cookbook by Susan Herrmann Loomis. I bought this book at a base exchange in Misawa, Japan, when we were stationed there in the early 1990’s, and a quick search on Amazon shows it’s still available. Many of the recipes have become family favorites—Shepherd’s Pie is our family’s traditional Christmas Eve meal. As we were missing home and family during our six years overseas, I often opened this book to read about American farm life, the people who live there, and the delicious and nourishing foods they cook. Perhaps this book has been the catalyst for my lifelong dream of owning a farm of my own someday.

    Reply
  1311. Nikki Anderson on

    Untamed by Glennon Doyle! It’s an amazing book that really thought me to look within and listen to myself to figure out what I want out of life. It changed my life, and started me on my patch towards being a flower farmer.

    Reply
  1312. Laura L on

    Still Alice by Lisa Genova – such a thought provoking book about Alzheimer’s and its progression.
    And of course I love to page through flower books… I have In Bloom and I love the photos and tips for growing and arranging – so much great information and beauty!

    Reply
  1313. Terry on

    Several years ago I moved back to my family home as an adult. As a child here, my time was spent riding horses. As an adult who still has horses but no longer rides, I was eager to learn about all the plants that have grown and flourished on this property my entire life. I learned that they were native plants and that sent me down the rabbit hole learning about them, going to local garden tours and native plant nurseries, and adding even more natives to this property.

    I also wanted to recreate the dahlia garden our neighbor used to have. As a child, he would give his niece and I tours of his magical garden where the dahlias towered over our heads. He would tell us the names and the types and I would stand there just mesmerized! After all these years, I still remember it like it was yesterday…

    I delved into my dahlia project with gusto! I researched all I could find and bought carefully chosen tubers. I made raised beds from old redwood deck lumber a neighbor gave me. I made diagrams where I would put the tubers, shorter in the front, taller in the back, noting interesting color combinations. I immersed myself in this project and the dahlias grew with gusto! I bought a set of blue Adirondack chairs & table at a neighbors garage sale and put them in the flower garden. I can’t tell you how thrilling it was to sit in that garden, take notes, and admire those first dahlias I grew!

    While I have several native plant books in my library, the book that is my favorite and excites me to no end is Discovering Dahlias! The information it contains is invaluable, especially to backyard newbies such as myself, and the photos bring forth feelings of awe, inspiration and comfort. I gave my copy to a dear friend so that she could experience for herself why that book is so special. I haven’t replaced it yet, so would be really thrilled to win a copy!

    Reply
  1314. Melinda Walker on

    I love books, so it is difficult to choose one…. my favorite gardening book at the moment is The Herb Gardener-A Guide for All Seasons by-Susan McClure
    One of my all time favorites is The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

    Reply
  1315. Kathy on

    I have two favorites that come to mind. The Art of Racing in the Rain is such a amazing story of family, a dog and love. Another is Cool Flowers by Lisa Mason Ziegler. I live in southern Texas and because of our hot summers I had almost given up growing cut flowers. She explains how I can grow beautiful flowers in ‘reverse season’ by planting for cutting in early Spring.

    Reply
  1316. Jackie Barry on

    It would be hard for me to choose an absolute favorite so maybe I’ll choose one that I adored recently. I just finished “When” by Daniel Pink. This book changed my life when I first started reading it a few years ago. I put it down for quite a while and recently picked it up again. Mr. Pink’s fascinating presentation of the data that affects why people do things at certain times (a full range of that word times), along with suggestions about “hacks” you can try to incorporate into your own life will be useful for me in the future too, I’m sure. I also love Mr. Pink’s lighhearted, concise editorial style. Jackie, Olympia, WA

    Reply
  1317. Beth Snively on

    Definitely my “Nancy Drew” collection. I still have the majority of the series from when I was younger proudly displayed on my bookshelves! ♥️ These books started my love of reading!

    Reply
  1318. Heather on

    The Bible is my favorite book!

    “Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither labor nor spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.”
    Luke 12:27 NASB

    Reply
  1319. Callie on

    Oh, boy! Favorite book? That’s hard to choose! My favorite AUTHOR has been Francine Rivers since I was a teen… One of favorites from my more recent reads has been The Go Giver – I just like the message of giving more in order to increase your abundance in life. If only more people had this mentality!

    We’re just now in the process of buying our dream property and I finally get my flower garden, so my husband would be exceedingly grateful if I WON all the books I’ve been talking about buying 😂

    Reply
  1320. Marta Lingenheld on

    “The Botany of Desire” by Michael Pollan is still my favorite after reading it in college. I was one of very few Horticulture students. This book was assigned to us. It explores four categories of what we can grow and how growing those things has shaped societies. All of them are humble plants with politics and histories of their own. I have listened to it and read it. I even remember watching videos on it in college. It started my love of all Michael Pollan’s works and his personification of plants.

    Reply
  1321. Amanda on

    I know it’s a kids series but just about every year I read or listen through the all Harry Potter books. They are just so fun!

    Reply
  1322. Amy on

    I don’t have a favorite Gardening book that I have read yet. But Floret’s Cut Flower Garden is on my Christmas wish list. I love to see all the variations in color in the flowers and would love to add something unusual but easy to care for in my garden next year. And Floret is inspiring me to start a new hobby.

    Reply
  1323. Amanda on

    This is really hard! I have a ton of interests and I also really love fiction. Fiction, 3 way tie: The Complete Sherlock Holmes, The Three Musketeers, and Pillars of the Earth. I love all of them because they just sucked me in to the point I forget I am reading and just lose track of time. Business: The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur, because the attitude of the author is so positive and go-get-’em, I finished it and literally started doing what has grown into a successful business for myself. Flower book, Cut Flower Garden. It was what led me here, and has been the jumping off point for my own cut flower adventures. Thanks for doing this!

    Reply
  1324. Susanna Strutz on

    A Gentleman in Moscow is the best fiction I have read. Profound writing and beautiful character development.

    Reply
  1325. Kelly H on

    My 2 favorites are How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci and the Five Love Languages.

    Reply
  1326. Jessy rone on

    Discovering Dahlias has hands down been the resource for me this year as I jump into the incredible world of dahlias and cut flowers!

    Reply
  1327. Tracey McNeil on

    One of my favorite books is YOU GROW GIRL by Gayla Trail…my son gave it to me for my birthday in 2005❤️❤️❤️I was so touched that he understood and saw my passion!

    Reply
  1328. Leah Krotz on

    As an avid gardener and a former librarian, I could NEVER choose one favorite! I do very much appreciate “Passalong Plants” by Steve Bender, along with many others.

    Reply
  1329. Rachel on

    I’m loving Piet Oudolf and Noel Kingsbury’s book Planting A New Perspective. I’m a busy rancher, and I like the idea of a long lived perennial garden!

    Reply
  1330. N.L. Young on

    There are so many books that I love (yours included). I love to read about various subjects, but my favorite book is To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. That novel truly sparked my love and appreciation of literature.

    Reply
  1331. Maren Stafford on

    Pride & Prejudice hands down for the timeless romance and beauty…followed by A Year in Flowers in the floret library of course! So much information to fuel my dreams & make them come true.

    Reply
  1332. Kimberly Meyer on

    In the same way that I love gardening for the way it connects me physically to natural cycles of the earth, I love Annie Dillard’s For the Time Being for the way it speaks to the deeper and more mysterious processes that shape our lives.

    Reply
  1333. Alexandra on

    My favorite book is Anne of Green Gables. It was my first novel and my grandmother gave it to me as a gift, so it holds special meaning to me.

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  1334. Amy on

    My favorite gardening book is Mrs. Greenthumbs: How I Turned a Boring Yard Into a Glorious Garden and How You Can, Too by Cassandra Danz. Danz is encouraging and funny and a fantastic writer; she died of cancer much too early at age 55. Her books gave me the courage to start a perennial border at my first home and I reread them every year. One of my favorite quotes: “I plant daffodil bulbs about eight inches deep. As I mentioned before, I don’t use a ruler. As a married woman, I know perfectly well what six or eight inches looks like, so it’s easy to make a good estimate. This mental measurement makes planting time much more interesting than it might be otherwise.”

    Reply
  1335. Jessie on

    I love Cool Flowers by Lisa Mason Ziegler. I live in a cold place where summer only lasts 3 months. Her book is great for flowers that do well in my area!! A year full of flowers had been on my list for a while lol

    Reply
  1336. Elizabeth Morrill on

    My favorite book at the moment is Fly Girls by Keith O’Brien. It is amazing to read about the women in history with aviation. It’s an aspect in women’s history I never really thought much about and it is quite interesting! Thanks for all you and your team are doing. ❤️

    Reply
  1337. Dayna on

    I know it’s cliché, but the Harry Potter books are my favorites. I love all the characters, and these books always cheer me up when I am feeling blue.

    Reply
  1338. Morgana on

    The Layered Garden by David Culp has been one of my go-to’s for backyard gardening ideas.

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  1339. Jessica on

    Discovering Dahlias because it finally gave me ideas and resources to grow my favorite flowers!

    Reply
  1340. Katie Bezona on

    I am a book lover so really can’t choose just one! I have both of Erin’s book and bought the Dahlia book a few months ago but am waiting for my birthday (this Saturday) to crack it open. I just bought 3 new books a few days ago :) I’m obsessed to say the least. Also take my girls to the library nearly every Saturday, can’t get enough!

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  1341. Robin on

    I’m going ‘old school’ – literally and figuratively! For a college botany class we used KANSAS PRAIRIE WILDFLOWERS by Clinton Owensby. The class was just an elective for my biology studies but it was the first time I actually spent time looking at and thinking about flowers. This is the one that got me hooked. And I still have that first edition with tattered and dog-eared pages.

    Reply
  1342. Joan Boyer on

    That is the unanswerable question! Can I choose a favorite? No, but the one that I recommend often is Jane Austen’s “Sense and Sensibility.” Austen has a sharp wit regarding money and perceived worth if one has money. Society’s obsession with money is not a new concept, unfortunately.

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  1343. Heidi Ann Klammer on

    This is kind of quirky but I picked up a copy some years ago now of Elizabeth’s German Garden at a local coffee/antique store. I just re-read it and loved it again. I love reading books about women gardeners of the past and their struggles and joys. I relate.

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  1344. Lisa Masukawa on

    One of my favorite books that I read this year was Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. I love her idea of having a relationship with the land, water, and plants and learning about how they work together. She is also a professor and asked her class if they thought that if they loved their gardens that their gardens could love them back. And that question just resonated so much with me because I think the plants, flowers, trees, and all the biodiversity in them can love you back. The garden has just been such a place of healing and beauty and creativity for me. I converted my front yard to native plants 4 years ago, and I am continually welcoming new bird, butterfly, and other insect life into it as well as the beauty of the plants.

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  1345. Jennifer Myers on

    I am really loving Discovering Dahlias this year. It is just so relaxing to drift through the pages of beautiful flowers!

    Reply
  1346. Andria on

    Though I’m Canadian and don’t qualify for entry, my favourite flower book (besides Erin’s books of course!) is: Grow and Gather by Grace Alexander. The author has a cheeky sense of humour and her photos aren’t edited to be perfect or fussy, she simply captures the natural beauty of her blooms. Her journaling throughout the year is hilarious and realistic and she encourages the reader to give growing a go. Hope you enjoy.

    Reply
  1347. Sherry on

    Books are knowledge. Plain and simple. Would love to add your favorites to my collection. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. You and your team are amazing.

    Reply
  1348. Betsy Bergeron on

    My favorites have been Floret’s Cut Flower Garden as it’s helped me create a list of new items for my wishlist and inspired me to forage for things! This blog post came at the perfect time. I just finished up three of Floret’s books and needed more beautiful pages to fill my days. Going to order a handful of these to keep the reading going!!

    Reply
  1349. Hattie Lehman on

    The Secret Garden – because who doesn’t want a robin as a friend?

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  1350. Tamra Tanner on

    Square Foot Gardening.. by Mel Bartholomew… It’s not just for veggies… This concept is great for cut flower garden space too…

    Reply
  1351. Lan Guthmann on

    I like the book Heirloom flowers by Chris McLaughlin because it’s nice to grow heirloom flowers from seeds!

    Reply
  1352. Randi on

    Favorite? One?! I simply couldn’t. But I can give a share one heavy contender. One of my go to resource books is Sunset Western Gardens. When first purchased many years ago, it was an investment. I now look through it occasionally as a reference but more often because it’s so lovely and thorough, and I appreciate the efforts involved to publish such a massive tome.

    Reply
  1353. Marrah Ferebee on

    I don’t have any one specific favorite book because I really only enjoy reading autobiographical and biographical books on peoples lives or how they have impacted the world, everyone’s story is so unique it’s hard to pick one over the other! Some of my top fives have been Nicole Curtis- better then new, David Goggins- Can’t Hurt Me, Diane Von Furstenburg – The Women I Wanted to Be, Laura Clery – Idiot and of course Chip & Joanna’s books!

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  1354. Kait on

    Cut Flower Garden! Because it introduced me to a whole new world of beauty!

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  1355. Maggie Morgan on

    I have sooooo many favorite books but “Down the Common: A Year in the Life of a Medieval Woman” by Ann Baer, is a standout from when I first discovered it more than two decades ago. It is a month-by-month account of a 13th century peasant woman living in rural England. This touching story, which includes lovely illustrations by the author, opened my eyes to how good I have it, living here and now. While the woman delights in simple joys that I also love (growing things and living close to the earth), it also chronicles how her life was a day-to-day struggle to keep herself and her family alive and well. Every page taught me to be more thankful for the life we enjoy in the 21st century. It is by God’s grace and the tenacity of those who have gone before us that we are even here today! I highly recommend it. Thank you for sharing these book recommendations…. I’ve learned more about gardening since I discovered Floret four years ago than any other time in my 62 years on this earth! I appreciate so much how you share your knowledge so freely. Maggie Morgan, Greeley CO

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  1356. Georgie Lennox on

    Like you, I love books. Fiction, non fiction, coffee table… my absolute favourite is a a very 60s copy of the Readers Digest Handymans Guide my Dad was given as a kid, and I now use. It’s full of useful info like how to build brick walls, build your own house and design a garden…
    A lot of it isn’t applicable anymore here in NZ because of building regulations etc (and not being allowed to build a house unless you have the right qualifications!) But full of practical advice to use for everything…from how to design my garden, to how to lay a brick path, to how to build a table and chairs. Sometimes you just need the no nonsense steps to complete a project, and this book delivers!

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  1357. Brooke James on

    Currently I’m loving Floret’s Discovering Dahlias ~ it’s feeding my newfound dahlia addiction. Looking forward to curling up with it this winter and dreaming of the dahlias we are adding to our farm!

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  1358. Kara on

    I’m a relatively new gardener, and I only branched out into cut flowers when I happened upon Erin’s book “Cut Flower Garden,” so that would have to be my favorite gardening book so far. Growing something beautiful just for beauty’s sake has brought me so much joy. I can’t wait to read some of these!

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  1359. Kaiya on

    Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden is my hands down favorite and most read book in my little library. I’ve referred to it countless times for growing advice and information. When I’m purchasing new seeds or plants, I look to the pictures for inspiration both for growing beauty in the garden and arranging that beauty into indoor floral bouquets. This and the other Floret books have inspired me so much that I finally took the leap to join the Floret Online Workshop community in 2022!

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  1360. Mary on

    Right now I’m loving Plant Intelligence and the Imaginal Realm. I also really enjoyed Where the Crawdads Sing.

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  1361. Cynthia on

    Jane Eyre is one of my favorites and I’ve read it once a decade beginning in my teens, so at least five times! While it is somewhat dark, I find the independent heroine’s quest for equality and justice inspiring as she encounters obstacles of cruelty, unfairness, illness and death in her young life. She has great resolve and fortitude.

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  1362. Jessica on

    What an excellent resource you have provided here! Several of these are already on our wishlist.
    Oh gosh, we love books, not sure I can narrow down to just one. What a treasure it has been to grow a love of books/reading with our three littles, every single book brings such joy and learning opportunities!
    Winning one of these bundles would be such a blessing as we begin our farming resource collection (food & flowers) to learn in preparation for our first season of growing both.

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  1363. Taylor Williams on

    My favorite book is Floret Farms Cut Flower Garden. I hardly find time to read because I have a full time job and 2 young kids…and for me to finish a book, I have to be hooked from the first paragraph, or be really interested in the subject. I have always been in love with flowers, since I was a little girl. So, when I decided to try to grow my own flowers, I found your book on Amazon and I have read it from cover to cover and continue to turn to it and take notes in it. Your book inspired me to start my own cut flower farm. It is so helpful and beautiful. Now I have all three of your books and I have to say they are all my favorite!! I now have a dream to start my own flower farm and am working so hard to accomplish it…starting with more land!

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  1364. Jennifer on

    Oh my goodness, picking a favorite book is a bibliophile’s Sophie’s Choice. Whether it’s a favorite children’s book (Custard the Dragon), or classic (David Copperfield), or favorite by a favorite (Let’s Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson or Bel Canto by Ann Patchett), or non fiction (Boys in the Boat) or from the last six months (Circe), one quality they all have is that I was surprised by how much appreciation they rendered–both from the use of language and the story. So the book I would list as the most unexpected favorite that I LOVE to gift because nearly no one in the United States has read it is “All Fun and Games Until Somebody Loses an Eye” by Christopher Brookmyre. Brookmyre is known for his wry, visceral, vivid Scottish crime novels. This is one of those. The protagonist is a middle aged woman facing a long life of nothing interesting until an unexpected event upends her stolid existence–and she embraces the opportunity to see what she can become. Every person, I know, who has ever read this book has loved it.

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  1365. Megan on

    Oh my gosh! First off, these are beautiful photos. And what great book recommendations! Will definitely be picking up a few of these for myself. I have too many favorite books to choose just one, but my favorite from this year was a novel called The Music of Bees. It follows three very different people in very different places in their life, but they become connected through a honeybee farm. It’s such a cute and heartwarming story and is beautifully written!

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  1366. Nichole on

    Cut Flower Garden was my first foray in growing flowers and I was so inspired after reading it that I spent the next winter planning my first season growing season. Now I have my own little flower side hustle!

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  1367. Elizabeth on

    ‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin’ is my favorite book. It seemed intimidating to read as it’s published in 1852. The history of the book is just as interesting as the book itself. I consider it my favorite because I have never been more mournful, or saddened by any other book.

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  1368. Sandra MacGinnis on

    My favorite book is the Bible It stands for Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth!. It is so full of wisdom. I have also enjoyed Erin’s flowering books. I started my garden 4 years ago and I love being in the garden; it is so peaceful.

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  1369. Christie Board on

    My favorite book since childhood is Anne of Green Gables. I have probably read it a dozen times. I love how Anne brings those around her to a better place and they learn to love Anne with all of her eccentricities. It is a sweet book with a lovely ending.

    Reply
  1370. Myra Hipke on

    A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold. I have a beautifully photographed coffee table version. Aldo speaks to the importance of our relationship with the land and nature and was one of my foundational exposures to the importance of ecology and man’s role in it.

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  1371. Nancy Harkness on

    My current favorite book, as I have just finished reading it is Love, Life and Elephants by Dame Daphne Sheldrick. Not a book about flowers per say – except a few in her yard that were nibbled on by wild grazers – but a book about deep love, empathy, and commitment to the wildlife of Kenya.

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  1372. Kathryn Casey on

    While I loved Monty Don’s book and had to buy my own copy of Amy Merrick’s book after realized I never wanted to return it to the library, A Year in Flowers transformed how I arranged flowers and is the book I go back to again and again. I look forward to checking out more books on this list – and hopefully winning!

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  1373. Sophia on

    Thank you so much for sharing, Erin! These are wonderful books to add to my collection, and to gift! FLORET FARM’S CUT FLOWER GARDEN is easily my most cherished and favorite book! It has absolutely everything you need to grow and harvest the ultimate, gorgeous flower garden. And also includes how-to tips to arrange such stunning seasonal blooms. It truly is a breathtakingly beautiful, informative, and inspiring book! I will be treasuring it for years to come! 💐

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  1374. Laura Bailey on

    This is so wonderful and I’ve added many of these to my Amazon wishlist now! Thank you! My favorite book of all time has been Lost Connections by Johann Hari. It is the most powerful book regarding mental health I’ve ever read. Totally alligns with a culture more attuned to close communities, slow living, being in nature, and all the things I truly believe would make individual lives better as well as communities better. It’s an incredible narrative about mental health (particularly depression and anxiety) and brings together so much research that has been much ignored because it shows systematic changes in our lifestyles are needed to improve our mental health, not medicine. So excited for the opportunity to win some of your favorites!

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  1375. Lauren Bennett on

    I just found out that one of my most favorite humans is expecting a kiddo this summer. So in honor of the soon to be Miss Birdie, one of my favorite books is, The Phantom Tollbooth, by Norton Juster. To this day I still find some of the quests Milo went on applicable.

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  1376. Cheryl Dalberg on

    So many favorites, Dibs in Search of Self inspired me to become a teacher, The Henna Artist, and Florets Dahlia book as I’m a newer gardener:)

    Reply
  1377. Waiʻala on

    Beading Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer ʻIndigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teaching of Plants’ a powerful, life changing and affirming read that weaves the past, present and future together in ways that honor creation, have foresight into environmental changes to come and how to forage positive changes for the future by embracing and honoring the past through our connection to the natural world and plants.

    Reply
  1378. Brandy Luebrecht on

    I’m loving the books High Five Club by Mel Robbins. It is reminding me not be so hard on myself and to cheer for myself. I can do great things!

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  1379. Brooke Boyd on

    My favorite book is “The Nightingale” by Kristen Hannah. The bravery the women showed in the book is inspiring, they actually found comfort in their gardening during war times too! I look forward to starting a flower garden in the spring after doing your mini course this fall. I have found peace while gardening during a difficult year. Thanks for your tips :)

    Reply
  1380. Celeste on

    My favorite book right now is a self growth book, Steps to Christ by Ellen White. I love it because it is very thought provoking and challenges me to be purposeful. Our library at home is full of children’s books and self growth books, but no gardening books so far!

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  1381. Susan Rodgers on

    My favorite book is Brain on Fire. It is about a young woman living in New York as a journal writer dor the New York Times. She starts to develop a handful of rhings that are found going wrong. Something going on with her brain. It’s an excellent book to read Its about her journey with her condition. A must read true Story.

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  1382. Lorelei Fischer on

    Wow! Favorite book? Just one? My all time favorites are The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. However, there are many books and different genre faves. All the Light We Cannot See was another all time favorite–especially enjoyed visiting the little village on the English Channel where it took place. And of course, I cannot get enough of good gardening books! Have been referencing Discovering Dahlias often and leave it out for everyone to enjoy! I’ve already ordered my own Christmas gifts–the other two books and a tool belt on behalf of my husband and kids. Following Floret on IG has got me all into my flower gardening to the point I hardly want to grow food anymore.

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  1383. Aimee J on

    I have so many favorite books. One of my favorite children’s book is “The Party” by Barbara Reid. It totally reminds me of big family get togethers and reunions when I was a kid. Other favorites are “The Gentle Giant” and “Sleeping Ugly”.

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  1384. Jaymie Gatewood on

    It’s so hard to pick just one but I recommend a book that I often refer to for inspiration and to open up to new ways of seeing. It’s Beth Chatto’s “Gravel Garden”. It’s like using a different paint brush to paint a picture!

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  1385. Jennifer Karls on

    Of course I love the Floret Books, but my go-to is The Well-Tended Perennial Garden by Traci DiSabato-Aust for its great reference manual at the back where I can just look up a particular plant and it gives all the info on how to maintain it through the seasons. The other one I just read which I will continue to use is The Know Maintenance Perennial Garden by Roy Diblik. Since he grows in my zone, his info on incorporating more native plants and understanding their habits to improve garden quality was inspirational. Thanks for being so generous with your give-aways!

    Reply
  1386. Isabel on

    Neal Stephenson’s Cryptonomicon. It’s a highly entertaining, semi-fictional account of WWII codebreakers that will have you both laughing and crying for over 1000 pages. You will not learn anything about gardens but it will transport you completely to another realm for a while.

    Reply
  1387. Jen Martin on

    Right now I am loving recipe books! I think i am stick in a rut. I also am a big reader of mysteries, but I just love to read so anything goes. As a retired kindergarten teacher, I do miss reading to my kids.

    Reply
  1388. Chloe Harman on

    One of my favorite books has been The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. The book was one of my first “self-help” books I’d read, and it was one that was both relatable and inspiring. Rubin recognized that she had to power to create her own happiness (and destroy it) by the actions she took everyday. The book is broken down by month as she tackles a different aspect of happiness each month. In the back of the book is a sort of guide to show the reader how to create their own happiness project. I couldn’t recommend this book more!!

    Reply
  1389. Nora Songster on

    All-time favorite? “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen…I love language, detail, stimulating and witty dialogue and Austen delivers. And the topic is as relevant today as it was in Austen’s time. Followed closely by “Run” by Ann Patchett; “An Abundance of Katherines” and “Turtles All the Way Down” by John Green; “The Best of Me” by David Sedaris, The All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Hartnett (I read this trilogy EVERY fall and love it more each time). The beauty of books is they affect us on a personal level and what I love will not necessarily move you the same way. I am always open to suggestions though!

    Reply
  1390. Brigitte on

    I am new to gardening and have not yet read any books on it, but I have watched Monty Don’s shows and they are so great! Very relaxing.

    My favorite book is The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner.

    Reply
  1391. Lu on

    Thank you for the book recommendations. Cannot wait to read some of them soon to learn from the experts.

    Reply
  1392. Kathy on

    My latest favorite is Hydrangeas by Naomi Slade 💜

    Reply
  1393. Ellen on

    I’m loving Cool Flowers by Lisa Ziegler Mason. I’ve learned so much about starting annuals in the Fall for my zone 9b.

    Reply
  1394. Michelle Profant on

    My favorite book right now is Discovering Dahlias. It is breath taking. I am giving this to many people this year along w a tuber next year. I can’t get enough Dahlias.

    Reply
  1395. Svetlana on

    My favorite book so far is the “Cut Flower Garden” by Erin. This was my first year of starting my own flower garden for myself and friends, and I got many ideas from this book. Thank you so much for the great resource!

    Reply
  1396. Eileen Curinga on

    So many favorites but one I go back and read over and over is The Five People You Meet in Heaven. It’s so thought provoking and reminds you that everything you do has consequences, some good some bad.

    Reply
  1397. Hannah Henson on

    I absolutely adore your books. In fact, I was inspired and will be opening my open flower farm and event space this spring!! It’s great that you have Monty Don’s book on your list too. The show Gardener’s World really got me off my butt and into my back yard where I fell in love with helping things grow. Then a friend of mine introduced me to your short course and it was all over for me. I drank the Koolaide. I now have all of your books covered in tabs and highlighter markings. They sit on my desk right next to my worn copy of The Complete Gardener. Thank you for making this booklist. I’m an avid reader and love to see where you get your inspiration. Thanks for being awesome!

    Reply
  1398. Gabrielle E. Wells on

    One I have loved, since I saw it and begged my parents for back in the 1990’s is “Herbs” edited by Lesley Bremness by RD Home Handbook. The pictures are still very clean to look at and it had all these tidbits on medicinal uses and other properties of plants. Because its older, I enjoy comparing the herb varieties to other varieties I find in other current herb books from the library. I also keep coming back to it for the arrangements and recipes in the back. I found copies of it on ebay.

    Reply
  1399. Megan Clinch on

    Cultivating Chaos by Jonas Reif & Jürgen Becker! Really helping us think through self-seeding plants in our flood plain.

    Reply
  1400. Lisa Delwo on

    Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer is a delight to read.

    Reply
  1401. Catherine Stewart on

    So many beautiful books! I’m excited to dive into some of these to learn and be inspired. My favorite book is about Zoopharmacognosy. It’s written by Caroline Ingraham and the title is “Animal Self-Medication”. It’s all about how animals have the innate ability to heal themselves by turning to nature for their medicine. It leads us through the minds of the animals and teaches us about plants, flowers, dirt, minerals, algae and other things in nature that animals use to heal their imbalances. It’s fascinating and the stories of recovery are truly amazing. Caroline inspires us all to feel the animals wisdom and to think about how we approach our own health. It’s a big magical book that has helped me with my own animals and allowed me to help others too. Invaluable!

    Reply
  1402. Jardon Stidham on

    Rodale’s Book of Composting! Vegetables love Flowers! Nourishing Traditions! just to name a few

    Reply
  1403. Tamara Keisner on

    One of my most favorite books is by Ann Voskamp
    One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are.
    I took on her challenge to write in a journal, one thousand gifts over a span of a year. It is instantly life changing to take a moment to breath and think about the gifts each day holds.
    I am a gardener and an artist, these have both helped me to take moments to breath. I love the colors of your flowers, so amazing in the displays you show!

    Reply
  1404. Alexandria Klapmeier on

    One of my favorite books is Running with Sherman by Christopher McDougall! I love books about running and I appreciate that the author isn’t an “elite” runner, just a guy who loves running. It’s written so well and is a book I couldn’t put down. I loved learning more about running and seeing the relationship bloom between the author and Sherman, his donkey! It was such a fun read and I would recommend it to runners and non runners.

    Reply
  1405. Megan Clinch on

    What a fabulous list! We’ve started harvesting seeds from last years’ blooms & putting them in Grandma’s stocking for her raised beds in the spring. The boys are Very excited.

    Reply
  1406. Mary Ann Hodge on

    Robin Wall Kimmerer’s book Braiding Sweetgrass. Robin marries the science of plant biology with Indigenous teachings wrapped in a gift of personal memoir. A heartwarming and illuminating glimpse of the possibilities for a sustainable future.

    Reply
  1407. Mira Sanchez Costello on

    Where the Red Fern Grows, by Wilson Rawls. I read that book in 6th grade and I remember crying my eyeballs out. I’m a lover of all little furry creatures, and nature and plants and anything outdoors. This book resonated with me as a kid with my dogs, roaming outdoors in the little country town I grew up in. It’s a book that always stays with me some 45 years later.

    Reply
  1408. Siobhan on

    Obviously it’s your Cut Flower Garden book because it got me through a tough time last year. It inspired me to get my hands dirty and turn a patch of sod into a wealth of flowers. Thank you!!

    Reply
  1409. Pamela J on

    Newest favorite is Eddie Jaku’s Happiest Man On Earth. A biography of an extraordinary life and a man who chose kindness and tolerance over hate.

    Reply
  1410. Claire Covin on

    I’m looking forward to ordering a couple of the recommended books on your list, one as a gift and one for myself….Thank you for sharing these.
    I own my own business and unfortunately I haven’t devoted much time reading for pleasure in awhile, but I’m eager to read and study about starting a cut flower garden! I’ve been wanting to do this for some time now, and I’m ready to get started. I work indoors at a desk most days, and this will also
    give me an opportunity for being outside, and getting some much needed exercise and fresh air :)

    Probably my favorite book is To Kill a Mockingbird. I had a great English and literature teacher in high school, who took us outside each day to
    read a portion of this book, taking turns as each student read a few pages out loud, and the story and discussions of it, really had a lasting impact on me.

    Thank you for the list of recommended books. They all look and sound amazing!

    Reply
  1411. Sabrina Duk on

    Favorite book, hmm? What a loaded question! :P
    I definitely go through seasons of what hits home for me; I love histories and biographies. I often find myself re-reading Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. Each time I come away with a different reaction to certain passages and gleam a new bit of wisdom to apply to my own life. Sometimes it’s like a companion that tells me it’s alright to have all these messy feelings. My other favorite book is called Strapless: John Singer Sargent and the Fall of Madame X by Deborah Davis. It’s part biography of my favorite portrait artist in the time of the impressionists during La Belle Epoque France. And part history/story behind the infamous painting of Madame X — an up and coming socialite who thought her portrait would skyrocket her status instead of shroud her in controversy. Totally interesting to hear the backstory of such an iconic painting. Brings new meaning to a picture is worth a thousand words.

    Reply
  1412. Ellen McAllister on

    I’ve just retired from a 42 year career in health care, so I’m just getting around to making my list of old favorites to reread, and planning new adventures with new books in between biking, kayaking and skiing. My all time favorite book is To Kill A Mockingbird, with a treasured, but ragged copy on my shelves. I look forward to planning a flower garden over the winter and dreaming of spring and summer blooms.

    Reply
  1413. Mary Beth on

    My favorite which I have read and gifted multiple times is Blood, Bones and Butter by Gabriel Hamilton. She is the owner/chef of Prune restaurant in NYC and her memoir is very inspiring! Thank for all the great recommendations!

    Reply
  1414. Elizabeth on

    Great books, can’t wait to read some of them! As an ag teacher, I mainly have time to read educational books that get me prepared to teach. I will have to say, I’ve learned the most for my Horticulture class from your books. I’ve really enjoyed reading and rereading them over the past year! Thanks for the inspiration!

    Reply
  1415. Suzanne Ellertson on

    I am a floral literary newbie and am excited to dig into the genre! My favorite books right now are all fantasy that I’m reading with my son and husband to try and stay in the loop with them 😂 basically anything written by Brandon Sanderson.

    Reply
  1416. Carolyn Hansen on

    My most recent favorite is The Flower Recipe Book…so many ideas and beautiful photographs! Check it out.

    Reply
  1417. Erin on

    One of my favorites is The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. I always loved that the kids restored the garden and made it a wonderful place again.

    Reply
  1418. Sonya A Johnson on

    I adore Discovering Dahlias!! It’s the first book I think of after the Bible. You’re an amazing teacher and I love listening to you talk about flowers! The book is soooo good and the photos Chris took are dazzling!

    Reply
  1419. Stefanie Susol on

    There are toooo many to choose from! If you mean flower books I love yours and I want to get A Year Full of Flowers as well! But thinking back on the start of my flower gardening 25 years ago was the Western Garden Book and I would just buy the flowers I liked and then read about them and learn as I went along. If it’s a non flower book I have ALOT of favorites 😂

    Reply
  1420. Kelsey Heller on

    I really enjoy all my reference books for gardening. I got a couple books that are “Taylor encyclopedia for gardening”. I have gone through each one and noted all the flowers planned for next years garden! I especially enjoyed the volume all about bulbs.

    Reply
  1421. Janet on

    I love A Year in Flowers. The photos are just gorgeous. I have all 3 Floret books and each is great, so I basically threw a dart to decide my favorite!

    Reply
  1422. Tina on

    There is nothing like getting lost in a book store or library for hours! I also prefer holding a real book in my hands.
    For decades my favorite book has been “To Kill a Mockingbird” but it changed a couple of years ago when I read “Where the Crawdads Sing.” What a powerful book with stories intertwining, a bit of a mystery, love, & hope.
    Gardening books – “Herb Gardening at Its Best” by Sal Gilbertie with Larry Sheehan (herb garden), “Lasagna Gardening” by Patricia Lanza (veggie garden) and now your own “Cut Flower Garden” has made me want to have flowers as far as my eyes can see! Thank you!

    Reply
  1423. Lilley on

    Dirr’s Hardy Trees and Shrubs by Michael Dirr. This book has been a wonderful guide through the years!

    Reply
  1424. Katie Bell on

    One of my most recent favorites, which would fall into the personal development category, is 10 Simple Secrets of the World’s Greatest Business Communicators by Carmine Gallo. It unveils the mystery of how to truly reach people, connect with them, and share your passion with creativity and also brevity. Amazing book! Thank you for this blog post, I will be looking up some of the titles.

    Reply
  1425. Ken Freeman on

    Only one? Not possible. I am always going back to the Agriculture Course by Rudolf Steiner (Steiner’s lecture series on biodynamics). Lately I have been working with Youngsang Cho’s JADAM low cost organic agriculture books.

    Reply
  1426. Amy Lou Hilker on

    Monty Don’s “The Complete Gardner” is such a great resource, it covers so much, but is not overwhelming. I refer to it often, but also use it as a jump off for further research on a subject.

    Reply
  1427. Jacqueline Molina on

    When I was in middle school, my teacher introduced us to Anne of Green Gables. I was never much of a reader until then, I couldn’t put it down and would fall asleep reading it. It was such a sweet story of a girl that had lived such heartbreaking life until she was adopted by the Cuthbert’s and yet she had such a kindred spirit. It’s my favorite to this day…several decades later.

    Reply
  1428. Rosemary J. on

    I’ve been absent from reading, or just sticking, with any book in particular. My attention is mostly divided between my family. Don’t laugh, but my favorite books that I’ve read were the Twilight Saga, and that was years ago. Besides that, since flowers are such a big part of my paper flower business, I love A Year in Flowers. I love the details, colors, layouts, inspiration in so many ways!

    Reply
  1429. Thea Patten on

    Don’t be too shocked: I have an ancient hardcover copy of “The Readers Digest Complete Book of the Garden” that I have loved for the last fifty years. At almost 900 pages it is indeed complete, covering topics from houseplants to asparagus to fruit trees and perennial flowers. The part that makes me truly love it though are the many simple line drawing illustrations. They are both accurate botanically and somehow “warm.” Parts of the book are of course dated, and it includes chapters on pesticides, which I do not use. But. This is a good one.

    Reply
  1430. Paula Palmer on

    So many titles to choose from! Ursula LeGuin is my favorite author and her book “The Wizard of Earthsea” captivates me because of the tale and the setting. Learning about Ged is like watching a young Merlin learn how to become a wizard. Traveling with him and becoming intimately aware of the flora of the islands of Earthsea feels like a guided journey through the San Juan Islands.

    As a mostly retired librarian, I appreciate your shout out to librarians and the wonder of libraries.

    Thank you for your inspiration and everything you do.

    Reply
  1431. Lisa Edelhuber on

    I really hate to say this, but my favorite book on gardens has been packed away for now. We are in the process of moving to our new flower farm & I can’t get my hands on it at the moment. It’s a coffee table book on gardens in all seasons. The photos are out of this world & brings me so much peace to look at. We definitely ALL need to return to the garden where we first started.♥️

    Reply
  1432. Kaylee on

    ‘A Cut Flower Garden’ is one of my top favorites. I look at it over and over! It’s exciting every time I look through it’s pages and brings me joy knowing I can grow flowers too.

    Reply
  1433. Tamara Kizer on

    The answer to this would be, “it depends on what I need it for?”
    For gardening it would be “The Sunset Western Garden Book”. In owning a nursery this was my go-to for varieties, genus and species identification and special features information. I even have a 1964 addition that was gifted to me.
    For Self help: The Atomic Habit this is a great book I wish I would have found years ago

    Reply
  1434. Katie on

    Fav book? That is def an impossible question. I have children… so let’s start w Rosie Revere, a great book about trying & failing & trying again. Along w their Little People, Big Dreams collection of numerous historical women that have persisted against a world against them. Otherwise a current fav is The Boy, The Mole, The Horse & The Fox. A gorgeous book w so much wisdom w such beautiful simplify. And your Dahlia book is HUGE inspiration going into our Floret Workshop. When we picked it up from the library my kiddos yelled, ‘wait, she’s real?!!’ We are all so excited to learn together!

    Reply
  1435. Christina Katz on

    Thanks for this list. So thankful I had already placed my flower book order for the holidays, including many on your list! I made a note of the rest. Here’s a book I don’t see on your list: Cultivated, The Elements Of Floral Style by Christin Geall. I liked it as much as Frances Palmer’s book. Both books are so artful and inspiring and isn’t that what we all need in the depths of winter?

    Reply
  1436. Andrea on

    Fueling my newer dahlia obsession is Discovering Dahlias

    Reply
  1437. Galena on

    My favorite book is always changing, but one of my current favs is The Layered Garden by David L. Culp with Adam Levine – it’s been incredibly inspiring as I work to design and change my 1/2 acre plot into a well-rounded flower garden.

    Galena @microflowerfarm

    Reply
  1438. Lisa Buchanan on

    ONE of my favourites ( as I have so many, including Cut Flower Garden) is Cultivated-The Elements of Floral
    Style by Christin Geall.(2020)
    The book is incredibly well organized, it’s like poetry to read and the illustrations are sumptuous. The chapter “Thinking About Colour” was brilliant. I really loved her Lesson “On Being an Amateur”. It was so inspiring to me.
    As I flip through this book while writing this comment to you I could spend the rest of my day in this book! Chores call me and I must go.

    Reply
  1439. Swetha Nalla on

    My first Gardening book is Floret’s Discovering Dahlia. I just received it a week ago and I read it twice until now. Favorite thing about it is What it has done to me!! This book made me look at the world and myself in whole new perspective. So much energy and inspiration I gained from it. I wanna keep it alive and continue by ordering at least a couple of these books you shared. I am so glad you did!!!

    Reply
  1440. Sara Manske on

    I love the Complete Guide to Saving Seeds. So much helpful info in there. Saving seeds is kind of magical! It seems like a complicated thing, but this book really spells it out for you and I love that.

    Reply
  1441. Sonja Block on

    My favorite book that I can re-read over and over again is Pictures of Hollis Woods. I remember when my 4th grade teacher read it to our class, and the way she brought the story to life inspired in me a love of reading that has only grown over the course of my life. The library became one of my favorite places, along with my mother’s garden. Those were the two places I spent most of my time. Hollis Woods also sparked my creativity which has since blossomed into a love of flowers.

    Reply
  1442. Shaylyn on

    I may be fibbing just a little because it is so hard to pick just one, but I will say the nonfiction novel, Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver. Anything by Kingsolver is soul stirring. It is set in Appalachia where I live, and I resonate so much with the connection to nature. Plus, I will always love coyotes and really all the untamed top of the food chain animals that get a bad rap after reading this.

    Reply
  1443. Loretta Epp on

    My favorite book is still Wyman’s Gardening Encyclopedia. I purchased it in 1983 and have used it extensively every year since then. I am always intrigued with any plant I do not recognize, and it covers the basic information for almost any plant there is. Genus species height zone description propagation pests and named varieties. It is the best for a quick look to determine if a “new to me” plant would be useful for my current obsessive purpose. I just found a beautiful plant at a farmer’s market which I had never seen before called Rainbow Leucothoe. Sure enough, Wyman’s Gardening Encyclopedia gave me all the information I needed to know where and why I could use it on our acreage.

    Reply
  1444. Raylene Sinnett on

    My favorite flower book is probably Vegetables Love Flowers by Lisa Mason Ziegler. She talks about how important flowers are in a garden and gives beginners a step by step guide on how to grow their own cut flower patch.

    Reply
  1445. Ashleigh on

    My husband gifted me “On Flowers” by Amy Merrick and it has quickly become my favorite among my (similar to you) endless stacks of books around my house. She has completely reframed my thinking about “acceptable” items to use when making an arrangement. She has the most lovely perspective, I too live in a city and have been pleasantly surprised by how much material there is once you are looking through her lens.

    Reply
  1446. Michelle on

    My favorite also besides yours is in bloom by Clare Nolan. All of her insight into planting and useful information I just loved it so helpful. I actually came across her book at a local thrift store brand new and I paid $1 for it . So worth all the information. I’m so looking forward to all the others you recommended. I just can’t get enough of reading on this subject. My father was a wholesale florist his whole life so flowers are in my dna lol. I am also enjoying all you put out there for us and live vicariously through you. Thank you🍁

    Reply
  1447. Megan Rought on

    I would say that “Cut Flower Garden” is one of my favorite books. I have always loved flowers, but never knew that I could start my own cut flower garden. After reading this book, I am so excited to get started with my own cut flower garden this spring! Thank you for sharing all your knowledge and inspiration with all of us!

    Reply
  1448. April Shuneson on

    The Flower Farmer by Lynn Byczynski is a great resource. Erin’s Floret books are beautiful and I have read them all cover to cover. Lynn’s book is more of a nuts n bolt handbook for flower farming.

    Reply
  1449. Sheryl Nathan on

    Oh My Goodness!!!!! Right now I am so enjoying your books and trying to do the puzzle!!!!! Love all of you and all the help that you give ,,, when I am ordering,,,,,, Beautiful Holidays to you…. Sheryl Nathan

    Reply
  1450. Stephanie on

    I love to read Amish Fiction. Amy Clipston wrote a fantastic series, the Amish Marketplace. Of the series, I absolutely enjoyed The Coffee Corner. This Book captures the simplicity and importance of a cup of coffee and a meaningful conversation. The message is also profound as it weaves into the story of the heart of true forgiveness and change. It was a page-turner! Thank you for the chance to win!

    Reply
  1451. Rebecca Rubin on

    On a garden tour in Charleston, S.C. several years ago, I purchased a book entitled “Mrs. Whaley and Her Charleston Garden”. It is a remarkable little gem, written by Emily Whaley when she was in her late 80’s, and detailing how she, a privileged white woman of the south, was able to hire Loutrel Briggs, a renowned garden designer, in 1940 and then use her ideas and skills to create her own little piece of paradise. But even more remarkable and what has stayed with me since my first read of this book, is the friendship that developed between her longtime assistant, Junior, an African-American man, and their decades long journey as they gardened together with her dog, Rosie, constantly by their sides. It is a reminder, especially in these difficult times, of the social and cultural barriers that can be overcome by the shared love of gardening.

    Reply
  1452. Amanda Baxter on

    My favorite book is The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. I love the way the main character in the story connects with and communicates through flowers. A beautiful story of pain and redemption. Highly recommend it to anyone who loves flowers.

    Reply
  1453. Devon on

    It’s so hard to choose a favorite book, isn’t it!? Right now I’m loving Mycophilia: Revelations From the Weird World of Mushrooms by Eugenia Bone. I’m a sucker for a natural history/natural world memoir, plus mushrooms are so cool!

    Reply
  1454. Nicole Darty on

    Anne of Green Gables. I have been an Anne fan since I was a little girl. I decided long ago if I ever had a little girl her middle name would be Anne but alas I have a beautiful boy and Anne just didn’t fit. It is my favorite because she is faced with such adversity but never loses the ability to see the beauty in life and in people. She is an inspiration.

    Reply
  1455. Alyssa on

    I love the vegetable gardeners bible! It is so helpful with breaking down the needs of individual plants so that you can understand what they need to thrive! So helpful for someone like me! So excited about these recommendations!

    Reply
  1456. Theresa Jacobson on

    It’s so hard to pick a favorite, but I always come back to Heng Ou’s Awakening Fertility and The First Forty Days. As a nutrition and motherhood wellness nerd, I absolutely love these books and can read them over and over again.

    Reply
  1457. Sarah Ohmann on

    Elliot Coleman’s New Organic Grower helped me get dreaming and get started with my own veggie garden, helped me up my game when I moved on to flowers and extended my growing season. I still open it and learn something new every time. Techniques or ideas that I passed over initially later resonated as I gained experience.

    Reply
  1458. Erin on

    I have been so influenced by Monte Don’s works. He was a favourite to read and watch through the isolation of quarantine and Canadian winters. Truely an inspiration from jolly old england!

    Reply
  1459. Briana on

    So hard to pick a favorite but I think I will go with the children’s book, Roxaboxen. It just really encapsulates the creativity of a child’s imagination and our family loves reading it!

    Reply
  1460. Kaitlyn Bray on

    I read such an eclectic selection of books, I’m really not sure how I could pick a favorite. A book a could read time and time again would be Dirk Gentlys Holistic Detective Agency. One that really changed me is “Those Devils in Baggy Pants”, and the book that inspired me to stop and enjoy the flowers “Madame Curie a Biography”

    Reply
  1461. Jo Ann Herbert on

    Favorite book: Yoga The Greater Tradition by Dr.David Frawley.

    Dr. Frawley has recieved an award from the Indian Government for his knowledge and many writings (well organized complex info very readable) on Vedic Science , over 3,000 yrs old and the source of Yoga and Ayurveda. He is an American Sanskrit scholar.

    From the inside we flower when we pause to nourish and enrich our spirit. Seeing and sharing our inner beauty we then not only create more beauty in our world physically but we enliven others to experience their inner beauty and so the same.

    Reply
  1462. Tammy Rasonsky on

    I have to admit that my favorite all time book is “Pride and Prejudice “ by Jane Austin. I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve read it. But one of my favorite parts in any of her books is when they go to take a turn in the garden. My mind goes crazy thinking of all the flowers they would walk by in their very manicure gardens. Beautiful Delphiniums, Dahlias, roses, sweet little Anemones, peonies, Sweet Peas climbing, Lavender busy with bees. I love a Country English garden. With that said I have purchased your newest book “Discovering Dahlias” in hopes to be better at growing them in my garden. My second favorite books are anything gardening and cookbooks. I just love to explore the pages and learn something new. 💚

    Reply
  1463. Leda Bower on

    My favourite Book, the last two years, besides the ones that you have published is a recommendation you made a couple of years ago during the year I took the course. It is Cool Flowers by Lisa Mason Ziegler and for a small book has big impact. These flowers are the workhorse in my garden, can’t ever get enough of the Sweet peas and Foxgloves and Love in the Mist, it is wonderful she has highlighted these often overlooked characters. This book is astounding in its simplicity, maybe she appealed to me because it is just the facts. Also if you want a little therapy there is a Chapter on Getting the Most and Letting Go, truly this is a delightful little book big on Information….

    Reply
  1464. Jessica Harrington on

    I’m going to have to say that “Cut Flower Garden” is my favorite, as it was what inspired me to move forward with my Flower Farming endeavor. I sat down and read the book front to back in two days. I had learned so much in a short amount of time. Thanks Erin!

    Reply
  1465. Christa on

    The Wreath Recipe by Althea Harampolis and Jill Rizzo of Studio Choo!
    I love this book because showcases clever designs using common and unusual ingredients. It gives step-by-step instructions for attachment techniques, wreath making, garlands and arrangements as well as specific ingredient lists for the designs. To top it all of, the photography is beautiful!

    Reply
  1466. Michelle Anders on

    I love the book “Specialty Cut Flowers” by Armitage and Laushman. It’s like the go to for quick info on flowers and how to harvest. “cool Flowers” by Lisa Mason Ziegler is also an amazing help at gall planting.

    Reply
  1467. Kasey Rainey on

    I have so many it’s hard to choose, but I have two series I always come back to: A Song of Ice & Fire by George R. R. Martin and The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente.

    Reply
  1468. Holly Haynes on

    I moved from Bellingham, WA to Denver, CO 14 years ago. To say my gardening methods needed to be tweaked is an understatement. What I have found, though, is there is so much beauty and texture in the western landscape. I still have a cutting garden but the rest of the yard is native and low-water and beautiful.

    Here are some of my favorite, inspirational books – Living on the cusp of the prairie and high desert, I think the book “Suburbitat: A Guide to Restoring Nature Where We Live, Work, and Play” by Jim Tolstrup is invaluable and beautifully written. Also, all of Doug Tallamy’s books are wonderful. Lastly, I cannot forget Thomas Rainer and Claudia West’s book, “Planting in a Post-Wild World: Designing Plant Communities for Resilient Landscapes.” There are some many beautiful horticulture books, but these are a few of my favorite.

    To the Floret gang – thank you for what you do and the amazing products and books y’all put out! They are a delight!!!

    Reply
  1469. Sarah Gannon on

    Haha, I love that you used to max out your 100 book library card limit! I think 2 of my top favorite books would be The Unsettling of America by Wendell Berry (inspired me to get into farming) and The Blue Castle by L. M. Montgomery – such a sweet, funny story, the essence of cozy winter reading.

    Reply
  1470. Penny Dominici on

    My go to book is the Sunset gardening book. It addresses the very special situations we have in Northern California in addition to being the ultimate plant encyclopedia.

    Reply
  1471. Amy S. on

    Well my favorite flower growing and knowledge book is Cut Flower Garden. (so far the only one I have but pretty sure it doesn’t get better than that) ;) And then otherwise, my favorite “regular” book is The Language of Flowers. I just can’t get away from the flower theme I guess!

    Reply
  1472. Tasha on

    i remember when i had time to read (working in an office with little actual work) my favorite book was ahab’s wife. i love a book that really takes you there and captures you.

    Reply
  1473. Gabriel on

    My favorite book of the past several months is one of your books of course! Cut Flower Garden has been my favorite because of it’s seasonal layout and the projects to create something with each seasons bounty. Some of my favorite cookbooks are the Forest Feast series by Erin Gleeson because she focuses on simple vegetarian dishes as well as tips for entertaining and the presentation is beautiful with her on watercolor paintings throughout the books. I have lots of books but lacking in my garden/home category so I look forward to checking these out or winning the lot!

    Reply
  1474. Helene on

    Outside of yours I really like Branches & Blooms by Alethea Harampolis and Jill Rizzo. The pictures are lovely and instruction easy to follow. I find it helpful especially for Garlands and wreaths though there are plenty of centerpieces included. I love how it incorporates twigs and things I normally don’t think of into the mix. It’s different then any other book I’ve used.

    Happy Holidays !

    Reply
  1475. Kate T on

    I have a hard time picking a favorite! As of right now it’s Martha Stewart’s orange baking book. It has my favorite sugar cookie recipe that everyone loves and pate brise – a pie crust recipe that turns out perfectly every time! I, like you, am grateful for those who share their wealth of information!

    Reply
  1476. Andrea on

    Cool Flowers by Lisa Mason Ziegler is a new favorite, it’s opened my eyes to all the possibilities of growing hardy annuals from seed, where before I was a perennials only girl, which were only purchased from nurseries.

    Reply
  1477. Michelle Lane on

    One of my favorites is A Year in Flowers. I go back to it time and time again for inspiration and reminders. 🙏❤️

    Reply
  1478. Carol Nora on

    My childhood all-time favorite – “A Child’s Garden of Verses” by Robert Louis Stevenson. Perhaps the love of the garden was instilled way back then. Then of course, both book and passion passed on to my son (now age 30). I can still recite the verses from memory. Thanks for this lovely give-away and opportunity to share with others, and read their comments! Stay calm… & garden on!

    Reply
  1479. Michelle Brown on

    I laughed to hear about your library trips, we take a large tote to the library and always fill it! A reading family is awesome!
    I love historical fiction especially dealing with the World Wars and the immigrants who made our country The Poppy Wife by Caroline Scott is beautiful and heartbreaking. Thanks for a list of beautiful and informative books, can’t wait to read some of them, Thank you!

    Reply
  1480. Cari on

    The Complete Gardener by Monty Don! Who doesn’t love Monty?

    Reply
  1481. Dani on

    I recently discovered Rocky Mountain Month By Month Gardening by John Cretti and it has been such an incredible resource for me as I learn how to garden in this ever changing climate.

    Reply
  1482. Sarah N on

    My favorite book always changes as I’m constantly reading. I would say a book that stands the rest of time in my view is Ragamuffin Gospel by the late Brennan Manning. Such a powerful book!

    Reply
  1483. Erin Mendenhall on

    My favorite book is Tell Me More by Kelly Corrigan. I love her writing in general but I cried multiple times reading this one. I read it at a time when I needed to hear what she was saying.

    Reply
  1484. Mary Jean Stephens on

    I have a few of the books mentioned in your blog but my flower bible is your Cut Flower Garden. I am a home, flower obsessed, gardener and your book taught me how to grow flowers from seed. i reference it every fall for planting anemones and ranunculus and every February when i start seeds. I’ve shared your book and knowledge with many friends and every time they ask me a question I tell them to reference page…. in your book.

    Reply
  1485. Linda K Cobb on

    MY favorite book is English Cottage Gardening for American Gardeners by Margaret Hensel. I made my own English Cottage garden from reading this book. I did it in blazing hot South Carolina, where I have lived for 50 years. My garden is always full of flowers as I must have flowers everywhere. I am so so glad you are alive and in business. I have all ur books, and alot of Frances Palmer vases.

    Reply
  1486. Monica on

    Anything ever written by Claus Dalby. I can’t wait for his soon to be released English version of Containers in the Garden!!

    Reply
  1487. Bev Maki on

    My favorite flower book is Floret’s A Year in Flowers. I am finally semi-retired and I’ve always longed for a beautiful flower garden. It is a work in progress and we have some rough weather challenges here in North Dakota, but each year my flower garden is growing. I love to sit among the flowers!!

    Reply
  1488. Becky Rawls on

    My favorite book is the Bible, it’s my guide for life.
    I’m very excited to be planting my first cut flower garden this coming year! Flowers have been very healing to me and I want to be able to bring that to others. I’ve been very inspired by all of your tips and tricks and you’re farm as a whole.

    Reply
  1489. Kirsten Tyminski on

    I’m currently reading the new edition of The Complete Gardener by Monty Don and it has definitely become one of my favorites!

    Reply
  1490. Colleen Marks on

    It’s an impossible task to pick a favorite book, or even a favorite from each genre. Growing up I used to read old romantic books from the early 1900s by Gene Stratton Porter, and perhaps my favorite is The Harvester.

    Reply
  1491. Shari VanPelt on

    My favorite is by Jessica Soward from roots and refuge farm. The first time gardener, growing vegetables.
    Thanks for the chance to own some of your favorites!!

    Reply
  1492. Arthur Viens on

    Although Erin’s books are first-rate and belong in all gardening libraries, I too return to all of Eliot Coleman’s books especially The New Organic Grower. Who could not learn from this man who studied, planted, and worked alongside of the Nearings. Besides, he lives in Maine—just next door to me in New Hampshire.

    Reply
  1493. Karen on

    Love your blog and the informative book recommendations!

    Reply
  1494. Jen on

    I have a few favorite books but I think the one that tops the list is Siddhartha by Herman Hesse. The book feels so simple in its words but when you finish it you feel wiser and would read it again … understanding even more. My favorite quote: “What you search is not necessarily the same as what you find. When you let go of the searching, you start finding”

    Reply
  1495. Jenna Temple on

    I’m also a big Monty Don fan. I think my favorite gardening book is his book, Down To Earth. It’s really hard to pick an all time favorite though.

    Reply
  1496. Mona on

    I regularly refer to your Cut Flower Garden book. The pictures are beautiful with clear information.

    Reply
  1497. Inger on

    A book that is a favorite right now is Cultivating Garden Style by Rachelle Greayer. We are building a new home and it’s fabulous for thinking about your style and what you want your outdoors to look like. And I love all your books of course! My mother had a fabulous dahlia garden and now I’m starting to grow them!

    Reply
  1498. Kassie on

    I have both of Sarah Raven’s older cut flower garden books and they are wonderful! Can’t wait to get my hands on this new one! (I’ve got her Sissinghurst book, too 😃) thanks!

    Reply
  1499. Darci on

    Too many favorites. My current favorite I’m rereading over and over is One Magic Square by Lolo Houbein. It’s a veggie-garden book, but so so good. Kitchen Garden Revival was my watershed book – i read it at the start of my gardening journey, before I even knew what a kitchen garden was, and I learned I could have a garden even though I don’t live on 2 acres of land.

    Reply
  1500. Sue Kacskos on

    How fun! So many good books. Books I’ve enjoyed are Alan Chadwick’s Enchanted Garden by Tom Cuthbertson, In My Garden by Christopher Lloyd, American Terroir by Rowen Jacobsen, and travel book Where the Strange Roads Go Down by Mary Del Villar and Fred Del Villar.

    Reply
  1501. Sonny Nichols on

    One of my all time favorites since early childhood is The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss. It’s the story of hope and determination all of us gardeners share. In spite of all the doubters, the skeptics, the nay-sayers….if you care for it and believe, it will come up!

    Reply
  1502. Rachel Looslie on

    I am partial to A Year in Flowers because of the photography! Full of visual representations of Floret’s labors!!! I would LOVE to win this amazing giveaway!!!

    Reply
  1503. Brenda on

    Not sure if you want our favourite book in your list, or a favourite from our own libraries, but here goes!

    Flower Farmer- I accidentally stumbled upon this in the New Book section of the library back in 2003, and it instantly changed the course of my life. I had been working in a greenhouse, and was NEVER tired of flowers. I knew exactly that this is what I was meant to do.

    My most favourite self-help book is “Everything is Figureoutable” by Marie Forleo. Also a total gamechanger and highly recommended!

    Reply
  1504. Emily Harting on

    My favorite book is so hard to pin down. Ok, my favorite of the moment is the Four Winds by Kristin Hannah. I am part of a book club and we just finished reading this gem. But I love all kinds of books, gardening, cookbooks, fiction, biographies. Just about anything I can get my hands on, and as a book collector I have had to make a list of my books to ensure I don’t buy the same ones more than once. It is clear I have an issue. Love Floret and Erin. Thanks for all the good and positivity you put out into the world. We all need it.

    Reply
  1505. Alethea on

    So many favorites! I am currently reading and loving the newly published The English Cottage Garden by Andrew Sankey. It’s filled with beautiful photos and descriptions of flowers and I especially like the chapter on companion planting. I’ve also loved personal garden memoirs by Ruth Stout, Margaret Roach, Daniel Hinkley and of course Monty Don. Must also mention The Earth in Her Hands for those interested in professional women in horticulture.

    Reply
  1506. Susan Hosta on

    I have always been enamored with Cosmos, Peonies and Dahlias for most of my life. I am a late bloomer here and just moved into a new home where there is no yard but a very steep slope.

    Many years ago we took a trip to San Francisco and discovered a beautiful terrace garden on the back of Coit Tower. There were so many hummingbirds it was unbelievable. I hope to emulate these gardens and develop a cutting garden to share with our local Senior Centers. My neighbor shared your book “Cut Flower Garden” and then I purchased “A Year in Flowers”! Your books and all the resources that you share within have been a great inspiration. I can hardly wait til Spring (a little over a hundred days from now) to see our first attempts. Thank you for all you share!

    Reply
  1507. Rosalind Yoder on

    My favorite book is’ floret farms cut flower garden ‘. It helped me so much in my first year of flower farming. Every time I had a question..I turned to this book. From starting seeds to planting to harvesting and arranging.

    Reply
  1508. Marylou Hiles on

    My favorite gardening book is Sarah Raven’s a year of flowers:gardening for all seasons. s he is such an inspiration!

    Reply
  1509. Gabby on

    My favorite flower book is Gardens of Maine Style by Lynn Karlin. For me specifically it’s the look that has inspired my not so future garden. I live in MA but costal gardens are home to me <3

    Reply
  1510. Leigh Z on

    Wow what an amazing collection of books!! And also a tough question. If I had to pick a fiction fave, I would go with The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. If I had to pick a non-fiction fave, I would say Silent Sprint by Rachel Carson. Years later both books still hold up with wisdom and relevance 💚💚

    Reply
  1511. Ash Inglenook on

    I love Gaia’s Garden, as I am a big fan of permaculture principles. It doesn’t have a lot about flowers except as a means to attract pollinators, but it’s useful. I love the idea of mixing flowers and veggies for health of both. I’d love love love to grow more cut flowers!!

    Reply
  1512. Christi Clark on

    Thanks for the gift of list of books! I like books that express the language and meaning of flowers.

    Joys of Season to ALL!

    Reply
  1513. Anna Wallden on

    I’m not a big book reader, however I’m an avid cookbook and now gardening book collector! I love all the Oh She Glows cookbooks and so far my favorite gardening book has been Discovering Dahlias. It’s so comprehensive and thorough and I appreciate it so much as a 3 year newb of growing dahlias

    Reply
  1514. Rachel on

    Wow! Those are all great books! My favorite is Danielle LaPorte’s The Fire Starter Sessions too! She is an amazing woman and writer. Starting my own business, I need some guidance and came across her book. Needless to say, I couldn’t put it down when I started. Thanks for sharing your favorite books with all of us! Merry Christmas to you and your family and team!

    Reply
  1515. Heather abbott on

    Picking a favorite book is difficult! But I’d say James Herriot books are childhood favorite and Rebecca and Jane eyre as an adult!

    Reply
  1516. Jasmine on

    A Tear and a Smile by Kahlil Gibran! This book has been so incredibly grounding for me and enabled me to embrace my delicate nature. And flowers show up in the imagery!

    “With evening’s coming the flower folds her petals
    And sleeps, embracing her longing.
    At morning’s approach she opens her lips to meet
    The sun’s kiss.

    The life of a flower is longing and fulfilment.
    A tear and a smile.”

    Reply
  1517. Lavon Rosendahl on

    The Father Tim series by Jan Karon. Beautiful story about family, a small town, neighbors, work, painting, gardening and God. A peaceful read.

    Reply
  1518. Lorielle Agraso on

    I honestly don’t have a favorite gardening book, yet… I mostly look through blogs or magazines in search of information about gardening. I would love to have a book that I can go back to time and time again!

    Reply
  1519. Jayne on

    My favorite book is A Year in Flowers! It’s so inspiring and beautiful I could read through it every day and not get bored!

    Reply
  1520. Sherry Fraser on

    My favourite book is still your Cut Flower Garden. I find I look at it at least once a week for ideas and tips. Thank you for all the information and this giveaway. I have learned so much.

    Reply
  1521. Kelly Walker on

    I recently gifted A Year in Flowers to my mother. Her heart nearly exploded with joy. While she is an avid Gardner, she never buys things for herself she feels indulgent. She told me she felt like I had reached in to her heart to give her a gift she needed in just the right moment. Especially now, when we are yearning for connection to one another, and looking for joy wherever it may live – this book brought her so much happiness, and served as a talking point for us to share our love of flowers. Thank you!

    Reply
  1522. Sharon Hoof on

    My favorite book is Cut Flower Garden. It has everything I need in it when I’m looking for an answer or idea. I keep it in my family room displayed on a table. It’s handy there and it’s also a pretty book!

    Reply
  1523. Onecia George on

    I find myself reaching for Eliot Coleman’s New Organic Grower. It fills my mind with possibility and new ideas over and over.

    Reply
  1524. Chelsey Watts on

    My most recent favorite books has been “the Marvelous pigness of pigs” by Joel Salatin. It’s such a wonderful book that covers farming alongside the Bible. Highly recommend. I always refer back to it with farming or gardening.

    Reply
  1525. Grace Hansen on

    Hands down I would have to say Christy Miller by Robin Jones Gunn. In a time of my life where I was going through “the change” and struggling to fit in and find beauty and purpose; this book taught me so much about life and myself and our Creator. I’ve never found a character so relatable and I can truly say that book changed my whole life and I wouldn’t be where I am today or who I am today if it weren’t for those stories. In my adult years now I mainly read self help book and how-tos like gardening and cooking, but I’ve never found words with such comfort and impact as when I turned each page of Christy Miller.

    Reply
  1526. Jessica on

    My favorite book changes with my mood, ha! But, the Blue Sword by Robin McKinley is usually there at the top. Beautiful fantasy that still seems possible. I love the world of Damar and would love to see a movie made (of course with perfect script and casting!)

    I am so grateful for these recommendations! Thank you, books are still my favorite way to learn about topics I am really interested in.

    Reply
  1527. Charlene E Scott on

    Going with favorite gardening book since I have a hard time picking a favorite overall. “How to Grow More Vegetables Than You Ever Thought Possible on Less Land Than You Can Imagine” by John Jeavons – least favorite thing is the title (ha!) but it’s a wealth of very specific knowledge on soil building and growing food to live on in small amounts of space.

    Reply
  1528. Leah on

    My favorite book is Little Women. I grew up with sisters who are all different and just felt a connection to that book.

    Reply
  1529. Jackie on

    My favorite is Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marisha Pessl. Sounds like a science textbook, but it’s actually a coming-of-age murder mystery! It captures what it’s like to live with grief, insatiable curiosity, the reality of being the odd one out.

    Reply
  1530. Nadia G. on

    One of my favorite gardening books is a little book called Window-Box Allotment by Penelope Bennett. It walks through small scale, window box or balcony container gardening month by month and includes musings from the author’s life about seasons, wildlife, gardening, recipes and much more. When I first moved to Brooklyn I had gone through a bad breakup and my world seemed very small and sad. I moved into an apartment by myself that didn’t have private outdoor space but I saw there was a shared roof. I saw this book at a bookstore and bought it on a whim and it inspired me to buy some pots and some seeds and start planting green things up on the roof – kicking off a relationship between me and plants that not only helped heal my broken heart but has continued to inspire me through over a decade of roof garden experimentation.

    Reply
  1531. Pilar Gonzalez on

    Love this post and all of the book recommendations. My favorite book is My Brilliant Friend (and the entire Neapolitan series) by Elena Ferrante. A beautiful and often heartbreaking account of friendship, growing up, and society in a small Neapolitan town of Italy. I love how it mixes the intimate and personal with larger sociopolitical story telling.

    Reply
  1532. KB Kembel on

    I’m enjoying the “Western Garden Book” by Sunset which is helping me identify plants in our new home area (we moved west from the East Coast) — lots of great information.

    Reply
  1533. Sidney Friesen on

    My favorite book is “A Voice in the Wind” by Francine Rivers. The character development is amazing and I love this historical aspects of the story. I love how God is represented as a voice in the wind and standing for truth being important. I reread this book almost yearly and I’m intrigued every time by a different aspect of the book.

    Reply
  1534. Alissa on

    So tough to pick one! I would say Gardenista for garden inspiration, Growing Things Outdoors for reminding me its not a race and The Flower Recipe Book for being there when I need design inspiration.

    Reply
  1535. Robyn on

    Picking a favorite book feels like picking a favorite child. 🤣 At the moment, my favorite book is The Yearling.

    Reply
  1536. Kathryn Shepard on

    I live in an 1840s farmhouse and love The New Traditional Garden by Michael Weishan. It’s fascinating to learn about the history of garden styles and how to apply them today.

    Reply
  1537. Emily Samath on

    Books are so lovely to look through during the cold and rainy season.

    My favourite floral book is the AIFD Guide to Floral Design that I learned about through my floral design classes. I think it has SO MUCH information that is cool to read about. December 8th is also my birthday!

    Reply
  1538. ES on

    Choosing one favorite book is a challenge! One of my top favorite books is on this list -“Seasonal Flower Arranging” by Ariella Chezar. This book has inspired me further in my goal for my garden to try to include shrubs, trees, and flowers to have cutting material for flower arranging as much of the year as possible!

    Reply
  1539. Alexandra Kathleen Millson on

    My all-time favorite gardening book is this big book called The Garden Primer. It’s my old faithful- and the pages are now falling out because I’ve used it so much. I love to flip through it and learn new things. It has dirt in the creases and could use to be re-bound- but to me, it’s perfect!

    Reply
  1540. Ashley Zaitz on

    My favorite book is your dahlia book. I go through it at least once a month!

    Reply
  1541. Mary Ferrigno on

    I read Paradise Lot by Eric Toensmeier and Jonathan Bates this year and it has stuck with me. It has given me a new perspective on how I can improve the otherwise boring parts of my yard with edible landscaping and opens up a world of possibilities.

    Reply
  1542. Amy Vargo on

    I loved “A Gentleman in Moscow (fiction).” The main character, Count Rostov, was on house arrest for 30 years in a famous hotel in Moscow. He was completely charming and made the most of his stay – enjoying fine dining, good wine, and even befriending a child. An absolute delight.

    Reply
  1543. Donabel on

    I will have to say – “Edible Landscaping” by Rosalind Creasy. It’s mainly because it’s the very first gardening book I ever owned (and got it new for free!), thus the very first which opened my eyes up to possibilities.

    Reply
  1544. Shari Duffin on

    The last gardening book is always the most present in my mind, so Sarah Raven’s A Year Full of Flowers is most current. But I always use Cisco Morris’ Ask Cisco for quick answers to local gardening questions.

    Reply
  1545. Diane on

    Wow, what an amazing collection of books….yes books are my friends and that is why I am thankful for the seasons, especially winter to read more! Would love to read all the books you have recommended!

    Reply
  1546. Lisa Donati on

    That is a tough question! I do love escaping into Historical Fiction in the Outlander series. Non-fiction is another story! I love learning new things from canning to flower growing to bread baking. I highly recommend Blue Ribbon Canning by Amendt, any of the Floret books, Cool Flowers, and the Artisan Bread in Five series.

    Reply
  1547. Joy on

    My favorite book is “the General in the garden”. It is a book about the beautiful landscape and growing gardens that president George Washington made and designed.
    It is a beautiful book that has gorgeous outlines and plans for his gardens. As well as lists of all flowers he used. It is a colorful beautiful book that combines growing with beauty!

    Reply
  1548. Michelle on

    Erin, great post, I’m so obsessed with books as well. I think you would enjoy this book, I have an ebook that I think I got from Barnes and Noble. I loved reading this little gem, it’s something different, but so worth the time and it was a quick read. Passion for gardening, love of flowers and an incredible woman. “An Island Garden” by Celia Thaxter published 1894, original book title in Cornell University Library. Thank you for the great give away. Merry Christmas. Bye when does the seed sale start?

    Reply
  1549. Kristin on

    My favorite is your Cut Flower Garden book. It has beautiful photos and details for every step of growing a cut flower garden. I reference it all the time.

    Reply
  1550. Melanie Frigault on

    I’m currently reading and loving “The secret therapy of trees” by Marco Mencagli and Marco Nieri. I actually just ordered myself your cut flower garden book as my “me to me” Christmas gift this year. Can’t wait to dive in. 🥰

    Reply
  1551. Muiread Pickett on

    I love discovering dahlias! It truly sparked my interest In growing and one day trying to breed dahlias! Such a gorgeous book!

    Reply
  1552. Linda on

    I am so relieved to hear about your stacks of books!!!
    My grandfather’s library table covered and then stacks on all other surfaces!
    Picking a favorite is impossible! I turn to many different books BUT one that I read frequently is a children’s book “Frederick” by Leo Lionni. It is utterly delightful!!
    Gordon Hayward, the garden designer, reminds gardeners to sit and enjoy on the benches in our gardens and Frederick reminds me to keep my priorities straight!!
    Thanks to all for thoughts and books!!

    Reply
  1553. Sadie Collins on

    Tales From Ovid, translated by Ted Hughes. Its been my favorite book since I picked it up in 1998. I sympathize with Ovid’s outlook on life, and Ted Hughes deftly kindles the emotion Ovid was trying to convey in the most honest and meaningful use of the English language. Ovid saw human emotion and irony quite clearly: all driven by some form of love. Oh! And you’ll never look at a daffodil the same after reading ‘Echo and Narcissus.’

    Reply
  1554. Kit Vargas on

    I’m new to the world of appreciating and growing flowers. As a young girl I was assigned to work in the garden with my father who was emotionally unstable. My experiences were far from positive and I distanced myself from gardening even though I enjoyed it. In the past two and half years I’ve purposefully ventured back into the garden to build positive experiences and memories and have discovered a love of flowers and flower growing that I never realized before. In fact, until I read my current favorite book, “Vegetables Love Flowers: Companion Planting for Beauty and Bounty” by Lisa Mason Ziegler, I didn’t even care for a flower bouquet to even be in my home. And now, my home typically has at least three bouquets at any given time AND I am building six gardening beds for my own personal grow-along with this book.

    Reply
  1555. Shellaine Kiser on

    One single favorite book? Tough choice, but I’ll go with my old standby, Pride and Prejudice. Jane Austen has a way of weaving comedy and at the same time, social commentary, all through a book about romance. I can always read it again!

    Reply
  1556. Jean on

    A Tree Grows in Brooklyn has been my favorite book since I first read it 40 years ago as an adult and found that I wasn’t the only child whose favorite reading spot was high up in a tree.

    Reply
  1557. Linda Cole on

    Cut Flower Garden is my first and favorite book. I am planning on growing my first cut flowers in the spring. I’ve wanted to grow flowers for a long time but life seems to get in the way.

    Reply
  1558. Gillean on

    Arranging Flowers by Martha Stewart. I had absolutely no clue how to arrange the gorgeous flowers I was growing. This book gave me even more appreciation for them

    Reply
  1559. Eric Wride on

    You are missing Beth Chatto’s A life with Plants
    The Shade Garden
    A year in life of Beth Chatto’s Garden

    This are my favorite, she is incredible and her gardens are an inspiration and of course any Monty Don’s the King of Green!

    Reply
  1560. Kristen ratcliffe on

    My favorite book is Shantaram, it has all the feels. I discovered it after a friend left it for during my seasonal job at a remote camp in Antarctica. This book got me through a rough patch and I read it ever couple of years.

    Reply
  1561. Susan on

    I really appreciate this list. it’s nice to know what inspires you, and what has contributed to your success. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  1562. Ellen Menzies on

    My current favorite gardening book is The New Heirloom Garden by Ellen Ecker Ogden. I like that it is very focused on garden design and planning since I am in the process of creating a kitchen garden that would include flowers, herbs and vegetables. My all time favorite garden read, going back to childhood is The Secret Garden. I have read it countless times – the author, Frances Hodgkin Burnett portrays so well the transformative power of a garden.

    Reply
  1563. Robin Nowakowski on

    I have so many gardening books. But my very 1st gardening book was Martha Stewart…Gardening 101. I would dream away the winter hours in her books and shows. But I have to say my new favorite is your Cut Flower book!

    Reply
  1564. Prasilla Sundstrom on

    My favorite gardening book right now is the cottage garden by Christopher Lloyd and Richard Bird.

    Reply
  1565. Laura Keller on

    Cool Flowers by Lisa Zeigler expanded my view of flower options. I love the info in her flower list.

    Reply
  1566. Stephanie Graham on

    My favorite book.. That’s a hard one for me as I too am an avid reader and book collector. Right now I have been reading a book almost every night to my 16 month old instead of reading my own books. I treasure that time at the end of the day so much! I’m going to have to say Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult is one of my favorites. It has such a crazy twist that you don’t see coming. It’s a sad and wild story that keeps you reading and also made me fall in love with elephants. I cried and it was one of those books that actually would make my stomach do flips. It’s a must read!

    Reply
  1567. Cori Jo Wahl on

    My favorite book is definitely Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden. My friend and I found this book and A Year in Flowers on day filled with dreaming. We have since started a business and I believe these books served as inspiration. I am more interested gardening and my business partner loves floral design, so the pair of books complimented our interests perfectly. I am constantly referring back to this book. It’s been a great resource and a beautiful inspiration.

    Reply
  1568. Morgan K on

    While I have many favorites the one that always sticks out in my brain and heart is Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close. The movie has nothing on the book in my opinion. It’s just a well told story of 9/11 from a child perspective and the aftermath of grief and finding yourself and a found family along the way. No feeling of melancholy sadness and sorrow has ever been described better than a “heavy boots” day.

    Reply
  1569. Tonya on

    I can’t definitively say that it is my favorite book, there really are too many, however, Back In The Garden With Dulcy has been a real joy to read. Written by her husband Ted Mahar after Dulcy’s passing in 2011, it shares her wit, humanity, and love of gardening, including over 150 of her most requested columns as an Oregonian columnist.

    Reply
  1570. Janelle Ross on

    Rather than sharing my favorite book, I will share my favorite authors. Anything by Jeanette Oak or Zane Gray are my favorites! I could no sooner choose a favorite from among their many books then I could choose a favorite flower from the garden!

    Reply
  1571. Chandra on

    More than a decade ago my family had travelled to Breckenridge, Colorado. It was down this quaint little alley way where we discovered a secondhand bookstore called Old Man Berkins and in this bookstore was where I found “The Herb Book,” by John Lust. This book consumed my time, my thoughts, my interest to learn everything there was to know about plants, their healing benefits, their magic and lore. This was my gateway book back into nature at a time when I, a country girl, was living in NYC struggling to find my footing, my grounding, my way back to nature. We have since ordered and gifted multiple used copies to friends and family members who found themselves interested and in need of nature’s healing. My copy has since had it’s covers taped back onto the spine as they have been so lovingly worn away after years of enjoyment.

    Reply
  1572. Shealyn M on

    My favorite fiction book is Les Miserables. It’s a behemoth but the emotional journey you go on from beginning to end leaves you changed. Non-fiction, though… I discovered Eliot Coleman’s books last year and couldn’t get enough. I also loved The Lean Farm by Ben Hartman and picked up Making More Plants by Ken Druse at a second hand bookstore because it makes propogation completely approachable!

    Reply
  1573. Christine Britton on

    A favorite book??? That’s so difficult but I have to say Silly Sally. Yes, it is a children’s book but as a children’s librarian and early literacy advocate, I have to include it anyway!

    Reply
  1574. Susan on

    At the moment, my favorite book is growing undercover by Nikki Jabour.
    Thank you for your blog. I grew several of your flower seeds this year. I add flowers to all my raised vegetable beds and enjoy cutting flowers for my home and to share with neighbors.

    Reply
  1575. Rebekah on

    My current fav is “How to Grow your own Food – An Illustrated Beginner’s Guide to Container Gardening”. I enjoy this book because, well I am a gardening beginner who lives in an urban area! I thought container gardening would be a good way to start since I can control more of the elements involved; and I feel like it’s easy to grow or shrink your planting as needed with containers.

    Reply
  1576. Caroline on

    Discovering Dahlia’s is my favorite flower book as I’m obsessed with growing them. A close second is Pleasures fo the Cottage Garden by Rand B. Lee. It’s beautiful and makes me happy.

    Reply
  1577. Emma on

    I’m obsessed with cookbooks and Vivienne Howard’s Deep Run Roots is one of my favorites.

    Reply
  1578. Laurel Swendsen on

    I love cut flower garden by you. It’s inspired me to pursue a cut flower garden. I live in a tiny apartment but grow cut flowers on my balcony, it’s truly brought me joy and inspiration

    Reply
  1579. Tiffany Turner on

    My favorite book is the Bible. I read it every morning in my quiet time. That is a very special time for me.
    With that said, I also love books that help me grow spiritually. I’m obsessed with books and love the feel of a book in my hands! ❤️

    Reply
  1580. Kathy Hill on

    Old Fashioned Garden Wisdom by Larry Maxcy is one of my favorite books. With it’s authentic wisdom and old time gardening advice, I feel like my grandmother could have written this book. I turn to it often to remind me that simple is often best.

    Reply
  1581. Heather Lanier on

    My favorite book is not a book, but a series of books, The Chronicles of Narnia. I love reading these books with my children every year! We love to get lost in the beautifully written adventures. We love books, we practically live at our library and have a tote bin because of the quantity of books we take home!

    Reply
  1582. Emma Jones on

    As a beginner to growing cut flowers I currently have three absolute favorite books that I cannot do without! My number one favorite is Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden: Grow, Harvest & Arrange Stunning Seasonal Blooms by Erin Benzakein with Julie Chai. This book is the most inspiring book I have truly ever read and has saved my “garden life” numerous times. Prior to receiving this book, finding answers to questions that I thought were simple quickly became a nightmare of overwhelming and contradicting information on growing cut flowers in Zone 8a. I was finally able to understand so many things that I could never find a straight forward answer to. I ABSOLUTELY appreciate the Basics: Key Cutting Garden Plant Types reference page and refer to this often!!! Everything in this book is incredibly informative and easy to reference and understand and I am so very grateful that I decided to pick this one up!!! Thank you!!!

    My second favorite book is one you recommended many times, Cool Flowers: How to Grow and Enjoy Long-Blooming Hardy Annual Flowers Using Cool Weather Techniques by Lisa Mason Ziegler. This book also assisted in answering many daunting questions. This book gives quick reference guides to some of the most important tasks in planting cool flowers, especially the Guide to the Flower-by-Flower Pages! This book is incredibly informative and has helped me gain confidence in my gardening by confirming many things I had gathered from Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden book.

    The third most favorite book is Grow Your Own Cut Flowers by Sarah Raven. This book is so very hard to get your hands on and I know why just after reading the first few pages of a sample I found online! I especially love the sections on Prime Producers and Plant Rotations!

    Reply
  1583. Melanie Miller on

    So many books and so little time! My favorite childhood book is A Wrinkle in Time although it very much applies to today. I love the story because at its center it’s about love and compassion; helping and coming alongside those who are different than us and caring for each other and humanity. Meg, the main character, is willing to risk everything because she is committed to the people she loves.
    The book that made me a gardener is Bean Blossom Dreams by Sallyann J. Murphy and a great motivational book is A More Beautiful Question by Warren Berger.
    I know that’s three books but I was a librarian for 20+ years and you can take the girl out of the library but you can’t take away her book suggestions!

    Reply
  1584. Erika Blankenship on

    My favorite book is the classic pride & prejudice by Jane Austin. It gives me great comfort to read and I can read different version of the book to. The romance between Elizabeth and Darcy seem so genuine and willing to push the demands of their life aside for each other.

    Reply
  1585. Andrea Hodges on

    Oh, that is a tough one! Our family frequents our local library a few times a week and I try not to go into bookstores too often or else I would buy too many books. I would say that Two Peas and Their Pod’s cookbook is a great one, but any cookbook I love to look through. And gardening books get me so excited for warm weather to return!

    Reply
  1586. Karen on

    This year Discovering Dahlias to help me learn about them, I also love Night Gardening by E.L. Swann it is a tiny novel that has it all love, gardening,inspiration. highly recommend! The woman has had a stroke and through misfortune her garden has fallen to neglect. Enter the garden designer hired for the home next door . what results is restoration of garden, body and soul.

    Reply
  1587. Diane McElwain on

    Since I have only been given your book on Dahlia’s, I can’t say what is my favorite book. I have been reading Month-by-Month Gardening, Texas. Since I am fairly new to Texas, it is a whole different planting plan here and this book helps. Just this fall I was able to plant some native plants. They are thriving and the Mountain Sage has blooms on it right now. Erin, I love your free videos and your postitive attitude. You are blessed to do what you really love!

    Reply
  1588. Sara Wilson on

    Thank you so much for posting these resources! I too am always looking for new books for ideas and growth – and I too will need to get a new bookshelf soon for the same reasons as you. There’s something so much more pleasurable about having a book in your hand over reading it on a screen.

    One of my favorite books is “The Flower Gardener’s Bible: A Complete Guide to Colorful Blooms All Season Long.” by Louis and Nancy Hill. I have learned SO MUCH from this book about flowers in general, such as how to identify them, how to grow them, their companion plants, etc. This book really sparked my interest in all things flowers and I refer to it over and over again. I even keep it in my book bag for going to doctor’s appointments, waiting for kids, etc. It’s wonderful!

    Reply
  1589. Nitika Achalam on

    I am a plant nerd and have many favorite flower books, it’s almost too difficult to choose. The Botanical Garden: Perennials and Annuals
    by Roger Phillips and Martyn Rix is at the top of my list because it meets at the intersection of my love for blooms and the botany of how to make the most of growing. My next fav is My Garden (Book) by Jamaica Kincaid because it describes not only the plants but also the people who grew them. I’ve read both countless times! I’d gladly welcome some new books in the rotation.

    Reply
  1590. Nancy on

    Seeing Flowers by Robert Llewellyn and Teri Dunn Chace

    I picked up this gorgeous book at s Flower & Garden Show years ago and pull it out often. The simple, beautiful photographs will make you swoon. The text that accompanies each image teaches you about the flowers and gives you great conversation starters!

    Reply
  1591. Michelle Milless on

    Choosing one book as a favorite is just about impossible. My book shelf is overflowing as well. Favorite fiction authors: Nora Roberts, Robyn Carr, S Mallery, etc., oh so many more. A book that I use daily is Jesus Calling by Sarah Young.

    Reply
  1592. Jessica Sullivan on

    Hi! I have a lot of favorite books too. The one that I’m really enjoying right now is “The Prairie Homestead Cookbook” by Jill Winger. I decided it was time to up my cooking from scratch game and picked up this book. I’ve already used the pumpkin pie recipe, and the cultured buttermilk recipe. I plan on trying the buttermilk biscuit recipe next.

    Thank you for your favorite books list. I look forward to reading them.

    Reply
  1593. Brooke H on

    The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is one of my all time favorites!
    This is book is full of hope even in dire situations. Laughter, determination and community are keys to a joyful life no matter what the circumstances!

    Reply
  1594. Chrissy on

    My favorite book is A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. The writing and detail is out of this world. It’s a beautiful and sometimes heartbreaking coming of age novel. It also starts with the description of a scrappy tree and how it survives in the least likely of places, just like the main protagonist. The tree and the young girl protagonist have spoken to my heart every time that I read this book.

    Also, thank you for the great list of books; I found some new ones to read to help with my garden! I’m seeing if the library has them next. Thank you for the chance to win them too!

    Reply
  1595. Caroline Fernandes on

    My two most recent favorite books are:
    Circe by Madeline Miller…. a novel about the life of the lesser-known demi-Goddess Circe, who was exiled to the island of Aeaea to live out the rest of her immortal, magical life (by her father Helios) amongst tamed lions, and her vast land…. where Odysseus ship wrecks ashore… she gives birth to a son…. and so on… Fantastic novel.

    My other recent favorite book is The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley. This is a cult favorite, HIGH fantasy tome, about the time period when Christianity was infiltrating the British Isles and matriarchal, Pagan spirituality was being pushed out. It is the story of King Arthur, but he’s not the main character — it’s the stories of all the women around him.

    <3

    Reply
  1596. Katelynn Henderson on

    I can really relate to growing up with such a love of books, it’s so hard to choose a favorite! I loved Girl on the Train and Lilac Girls, but for non-fiction A Year in Flowers really captivated me and has changed my life!

    Reply
  1597. Ashley Thompson on

    Current new read and fav (who can pick just one favorite book?!). God of the Garden by Andrew Peterson. It’s a glimpse of the beauty and science of gardening as designed by our Creator.

    Reply
  1598. Mekensie Campbell on

    My favorite flower book is Discovering Dahlias because of all the beautiful dahlia pictures in color order ! Otherwise, my favorite reading book is A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers. It’s an amazing historical fiction Christian story.

    Reply
  1599. Peggy on

    Picking a favorite book is like picking a favorite child. It’s not possible! Carrots Love Tomatoes by Louise Riotte is one book that is well worn and frequently with me in the garden in the spring. Well loved and well worn!

    Reply
  1600. Alondra Nohemy Trevizo on

    Good morning! I am completely new to the world of floral gardening so my knowledge is pretty limited. However, I have picked up Cut Flower Garden, and it is my absolutely most favorite reference book thus far! Not only is it gorgeous, but it has become such a great tool for a beginner like me to learn all that is needed to know to get started. I hope to expand my collection, but I know that Cut Flower Garden will be a book I will always go back and reference.

    Reply
  1601. Brooklyn Dee on

    Discovering Dahlias, and The Encyclopedia of Medical Plants by Andrew Chevallier are tied for first. As a child I’d curl up on my grandpas soft and well worn recliner and would spend hours looking at all the different plants and herbs and how they could help people, and Discovering Dahlias has become a favorite as well! Learning about this plant led me to buying and harvesting my first dahlias this year, and has helped further grow my own love for cut flowers and the joy they bring🤍

    Reply
  1602. Norma Gage on

    My all time favorite is your Discovering Dahlias book. I started growing dahlias 4 years ago and planted around 300 this year. I have learned so much from your years of knowledge and also love how you describe different varieties. And of course your photos are just amazing too. I was amazed how many of the same varieties I had that you showcase in your book. On my coffee table all the time.

    Reply
  1603. Lynn Berry on

    The Flower Farmer by Lynn Byczynski was probably the most influential book I read last year. Great practical advice which gave me the confidence to jump in with both feet into this world of flower farming. Love all the reading I can accomplish over the winter, at least until January when I start my lisianthus!

    Reply
  1604. Joanne Braithwaite on

    Oh dear! If I win, I’ll have to make more room in my library! I’m not currying favour – I promise! – but your Cut Flower Garden book is looking a bit beat up these days from serious use. I feel I’ve only cracked a small percentage of what it has to offer but since we’ve bought an acreage, I plan to expand my garden and dig in more – both figuratively and literally. I’m looking forward to it! (Should I be so lucky to win, I’m in Canada but now that we can go across the border again, I have a mail box service in Blaine that I’d be glad to fire up again. Thanks!)

    Reply
  1605. Marsha Neher on

    Asking someone to pick their favorite book is like asking someone to pick their favorite child!! But, that being said I would have to say my favorite flower book is your Cut Flower Garden, followed by your A Year In Flowers. I’m just getting started with flower gardening. I recently lost my mother, and I am re-inspiring her flower garden on my own (with the help of your books and workshops). When I received your beautiful books, it was like getting a brand new car. I didn’t want to get any “dings” on them. I enjoyed their beauty so much and their content, I didn’t want them to get “dinged up.” Then the unimaginable happened this past July and our house burned. I saved your books, but they are quite dinged up now! The silver lining is that now that they are sooty and dirty, I am not afraid to really use them and mark them up. I am learning so much and healing emotionally in my little flower garden. I thank you!

    Reply
  1606. Sue Carbaugh on

    Like so many others, I could never choose a single favorite book. I enjoy reading historical fiction and Where Lilacs Still Bloom by Jane Kirkpatrick kept me captivated. It tells the inspirational story of lilac breeder Hulda Klager, whose homestead and beautiful gardens in Woodland, WA I have had the pleasure of visiting several times.
    I adore gardening books. Thanks for sharing your list of favorites with us. I am adding several titles to my Christmas wishlist!

    Reply
  1607. Julie Gosen on

    Probably my fav all time book is A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. I loved the rich way he described the Russian geography and Moscow itself. But more than that, I absolutely loved how his protagonist took the situation he was forced into and slowly, patiently found ways to work within it, find beauty in it and ultimately extricate himself from it. His spirit triumphed! It inspires me in so many ways.

    Reply
  1608. Kristen Weeks-Norton on

    One book in particular has had an impact personally and professionally entitled Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life by Marshall Rosenberg. It’s a simple guide on the art of listening and communicating to get your needs met in such a way that does not devalue others however beware that people spend a lifetime trying to get it “right.” A bit harder then it seems from the outset but worth it! Used for relationships and for mediation around the world!

    Reply
  1609. Hannah King on

    What a collection Erin!

    I just finished reading, “Belonging: Remembering Ourselves Home” by Toko-Pa Turner. It is the most compassionate book I have ever read, and would encourage everyone to read it.

    For flowers, I love picking up my copy of “Foraged Flora: A Year of Gathering and Arranging Wild Plants and Flowers” by Louesa Roebuck. It is total pleasure.

    Thank you for sharing all that you do. Always an inspiration, reminding my heart of my true north time and time again. Love to you all. xoxo

    Reply
  1610. Julie Anderson on

    Frances Palmer “Life in the Studio” is just one of my favorites. She has the the best photos, cover and info. Just a pleasant read, and soft and lovely photos all through the book.

    Reply
  1611. Rebecca Waer on

    I love The Flower Recipe Book by Althea Harampolis and Jill Rizzo. It really makes floral arranging accessible, it’s organized clearly, and it’s both inspirational and aspirational. They really break down the essentials incl. types of florals, tools, tricks and tips, lingo, all of it.

    Reply
  1612. Pam Joseph on

    I love spring flowers and am currently diving into Cool Flowers by Lisa Mason Ziegler.

    Reply
  1613. Elizabeth Anderson on

    Pick just one favorite book ? Can’t be done ! Okay,
    Flower Confidential by Amy Stewart, really got my wheels turning, when it first came out. I have recently re-read it, and I’ll just say it made me focus on the small and local aspect of flower farming.
    Also, the periodicals of Small Farmer’s Journal, any year or issue, will inspire and fortify with solid, practical information, stories, recipes, and lively editorials, making the reader part of the community of small farmers, no matter where you are.

    Reply
  1614. Heather Frost on

    I also love to have great reference books on the shelf! Cut Flower Garden has been a huge help with successful beautiful blooms in my home urban farm. I love the photography in all of the Floret books. One of the most stunning to me is the Winter fields with frost covering them in A Year in Flowers. It speaks to the need of rest in all things sometimes, with the potential for spring just waiting below the surface!

    I also use the Market Gardener by JM Fortier. His methods have been very useful here in my low desert zone even though he is in Canada. I have learned confidence to experiment and try new propagation methods with The Plant Propagators Bible by Miranda Smith. Little by little I am finding what works for our farm. I am so grateful to those who put in their time and energy to share their knowledge with others through beautiful books!

    Reply
  1615. Janelle Winey on

    I really like the book “Vegetables Love Flowers” by Lisa Mason Zigler. This book was a launching point for me to start incorporating flowers – mostly zinnia’s – into my large vegetable garden to start attracting more friendly insects. I’m quite the novice gardener of both veggies and flowers, but have a lot of land and am trying my hand each year at getting better through the courage I gain in reading books like this and exploring new ones like the many you mention above. Thank you for the lovely blog post as it’s a great guide for future reading!

    Reply
  1616. Caryl Rose on

    My current favorite book is Sababa by Adeena Sussman. The rich scent of aromatics coupled with how these spices are layered into each recipe with the addition of fresh vegetables transports me.

    Reply
  1617. Megan Selkey on

    My favorite book is Floret’s Cut Flower Garden! It was such great information for planning my first cutting garden. I learned what to grow and how to harvest as well as all the beautiful photos for inspiration on how to put them together in a bouquet.

    Reply
  1618. Kay Harrell on

    Yes this corny, but your book “Cut Flower Garden” is my favorite! I have learned to be brave and pinch those flowers back. It was soooo hard to do at first, but you were right. I have so much to learn. Santa is bringing me a greenhouse for Christmas.

    Reply
  1619. Anita on

    I’m jus getting started growing flowers so don’t have many flower related books but by far my favorite gardening book would be Edward C Smiths book “The Vegetable Gardeners Bible”
    I started gardening that way an absolutely love it. His book gets opened an referenced many times during the growing season.

    Reply
  1620. Margaret M on

    Right Rose Right Place by Peter Schneider is my favorite book. In June 2011, Peter opened his garden for visitors to meander through and I was blessed to walk about in it. I brought his book with me and he signed it “with best wishes on your visit to my garden.” He assured me through his writing that I too could grow roses and when I saw the results in his garden, I was inspired all the more. His writing is honest and funny. I consult this book often and learned to grow and love many of the roses he recommends.

    Reply
  1621. Dana Peregrine on

    When I think of books that really helped me grow and walk down a new path I think of the cookbook, Vegetarian Planet by Didi Emmons. When I first became a vegetarian this book opened up a whole, new wonderful world in an easy, accessible and delicious way!

    Reply
  1622. Sarah on

    Can your favorite book be a cook book? I’ve been loving reading and baking out of ‘Dessert Person’ by Claire Saffitz. It is a good read before you even bake anything! It is full of baking tips and tricks, personal stories, and gorgeous pictures. I always find myself picking it up and flipping through just to refresh my baking skills or to pick out a new kitchen gadget she has in her essentials. Plus, the recipes are tasty and acheievable for bakers at all skill levels.

    Reply
  1623. Allie Spurlock on

    A Wrinkle in Time was my gateway book to so many imaginative hours.

    Reply
  1624. Anne on

    For pleasure, Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight by Alexandra Fuller – the author is one tough lady and this book tells part of her childhood growing up rural Rhodesia as it was becoming Zimbabwe. Fascinating! For gardening, I keep going back to Charles Dowding’s Organic Gardening: The Natural No-Dig Way… it has worked well for me so far and has taught me about soil science. Thank you for this helpful post; I’ve been enjoying the comments as well!

    Reply
  1625. Kelly on

    My favorite gardening book lately has been Charles Dowding’s No Dig Gardening. It has been an eye opener as far as the importance of soil life and how it can correct itself. I recently moved and it has helped me immensely in correcting the soil at my home and with much less work

    Reply
  1626. Penny Vasquez on

    I was lucky enough to receive “An Encyclopedia of Gardening” by J.C. Loudon …London 1835 from someone who was like a mother to me. The engravings are incredible. It covers gardening styles from all over the world. The sub-title is “Comprising the Theory and Practice of Horticulture, Floriculture, Arboriculture and Landscaping Gardening. A pure joy to read and learn from.

    Reply
  1627. Mackenzie on

    I love Cool Flowers by Lisa Mason Ziegler, so much information to get a jumpstart on the spring season!

    Reply
  1628. Tracy S. on

    How do you pick a favorite? I am one of those readers that gets lost in a book and can read it in a sitting. I also keep books for sentiment. I think those would be my favorite. I have duck carving books from my Dad, I have antique books from my husband’s Grandfather, I have a Sunset Western Garden Book from a friend who knew I liked growing things in my 20’s. That was 20 years ago. I have children’s books from my childhood. That was a little bit longer ago. I love to gift books , especially to new parents, to read to their children. I don’t have many garden books. I have so many on my wish list, though.
    Going back to my childhood, my favorite book was ‘The Monster At The End of This Book’, featuring Grover. We all have insecurities about ourselves and the fear that comes with it and in the end, he realizes that and embraces it . We all have a little monster in us !

    Reply
  1629. Pamela Maxfield on

    Oh, the library as my sanctuary growing up. I have recently moved and am getting to know my community, love Barry on my list!

    My current favorite book is The Jewel Box Garden by Thomas Hobbs. As I design my urban garden it has inspired and given me some direction.

    Thanks for the opportunity to win!

    Reply
  1630. Ella on

    Oh goodness what a treasure trove this comment section is turning into!!! My list to check with the local library is getting longer and longer! English Roses by David Austin has to be a favorite of mine. It started me down the road of roses and I was just stunned by the images. Like did you know roses could look like that???!!! It blew my mind. I was so used to seeing boring grocery stores hybrids and learning of the wonder of the old world rose I just…. I’m so grateful for that book.

    Reply
  1631. Mary on

    I was recently clearing out my son’s bookshelf and came across “Because of Winn-Dixie” by Kate DiCamillo. Such a great book!! Even though it’s a children’s book, I loved re-reading it as an adult. And as far as gardening books… I love discovering old flower books in used book stores or thrift shops. One of them is “Wild Flowers of Britain and Northern Europe”. It is full of color illustrations, which I appreciate since I draw all the flowers in my garden.

    Reply
  1632. Manning Marilyn on

    Hi I have many favorite but a recent one ‘From Seed to Dust,

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  1633. Mindy on

    My favorite gardening book at present is entitled, How Not to Kill a Peony – An Owner’s Manual, by Stephanie J. Weber, because – well – who doesn’t want to know what NOT to do as well as what to do when it comes to planting and caring for our plant babies? Just as new parents always want to read and study to become the best parents they can be – those of us who love to nurture our gardens can never learn enough about the care our plant children need to grow and prosper, and ultimately bring joy to all who are fortunate enough to spend time with them. It’s nice to know that there are flowers out there that actually can be accompanied by manuals for us newbies – now… if only those human babies could somehow arrive with their own Owner’s Manuals!

    Reply
  1634. Sara on

    I recently purchased the cut flower garden book. I’ve been spending my nights gushing over the beautiful pictures and learning everything I can. I really enjoy Erin’s writing style.

    Reply
  1635. Katie Schippers on

    Wood and Garden by Gertrude Jekyll. An interesting peek into the thought process of the creator of Munstead Wood

    Reply
  1636. Shasta on

    Sadly I don’t get as much time to read as I would like, but my most favorite book I have read lately was Grow and Gather, which funny enough was recommended by you in your Instagram stories :) It was a lovely read, I also just read your book A Year in Flowers. They both have inspired me to reclaim a good portion of my lawn and give it over to more flowers. I have always just had flower beds near the house, or in a border, and you have both inspired me to expand my thinking when it comes to flowers.

    Reply
  1637. Tamara on

    Cut flower garden tops my list!

    Reply
  1638. Cassandra on

    Book I’m loving is “don’t panic, a business guide to small scale cut flower farming” by Sarah Adams. It is full of valuable lessons and info from her experience. I felt it was relevant and beautifully written. There are also really great photos.

    Reply
  1639. Leilani on

    Favorite books of all time – the Mrs. Pollifax series. When life is a little too much and you need a fun “romp” as my mom calls it, generations of my family get out a Mrs. Pollifax book. Little old lady as a CIA spy. Highly recommend.

    Current enjoyable favorite – Kiwi Rules by Rosalind James. New Zealand, romance, a grandpa, a duck.

    Always appreciate your blog posts, Erin – blog posts of Substance.

    Reply
  1640. Richard Vincent on

    Without hesitation, it’s Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. Watching my wife’s devotion to this book as we journey through our marriage has provided me with satisfaction beyond measure. The characters and their experiences have given her many hours of reflection and enjoyment that become a shared experience.

    Reply
  1641. Christine Blystone on

    My favorite book is “We Were Witches” by Ariel Gore. It’s a beautifully written experimental memoir about being a young single mom in the 90s, while attending Mills College in the bay area. But it’s also so much more than that. It’s about healing shame, finding magic in the everyday, and rewriting our stories to serve ourselves and the greater good. It inspired me to begin writing again (I hadn’t in over 9 years), and I’m currently finishing up my own experimental memoir—a series of short stories each loosely based on a different flower!

    Reply
  1642. Leah on

    I actually read my new favorite book last year in 2020. It’s an older fantasy book that is very widely read and I had wanted to read it for a while. It was Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier. Magical and the main character shares our love of nature but more healing plants.

    Reply
  1643. Holly on

    It’s hard to pick a favorite but a book I reference a lot is Stearn’s Dictionary of Plant Terms for Gardeners. I love learning botanical Latin and how plant names have developed. Definitely a must for plant nerds like myself.

    Reply
  1644. kim watkins on

    What a wonderful collection! My sister is a watercolor artist and paints lots of florals and birds. I’ll have to choose carefully for her Christmas gift!

    Reply
  1645. Kimberly Masse on

    One of my favorite books is Lab Girl by Hope Jahren. The way she writes beautifully captures the feeling of working in the dirt and feeding your inner child, while also being a professional adult. I can reread it over and over and it doesn’t get old!

    Reply
  1646. Pamela Gill on

    I’m glad I’m not the only one who’s out of control with the books! There’s something about holding that tangible object in my hands and turning the pages that I love.
    I agree with you on “The Flower Farmer” by Lynn Byczynski. I found a copy at a local thrift store for $1.49!! It is truly an excellent book for me, as a beginner flower farmer.
    I have all 3 of your books too and I absolutely love them as well.
    I’m currently reading “The Seed Starter’s Handbook” by Nancy Bubel (old-school written in 1978, Which I also found this treasure at a thrift store) and “Backyard Market Gardening” by Andy Lee and Patricia Foreman.
    I love the organic methods and am incorporating flowers into my vegetable garden…or is it vice versa 🤔
    Anyhow, I really appreciate this blog and will be looking into these book recommendations. Thanks so much, Erin! Your willingness to share your knowledge is so much admired and appreciated!

    Reply
  1647. Rachel Hlay on

    I still love The Impressionist Garden by Derek Fell – beautiful book that links 2 of my favorite topics and was a great inspiration early in my gardening experience. Great historical information ad well as practical ideas on how to adapt and implement concepts in smaller spaces with plans and plant lists. Beautiful flowy gardens leveraging textures and a painter’s pallette.

    Reply
  1648. Susan Bowder on

    My favorite book is The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert. It’s an historical novel about a daughter of a worldwide botanical explorer in the nineteenth century who is obsessed with mosses. The book is deep, at times dark, but rich in creating images of gathering botanicals in another time at far outer places on the earth. Surprisingly totally different than her other books.

    Reply
  1649. Kelli Nichols on

    The book that has influenced my gardening life the most during the last few years is not actually a gardening book: Braiding Sweetgrass (Robin Wall Kimmerer). It’s hard to describe without being reductive—it’s definitely one of those books that is more than the sum of its parts. She weaves botanical essay, personal memoir, and Native American history together in an absolutely compelling way. I emerged from it with a changed sense of my place in nature, and even with more hope. (By the way, the audiobook, read by the author, is also recommended.)

    Reply
  1650. Jen H on

    My favorite book is Floret’s ‘Book 4’ AKA the course guide for the Online Workshop! So much good info, pictures, spreadsheets & resources that I refer back to often! Another fave is The Flower Farmer’s Year by Georgie Newbery.

    Reply
  1651. Kristi Gilchrist on

    “A Year In The Life of a Rose” by Rayford Clayton Redell is one of my constant referral books. I love roses for their fragrance and form and he takes the fear out of growing them.

    Reply
  1652. Flora Reed on

    “The Heart is a Lonely Hunter” by Carson McCullers. My favorite quote from it, “The whole world was this symphony, and there was not enough of her to listen.”

    Reply
  1653. Candy Woolsey on

    I love to read and have many favorites books. I haven’t read in a long time. I had a brain tumor for three years that affected my vision and I wasn’t able to see that well all the time but I got the all clear this summer and pulled out my first book I bought myself 30+ years ago the Western Garden Book. I favorite series of books was probably the Twilight books because it takes you to a place that you can just disappear from your normal life. I love mystery novels, Fiction, gardening and history books. I don’t collect books anymore except my gardening and cook books. I was gifted a cook book from my mother in law that is from 1942. I always donate my books to our local book share program. We have one book store in town which I think is great because I live in a small town of 7500 people. The book store only sales and giveaways used books. My daughter is also a reader she usually gives me her books that are newer ones published. I would love to be gifted gardening books they don’t just have great information in them but beautiful pictures as well. Thank you for thinking of gifting books.

    Reply
  1654. Shawn Vieth on

    It’s too difficult to pick just one. One of the most useful books I have is Dirr’s Manual of Woody Landscape Plants. I reference it all the time and can rely on the information in it when I need to know plant culture and differences between cultivars. Another book I utilize frequently is Wildflowers of Wisconsin field guide by Stan Tekiela. It’s great for walks in the northwoods and identifying natives on the spot. It’s small enough to carry along.

    Reply
  1655. Susan Wright on

    I love all the Jane Packer Books including A Guide to flower Arranging. Susan Wright – Shady Grove Gardens

    Reply
  1656. Jessica on

    My favorite books are the Christy Miller series’s by Robin Jones Gunn…..I started reading them when I was a teenager, and she has since written the series’s into Christys married years. I’ve read each one multiple times over, and I can’t wait to share them with my girls when they’re older.

    Reply
  1657. Helen Russo on

    It`s not a garden or flower or business book, however this book has nudged, pulled, pushed me out of my ruts, past, and towards my dreams of creating beautiful art, centered around drawing and painting flowers I find or grow. The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron with the daily writing and assignments has opened up so much for me as I recognized past restrictions and released them, and realized how I can move past myself and the past. I have worked through it twice and listen to it every so often. It’s the push I needed. Also, I too love books and have piles every where!

    Reply
  1658. Peggy on

    I love “Grow Your Soil! Harness the Power of the Soil Food Web to Create Your Best Garden Ever” by Diane Miessler. The information is given in a kind/forgiving way with lots of humor (my type of book!). The organization and layout are great. The drawings are charming and fun! And I’ve learned lots of info! Highly recommend!!!

    Reply
  1659. Eliza on

    Favorite books… with my children I love Jessica Townsend’s Morrigan Crow series, for cooking I like Hot Bread Kitchen and anything by Dorie Greenspan, Pride & Prejuidice continues to be a favorite classic, so many good books!

    Reply
  1660. Katie Liljenquist on

    What a treasure this blog post is. I’m frantically cataloging the fantastic recommendations from you and all your readers, forming a triage list of winter reading…..so many books, so little time!! Books are life-giving to me, and as I make the foray into flower gardening, your Cut Flower Garden book has been a gift of inspiration and approachable guidance, allowing me to embark on a cut flower garden with confidence instead of uncertainty. I love so much fiction (These Is My Words is a great historic adventure/romance based on Turner’s pioneer ancestor’s journals, and reading anything by Kingsolver is time well-spent) and nonfiction (Basic Economics–everyone owes it to themselves to acquire a basic understanding of economics and Thomas Sowell makes it much more fascinating than the title sounds!). As a mother of seven, I have passed on my childhood love for Roald Dahl’s captivating books, and my favorite go-to to occupy my kids’ imaginations are the wordless “Look-Alikes” books by creative genius Joan Steiner)–we’ve had them for years and I still notice new objects cleverly repurposed in her creations–these books are invaluable for keeping young ones quietly engaged on a church pew!

    Reply
  1661. Meg Tebo on

    Monty Don. The Complete Gardner is a handbook, an adventure, a soothing balm and an inspiration. I’m that nerd who watches Gardeners’ World religiously and even takes notes!

    Reply
  1662. Mackenzie Kortz on

    I love Salt Fat Acid Heat by Samin Nosrat! She has a show on Netflix too, but her cookbook is truly for anyone who wants to get into cooking and has expanded my horizons in the kitchen (and inspired my gardening so that I can sustain my cooking!)

    Reply
  1663. Merry Buchanan on

    I love Dr. Allan Armitage’s book “Specialty Cut Flowers” because I can find detailed information about growing, harvesting, and post-harvest care for all types of perennials, annuals, woodies, and bulbs. Armitage is the author of many books and a prolific researcher in the cut flower world. Although it’s well-worn, I use this well-loved reference book constantly!

    Reply
  1664. Kristin Dautel on

    I’m listening to the Count of Monte Cristo again. I haven’t read it in almost 20 years and am loving it just a much as the 1st time.

    Reply
  1665. Anne on

    Mine is a three way tie between American Gods by Neil Gaiman, Thunderhead by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, and Relic which is also by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. I can read them over and over and still love them and not get bored.

    Reply
  1666. Marlena Zsoldos on

    Unfortunately I own none of these books, but now I have a wonderful list from which to choose. I am retired and during the cold winter months I dream and plan what I will do in my gardens when spring comes again. I go to my windows and imagine what will be popping up soon. “Hope springs eternal.”

    Reply
  1667. Cheryl Forrest on

    I cannot list just one favorite book because I have so many that I absolutely love. I enjoy my cookbooks, gardening, classics, fantasy, and etc. I have lent or given away many of my books to share with others but now that I’m retired I have started my own little library of books to read over and over again.

    Reply
  1668. Emily Arnold on

    I used to love trips to the library as a kid as well. It was one of the few places my mom would let us roam free and meet up at the front with our stack of books an hour later. It is so hard to pick an all-time favorite book, but my favorite book of this year is hands-down Discovering Dahlias. It is a work of art and I can’t help but flip through it time and time again just to enjoy the beauty filling each page. I grew my first Dahlias this summer and am hooked! I can’t wait to expand my garden next year.

    Reply
  1669. Angela Neufeld on

    12 years ago when we moved to our farm from the city I read the book “Hannah Coulter,” by Wendell Berry. I felt such a deep resonance with it as I came to know the land I walked and carve out values from my kids of caring for the earth and knowing the goodness of the gifts of the earth. It continues to be dear to my heart. I should really re-read it now at this point as my kids are leaving home soon and there’s much that would again connect.

    Reply
  1670. Natalie Fuller on

    My most favorite book I’ve read is Outlander (the first of 9 in the series). I’m obsessed with the tv show but the book takes you deeper into the characters life as if you’re walking side by side with them. It takes me to a whole other world that can only exist on bound pages. We’re getting our first snowstorm of the season and about to start the second book!

    Reply
  1671. Christina Jarvie on

    That’s s tough one, since it depends upon the genre. For gardening my favorite book is Carrots love Tomatoes. I love learning how different plants help each other grow, it’s truly a community.

    Reply
  1672. Leah Walker on

    My favorite book of all time is Pride & Prejudice. But with extra time now for reading and flower gardening, I just re-read a childhood favorite: The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. I vividly remember the excitement of Mary finding her way into the garden and how the children brought the garden back to life. In a local bookshop, I just found “Unearthing The Secret Garden: The Plants & Places That Inspired Frances Hodgson Burnett”. Can’t wait to read it!

    Reply
  1673. Lisa Francis on

    So hard to choose! I’ve been loving the PNW cookbook, First We Eat by Eva Kosmas Flores lately.
    I take my kids and bring home stacks and stacks of books from our local library as well. Some wonderful memories have been made with books!

    Reply
  1674. Donna on

    My favorite is The Complete Gardener: A Practical, Imaginative Guide to Every Aspect of Gardening by Monty Don. This is the book that fueled my interest, inspired, and taught me the basics many years ago. I stayed up all night reading it cover to cover.

    Reply
  1675. Carolyn Cavecche on

    I must have read the Secret Garden once a year since I was a little girl. It is my go to comfort keep the world at bay read. I also love gifting the Five Mary’s Cookbook!

    Reply
  1676. Patty Bodwell on

    One of my favorite plant books is called Pretty Tough Plants. It’s a book published by Plant Select (a program to trial water wise plants to grow in specific zone climates). Another is Cut Flowers of the World. I purchased your new book and look forward to doing some of the recipes. I just built a cattle panel greenhouse and look forward to growing herbs, cut flowers, and starting seeds. I’m a gardening bookaholic.

    Reply
  1677. Sharon Orlando on

    I am inspired by and grateful for your post. Having been an educator, floral designer, early literacy librarian (with a garden), I agree – you can never have too many flowers or too many books! Connecting young children to the natural world has been my Joy. May I recommend a story? Among the many beautifully illustrated nonfiction books and picture books about growing flowers, my favorite is a Chinese folktale, The Empty Pot by Demi. In this timeless tale for children (and adults), an Emperor, who loves flowers and is searching for his successor, gives each child a seed to grow. As the title suggests, there is a challenge…
    Thank you for your curiosity! Thank you for sharing what you learn! And thank you for gifting all of us with a deeper awareness and appreciation of Flowers, Nature and Beauty.

    Reply
  1678. Deb on

    I just recently purchased Monty Don’s Complete Gardner and I’m in love! So much amazing information!

    Reply
  1679. Luanne on

    My favorite book, The Well-Tended Perennial Garden is by Tracy Dibasato-Aust. It was the gateway into gardening for me. Being able to take care of the plants in the beginning stages gave me the confidence to continue exploring the gardening world.

    Reply
  1680. Stefanie H on

    Favorite places to get ‘lost and recharged’: my garden and books!

    Reply
  1681. Ballard Orr on

    My favorite books are The Chronicles of Narnia books, especially The Horse and His Boy!

    Reply
  1682. Eileen Wallis on

    The Sunset Western Garden Book. When my mom married a guy from LA and moved from Omaha, Nebraska to the west coast in 1963, this became her bible for understanding the unique demands of the southern California garden. I have a newer edition I use for reference, but I also still have her 1967 edition next to it, all of her post-it note page markers still where she left them.

    Reply
  1683. Karna on

    The Friendship Factor, by Alan Loy McGuiness is a book I read during a challenging time in college ( many moons ago!) It’s a quick read, with lessons on the human condition, highly recommend. As far as YOUR recommendations, it looks like a trip to Powell’s is calling, for gifting to myself and Christmas! Thank you for this comprehensive list.

    Reply
  1684. Cathy Sloan on

    Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver. I love everything she writes. String women characters dealing with every day circumstances with science, biology, and nature woven into the stories in a natural way. This one in particular is fabulous because it takes place in a forest. Give it a read.

    Reply
  1685. Adrianna Rogers on

    What a fun idea and so many great comments! For planting alone – Rodale’s Encyclopedia is awesome. However mixing flowers, cooking and nature – Memory of Violets by Hazel Graynor, Beach Music by Pat Conroy, Your Brain on Nature Alan Logan &Eva Selhub and just for beautiful reading – Funeral for an Owl Jane Davies. I have always loved reading and anything that can portray imagery. Sometimes I would read for the pictures and and others for the words. It is so nice that you are a reader too and obviously so many to who like your work.

    Reply
  1686. Dolly Perry on

    My mother wrote a book called The Encyclopedia of Country Living (Carla Emery) and in its own way it is a sibling. I fell asleep to the sound of the typewriter click-clacking away. My personal favorites are too numerous to count. But the Five Little Peppers, Pollyanna, the Oz books and of course Little Women bring me back to the farm immediately My childhood favorites were littered with Nancy Drew and romances by Barbara Cartland. My favorite gardening book is unnamed. I got it at a yardsale. This huge rectangular book was large and in charge. It listed known and unknown flower varieties and how to grow them. I perused it for hours and planned flower beds by the dozens. I need to dig it out of the back room. My contemporary favorite in your Dahlia book which has me in thrall. I think you need to release new flower cards every year or so!

    Reply
  1687. Rene on

    Escaping Into the Open, by Elizabeth Berg is a book about writing – but really applies to living, which for me includes joyfully growing my garden!

    Reply
  1688. Mickey McReynolds on

    What a hard decision!! I’ve been a quilter for nearly 35 years, so I choose Sherri Lynn Wood’s book, The Improv Handbook for Modern Quilters: A Guide to Creating, Quilting, and Living Courageously. This book changed my creative practice and is teaching me that lessons in creating quilts also apply to life. Its also beautifully photographed.

    Reply
  1689. Kara S on

    Mine is the book of Matthew. I hope that doesn’t sound weird on here; I know we’re supposed to pick a real book, but there’s this one part in Ch. 6 that I’ve read over and over because I wrestled with anxiety. The page with verses 25 – 34 on it brings me peace and calm – like what He said helps me breathe and relax.
    What more could I ask of a book than that it tell me the truth, remind me I’m loved, and give me what I need?

    Reply
  1690. Leah Adair on

    I have so many favorite books, it is hard to pinpoint just one. I wholeheartedly agree that Susan McLeary’s book, The Art of Wearable Flowers, is incredible-and one of my favorites. That book has given me the courage to think outside the norm of flower art, to follow my own artistic instincts about flowers, and confidence to make the arrangements for my own son’s wedding. I highly, highly, recommend this book to everyone!

    Thank you for this treasure of a post, Erin!

    Reply
  1691. Robert Niskanen on

    “Without a Thorn”: A Guide to Rose Gardening in the Pacific Northwest, 1978
    By Stuart Mechlin and Ellen Bonanno

    This is one of my favorite books on gardening because it pointed me to roses and gardening in general.

    Short, season by season guide written be Portland Roses Garden experts. So good!

    Bob

    Reply
  1692. Melissa Garcia-Parry on

    Post Harvest Handling of Cut Flowers and Greens – I’ve picked up this book more than any in my collection. It’s my bible.

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  1693. Kelly Lee-Creel on

    I always love seeing other people’s book recommendations! I think I have to go with a classic—Jane Eyre. I still think about the descriptions of Jane’s paintings.

    Reply
  1694. Tami Seaver on

    Hmm… My all-time favorite book is Stephen King’s “The Shining”. I read it usually once a year, and have 5 copies, including a signed first edition. It is such a vivid take on good vs. evil, as well as a handy guide to dealing with a plague apocalypse.

    Reply
  1695. Grace Phelan on

    My favourite book so far has been “vegetables love flowers” by Lisa Mason Ziegler. I love her emphasis on the importance of working with nature rather than against it.

    Reply
  1696. Emma Jackson on

    Oh man, can’t pick just one. But currently I’m loving Wabi-Sabi Welcome by Julie Pointer Adams. The pictures are beautiful and it reminds me to embrace and celebrate imperfection.

    Reply
  1697. Nadia on

    I’m just recently getting into gardening books, so I don’t have any favorites to list, but I really love how beautiful your books are! They would be such a lovely addition to my collection. I have a few books on flowers and vegetable gardening, and I love to reference them when I have a gardening question. (Mostly edible gardening for now, since we live in a rental and I don’t have much space available to me to plant lots of flowers for now; just a few garden beds for edible foods) Some day I hope to have a large cut flower garden, God willing!
    But anyway, a book I read recently that has stayed with me for a long time is “Saving Amelie” by Cathy Golke. It is a great book that’s written during Hitlers ruling in Germany. I’ve gone back and read it a few more times since initially discovering it. It’s that’s good!

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  1698. Cassandra on

    The Vegetable Gardeners Bible by Edward C Smith – this book along with Eliot Coleman’s helped me so much when setting up my CSA gardens. It provides easy steps for a beginner as well. I have gifted this book many times over to my friends & family. I really like how it provides growing, harvesting & potential issues for basic vegetables that are easy to grow to help a person feel successful. If you get a good feeling of success you will continue the gardening journey & if you have a book to pull out if you have a stumbling block even better!

    Reply
  1699. Nancy Alvord on

    My favorite: Maritime Northwest garden guide, by Seattle Tilth
    This book has a good planning calendar. It tells you what to plant, when to plant. For indoors and outdoors both. I keep it in my potting shed.

    Reply
  1700. Victoria on

    I’m loving Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown. I’m learning how important it is to have discernment in my commitments, instead of just saying yes to every opportunity. It’s so freeing!

    Reply
  1701. Jill Rains on

    After homeschooling my 8 children and moving with the military, I pared down my books and kept just 3 gardening books. My favorite is The Rose Bible by Rayford Clayton Reddell. My great grandfather was the Mayor of Pasadena, CA in the late 50s and you can’t think of Pasadena without thinking about roses. I love this book because it has helped me plant and grow roses in nearly all of the homes we have lived in over the years. I go back to it often!
    Thank you for sharing your love of flowers and the lessons you’ve learned along the way!

    Reply
  1702. Karen Pagano on

    I am just starting out on this dahlia journey. I purchased your Discovering Dahlias and Connie Thompson’s Connie’s Dahlias. Needless to say the combination gives a wealth of expertise. They are wonderful and instruct full. I am on my journey with two pros!

    Reply
  1703. Michelle Burton on

    My favorite book on flowers right now is Floret’s Dahlia book. I’m just learning how to grow and care for Dahlias and this book has been so helpful! This collection of books looks amazing to a new flower grower.

    Reply
  1704. Heather on

    I can’t pick only one favorite book, but one that I love is The Book Thief. It captures so many human emotions — fear, grief, hatred, hope and love — and books play a central role.

    Reply
  1705. Liz DeGrave on

    ‘Discovering Dahlias’ I LOVE this book. I grew up gardening and as wandering hippy I kept and made gardens where ever I was, some successful some not so much. Finally with 2 kids and another on the way we settled down and bought a house. I decided to make huge flower beds all around the house and on a whim bought dahlia tubers. I knew zero about dahlias. What happened next was the most magical gardening moment of my life…. The Dahlias exploded with color and beauty…. We had neighbors stopping daily and I was so inspired by their beauty. I thought of dahlias through my entire birth, baby arrived fast and healthy. The following year my dahlias did not come back very well and I realized there was so much I needed to learn, inspired by a bit of beginners luck…. Here I am a lover of Dahlias.

    Reply
  1706. Corinne on

    I have all 3 of the Floret books and love them dearly! My favorite book that I have, however, is Kane County Wild Plants and Natural Areas. This is an extensive look at the native plants in my county and even shares areas in which you can see the plants. It has detailed descriptions and lovely images of the plants. This book was written by a family member who was absolutely dedicated to native plants and preserving the environment. The author, Richard Young, even has a forest preserve in the county named for him! I love cut flowers and flower arranging and I think that it is so important to also recognize beauty in our native plants and have spaces for nature as well as cut flower gardens.

    Reply
  1707. Kelly Wood on

    I have loved so many books but The Secret Garden holds special memories of my father reading it to me each night, when I was old enough to have easily not cared anymore and also Where the Red Fern Grows was one of the first books that truly touched my heart.
    I have been using The Old Farmer’s Almanac Vegetable Gardener’s Handbook the past few years, which has helped me get veggie beds producing an abundance of veggies. Now I’m ready to shift to creating a lovely flower garden with multiple cutting gardens for (hopefully!) year round enjoyment.

    Reply
  1708. Janet K Green on

    I have a pretty big reference library for landscape design books but just starting my cut flower journey. Some of my fav design books are by Jens Jensen, Design with Nature and I love Andy Goldsworthy’s picture books of his incredible temporary natural art.

    Reply
  1709. Bernadette on

    My favorite book is The Secret Garden and I’ve always wanted my very own secret garden🏵️

    Reply
  1710. Kimberly Lewis on

    It is very hard to pick one favorite book out of so many. One book, though, stands out far and above and that is the Bible. It has the answer to all of life’s questions and has a power that no other book possesses. It has the power to change lives. I’m thankful for this book because it has changed my life.
    If I had to pick a book aside from the Bible, I have always loved the inspirational book and sequel- Ishmael & Self-Raised. These two books from Lamplighter Publishing follow the life of Ishmael from his birth and how he rises above the struggles life brings. It is an inspirational read that I enjoy time and again.

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  1711. Amy Decker on

    For 20 years I have only been a vegetable gardener. My thought was if I can’t eat it I’m not planting it. Well with age I realized having flowers gives me inner peace. So two years ago I started planting Peonies then grew to Dahlia’s. I spend every day of the summer looking over every bloom. This past year I purchased Cut Flower Garden as my first gardening book. I love being able to find filler flowers that I had no clue existed. I can also try to plan out my flower garden so I have blooms for every season. My daughter purchased 25 acres this fall and said I can o go crazy planting flowers. So these books would be a huge help as we hope to have a farm stand year-round. Did I mention that one book has made its rounds through my friends and it gets two thumbs up from everyone!!

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  1712. Bailey on

    Mt favorite book is Jane Eyre. It is so romantic and transporting. I always found myself relating to the heroine. I love how strong and practical and moral she is. A great old classic.

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  1713. Amy Otten on

    Your Cut Flower Garden book is my favorite flower book so far! I love all the information you give in this book! I’m just getting started in the cut flower growing and want to learn as much as I can! I got the online version first, read the whole thing in a day and ordered the hard copy so I could mark pages and highlight things I really wanted to be able to find quickly.

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  1714. Samantha Wyatt Smith on

    “ On Flowers” by Amy Merrick is what opened my eyes and inspired me to start this flower journey. It is what led me to floret and the inspiration to start the course!
    The story of her mom cooking a cake the day she was born (not entirely flower related) was so beautiful- so heartwarming.
    If there are other books like this out there I would love to see them :)

    Reply
  1715. Jessica Jackson on

    This collection in incredible! I don’t know about y’all, but I’m a tactile reader…I need a book in my hands! Growing up, my mother kept a bag of books in her closet that she purchased from bookstores or yard sales. Each time I finished a book, she would hand over another book. And this was in addition to what we checked out from the library! My all-time favorite book, “Where the Red Fern Grows” by Wilson Rawls, is one that I read as a child. It taught me that if I want something bad enough, I’ve got to put in the hard work to get it! Now, if we are talking about books that fueled my love for growing things, it had to be “Neil Sperry’s Complete Guide to Texas Gardening”. This book was on my mother’s nightstand for at least a decade of my youth, and the landscaping in our front and back yard’s were proof that it was never far from her reach.

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  1716. Benita Mudge on

    Pretty much all of Terry Pratchett’s books though Nightwatch edges up there to the top. Have read them all multiple times. That is not my cow!

    Reply
  1717. Tamara Childers on

    I have only just started on this journey but I just discovered Cool Flowers: How to Grow and Enjoy Long-Blooming Hardy Annual Flowers Using Cool Weather Techniques Book by Lisa Mason Ziegle and I am learning so much already.

    Reply
  1718. Becky Dobbins on

    Thank you for all the book recommendations. I love garden books too.

    In particular, I love all of Pam Harper’s books, including Time-Tested Plants: Thirty Years in a Four-Season Garden, Designing with Perennials, and Color Echoes: Harmonizing Color in the Garden. All! So! Great! She’s a wonderful writer and an inspired colorist.

    Reply
  1719. Whitney Brown on

    My favorite book is actually a book series written by wayne grant and it starts with Long Bow. Its wrote w young boys in mind and I thought well I have a son he may like it one day. Well several books later I love this series and yes my son in a few years will really enjoy them too. Clean, action packed, a bit of a love story, adventure with his best friends, a bit of real life skills and stories included.

    Reply
  1720. Rachel Mahnke on

    I would say its very difficult to pick just one favorite book, but if I had to one that comes to mind right now is Frankenstein. I remember being assigned this book in school and thinking UGH, this sounds horrible. Then actually reading it and falling in love with the language and descriptions. I thought it was actually such a romantic story and there was so much detail packed into few pages relative to other books.

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  1721. Nancy Fredlund on

    A Way to Garden by Margaret Roach
    This is one of my oldie but goodies. I can’t believe it’s over 20 years old! I love her honest approach to gardening and her life.

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  1722. Amanda Gutzman on

    My two favorite (because I can’t just pick one) are Discovering Dahlias and Dahlia Breeding for the Farmer-Florist by Albrecht! Both books have helped me dive into the world of dahlia breeding, properly harvesting seeds and growing new varieties for the very first time this year. I’m so excited to see what I get next year from the seeds I saved this fall.

    Reply
  1723. Deanna Derheim on

    My favorite book is The Four Agreements
    By Don Miguel Ruiz with Janet Mills.
    I have given this book to my children.
    I love the list that you provided of your favorite books.
    And excited to start gardening and spring of 2022 now that I have my own property in the mountains.
    It will be small scale gardening, but very excited.
    I would love and appreciate to get one of your bucks or one of your favorite books.
    Thank you❤️ Love this!
    Aloha

    Reply
  1724. Shelly Brown on

    So many literary gems noted in the comments…I’ve jotted down several titles to explore, and also smiled and nodded reading the names of others that I also share an appreciation for. While I am pressed to select one favorite over various genre I pour over, I have recently found Potager, by Kali Ramey Martin–a fellow Oregonian, mother, wife, gardener, and more, full of beauty and inspiration from right in my own state!

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  1725. Hannah Brown on

    Pride and Prejudice is my favorite book. The way Jane Austin though through character development is so insightful, brilliant really.

    Reply
  1726. Di Gow on

    For a beautiful book about flowers and their effects on people, I love “the Language of Flowers” by Vanessa Diffenbough. Just a lovely and moving book.

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  1727. Andra Bobbitt on

    Before the internet (ok, I’m dating myself), I would spend hours with Sunset’s Western Garden Book. It was the go-to reference for plant information and advice. Definitely not flashy nor the best of photos back then, but it is what got me started as a gardener. That was the first book in my collection!

    Reply
  1728. Sarah Beaves Lewis on

    My favorite book is Cut Flower Garden. 1) because it was my first flower book which I received as a birthday gift from my MIL in September. 2) because it’s layout just works with my brain wiring LOL!
    I am now obsessed, bought a hoop house, and have signed up for this years workshop. I’ll keep you posted ;)
    Sarah

    Reply
  1729. Heather Shively on

    Oh my flowery soul delights in this post! Hands down Bernice Bobs Her Hair by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Reading was my escape and wonderment as a child. To this day the library is a recess for my soul.

    Reply
  1730. Natalie Howerton on

    Amy Merrick’s On Flowers is stunning. I love Frances Palmer’s book as well.

    Reply
  1731. Kate on

    Favorite garden book… UNCOMMON FRUITS WORTHY OF ATTENTION, A gardener’s guide by Lee Reich. It is full of old fashioned and otherwise unusual fruits worth growing. Great fun! Includes Pawpaw, Nanking Cherry, Juneberry, Maypop, Kaki and American Persimmons, Raisin Tree, Jujube, Jostaberry and many more. Nice drawings and lots of good information including mail order sources for them. !!!!!

    Reply
  1732. Barbara Schickler on

    My favorite book is In Full Flower by Gemma + Andrew Ingalls. It compiles floral design in a contemporary flair. It also has other artists featured in the book whose techniques combine a real organic, free form, back-to-nature style , which is a huge part of my garden at home!

    Reply
  1733. Laurel on

    My all-time favorite book is ‘Little Women’. Having no sisters myself, the exploits of the March sisters was always enchanting to me and what I dreamed of if I had sisters of my own.

    Reply
  1734. Rebecca Goff on

    My favorite is Five Marys Ranch Raised Cookbook: Homegrown Recipes from Our Family to Yours by Mary Heffernan. I love ranch life and ranch cooking and what can be more country than 5 Marys coming together to make a cookbook?

    Reply
  1735. Maeghan Viano on

    I just purchased Floret Farm’s Growing Cut Flowers and I’m in love! Such a beautiful book filled with incredible information. Really great for beginners and can be appreciated by the most advanced flower grower.

    Reply
  1736. Kendall Ulrich on

    My favorite book so far would have to be a cookbook that I read when I was 9 years old.
    Smokehouse Bear: More Alaskan Recipes and Stories by Gordon R. Nelson.
    The mental pictures he paints with his words as he describes the dishes, antics, and growing process of the gods he put into the dishes are wonderful!! I would go so far to say this was pivotal in my life in that “homesteading” would be a yearning for my soul to experience. The remote wilderness of his setting, the coziness of his home, the gardening, cooking, and peaceful atmosphere described are my hearts desire.
    Merry Christmas to you all at Floret, and may you and your families all have a fulfilled and blessed holiday season.

    Reply
  1737. Flo Schell on

    This post is so beautiful! I love books too. They’re everywhere. I have one that seems to influence me more than all the rest for its pure beauty. It is the book of sepia toned photos of Georgia O’Keefe taken by Stieglitz. She is shown in the most beautiful way. I also love ‘The Meaning of Flowers’ which supports me in my art work. Thank you.

    Reply
  1738. Emily Bentz on

    Cool Flowers: How to Grow and Enjoy Long-Blooming Hardy Annual Flowers Using Cool Weather Techniques
    Book by Lisa Mason Ziegler has been my go to since starting on this journey 18m ago, easy read, concise and encouraging, I had
    never grown anything from seed and this sparked my adventure. The bouquets that I was able to share with coworkers/nurses
    and neighbors and therapy for me as an escape into my beds fed my soul. I had no idea that I could grow such beautiful flowers and
    have been blessed by those who have shared their knowledge through blogs, youtube, and local growers/shops. Happy growing to you all.

    Reply
  1739. bethany telando on

    The Nightengale by Kristin Hannah is a favorite of mine because it is based on a true story, and I am always amazed at the resourcefulness, resiliency, and courage, and strength of those who endured WW2. Those that stood up for right versus wrong during such a difficult time are especially inspiring to me.

    Reply
  1740. Valarie Cox on

    I just got into gardening this year and I don’t own any gardening books yet, but two years ago I read The Postmortal by Drew Magary and it has stayed with me ever since, I think of it constantly and I recommend it to everyone. It’s a sci-fi book about developing the cure to old age, and it has a very realistic take on the possibilities and ethics.

    Reply
  1741. Maggie on

    My favorite book is a Severe Mercy. Never had a book made me cry as much. Such a beautiful story, and so well written!

    Reply
  1742. Kathy Hefferline on

    Northwest SmartGarden Regional Guide by the American Horticultural Society published by DK This book helped me layout our yard to have color and interest throughout the year with plants that thrive in our climate!

    Reply
  1743. Ashley Kavan on

    My favorite book is Ernest Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast. It is a beautiful story detailing the creative process of a young writer and his adventures in Paris in the 1920s. It’s romantic and charming and it makes me want to daydream about life in a different time (if only there was time to sit and daydream!).

    Reply
  1744. Denise Lakin on

    My favorite gardening book is Discovering Dahlias! No doubt. I bought last April and it has not left my end table by my favorite chair. I don’t think it will ever make it to the bookshelf as I use it daily for reference. So much knowledge and experience stuck between those pages and the photos are pure eye candy!

    Reply
  1745. Sherie Siverling on

    Discovering Dahlias is my favorite and first book on flowers! I have throroughly enjoyed this book and hope to try my hand at growing Dahlias soon. I live in Texas and it gets so hot here – it’s hard for me to be out in it. The photos are amazing and such an inspiration and motivation fo rme. My grandmother grew a garden of peonies when I was a child and I remember how beautiful they were and how much she loved growing them and sharing them. She always cut a bouquet of them to send home with us. I want to pass this love of flowers on to my grandchildren and your book is certainly strenghtening that desire and I hope helps me be successful at doing so!
    I also read books on photography (I am a hobbyist photographer), cookbooks and early childhood education – I am a retired prek teacher and now homeschool my grand daughter. I thrive on learning new things and excelling at them. As a child my escape was The Boxcar Children, Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys and Laura Ingells Wilder books.

    Reply
  1746. Whitney Wimer on

    Great question! Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert is my favorite all-purpose life reference book. It’s full of great suggestions, and wonderful reframes. However, the lesson I use as the litmus test for life is the Persistence subchapter, The Sh*t Sandwich (title edited). If I’m not willing to eat that sandwich when things are hard, then why am I wasting my time. But, on the other hand, when I am eager to eat the sandwich, I know I’m going down the right path.

    Reply
  1747. Chiara on

    My favorite book is yours of course! A Year in Flowers has so much information and such beautiful pictures!

    Reply
  1748. Brooke on

    These are such good book recommendations! One of my favorites is Cool Flowers by Lisa Mason Ziegler.

    Reply
  1749. Daniela Agostini on

    If I had to pick one that really made me think about life itself, would be The Shack. I read this years ago, but it has always stuck in my head and I always refer to it when I know people who are struggling with grief. It really opened my eyes about why things happen and how the choices we make in life is the gift we were given when we were born. From there it is our road to travel, good or bad.

    Love reading all the comments about the books people love!

    Reply
  1750. Nicole Fellows on

    I love Piet Oudolf’s design style and spend so much time dreaming over Planting: A New Perspective. Each year, my backyard 1-acre meadow gets closer and closer

    Reply
  1751. Cheryl D Whitfield on

    Hello,
    This blog speaks to my heart about books! I was that child at the library leaving with loads of books, and the one reading during the night while my family was sleeping. My favorite book to read is the bible. No matter how many times I read it, I always learn something new. I read all types of books, fiction and nonfiction. As an avid vegetable gardener, because of you, I am slowly learning about cut flowers. I watched your video and started ranunculus bulbs. So, hopefully they will live. I like the book sets in the blog. The business and garden books look interesting. Everything Martha writes or does, I read or watch. She is amazing.

    Ok! Thanks for sharing.

    Cheryl

    Reply
  1752. Mollie Carruthers on

    As a brand new home gardener, I don’t have a book collection to reference. I was gifted “Discovering Dahlia’s” which is the most beautiful book with so much amazing information! I would love to grow my book collection with some of your favorites! Fingers crossed!!

    Reply
  1753. Harmony Wadsworth on

    I love books!!! Picking a favorite book would be like picking a favorite child—impossible! One of my many favorite books is Charles Dickens “A Christmas Carol”. Every time I read it I want to be a better person.

    Reply
  1754. Limor Teitelbaum on

    I have tons of books but sadly not even one about flowers or gardening (well except for botanical illustration collections snd gardening magazines). I do hope to change that though, especially since today ids my birthday 😁. I always loved flowers and it was my favorite thing when I was a kid, dreaming about having a flower shop. Well… I don’t but I do have a rooftop with plenty of planters and pots and I spend hours on end with flowers and plants :) I do have two books I can mention that might be flower related :) They are books about faeries with glorious faeries illustrations and have sections about flower faeries that are my favorites: Faeries by Brian Froud and Allan Lee and also a brand new one: Faeries of the Faultlines by Iris Compiet

    Reply
  1755. Tatiana Gray on

    It is incredibly hard to choose a favorite book but in the gardening realm I would have to choose “Teaming with Microbes” by Jeff Lowenfels. It opened my eyes (and brain) up to the complex and thriving life underground and how it interacts with our plants and ourselves. Other favorites are by Gary Nabhan, such as “Growing Food in a Hotter Drier Land”, but I seriously love all of his books I have read. A thirst for knowledge is what keeps life exciting.

    Reply
  1756. Julia Levison on

    Huge fan! I currently live in PNW. Looking to move to NE Florida. Do your books address regional themes, what works best by region, etx

    Reply
  1757. Ursula on

    Thanks for this list. I’m looking forward to checking out some of these books.

    Reply
  1758. Jemimah Gindl on

    A Year in Flowers

    It all started with this book. I had been following your IG for a while and had come across this book. I thought it would make a wonderful gift for my sister in laws , she loves floral designs and will possibly make a career switch in the near future. Before gifting it to her I wanted to make sure it was worth it. I bought a copy myself and instantly knew that this was more than just a good book on floral designs. You see, I am currently on a steep learning curve of growing berries, not my background but hoping for it to become a sustainable business venture to help women in a certain developing / third world country (choosing not to disclose the name) . This book struck a cord , growing flowers along with berries! As I read the book, learnt about all the various flowers in different seasons , the best part that you weren’t born into this business but learnt all about it as you worked with it gave me the desire to learn more about growing flowers. If it was not for your book , I wouldn’t even think that growing flowers would be a viable option along with growing berries. And hey,berry leaves make great fillers, I tired it after reading it in your book and it looked amazing.

    Reply
  1759. Amy M on

    I’m going to go with whatever the first book pops in my head because I don’t know that I have one favorite book of all time (B.O.A.T – haha) except maybe the Bible but I would say perhaps of all genres of books The Hobbit stands out as a pivotal read at a pivotal time in my life which lead to more reading. My favorite flower book is Passalong Plants by Steve Bender an Felder Rushing because oh my goodness what fantastic story telling and information is passed along in that book. It is what is reads.

    Reply
  1760. Kathy Les on

    Since I was a child I dreamed of gardening. Finally in my 20’s I got my chance with a house with a yard. The Sunset Western Book of Gardening was my first teacher. I still refer to it today. It’s my gardening bible even as I’ve acquired many other flower and gardening books since.

    Reply
  1761. Elsa Wade on

    I love Life In The Studio by Frances Palmer. Her love of flowers combined with her pottery and her fabulous Goat Cheese and Leek tart are my favorites. Love her sense of whimsy and home!

    Reply
  1762. Samantha Russo on

    Hi Team Floret!
    My favorite book of all time is “Call of the Wild”. From the moment I picked up the book in my teenage years, Chris’ love for nature, and being a humble and good person has made such an impression on me. I know it’s not necessarily a book about flowers or how to grow a successful patch but this book taught me how to look at nature in its rawest form. After watching Growing Floret, I couldn’t help but notice the echoing feeling of passion, of life, and a love of nature I sensed both from the book and your show. Thank you for allowing us into your world!!

    Reply
  1763. Jacky Surber on

    My favorite book this year was definitely A Year in Flowers. While it was my first year flower farming I referred to it so many times while creating bouquets recipes, designing the garden for color and learning new techniques.

    Reply
  1764. Lorena Gomez on

    My favorite book is Blink, The Art of Thinking without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell. I love geeky stuff like that! The brain is so amazing.

    Reply
  1765. Lynn Stanley on

    This is a tough question but the book that popped into my head is The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady by Edith Holden. I love and admire the practice of keeping a visual diary like this. I’m going to commit to making 2022 the year I do my own. Thank you for all the beauty and inspiration you bring into the world. I’m very grateful ❤️

    Reply
  1766. Abigail on

    A favorite book?! That is a hard task! (: Books have been a great blessing to my life.
    I have favorite books in many categories, too! Here’s just 3 categories:
    My all-time favorite, read-every-day, beloved book is God’s Word- the Bible. Just like our bodies need food to live, our spirits need God’s Truth to live and have true peace, joy and guidance.
    My favorite all-purpose gardening book is Elliot Coleman’s The New Organic Grower.
    My favorite natural health book is Rachel Weaver’s Be Your Own Doctor.

    Reply
  1767. Cynthia S. on

    Favorite book for gardening is “Down to Earth” by Monty Don. Easy to pick up and just read a couple of pages and brimming with inspiration and knowledge for such a small book. Favorite books in general: anything by Gladys Taber as a no stress and gentle read. Favorite book of all time “Dracula” because it is so beautifully written that I found it hard to put down one night and stayed up till 3 am finishing it. For whatever the season or reason, there’s a book for that! I love reading!

    Reply
  1768. Peggy on

    Ha! I should have picked my favorite book before reading through the comments, now I can’t after being reminded of so many past favorites! But I will say that The Cut Flower Garden was instrumental in pushing me forward to having my first, long desired, cut flower garden this past season!

    Reply
  1769. Haley Fannin on

    I have so enjoyed reading Cool Flowers by Lisa Mason Zeigler. Such a great resource!

    Reply
  1770. Kate Rosendale on

    My favorite book is East of Eden, although Frances Palmer’s book is slowly taking over that title every time I re-read it!

    Reply
  1771. Trish Wilger on

    A friend with a fantastic veggie and cutting garden gave me Vegetables Love Flowers by Lisa Mason Ziegler – a great book that I used, combined with the knowledge I gleaned from your books, to create a beautiful, productive vegetable/cutting garden of my own this past summer. It’s well organized and provides down-to-earth information and plans that a home gardener can execute.

    Reply
  1772. Julia Zurbach on

    I love all books and am never without one, but my all time favorite book is Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott. I still have the book I received as a little girl, it was the one book I was able to save when our house burned down as a child. I love the intricate story of four very different young women, getting to learn about their dreams and how they navigate their lives.

    Reply
  1773. Kirsten Redman on

    I can honestly say your book A Year in Flowers. I carry it around with me and reference it regularly. I am about to plant my first bed of bulbs using the knowledge gained in your book. I have all 3 books, but find myself reaching for A Year in Flowers on the regular. The photography is amazing and when I feel the need for a lift me up I page through looking at the flowers and dreaming of my own little patch and hoping its a success!

    Reply
  1774. Julie J on

    As a librarian by trade, this question is almost impossible to answer. So here are just a few: How to Bake by Paul Hollywood, For Every One by Jason Reynolds, The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, Calling Me Home by Julie Kibler and from Kobi Yamada, What do you do with an Idea? What do you do with a problem? & What do you do with a chance?

    Reply
  1775. Kirsten Young on

    “Digging Deep” by Fran Sorin was one of the first gardening inspiration books that I read that encouraged the work as a vehicle for creativity. It was different and at the time of reading 15 years ago blew my mind wide open. I should revisit it. I’m sure it would hit a totally different button now.

    Reply
  1776. BryAnne Hare on

    I have started a pretty decent sized collection of garden books since starting growing flowers last year, my top favorites are the peony books, how not to kill a peony specifically. I potted up 26 varieties of peonies this fall and that book has been so helpful in getting confidence on planting peonies. My grandmother had the most beautiful peonies planted by her front door and I always loved sticking my face right against their plush petals and taking in the amazing fragrance they produced. Hoping I can keep these stars alive to be able to enjoy my own peony blooms in 2-3 years. Thanks so much for your knowledge and sharing this opportunity to grow more through reading Erin!

    Reply
  1777. Kari on

    Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer is a favourite book of mine. It’s a beautiful reminder of how we are connected with Nature & how our lives depend upon a reciprocal relationship. I think it should be mandatory reading for all!

    Reply
  1778. Caity Clark on

    I have three books to highlight! 1) Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway is such a timeless read, and so quick, that I read it nearly once a year. I get something new out of it every time I read it, and love reading it to anyone who hasn’t read it, too! 2) Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari was also SO GOOD. I found myself wanting to tell everyone about the new knowledge I was gaining. 3) Maus by Art Piegelman is a graphic novel about Art interviewing his father, a Holocaust survivor. Part art, part history, part literature.
    Oops…one more for the biologically-minded: Dr. Tatiana’s Sex Guide to All Creation by Olivia Judson is written like a Dear Abby column but for creatures seeking advice on love. It is the perfect blend of natural history and comedy.

    Reply
  1779. Ashley on

    My favorite was an old (and huge!) American Horticultural Society encyclopedia of garden plants that my mom had when I was growing up, I loved flipping through it and learning about so many different plants

    Reply
  1780. Mary Ford on

    I’m going with The Complete Guide to Using Color in Your Garden by David Squire. Its just the right size book to carry around. Lots of pictures and information. Easy to use. A friend gave it to me back when I had a small flower garden planting business.

    Reply
  1781. Sandy on

    Oh, there are so many great books. One of my top picks is the “Collected Writings of Edward Bach- The Man Who Discovered Flower Remedies”. I have studied his work for the past few years. He believed everything we need to heal ourselves nature has provided. I started reading full books when I was about 6 and my first full book I read (several times) was “The Secret Horse”.

    Reply
  1782. Stacy Lamountain on

    How to choose 1 favorite book? What a challenge! I see why your post is a compilation of 12 :). Thank you for sharing this, by the way. It’s incredibly insightful.

    For me, the first Harry Potter book was my gateway book. And only after my second attempt at reading it. The first time I started the book I could not get through the first chapter. I simply could not understand what all the excitement was about a cat on a stone wall talking to a wizard was about. As I read more and more of the tale (I believe I was in junior high) I became obsessed with the fictional world, the whimsy and enchantment that getting lost in another place could bring to my over stimulated mind. It relaxed me, it soothed me and to be clear – it helped me deal with my (at the time) undiagnosed anxiety and depression. I was able to fall asleep better. And then I read more. And fiction series books of all kinds have been my favorite ever since. Ken Follett and historical fiction are the best ever. Can we talk about the Outlander series for a moment? Lord, I am going to Scotland one day!

    And my new found stress reliever is gardening. Truth be told, I don’t read as much because I am gardening a lot lately. But reading in the garden that I created on a sunny spring day by the pond we dug last fall – a dream come true from one of the fairytales I used to only read about. And now that I am less anxious and learning to live a more active and fulfilled life – literally have books and gardening thank – my children see how to live a lifestyle this way. My hope is to pass this blessing on to them so they may find inner peace in an ever stress-filled and fast paced world.

    We created our first landscape cut flower garden last year (dahlias and zinnias in Zone 5b were the heroes) and this year our projects is a 27 x 16 ft dedicated cut flower area. However…looking at the seeds I want to sow, the tubers I have coming in addition to what I’m over wintering…I believe we will also be expanding out landscape cut flowers and trying to see where else I can tuck in another cut flower bed or two, LOL.

    Thank you for being a part of my family’s gardening journey. Making bouquets with my 4 year old last year was a memory to treasure. And the video of my 4 and 6 year old creating a flower shop during their playtime was the most adorable parenting win ever.

    Reply
  1783. Minda on

    The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje. The prose is so unbelievably poignant speaking to the human condition and relationships. I will carry parts of it with me forever. If you’re looking for another more topic related book The New Farm by Brent Preston is a fabulous account of two urbanites moving to the country and developing a successful organic farm.

    Reply
  1784. Michelle Masselink on

    The first book that jumped to mind and started me on my flower garden quest is “Colour by Design – Planting the Contemporary Garden, ” by my dear friends and renowned garden designers Nori and Sandra Pope. Sadly Nori passed away a few years ago- much too young. This book is filled with luscious photos and explores texture and colour when planning a flower garden, drawing from their years of experience bringing Hadspen Garden in Somerset England back to its full glory.

    Reply
  1785. Shelley Robillard on

    Gosh, I need to start reading more again, so many inspiring things in print. One of my more recent favorites, non garden related, is “Girl, Wash Your Face.” By Rachel Hollis. I feel like this is SUCH a great book that pretty much every woman of every age should read and could relate to. I honestly would recommend men read it too if they want some insight into the how and why women are the way they are and how we navigate the world.

    Reply
  1786. Tori Lassiter on

    Man. All of your books! I’d have to say cut flower garden is my favorite! I have 7 kiddos and I lug your books everywhere so I can read while kids are at ballet etc. I can’t get enough! I’m like a sponge and having SO much fun absorbing all this information! I’ve read every single resource material on your site and I think I’ve gotten through all the blog posts. I’ve been digging into the new course book. YAY! The hunger is REAL. Thank you guys!

    Reply
  1787. Mary Williams on

    A few months ago my daughter suggested I start following you on Instagram so of course I did. I purchased your Cut Flower Garden book about 2 months ago. It is my first gardening book even though I have been gardening for about 43 years. Most of what I have learned has come from gardening newspaper articles, friends who garden, and the internet. Your book is full of useful information and it is a party for my eyes.

    Reply
  1788. Denise on

    One of (many) my favorite children’s books to read out loud when I bring my therapy dog to the library is And Then It’s Spring …A little boy eager for winter to be over (here in Colorado sometimes that is so true!!) … the kids love when the landscape turns green and I love the detailed illustrations ❤️

    Reply
  1789. Cathy MacNeal on

    Favorite “follow your dream” book – Everything is Figureoutable by Marie Forleo. A relative recommended B School, which led to her book and other courses and discovering Floret. Book I’m eager to dive into: The Floret Workbook. Looking forward to the course in January!

    Happy holidays,
    Cathy MacNeal
    owner Lavender Hill Farm

    Reply
  1790. Denise Cummings on

    Although I could never single out “just one” favorite book. I am currently reading the Last Kingdom Series by Bernard Cornwell.
    As you stated it is so important to read and develop a love of reading in children.
    All of the books you have suggested look so awesome and cover so many aspects of gardening, looking forward to literally “checking them out”!!

    Reply
  1791. Sarah on

    My favorite flower book is your Cut Flower Garden book-it’s succinct, inspiring, and visually beautiful. For fiction, I love A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. I love C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia. I love L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables. I love all of D.E. Stevenson’s novels. Oh my goodness, the list goes on! I like to have a stack close by for the long, cold, dark winter evenings.

    Reply
  1792. Niki Williams on

    The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van Der Kolk, MD

    This book has a real impact on my life and my work.

    Reply
  1793. Kim Hamilton on

    My favorite book of all time that started my love of flowers is The Secret Garden. The description on finding her “bit o earth” and learning to cultivate, weed and stealing out to take care of the garden she finds without much knowledge or skill. That’s how I feel right now. Much desire to change the tragectory of my life with a business of floral design from my 2 acre yard that supports floral design year round as well as fund raising dinners, wreath and garland classes and kits, hosting, etc. now it’s time to research snd gain the skills to match the desire.

    Reply
  1794. Jessica Almy on

    Years ago I read “The Dirty Life” which planted the seeds of wanting to change course and live a life closer to nature. It’s one of my favorites still. But life and kids got busy and those dreams remained dormant until this past year. I’ve since discovered flower farming and dove into that. “In Bloom” and “Cut Flower Garden” were my first purchases and remain my favorite and most referenced books so far for this journey.

    Reply
  1795. Jan on

    Favorite book. Hmm…The Human Comedy by Saroyan. Fiction. Wonderful insight into the minds and ways of all of us. I first read it in junior high, and still find myself reciting quotes in my head on a daily basis.

    Reply
  1796. Tina B. on

    You can’t go wrong with any of Martha, the Queen’s, books, or Monty Don, that’s for sure. But, my favorite is the Plant Propagator’s Bible by Miranda Smith. I could never understand why my seedlings would die after about 2 weeks. I had no idea some needed light and some didn’t or that some needed to be scored or soaked. Her book opened up a new successful world of seed starting. Last year was the first year I had plants grow and produce! I was so proud to eat vegetables from plants I had grown from seed. Can’t want to get started again in the spring.

    Reply
  1797. Laura Suitter on

    I really like Dr. Allan Armitage’s book, Armitage’s Garden Perennials. Loads of info with some humor mixed in thereabouts. Great resource book! Nice giveaway!

    Reply
  1798. Julia Martin on

    While I recognize this book isn’t about gardening or blooms, it’s a book that has given me hope. It’s also a fan-favorite memoir (and now movie), so I am guessing a lot of other readers felt the same way. The Glass Castle is a memoir about a young girl and her siblings’ adventures across the United States with their nomadic parents. While there are glimmers of bad in her youth, she characterized her childhood as an adventure filled with wide open starry skies and dreams of building a castle made of glass. As she gets older, she realizes the feeling of adventure in her childhood was a masquerade her father created to cover up his financial struggles and substance abuse. In the end, Jeannette learns to accept her memories, family, and life as multidimensional. The whimsical feelings, the love, and the hurt all encapsulate the same narrative. I have always found myself gravitating towards the beautiful things in life – like a field of flowers or a sunset on the beach. But I have struggled to live with the not-so-beautiful moments. Perhaps my escapist tendencies and love of flowers are rooted in that. The Glass Castle allows me to see the world in shades of grey – it reminds me to accept the goods and the bads and to seek to learn and grow. SO anyway… I guess it the book is about blooming after all.

    Reply
  1799. Kerin Brown on

    Having moved to an area that is a bit warmer, I was thrilled to know I would have a space for a flower garden. The Cut Flower Garden is a go to for us! We have so enjoyed planting many different flowers – ones we would not even thought would work as well as they did. My husband cuts a variety of flowers every few days for us to enjoy in our home.

    Reply
  1800. Debbie on

    My current favorite book is Simple and Natural SOAP MAKING by Jan Berry. I love all the recipes and she explains the process of soap making so well! Everyone I give my soaps to absolutely love them.

    Reply
  1801. Holly Allen on

    Humans by Brandon Stanton, for a few reasons. First I admire him for documenting the wide variety of personal stories captured in the book. Second I’m absolutely intrigued and appreciative of being able to read personal accounts directly from the people that experienced them, without being watered down, or retold by another. Lastly, its inspired me to be more empathetic, and inquisitive into the personal stories of others and what makes each human unique.

    Thank you for composing this blog post! I was so happy to read through and pick out some new books for my collection, just in time for my birthday and Christmas! I appreciate the inspiration, knowledge and pleasing visual designs offered by Floret!

    Reply
  1802. Sarah on

    Ive enjoyed reading such a variety of books from fiction, historical fiction to travel memoirs, nature non fiction. Charlotte’s web was one of the first I read as a kid so always a classic! Other favorites include: “ Wild”, “The Hobbit”, “ These is my words” and “Snow flower and the secret fan”.

    Reply
  1803. Kristina on

    Hi my favorite book is the Cut Flower Garden book because it shows and inspires me to see what beautiful cut flowers can be grown with care and planning in a small space!

    Reply
  1804. Christy Rishoi on

    I’m going to go with Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson. Read it when it came out in the 90s, and HAD to plant strawberries as a result. Such a beautiful, evocative book.

    Reply
  1805. Suzanne Woodard on

    My favorite gardening book is one that was copyrighted in 1971 The Ruth Stout No-Work Garden Book. It’s my favorite for several reasons. Firstly, because Ruth Stout became a gardener later in life just as I did. Secondly, she is from a nearby Kansas community (which I think is so neat!). Thirdly, I love her no-nonsense approach. Thank you for all your wonderful offerings to the 🪴 community and this give away!

    Reply
  1806. Jen Eiserman on

    Your Cut Flower Garden book has been a life-changer for me….it’s brought SO much joy in the form of my own cut flower garden this year. In a family of hobby beekeepers, one of our favorite giftable books is The Beekeeper’s Bible; so beautiful and yet super helpful and practical!

    Reply
  1807. Mary Amy Kaiser on

    I have just submitted an entry already-this is just for reading fans, however, Ender’s Game. Whoa! Talk about blowing my young mind! If you have not read this book, please do. Preferably before watching the movie that was released recently. I read this a few decades ago. The ending was never a possibility in my immature reality.

    Reply
  1808. Rebecca Tempski on

    Did your library card really max out at 100!? Amazing.
    My favorite book right now is Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman. I love the magic, history and bonds between sisters she weaves into her books.

    Reply
  1809. Wendy on

    There’s no way I can choose a favorite book, but one of my favorite more recent reads is Atomic Habits by James Clear. It’s an interesting, engaging read with so much practical info that actually helps you develop the habits that you want.

    Reply
  1810. Chris M. on

    I find myself always drawn back to the classics, and cookbooks, and historical fiction and and and…basically anything I can get my hands on! Being a ‘seasoned newbie’ to most types of gardening, I have added an extensive collection of gardening books to my Christmas wish list this year! Thank you for this wonderful list of ideas!

    Reply
  1811. Julie Goelz on

    After my parents divorce, the library became my place of solitude and warmth. I devoured books as the stories took me away from the hurt happening in my family. Now as an adult, it’s an addiction I freely choose! It’s so difficult to choose “what’s your favorite story” -it’s like asking pick your favorite child! But the two that came to my mind was “The Shack” by William Paul Young and “The Language of Flowers” by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. The Shack begins with great sadness, and after recovering a note from a stranger, the main character follows the note and soon realizes he’s been invited to a beautiful cabin by God. The stay transforms him and his sadness morphs into a sadness that he can deal with and continue on with life. It’s a beautiful story.
    My other favorite, “ The Language of Flowers,” is a story about a young teenaged girl who is bounced around foster homes and thru her abandonment, has found that each flower represents a meaning. Soon, she begins putting together bouquets of flowers for people-each with a very special meaning. It’s so tender and heartfelt.
    Thank you, Erin, for sharing your love of books, too. Some of your recommendations are going on my Christmas wish list!!

    Reply
  1812. Nicole Lee on

    Oh my so many choices! I do love Lisa Mason Ziegler’s Cool Flowers, and Florets Dahlia book not only is very helpful, it’s Gorgeous to look through!

    Reply
  1813. Bev Bricker on

    Although there are many interesting books available, my favorite book that I have read the most is filled with truth, awe, wonder, danger, mystery and excitement. I tried and tried and searched my brain for a better book but none came to mind in comparison to this. Not to boast or seem arrogant or haughty in any way, but literally my most enjoyment in reading it is to gain knowledge and take inspiration to always be better and try to make a difference in the world today. It always draws me back to it. I want more than anything to live it because I believe it. My favorite book is the Bible written by many.

    Reply
  1814. Meghan on

    I have three favorites… the Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Hobbit, and Little Women.

    I’m fascinated by Tolkien’s ability to create a whole world, including history and new languages, and love the morals of his stories. When all looks lost, it is a little Hobbit who has found his courage that saves the day. The adventure and magic of that world lures me in each time I read the books.

    Then Little Women is a favorite because of the older style of writing and the storyline. From a young age I saw myself in Jo, a bit wild, a bit untamed. I saw my sisters in Beth and Amy, and love joining them on life’s journey as they grow up, pursue their dreams, and start their families.

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  1815. Gwen Clement on

    I have really enjoyed learning about dahlias from your book! I am planning on growing them this Spring!

    Reply
  1816. Nikki Abis on

    A favorite book that I recently read is Civilized to Death! It is an insightful and fun read on the way that humans have evolved to live vs how we are actually living in today’s world. I don’t have an floret books yet… but I do love my Putnam flower theory book as well!

    Reply
  1817. Madeline on

    This is such a great list–I’m most excited to read The Fire Starter Sessions, because who doesn’t need a little ass-kicking in their entrepreneurship journey??

    Reply
  1818. Karen Goodman on

    The book I keep referencing most lately is honestly your Dahlia book. For a book on my shelf that I’ve ready most, Pretty Little Mistakes is a quick read and a choose your own adventure book for adults.

    Reply
  1819. Stéphanie Constant on

    For care and reference of indoor plants, Larry Hodgeson’s « Les plantes d’intérieur » (Indoor plants) is rich and complete. As for gardening in Quebec (read cool and nordic climat😄) «  Le grand livre du jardinage pour le Québec » is my go to book. But my FAV OF ALL, the one that makes me dream and warm my heart is A Year in Flowers 💜.

    Reply
  1820. Allison M. on

    One of my most favorite books I’ve read recently is All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. It’s about a blind French girl and a Nazi soldier in WWII and it is such a beautiful story. I secretly think I have a fear of going blind so it was amazing to experience the world the way that girl did. So descriptive and colorful!!

    Reply
  1821. Kriste Jones on

    At the moment I’m enjoying Kali Ramey Martin’s book Potager. Flower gardening, vegetable gardening, and cooking are all intriguing to me and I respect the way she combines all three in a beautiful way!

    Reply
  1822. Kellsie Haselden on

    I love the book “ Cool Flowers” right now by Lisa Mason Ziegler. Learning a lot about starting hardy annuals in the fall. “Discovering Dahlias” has to be my favorite flower book though. Everything about it is informative and beautiful and Dahlias are my favorite!

    Reply
  1823. Laura Stone on

    The book I am reading and referencing a lot at the moment is “Cool Flowers: How to Grow and Enjoy Long-Blooming Hardy Annuals” by Lisa Mason Zeigler. Our cutting garden was fairly successful last year but we want to get an early start/expand the season. This book has been instrumental in doing so. It has also provided a lot of insight into why I have been unsuccessful with certain flowers in the past.

    Reply
  1824. Margaret C. W. on

    I love flowers. I have a lot of favorite books, but one that I spend the most time looking at is Cut Flower Garden by Erin. It has such wonderful information and photos; a treasure that I can dig into again and again as I plan what I will grow in the spring.

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  1825. Aimee on

    I just bought my first gardening book this spring and it was Discovering Dahlias, by Erin. This book was a total inspiration for me and I bought some multi packs of tubers from a local big box store for the first time after reading it. I had some success and some disappointments (leafy gall on 2 tubers) but what I have learned and the joy of being outside and learning new skills and information has been invaluable. Thanks Erin for sharing your wealth of knowledge for newbies like myself.

    Reply
  1826. Teresa Tiffany on

    52 weeks in the California Garden by Robert Shaus was one of my earliest garden books. It was easy reading with plenty of suggestions for whatever month I was choosing to be active in the garden.

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  1827. Sara T on

    Start With Why has been one of the most impactful reads of my adult life! I’m also really enjoying Sarah Raven’s A Year Full of Flowers right now. Thanks for the recent rec, Erin!

    Reply
  1828. Loretta on

    Choosing just one is SO hard! I’m re-reading the Anne of Green Gables series for the first time as an adult and it might have to become a yearly tradition. The characters are so humorous and gardens are mentioned so often, I find myself looking up certain plants I haven’t heard of before.

    Reply
  1829. Christina VD on

    Not a gardening book but I love 20 000 leagues under the sea by Jules Verne. It’s a thrill to the imagination and the descriptions of life under the sea and captain nemo’s personality are impeccable.

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  1830. Helen B White on

    Boy, it is hard to choose. It all depends on what part of garden I am working in. Recently I discovered “Grow a Little Fruit Tree” by Ann Ralph. Her pruning techniques for fruit trees that then grows to a size manageable without having to climb a ladder, are so smart. I enjoy all parts of gardening, including learning more about cut flower growing. Thanks for all the teaching Floret does. And all the tempting books!

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  1831. Deb on

    The only flower book I have is yours… A Year in Flowers. I enjoy looking at the photos and think it is an interesting book because a dear friend gave it to me. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about your favorite books and would love to own The Complete Gardener: A Practical, Imaginative Guide to Every Aspect of Gardening by Monty Don. That one sounds good. I’m wondering if it’s in your giveaway? Oooh Fun!

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  1832. Joan F. on

    I love love love books!!! It is so hard to just pick one. If I HAD to narrow it down, my favorite flower book is my Floret online workshop book. So much information and beauty packed in there. My favorite fiction book is One Hundred Years of Solitude, and my favorite nonfiction book is The Body Keeps the Score. Both fascinating reads.

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  1833. Katie Sayre on

    It’s so hard to choose! One of my top three fiction titles is These Is My Words by Nancy Turner. I reread it every couple years.

    Reply
  1834. Natalie Beverage on

    I love Lisa Mason Ziegler’s “Cool Flowers,” & “Braiding Sweetgrass,” by Robin Wall Kimmerer. Robin’s book should be read by every person who appreciates nature. It’s gorgeous in every word.

    Reply
  1835. Sheila MayFarley on

    My love of books began very young, I read aloud to my stuffed animals because I was sure they enjoyed it. Favorites are fleeting because there are so many more to explore. Vintage gardening books I cherish; Reader’s Digest Complete Book of the Garden; 1968, and Better Homes and Garden Book; 1954.

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  1836. Kari Parks on

    My favorite book is your Floret Online Workbook! I’m so grateful that I had the opportunity to invest in this priceless resource. I keep this workbook at my fingertips and reference it regularly. Thank you & Keep Flourishing!

    Reply
  1837. Valerie on

    My favorite book is is currently vertical gardening by derek fell.

    Reply
  1838. Eileen Sullivan on

    I just finished “Unearthing the Secret Garden — The Plants and Places That Inspired Frances Hodgson Burnett” by Marta McDowell. Interesting story of a famous writer who also was a passionate gardener.

    Reply
  1839. Christina Klenotic on

    My favorite book is Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden. I love the beautiful setting in Japan with flowering cherry blossom trees and the fierce heart of the little girl who grows up in the book.

    Reply
  1840. Julie L on

    “My Shanghai” , a cookbook by Betty Liu, is one of my favorite books. The photos are beautiful, the recipes so reminiscent of my mother’s cooking, and the story of how this cookbook came to be is so touching.

    Reply
  1841. Beverly Harris on

    My favorite book is Dog Heaven by Cynthia Rylant. It’s an illustrated children’s book about when dogs go to heaven after they die. I send them to friends when they lose the dog they’ve loved so much. It will make you cry, but they will be tears of joy! The dogs are all so happy in heaven. This book has brought me comfort many times over the years.

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  1842. Mary Amy Kaiser on

    I hope it is okay that I am sharing a fiction novel. It was a class assignment that caused a chain reaction of sparks. I was introduced to the poetry of Robert Frost in the story, finding my favorite poem- Nothing Gold Can Stay. It found purchase in my heart and meaning throughout my life. The defining differences between the main characters and the importance of those differences still resonates. My love of reading, learning, people watching, an attitude of gratitude, and an appreciation of the simple things began. In writing this, I feel the need to thank Mrs. Flagg.

    Reply
  1843. Cathy Jackson on

    THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS, by Vanessa Diffenbaugh, is the story of a young girl who grew up rough and learned to communicate with people through the language of flowers. I write an article for my Master Gardeners’ association, introducing new members to the organization. One of my favorite questions to ask is, “Which is your favorite flower and why?” So often a person’s personality is revealed in their choice. Flowers have powerful symbolism and give us insight into ourselves and others. I once shared with an aunt my love of Zinnias. She told me she wasn’t surprised because they had been my mother’s favorite flower. My mother passed when I was 6 years old. I had no idea we loved the same flower. The Victorian meaning for Zinnia is thoughts of an absent friend and lasting remembrance. See what I mean?

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  1844. Elizabeth on

    The Backyard Homesteader! A great survey of where to start for all kinds of home gardening. So helpful in knowing where to start with so many areas: fruit, veggies, animals, trees, etc.

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  1845. Theresa Otte on

    My absolute favorite book is your “Cut Flower Garden” book. This book inspired me to become a flower farmer. It is my “go to” when I am on the hunt for seeds, bulbs and perennials for the following season. I am always referencing back to it for planting and harvesting tips, too. The pictures are GORGEOUS! Once I opened it and started reading it I just knew I had to take the Floret Workshop in 2018.

    We have it on our coffee table with “A Year In Flowers” and “Discovering Dahlias.” Our guests almost always pick them up to take a peek! Thank you so much for all you and your team do! You are all AMAZING!

    Reply
  1846. Sally C on

    I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith. I must have read this 20 times throughout my teens and twenties. It is about two sisters coming of age and experiencing love for the first time. The most amazing thing is that as I’ve grown up and had my own experiences I have identified first with the younger sister, and then with the older, even as her actions are not always the best. It also has a good ending but not the fairy tale ending you might expect.

    Reply
  1847. Brianne Hamblen on

    Gosh, I don’t know what my favorite book is? First that comes to mind is The Potato Peel Pie Society. Lord of the Rings and Narnia, too.

    Reply
  1848. Pam Goess on

    My favorite is Crockett’s Victory Garden mostly because it was my first gardening book but also because ever time I leaf through it, it fills me with memories of my grandparents in their garden. I learned the love of gardening from them and am enjoying passing it down to my grandsons.

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  1849. Cindy Browning on

    This is like picking a favorite child! But, the book that I love is an old one. I got it when I first starting digging dirt at my first real house. I still use it to look up information about plants, how to grow, what they hike, how to harvest, etc. There are no photographs just some sketch drawings, but it has information about everything. It’s The Garden Primer by Barbara Damrosch. The copyright is 1988.

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  1850. Carleigh Campbell on

    My favorite book is The Backyard Homestead. It is a wonderful series and each one I love for different reasons. I can sit through them and flip and find something I love to read about no matter what day it is. It’s educational and I’ve learned so much from them.

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  1851. Jill on

    I go back to your Cut Flower Garden Book again and again. It gives me such great information, inspiration and continues to support of growing flowers. You and your team work so incredibly hard to continue to help us along our gardening journey. I look forward to reading many more on your list. Jill

    Reply
  1852. Karlee on

    I love to read as well! I’m mostly a fiction books reader, but could use all the help I can get in flower growing and gardening. We just bought 5 acres and I’m excited to see what I can do with it.

    I love the Harry Potter series. I also love WW2 books. Unbroken changed my life. I like The Secret Life of Bees and The Help. I’m venturing into fantasy and I’m enjoying Elantris. I love to read.

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  1853. Kim on

    My new favorite is your book, Discovering Dahlias! We are building a new home and I will have a small dahlia bed and am reading/rereading your book as well as trying to decide which ones I will plant to get started.

    I am anxiously awaiting a new yard and spring!

    Reply
  1854. Julie Zavala on

    My favorite book of all time is called “The Forgotten Garden” by Kate Morton. I have read it and listened to it being read on Audible several times. I love to get lost in the layers of generational history as the tale unfolds. The mystery of a secret locked garden intrigues me every time!

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  1855. Kathleen Woods-Smith on

    My go-to book for the last few years has been Perennial Gardening compiled by the New York Botanical Garden’s Michael Ruggiero. It has been helpful to me in converting the grounds at my new home from weedy grass into a thriving perennial garden. The book provides useful information about plant requirements aid me in choosing plants that work in my environment. I lived and gardened in Alaska for almost 40 years before retiring to Port Townsend, WA. So much more grows here! I have so many more options, so a reference guide is necessary for planning.

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  1856. Jennifer Zoller on

    Neil Sperry’s Complete Guide to Texas Gardening. My great Aunt Darlene gifted me this book from her collection and it has been an eye opener for me. I have always wanted to have a small orchard, and because the information in this book is specifically for my home state, I was able to select peach tree varieties with confidence. It can be diffucult to be in such a hot climate, because there are so many beautiful flowers that won’t stand up to the heat. Having a resource that gives me beautiful options specific to my area of the world has been a blessing and my eyes have been opened to all of the wonderful varieties that LOVE the heat.

    Reply
  1857. Angie on

    I have a few favorites. The book that became my “first” favorite is The Hobbit- It was my grandpa’s favorite, and I have his copy. I didn’t read it until after he had passed away, but it made me feel close to him knowing I was reading his favorite book. A new favorite is Floret’s Cut Flower Garden. It was my first flower farmer book, and reading it has totally changed my path in life.

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  1858. Claire on

    Thank you so much for the list! It makes me so book hungry!!

    My favorite book (right now) is The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd. Nothing to do with gardening (directly), but it speaks of the “largeness” inside of each of us, the importance of listening to one’s deepest longings and the strength it takes to actualize them.

    Taking the Floret Workshop is part of my ‘longing’ journey.

    Reply
  1859. Ashley Selland on

    My very favorite book so far would be Pride & Prejudice. It took me several tries to read it, but I finally finished it last fall. I love it!! I loved all the characters and how the love story panned out. So good.

    Reply
  1860. Pamela (Utah) on

    My favourite book is Geoff Hamilton’s Cottage Gardens .
    He was such an amazing gardener, he helped me nurture a love for old fashioned cottage garden plants . His practical and down to earth advice was just like having a very knowledgeable friend chatting to me over the garden fence . A wonderful man !

    Reply
  1861. Heather Loyd on

    Dream Plants for the Natural Garden by Piet Oudolf changed the way that I look at the landscape. His designs epitomize all that is color, structure and movement without being fussy or precious. A prolific writer and designer, his work moves us all forward with a clean, modern aesthetic that is based in deep knowledge and love of plants and nature. Great resource for discovering new varieties of old favorites that have been thoroughly vetted over his industrious career.

    Reply
  1862. Laurie on

    There are so many wonderful resources you’ve listed on your blog and readers have posted in their comments. I’m making a note to come back to them. I have many gardening books on my shelves–lately I’ve been doing many more native plants in my Zone 6 garden north of Boston so I’ve been relying on works by Doug Tallamy and others. BUT if I had to pick a book that inspired me to garden when I was young it would be the classic “The Secret Garden” by Frances Hodgson Burnett. I know that book is problematic now but the love for gardens and growing things this work inspires still resonates with me.

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  1863. Brenda R Cooper on

    I just recently retired from the department of corrections for the state of Georgia after 32 years of service. I have always loved garden and have tried to maintain a flower garden or potted plants. I have always referred to southern living and the big book of gardening but would love to expand knowledge of gardening as I have more time to devote to my passion of gardening.

    Reply
  1864. Beth Smith on

    Hi! So hard to decide, but love the book “From the Ground Up” by Amy Stewart. It is an entertaining g tale of a first garden and all the trials and tribulations. I love her adventure with worms! Give it a try!

    Reply
  1865. Kerry White on

    I keep Brene Brown’s The Gift of Imperfections in my reading pile and love to go back to it as a treat.

    Reply
  1866. Kathy on

    Thank you for taking the time to offer these wonderful book suggestions.

    Reply
  1867. Lindsey Hofman on

    I have ordered myself several gently loved gardening books for Christmas I can’t wait to start reading them! I don’t think you can ever have enough books to be inspired or reference. I am getting inspired in regards to landscaping and next years vegetable garden with a book called Successful Gardening on the Northern Prairie authored by Eric Bergeron. No pictures but so much knowledge in our diverse climate helps so much!

    Reply
  1868. Kylie Massengale on

    Heart Talk by Cleo Wade is a favorite of mine. It’s a beautiful book of poems that are just good for the soul.

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  1869. Ella on

    My favorite book is probably Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. I have four sisters so it is super fun for me to read! Thanks you for doing this giveaway!!!

    Reply
  1870. Carly on

    One of my all time favorites is Heidi. I fell in love with it even more reading it aloud with my then 7 or 8 year old daughter. And then again after going to visit some of our family & their farm in Switzerland at the base of the Alps. The book is cozy, magical, reminding me of how simple life can be, but have extraordinarily beautiful. The power of friends, family, and love of the land.

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  1871. Brittany Turnbow on

    Hello, one of my favorite books is Gaia’s garden. I received this book as a gift from a loved one and it changed the way I looked at gardening completely. It is filled with so much knowledge of getting the most out of your garden, not only for you but for nature. How important it is to incorporate things for the bugs, bees, and birds to munch on and providing shelter is crucial. I take this book to heart when doing things in the garden to provide the best I can for wildlife!

    Reply
  1872. Kelly Francese on

    Thank you so much for sharing your favorite books. I’m looking forward to starting my collection. I’m so happy Magnolia Network has opened my eyes to so many wonderful individuals that are so knowledgeable and passionate about their specialities. Erin thank you sharing so much information. Hopefully I will be able to take your course next year!

    Reply
  1873. Katarzyna on

    My favourite book has to be “The Hidden Life of Trees” by Peter Wohlleben. It made me realise how the trees are living, acting organisms that cooperate with each other. Such an amazing insight into the life of those gentle giants <3

    Reply
  1874. Rachel Auerbach on

    One of my favorites is I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith. Part of why I love it is because my mom read it to me when I was in high school and it was such a lovely way to spend time together!

    Reply
  1875. Lindsey on

    One of my favorite books of late that I love gifting (and has changed the way I entertain and decorate my home) is Myquillan Smith’s Welcome Home. She’s my go to home decor guru because of her love of simplicity.

    Reply
  1876. Monae Guercio on

    Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. I learn something new about human nature every time I read it.

    Reply
  1877. Connie on

    My favorite book is Color for every season in Southern California. It’s wonderful

    Reply
  1878. ROBIN CULPEPPER on

    My favorite book is Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. It is my favorite book because it reminds us of the redeeming love that God has for us. In the book the husband never gives up on his wife. If you haven’t read it, please check it out.

    Reply
  1879. Michele on

    Erin, it must have been SO hard to pick the books you listed and leave others off! One of my favs is “Mastering the Art of Flower Gardening” by Matt Mattus.
    Matt shares the little tips you don’t find in other books. Instead of repackaging info that’s easy to find, Matt dives deep on certain plants and you know his techniques are proven from season after garden season of experimentation, evaluation and tenacity in the face of the unsettled weather every gardener now has to add to their list of challenges. Great post! Thanks for all you do, Erin, and to Team Floret. The world is a more beautiful place because of all of you!!

    Reply
  1880. Kate Barr on

    I’m not sure it’s possible to narrow down an all-time favorite book, so I’ll tell you my favorites right now in the moment! For gardening books, I just got Grow and Gather by Grace Alexander, and it is so fantastic I don’t ever want to put it down, just curl up with a cozy blanket and a cup of hot tea and my dog and enjoy reading it all the way through. For fiction, I have always loved, and am currently re-reading, The Art of Hearing Heartbeats by Jan-Philipp Sendker. It’s a fantastic story of new generations learning their family’s history and the sacrifices made for love and for self. It’s just so good!

    Reply
  1881. Stephanie Newkirk on

    My favorite book is A Year in Flowers. My 4 year old went crazy over your Discovering Dalihas. The pink shaded pom poms are definitely her favorites. :)

    Reply
  1882. Jenee Veselka on

    The book Cool Flowers by Lisa Mason Ziegler has been extremely helpful to me. It’s full of info and has saved me a lot of waiting. Starting some seeds in early fall to overwinter and come up unscathed in the spring has been awesome.

    Reply
  1883. Melissa W on

    I have reached for “BraveTart: Iconic American Desserts” by Stella Parks more than any book I own since it was published four years ago. Stella is a Culinary Institute of America trained pastry chef who researches the history behind her baking recipes and explains why she uses the ingredients she does. She was my go to when I couldn’t have gluten and remains my favorite because her recipes work.

    Reply
  1884. Heather on

    I’m not sure I could pinpoint one favorite book. One of my favorite series from when I was a kid was called “The Midnighters.” Now my favorite books are about the Holocaust. I’m not really sure why the topic has my attention, but I have read many great ones!

    Reply
  1885. Lily Jacobi on

    One of my favorite gardening books was The Well Tended Perennial Garden by Tracy DiSabato Aust. When I first got started in gardening it was a great how to and it taught me a lot. And you have taught me a lot as well. Thank you so much for all that you do merry Christmas to you and your family

    Reply
  1886. Lindsay on

    My favorite book is Jane Austen’s Emma. I could read it over and over. BBC has a movie adaptation of it that is my absolute favorite.

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  1887. Linda on

    Recently discovered Letters to the Earth: Writing to a Planet in Crisis. A very profound and moving collection of letters from around the world that underscores the urgency to respond to the climate crisis.
    I just placed a hold at my library for the book, The bee-friendly garden: design an abundant, flower- filled yard that nurtures bees and supports biodiversity. Flowers and vegetables gardens can be beautiful to look at, but we need to nurture the habitat in which they grow.

    Reply
  1888. Deborah Murphy on

    My gardening space is limited so I try to maximize with Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew, another oldie but goodie, and I intermix flowers with veggies and herbs. He has a great soilless mix for containers that I learned to make and lasts a long time

    Reply
  1889. Erin C. on

    Favorites are always hard for me. One from childhood that I think of every winter is Farmer Boy (Almonzo’s story in the Little House series). I loved reading about how they lived and life on the farm in upstate New York.

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  1890. Frances U Jackson on

    I, too, am a “Library Lover,” since the ripe old age of eight. Thanks for the list of books that you love/enjoy/are inspired by Erin, I look forward to reading them.

    Although it has nothing to do with gardening, one of my favorite books is “Beach Music” by Pat Conroy. Truth be told I have a hard time narrowing favorites down, so I’ll just say this book is in my Top One Thousand Favorites.

    Cheers and Merry Christmas to you and yours

    Frances

    Reply
  1891. Amy Merrill on

    My favorite is Pride and Prejudice. I love Jane Austen.

    Reply
  1892. Anne M on

    My favorite book that I recommend over and over, because I love a good laugh, is Richard Peck’s “A Long Way From Chicago.” Any book that can make me laugh out loud is tops on my shelf.

    Reply
  1893. Kate Meyer on

    One of the most useful and eye opening books came from a podcast. I listen to Slow Flowers podcast almost weekly as I’m either painting in my studio or doing farm work ( we own a flower farm). One episode had Andrew Mefferd on talking about No till. As I am pretty much a one man band here and battle weeds regularly, his book “ The Organic No Till Farming Revolution “ was not only eye opening, but also gave me hope that I can do this on 2 acres by myself. That podcast saved me hours of work, has helped our soil tremendously and our flowers are more productive. We are Certified Naturally Grown so killing weed seed was tricky. Now it’s not. Each year we have less and the soil needs less amending with compost and other organic material. EVERY farmer, grower ,master gardener or backyard enthusiast should have this book. Your soil , flowers , produce and microorganisms will thank you. It’s literally a (soil)lifesaver. Plus your back will thank you!

    Reply
  1894. Rose Riley on

    The Holographic Universe by Michael Talbot was my first favorite book. Admittedly, it was tough to get into for the first few chapters, but then… the flood gates opened! This book told miraculous stories about what ultimately could be possible in life. My biggest takeaway was the power of positive thinking and how that related to manifestation. It was the first book that had a powerful impact on my overall thought process and general perspective.

    Reply
  1895. Mallory Troyer on

    I love “the complete gardener” by Monty Don 🌻

    Reply
  1896. janet hall on

    What a tough question??? My all time favorite book is one that I have just recently read, Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. It is a love song to the Earth. It makes you aware of how much nature offers us and how we should be very careful in protecting her and keeping her safe. The earth gives us many pleasures and we should be forever grateful . This book brings out the love of our world and makes me want to go out and hug every tree I see!!!

    Reply
  1897. Cassie Klos on

    I am a science fiction nerd and I love the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. It’s quirky and truly transports me to another world with every single reread.

    Reply
  1898. Lauri Mobley on

    I live in Southern California and while I dream of having a cut flower garden, we just don’t have the water down here that I need. Therefore my favorite go to book is “Succulents. The Ultimate Guide to Choosing, Designing, and Growing 100 Easy-Care Plants” by Robin Stockwell. My Garden is filled with succulents and I have learned to use succulents in arrangements rather then the flowers that I wish I was using! My dream yard is an English Cottage Garden, so I am trying to capture that feeling with native plants and succulents! But I still have all 3 of your books and look at them and DREAM! Thanks! 🌼🌸🌺🌵

    Reply
  1899. Laury Anstett on

    Martha Stewart’s GARDENING, month by month(1991) is a favorite in my library!
    It is a masterpiece, it is beautifully written and the photographs are exquisite! Flowers, vegetables, seed starting floral arrangements and more.
    A wonderful reference guide for every level of gardening, for beginners to seasoned growers.

    Reply
  1900. Jamie Allison Lockhart on

    I can’t wait to look into some of your recommendations!! My personal favorite is “Living with Pattern; Color, Texture, and Print at Home” by Rebecca Atwood. In it, Rebecca teaches her readers how to mix and mingle patterns together to create eye catching design. The pictures are just gorgeous and so inspiring.

    Cheers and Happy Holidays!!

    Jamie

    Reply
  1901. Leah Kramer on

    My favorite is The Wildflower of Ireland: a Field Guide. I’ve always loved growing and flowers, but on a trip to Ireland with my best friends – I stumbled across this book in the cutest bookshop in Dublin. We had just visited the Aran Islands where I saw wild orchids unique to those islands. After perusing the book that included those flowers, I knew I had to buy it. This was a year or two before I was introduced to your work and other flower farmers. All of those lead me to planning and starting my own tiny flower farm business that I hope to grow someday!

    Reply
  1902. Rebecca Lutton on

    I just purchased “On Flowers” and I love it so much! I love all of Amy’s beautiful photos and the lifestyle aspect of the book, not just the information about flower arranging. It’s fun, comforting, and educational all at the same time. It’s been on my wish list for over a year and I wish that I had bought it sooner. Two of my other favorites are your “Cut Flower Garden” and “Flower School: A Practical Guide to the Art of Flower Arranging.” They are such great resources and practical; I get so inspired and excited every time I read them. Thank you for this post and for sharing your favorites – it’s very inspiring!

    Reply
  1903. Angelique Hansen on

    1.) Discovering Dahlias- Erin Benzakein @floretflower I am a very visual person and I truly enjoy an aesthetically beautiful book! I also love that you learn so much down to the proper tools and care of dahlias. It is beautifully arranged designs into colors and varieties. I believe this book is an inspiration to all of us. 🌸
    *****************************************************************************************************************************************************
    2.) Life In The Studio- Frances Palmer @francespalmer
    This book is visually stunning as well as having a little of everything! I learned so much including when to plant my poppy seeds in the Northeast! I aspire to be such an incredible floral designer, this book gives me life!

    3.) The Joy Of Growing Dahlias- The Owners of Fam Flower Farm @famflowerfarm
    This book is so gorgeous I keep it displayed on my kitchen counter! A visual feast for your dahlia passion!

    4.) Things That Grow- Meredith Goldstein @meredithgoldstein
    About a girl that goes to different gardens to spread her grandmothers ashes. This really resonated to me because it is my grandmother that introduced me to gardening and so if you love a good read this is it! I could not resist this beautiful flower covered artwork!

    5.) Flowers- Charlotte Moss @charmossny
    Sharing her love of flowers and endless inspiration in their use for decorating, entertaining and everyday living! Such a beautiful coffee table addition!

    Reply
  1904. Jennifer Estes on

    Farm City by Novella Carpenter – I was lent this book by a neighbor back when I only had a 6 ft × 2 ft stretch of dirt in front of my rental house I could garden in. It inspired me to do something great with the space I had :)

    Reply
  1905. Mindy on

    My favorite book of all time is ,The Gardener, by Sarah Stewart. I bought it in a tiny local bookstore when I was pregnant with my first baby. I’ve read it aloud to three children hundreds of times over the past fifteen years, and alone to myself, as well. The illustrations are perfection and the story chokes me up every time. Best children’s book ever.

    Reply
  1906. Britta Johnson on

    The English major in me is having a difficult time selecting only one favorite book. However, the Nightingale by Kristin Hannah is one that I have read several times now because of the beautiful yet heartbreaking story about the strength and courage of two French sisters during World War II. The sisters are vastly different in personality and lifestyle but both are heroic as they struggle to survive German occupied France. Great read!

    Reply
  1907. Jessica Packa on

    I love to read and right now I’m pretty much just reading flower books at the moment. I love your Cut Flower Garden book and In Bloom! I’m listening to the Game of Thrones series on audiobook and they are really good too!

    Reply
  1908. Kate Skelton on

    My mom passed away when I was buying my first home and I received her collection if garden books. English Cottage Gardening for American Gardeners by Margaret Hensel was one I jelt referring back to when building my first garden.

    Reply
  1909. Diane M Dossche on

    The Hummingbird Garden by Mathew Tekulsky and A Hummingbird in My House-The Story of Squeak by Arnette Heidcamp. Both books belonged to my adopted Granny. I learned so much from her about gardening and we both loved our hummers.

    Reply
  1910. Rachel Wilson on

    Right now, Amy Merrick’s On Flowers is my favorite, because that’s what I’m reading. I really appreciate these book lists, and can’t wait to check some of them out.

    Reply
  1911. Ellen Lyman on

    My favorite gardening book is Four Season Harvest by Eliot Coleman. It has inspired me to grow food during the off season by pushing limits using low-tech methods and supplies. I read it every winter!!

    Reply
  1912. Kariann Myers on

    How could I ever pick just one favorite book?! Impossible. So I’m just going to say…In Bloom by Clare Nolan and your book Cut Flower Garden have inspired me so much that I quit my job and started my own flower farm!

    Reply
  1913. Marisa on

    I don’t currently own the Five Mary’s Cookbook but have drooling over it! I also own your dahlia book and LOVE IT! I can’t wait to move on to our future property and get going on planting some flowers. 🌹🌸💐🌺🌷🌻🥀🌼

    Reply
  1914. Marcella Ketelhut on

    A Favorite book—-The Motivation Manifesto by Brendon Burchard. Gave me courage and the tools to start a new business of healing and wellness through planting medicinal and herbal and floral gardens for each home I sold. Something Erin said in the blog—we have such gratitude for those who shared their wisdom with us by spending countless hours agonizing over creating their books. Creates wonderful connective tissue between us and the authors who now (literally) become a part of our story. Just like Floret Farm’s books give us courage to try things in our yard that bring joy that we otherwise might not have, but because someone took our hand and showed the way, we have the gumption to try!!

    Reply
  1915. Aleacia H on

    I’d love to have a yard full of native plants so The Southeast Native Plant Primer is my go to!

    Reply
  1916. Rhiannon Lewis-Stephenson on

    I love Robin Kimmerer’s book, “Braiding Sweetgrass.” It is an open-hearted look at our relationship with plants and nature and how learning from Indigenous stewardship can give the opportunity to right the wrongs that have been done to our habitats and other creatures by humans.

    It is centered around the theme of “Reciprocity,” and what our world could look like if we lived with reciprocity in our hearts and culture. Excellent and a must-read.

    Reply
  1917. Lori on

    How to choose a favorite?!?!
    Fiction series: the Mitford series by Jan Karon. Father Tim loves flowers and cultivates them both in his own yard and at the church. And Hessie Mahew’s description of spring creeping up the mountain in the Mitford News is always sweet and funny but her warning to never plant before May 15 is not far off in our corner of northwest Iowa!
    Non-fiction homesteading: Readers Digest Back to Basics: how to learn and enjoy Traditional American skills—it has information on everything concerned with homesteading from pruning fruit trees, to starting a fire, composting, planting and harvesting, spinning wool, raising livestock, canning produce and meat, etc. A great guide to getting started on the land right at your fingertips.
    Non-fiction biography: James Herriot’s All creatures great and small series—love the numerous look at veterinary medicine in the early 20th century in the hills and dales of England.
    And there are so many more:
    The Last kingdom series by Bernard Cornwell
    The Lord of the Rings series by Tolkien
    The Eragon series by Christopher Paolini
    The Jack Reacher series by Lee Child
    Etc..
    I have really enjoyed discovering Dahlias and Cut Flower Garden…both breakdown growing flowers in such a way that even I who struggle with growing flowers can be successful! Thank you for these great tutorials! And Erin—I love your passion!

    Reply
  1918. Megan on

    This is a fantastic list and I’m definitely going to be adding some of the beauties to my library. Thank you so much for your knowledge and generosity.
    I don’t have a favorite flower book, yet, but I do have a favorite book. Einstein’s Dreams by Alan Lightman. Every chapter is a different. It’s about peoples perceived notions of time and how it shapes our society, thoughts, emotions etc. It’s really a great read. I had to read it in one of my high school art classes and paint my interpretation of one of the chapters. I reread it every few years for some perspective.

    Reply
  1919. Lauren Hilty on

    Oh my gosh! This post speaks to my soul. I LOVE books and collect antique ones as well! They bring me the ultimate joy.

    If I had to pick ONE, it would be Pride and Prejudice. I’ve read it a dozen times. It’s my go to when I want to read, but nothing on my to-read section is piquing my interest. I love that Elizabeth doesn’t settle for a man, that she goes against her mother’s wishes and waits for love. I also love how feisty she is!

    Reply
  1920. MARLA WEXLER on

    Like you Erin, as a young girl I loved going to the library. I would ride my bike to my local library every week to select a new book to read.
    My favorite book is The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. This classic children’s book is a story about Mary Lennox who is raised in her Uncle’s manor. She discovers a walled garden which has been closed and locked. She is intrigued by the forgotten garden
    and her quest to find out the garden’s secrets. This book has inspired a love of nature and its restorative powers. I think that all of us
    garden aficionados can relate to that.

    Reply
  1921. Rhonda Delaney on

    My favorite is your Cut Flower Garden! I finally have my very own cut flower garden which lead me to the Growing Kindness Project which lead me to JOY. So heart warming to see the instant smiles on people faces.

    In second place is your Growing Dahlia book and all the cards! So gorgeous, practical and helpful 💜

    Reply
  1922. Jessica Nichols on

    My favorite book is The Time Travelers Wife. It has nothing to do with flowers, but it tickles that sci-fi interest I have regarding time travel and history. I suppose that’s why I also love Timeline by Michael Chrichton and Outlander by Diana Gabaldon.

    Reply
  1923. katherine patrick on

    Only one favorite? I can’t! So many books have influenced my gardening life in the past 40+ years. Here’s my top three picks:
    Reader’s Digest Guide to Gardening (1978). Ancient but full of gardening wisdom, techniques and skills. A good no-frills guide for both beginner and experienced gardeners.
    Beth Chatto’s Gravel Garden(2000) gives the reader insight into the process and challenges of gardening as Beth takes on a compacted gravel parking area and transforms it into a classic xeric garden. She coined the term “right plant, right place” and this book shows you how that works out in reality.
    Adventures in Eden (Carolyn Mullet, 2020) is the ultimate “take me away” garden travel book. Luscious photography elevates this book to pure garden porn as Carolyn leads us on a tour of some of the best private gardens in Europe. Visually stunning and well written, this is my favorite for lingering over with a cup of hot tea on a wintery day.

    Reply
  1924. Susan Stepanchuk on

    Hi Erin. What a list of awesome books you have in your repertoire. Thank you for sharing and providing us with some great choices to add to ours. It was a hard decision, though, my favorite flower book, currently, would have to be “Bach Flower Therapy: Theory and Practice”. It was this book that created a monster, hahaha. I don’t just immerse myself in the beauty of flowers but I like to make flower essence from them. There is something magical in capturing the energetic signature of flowers in water with an outcome that is generated by the sun. Some flowers I use for their scent and some for their herbal or medicinal powers. I just finished my greenhouse so I am hoping to sell my bottled flower essence and flowers at our local trade market next year. Thank you for all you do and how you provide beauty to this majestic world of ours. I told my husband I want your book for Christmas…. looking forward to reading it. Sincerely <3

    Reply
  1925. Michelle G on

    My favorite is your Cut Flower Garden book. I love the photos, and have found so much information to help me plan my garden. It’s a great resource.

    Reply
  1926. Jackie Otts on

    I am in love with the Cut Flower Garden book right now. I am not a big reader but that book has such beautiful pictures and great information. I am planning my first curing garden.

    Reply
  1927. Susan Stremlau on

    I too love books! My best garden reference book is my trusty Sunset Western Garden. Your list looks amazing and I’m putting at least 5 on my wish list. Thanks Erin.

    Reply
  1928. Hilary Cantu on

    Thank you for these recommendations! The visual stimulation is over the top. I just wish you all would have encouraged people to order from their local bookstores instead of all of the links going directly to Amazon. For such a localist, I feel like Floret has a big influence on consumers and you could encourage people to buy locally. Just a thought!

    Reply
  1929. Rebekah on

    I also have an obsession with books since childhood very much passed on to me by my mother. The genres have changed throughout the years. I used to almost read fantasy exclusively, the Abhorsen trilogy, being one I’ve read over and over not only for the story but the writers pros. I used to reread sentences just to enjoy them a second time. I still return to fantasy because I feel like it revives my soul when life becomes humdrum. I enjoy period pieces, mysteries, sci-fi, biographies and of course garden books. Currently my go to books relate to women’s steps into horticulture and homesteading but I do always have to step back into a little bit of fantasy.

    Reply
  1930. Amelia CarusoPicker on

    My favorite “gardening book” right now is Dirt to Soil by Gabe Brown. In it he details how to transition farmland from traditionally farmed mono-cultures to rich, healthy pastures with multiple species to support life underground as well as the insects and native species above ground so that cattle can live in harmony with nature. We’re currently using his techniques to improve our 200 acres of farmland and love having the book as a resource!
    I also have A Year in Flowers on my coffee table, which I love to pour over so I can plan for the day we’re done improving pastures and carve out a little plot for cut flowers.

    Reply
  1931. Catherine Weber on

    My favorite flower book is The Cut Flower Garden by you, Erin Benzakein. I’m not saying this because this is your blog post. This book helped me to start to understand the science behind growing. Since reading your book, going back for refreshers, I’ve been able to grow the most incredible flowers….to the point I’ve flowered weddings for friends! I’ve gifted this book to several people (books really are some of the best gifts), recommend it and had lots of friends buy it. The photography alone is inspirational. The information, and education is a game changer!

    Reply
  1932. Wendy Hiserote on

    Any book by Martha Stewart, and Arranging Flowers is one of my all time favourites! The photographs are amazing and the tutorials are doable. Any book that doesn’t make one feel ignorant from the get go, is alright by me.
    A really good read that I’ve had in my library for over 20 years, that I turn to when necessary, is A Woman’s Guide to a Simpler Life. It taught me organization and how to say no without all the guilt that can come with that big little word!

    Reply
  1933. Jane on

    I love so many books (yours included)!
    I think one of my favorites is Cool Flowers by Lisa Mason Ziegler. Learning how to plant seeds in the Fall or early spring and let nature take care of them was a game changer on my farm. I also love Elliot Coleman’s books which taught me so much about season extension, and encouraged me to experiment more.
    Thanks for sharing your list of favorite books!

    Reply
  1934. Karen Flores on

    My favorite book is the Martha Stewart Month by Month. I bought it when it first came out and continue to go back to it year after year.
    It inspired me to garden and to arrange flowers from the garden. I also love to collect garden and floral design books so your list is wonderful! Thanks for sharing !

    Reply
  1935. Susan Erisman on

    My favorite book is “Esperanza Rising,” a young adult historical fiction book written by Pam Munoz Ryan. The story takes place during the Great Depression. It is about a young privileged girl whose family grows grapes on a beautiful ranch in Mexico. In a blink of an eye, she loses everything, including her father. Her mother and her flee with friends to a migrant farm in California. This is my favorite book because of the impact it had on my students. My students absolutely fell in love with this story. Many of my students had never read a chapter book before. In addition, many were of Hispanic origin themselves and felt a personal connection to this book. It was so amazing to watch my students come into class anxious to begin reading. Over the years, this book has lured my students back to reading. And that is why it is my favorite book. When a student says they don’t like reading, they just haven’t found the right book yet.

    Reply
  1936. Natalie Skwierczynski on

    Oh, it’s impossible to pick A favorite book, because BOOKS are my favorite. Art books, how to books, travel books , gardening books, recipe books, picture books, fiction, autobiography , . . . and don’t forget children’s books! Information, instruction, inspiration, entertainment, encouragement, enlightenment, laughter, heartbreak, dreams . . . Books hold everything, they offer us everything. BOOKS are my favorite.

    Reply
  1937. ALINA MCFARLANE on

    Thank you for this post! Very helpful. I love Simon Sinek’s book. He really makes one think about the “why” of everything we do, not just in our work. It was very inspirational and know you have prompted me to read it again!

    Reply
  1938. Sydney on

    My favorite book is A Wrinkle in Time. I’ve always been drawn to space and what’s beyond, and reading this book at age 9ish really cemented that for me. I could relate to Meg in a multitude of ways, there was weird space stuff, things having to do with dimensions, social commentary that hit home to a kid growing up in the suburbs,,, excellent. And the interview with Madeleine L’Engle at the end of the book is just *chefs kiss*. This book is so powerful to me. Meg’s love for her brother, her awkwardness, all of it. Her anger. I love it.

    Reply
  1939. Lauren Stowe on

    I have a similar library, overflowing and I love it. My favorite book is Bel Canto by Ann Patchett, such a beautiful story. I’ve read it several times.

    Reply
  1940. Christina on

    “Styling Nature” by Lewis Miller! With incredible color, movement and texture this book is truly inspiring for any floral designer; capturing the beauty and passion found in the garden!

    Reply
  1941. Terrill Esposito on

    What a great post! Thanks for sharing your favorites. Hard to pick just one to share but I think DANNY MEYER’S BOOK SETTING THE TABLE and HUCKLEBERRY BY ZOE NATHAN are two which have impacted and motivated me (and my daughter) in so many ways. Hospitality in the food industry and life, in general, is so important and how to genuinely care for those who work alongside you or those employed by you. So many good takeaways. Even though Huckleberry its a cookbook it is one to be read cover to cover as so much life and wisdom is shown throughout. And the recipes are amazing. Also THE DIRTY LIFE BY KRISTIN KIMBALL and HARVESTING FOR COLOR are great! As an alpaca farmer/fiber lover I have been inspired by these, (and so many other) books.

    Reply
  1942. Debbie Feely on

    Your blog post shows how my life has changed. Sarah Raven’s Bold and Brilliant Garden was and is my delight and inspiration. But I live in a hot, low water climate and have had to adapt. The Well Tended Perennial Garden by Tracy DiSabato Aust was my training guide as I developed my garden, along with Sunset’s Western Garden Book. These days the book most often in my hand is Alternative Baker by Alanna Taylor-Tobin. My garden has gone to survival maintenance mode as I relearn to bake for my multiple food sensitivities. I love how Alanna’s recipes take me through the year of our abundant California harvests. After several years of coping and readjusting I’m looking forward to a new season of gardening. Thanks for sharing your enthusiasm. It’s catching!

    Reply
  1943. Cassie on

    Your Cut Flower Garden is the one I want the most. It’s been fun starting to grow flowers but I always have questions about timing and what else they need. I grew Zinnias this year with my dahlias. It was very fun!

    Reply
  1944. Lolly on

    I am new to flower gardening but have some other favorites:
    Fruit Trees for Every Garden by Orin Martin
    The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible by Ed Smith
    Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

    Thank you for all that you post! Lolly

    Reply
  1945. Charlene Skalmusky on

    Thank you for this wonderful list of books and this opportunity to win a set of books to build on your library! As of now my go to books are Floret’s Workshop Course Book and Cool Flowers by Lisa Ziegler They helped me build a beautiful backyard cut flower garden with long-blooming handy annuals.

    Reply
  1946. Caley T on

    I love books, as I am a very visual person. My favorite book as of late is Seriously Good Freezer Meals. I have been religiously filling my freezer full of yummy meals to prepare for the arrival of Baby Boy this month! If I was to not choose a cookbook, I would choose Gaia’s Garden. I am hoping to learn more about permaculture and implement some of the practices into my own suburban back yard.

    Reply
  1947. Maddie on

    I love Edible Landscaping by Rosalind Creasy. It’s an older book but the gardening ideas seem modern and unique to me!

    Reply
  1948. K Kikawa on

    I grow veggies, in addition to flowers, snd love everything by Charles Dowding, including “No Dig Organic Home & Garden. Would love a set of your general gardening faves!

    Reply
  1949. Tracy Y on

    I love books and have quite the collection, as well. I really like Vegetables Love Flowers by Lisa Mason Ziegler and Oola For Women by Dave Braun, Troy Amdahl, and Janet Switzer. As far as fiction books, I love any by Robert Craig, especially Demolition Angel.

    Reply
  1950. Wendy Cross on

    It was a book I bought at a yard sale, that really got me started on starting plants. I wish I remembered the name, but it showed you how to start a avacado plant, start a plant from carrot tops, and my fave, the potatoe. Several others, I wanted to try them all. From then on I read anything about plants and gardening.

    Reply
  1951. Lauren Love on

    DEEP WORK by Cal Newport is an excellent book about focusing on what’s important and drowning out the little noises all around us every day when we need to get things done. I also really really enjoyed Green Lights by Matthew McConaughey but it’s almost imperative that you listen to it as an audiobook so you can hear him read his own story. 💖 Would love an Erin-curated bookshelf at my house!

    Reply
  1952. Caroline Kuhlman on

    My favorite book would have to be The Winner by David Baldacci. Honestly the book is so interesting on its own when a woman whos struggling financially and in an abusive relationship, ends up winning the lotter. Things aren’t what they seem when a man emerges from the shadows claiming he’s the reason she won the lottery. This book isn’t appreciated enough, it has everything you can think of, from scandals, to plot twists.

    Reply
  1953. Amanda on

    Craeft by Alex Langlands. He’s a anthropologist specializing in old methods of subsistence. He goes through different ways that our ancestors used old tools and the difference between CRAFT and CRAEFT (the old English word). A super awesome read – totally fascinating the old traditions we have largely set aside. There’s a chapter about hedgerows in England that blew my wool socks off.

    Reply
  1954. Heather Bruce on

    I would have to say your books have been a huge help to be from getting my gardens ready to making small floral arrangements for friends and family. The next book I have on my list to read is A Year Full of Flowers: Gardening for All Seasons by Sarah Raven and The Complete Gardener by Monty Don. I feel like I still have so much to read and learn as I keep working on your property.

    Reply
  1955. Catherine McAllister on

    I really enjoy biography’s. I feel like there is so much to learn from other’s life experiences. Sara Bareilles’ “Sounds Like Me” was really enjoyable to me because I’ve always loved her music.

    Reply
  1956. Teresa Foster on

    I have a vast library of all kinds of gardening books.
    My favorite has to be “ Cut Flower Garden” by Wrin Benzakein with Julie Chai.
    This book inspired me to take my life long passion of growing flowers to the next level!
    My business of Dry Brook Garden was born because of you Erin!!

    Reply
  1957. Rebekah N. on

    Oooo…this is hard. I’m with Erin, my library is overflowing! The most meaningful book to me in my library is All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. Set in World War II, it beautifully portrays a young girl living in Paris as Germany invaded in parallel to a young boy who lives in Germany. The author’s creative use of words is almost poetry. The main character is blind, but you can feel her hopefulness and almost “see” the city and her life as she feels it. I love this book because it makes the reader pause and think about those with special needs while seeing the world through their eyes. The creative writing is also on a whole other level.

    Reply
  1958. Haylee on

    One of my favorite, ‘light’, gardening books is The Curious Gardener’s Almanac by Niall Edworthy – it has lots of gems, both funny and educational, and is fun to browse through during winter months

    Reply
  1959. Linda Dalton on

    I think it hard to pin a favorite book! I really loved you library book post. I have enjoyed gathering books for my kids and me at libraries wherever we go. The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare. It was one of the first that really stuck in my memory. It is written so well and has so many different human emotions. When the character Kat finds and unexpected friend she learns kindness and at the same time is able to not be prejudice against the different.

    Reply
  1960. Cindy Brouwer on

    My favorite book is The Scentual Garden by Ken Druse. My first rose taught me that scent was my biggest joy in being in the garden. Ken Druse published this book about the same time I had that realization. I’ve poured through that book and bought so many seeds and plants to gather as many of the wonderful smells as possible. Love it!
    Thank you, Cindy

    Reply
  1961. Quinnlyn M Thompson on

    My favorite book is Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust. I read this book probably 15 years ago and my mom joked with me saying I needed to put the book down to eat and use the bathroom. I couldn’t. It captivated me and I absolutely love how she wrote about her experience during that time. How she was able to strengthen her faith during such a terrible/frightening time.

    Reply
  1962. Kathy on

    The very best book I read this year was Where the Crawdads Sing. It had all the elements of a novel that interest me…nature, the ocean, and a strong story line. And the ending…I sure didn’t see that coming!

    Reply
  1963. Jaimee Mirsky on

    Very tough to name a single favorite – I have had many favorites throughout my life. One is Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell because it is so much fun to read and delivers in a very original way the idea that we are all connected through time. Another is A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles because it demonstrates the power that one’s attitude has in surviving adverse circumstances (a very helpful lesson during lockdown). And finally, Middlemarch by George Eliot, a classic I read for the first time this year – what a complex and beautiful work that left me wanting to read all of Eliot’s other works.

    Reply
  1964. Fabiola Ravine on

    One of my favorite books is Finding Your Way in A Wild New World by Martha Beck. The book is a guiding light to those looking to reclaim their true nature. The beauty of flowers, and the grounding that trees make me feel is magic, and part of my true nature. Erin, thanks for sharing so much of this magic with all of us.

    Reply
  1965. Mel on

    In the past, I’ve always said my favorite book was “The Robe” by Floyd C. Douglas… in the present, being a mom of 5, my favorite books are coffee table books and cookbooks with lots of pictures to give quick inspiration 😁 …I have a small kitchen garden and big dreams for the future of it!

    Reply
  1966. Bliss McIntosh on

    When I took over the care of a large estate on the Vermont/New York border about 20 years ago I was pretty clueless about the year-round tasks involved. The book that helped me through the first few years and to which I turn for a re-read almost every year is “A Year at North Hill” by Joe Eck and Wayne Winterrowd. It takes you through each month of the year with beautiful writing, sophisticated taste, down to earth tasks and an understanding of how a garden changes through time. The two authors became my friends and mentors, giving consults to “my” estate and sharing the path with me and thousands of others through their yearly “North Hill Symposiums”. Both have passed on but their book continues to be my guide.

    Reply
  1967. Judith Thompson on

    Laura Ingles Wilder’s Little House series. They were so industrious and plucky and there’s always so much beauty and humor woven in. My children are loving it just like I did many years ago.

    Reply
  1968. Annie Maloney on

    I love, and continue to learn from, your Cut Flower Garden Book! Bit by bit I am growing more confident with trying different flowers on our farm in Northwest PA. Added bonus: My 3-year-old also loves this book! He will pick it up and flip through the pages, asking me the names of different blooms or happily naming the ones he recognizes. Thank you for your good work in creating such a beautiful book and resource!

    Reply
  1969. Jenny Ellis on

    I love Monty Don’s Complete Gardener for the information and also the Gardenista book for the beautiful pictures.

    Reply
  1970. Rebecca McHaley on

    One of my recent favorite books is “Finding the Mother Tree” by Suzanne Simard. This books details her life in the forests of British Columbia, both as a child and as a scientist. She discusses her research on mycorrhizal fungi and trees, and how their symbiotic relationship is fundamental for both the vitality of the forest and, ultimately, the survival of humans and our planet. The book is truly fascinating, and her work is inspiring me as a budding horticulturist.

    Reply
  1971. Julie west on

    Love The Hummingbirds Daughter bu Luis Alberto Urrea, The story whisks you away to Mexico with a story of family, love, miracles and destiny. Beautiful characters and story. I keep a copy and read parts from time to time.

    Reply
  1972. Becky OBrien on

    Favorites are all the Carolyn Roehm design books. She uses flowers to enhance her interior design endeavors and spark joy.

    Reply
  1973. Kacy Dertien on

    All of yours! They are so great to be able to quickly reference when you just aren’t sure what to do. And, Kristine Albrecht’s “Dahlia Breeding for the Farmer-Florist and the Home Gardener”. I was able to save 150 seeds this Fall and I’m super excited to see what the Spring brings, as I’m just beginning my growing journey! This was my first year growing dahlias in my little back yard! Thank you!

    Reply
  1974. Mary Deskins on

    I have the older version on Monty Don’s The Complete Gardener and I love that book because of how he divides the seasons with what jobs need to be done and what to grow. I also enjoy reading about his gardens and how he’s constructed them over the years. I have to say though, if you’re a dog lover and have watched previous Gardeners World episodes – his book Nigel is a must read! Who didn’t love Nigel?

    Reply
  1975. Allison on

    Thank you for the recommendations!

    Reply
  1976. Risë Halbakken on

    What a wonderful post! I am writing down titles as fast as I can!
    I can’t pick a favorite book, too many! Here is a children’s book that I love…Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney. About a woman who wanted to make the world more beautiful by planting Lupines.
    Now, back to reading all the comments with their lovely recommendations!

    Reply
  1977. Dawn Kuznkowski on

    The Private World of Tasha Tudor was a book given to me by my mother. I became a huge fan of Tasha’s gardens, lifestyle and art. She has several books about her and her gardens with beautiful photos by Richard Brown, and she has illustrated many children’s books as well. She inspired me to embrace my love for gardening and flowers and really LIVE it. Tasha is no longer with us but her family continues honoring her and her work, and you can tour her gardens and “homestead” in Vermont. She continues to inspire me daily.

    Reply
  1978. Teresa on

    Ah, the joy of books. The book that began my love of playing with flowers is Flower Arranging by Jane Packer. I was living in England (99-2000) at the time and I was even able to take a couple of her courses. It was amazing! Using leaks in an arrangement is both beautiful and creative. I still love a touch of the unexpected when pulling bouquets together.
    For simple pleasure reading, it’s hard to beat Jane Austen’s Persuasion. All the drama and heartache jumping off the first page. Exquisite!
    This is such a fun offering, thank you for sharing your favorites, I cant wait to add some to my collection as well.

    Reply
  1979. Kirstie on

    I always say picking a favorite book is like picking a favorite flower or a favorite child… impossible! But one of my favorites as of lately is the Summer I Turned Pretty Series such a cute, series. Would love to win these books!

    Reply
  1980. Kristin Moss on

    “Pat Welsh’s Southern California Organic Gardening: Month by Month” is an incredible resource for any SoCal gardener and has been my constant companion for almost 20 years as I slowly try to make the magic happen in my yard. It is so chock-full of inspiration and Pat is incredible.

    Reply
  1981. Krista Campeau on

    My favorite book (currently) is where the crawdads sing, its a wonderful book that has a mix of biology and a really powerful story. For gardening books I have in bloom and I really enjoyed that one, a good mix of knowledge for the beginner and experienced gardener alike.

    Reply
  1982. Charlean Hayes Hughes on

    So many awesome books listed. Simon Sinek’s Start with Why is an eye opening read. It unearths motivation from all the to do lists and focuses on our whys. I confess for me it is ingoing work.
    Those librarians were probably thrilled to see someone passionate about learning. They probably have fond memories of your curious and thirsty mind.

    Reply
  1983. Brooke H. on

    I don’t think I could I pick one book. I like many different books for many different reasons. So, I will share a book that I read recently that I really enjoyed! I work with kids so this is a kids book: “The Crocodile Who Didn’t Like Water”. Such a cute story with a great message!

    Reply
  1984. Sierra on

    Oh my gosh I’m not sure how anyone can choose just one favorite book! I love so many!

    I think probably my favorite series would be The Frog Princess books by E.D. Baker. I found them when I was young and they just transported me to a different world. They’re an easy read, but they’re so fun! There are so many books that I love, but I’ve loved these for many years.

    Reply
  1985. Sheila on

    First of all thank you for the wonderful list of books!

    If I may be so bold as to say my current favorite book is one of yours, Floret Farm’s, A Year in Flowers by Erin Benzakein with Jill Jorgensen and Julie Chai.
    It has gotten my creative juices flowing.
    When we moved into our little home in North Seattle a little over 20 years ago, the yard was a blank slate. I took up all the grass and created my little slice of garden paradise, including my secret garden. Just looking through the pages of “A Year in Flowers” suddenly not just the flowers, but every plant, tree, vegetable became a possibility for my next flower arrangement. I am a “fly by the seat of my pants” Gardner. Your detailed narrative and beautiful photographs have provided me the “method to my madness” I needed.

    Reply
  1986. Erin M on

    I’m like you, I can never leave a bookstore empty-handed. The only reason my house isn’t floor to ceiling books is I’ve switched a lot of my casual reading to digital… though I still have about 8 bookcases full of books!

    I can never pick a favorite. But ones I return to a lot for comfort are:

    A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness – such an excellently written series of magic, love, and history. With vampires, witches, and other creatures for extra fun

    Anything by Mercedes Lackey – I’ve been reading her books for almost 30 years. Her books are a light fantasy, but a constant comfort.

    There are so many others, it’s almost impossible to list. Books and reading are one of my joys in life. I’m hoping my children learn that same love!

    Reply
  1987. Jeannie on

    I have so many favorite gardening books lately! It’s difficult to pick just one. So, let me go with the most recent; Cool Flowers by Lisa Mason Ziegler. This book brings old ideas to new light and is going to be a game changer for me here in zone 6. I am so thankful to gardeners like Erin and Lisa who are so open to sharing any and everything! You all are inspirations to so many… oh yea. That’s not why we’re here. Lol. Books by Erin at Floret and Monty Don are also favs any day!

    Reply
  1988. Stella Dugas on

    I have to say it’s your book Cut Flower Garden which I have referenced extensively in planning my garden and flowers to plant for next year. Great information was provided on what to plant when. I love the selection of flowers and greenery selected, and the photographs are just beautiful. Also, photos were very helpful in selecting flowers because I can see what they look like! I can’t wait to enjoy flowers all year long and preparing my garden properly.

    Reply
  1989. Tracy McGee on

    I haven’t yet gotten into growing a lot of flowers because I have been mainly focused on geowing food but I definitely want to incorporate some flowers into my garden next year. Probably my favorite garden book is The Family Garden Plan by Melissa Norris. It is full of helpful charts and worksheets to help you determine how much food to grow that will last your family for an entire year. I start every garden planning session with this book.

    Reply
  1990. Elizabeth Kelly on

    Your going laugh but mostly I read kids books to my toddler and my recent favorite book to read to her is called Paper Bag Princess

    Otherwise my favorite garden book is a book on perennial flowers in Ohio

    Reply
  1991. Paula Green on

    I read The Overstory by Richard Powers and it forever changed me. I have always been a tree lover and this book brings an awareness of the intelligence of trees. We really are all connected by roots!

    Reply
  1992. Erin Mileski on

    I just bought the Cut Flower Garden a few weeks ago and I love it! I live in a condo and don’t have much space for growing flowers, but I’m preparing for my dream of having a little land where I can grow flowers to share with my community. I also paint watercolors as a hobby and the amazing pictures in this book are the perfect models for painting flowers! I can’t wait to add these other suggestions to my bookshelf – thank you for sharing!

    Reply
  1993. Megan Wilson on

    Clare Nolan’s flower book has become one of my favorites as well. Her pictures are dreamy, and her approach to cramming as much beauty in a small, home garden as she can reflects my style well.

    Reply
  1994. Rachel Fannin on

    I have been wanting to own Frances Palmers Life in the Studio for a while now. I’ve been a florist for 30 years and a part time potter as well. Thank you for generously offering this giveaway. I’m a sucker for books as well.

    Reply
  1995. Maryse Hudon on

    The Flower Recipe book by Alethea Harampolis and Jill Rizzo of Studio Choo is so inspiring. Whenever I feel in a floral design rut, I just pick up this book and immerse myself in this book. It essentially gives me permission to step out of the usual arrangement offerings and just enjoy the creative process and trusting that I will succeed in designing an arrangement that will communicate just happy vibes!

    Reply
  1996. Liz on

    I totally relate to maxing out library cards as a kid! I would read on the bed while my mom and brother would take a nap. One of my favorites is the Liddabit Sweets Candy Cookbook. It’s filled with so much interesting candy and food science knowledge and every candy recipe from their take on Milky Ways to peppermint patties is absolutely delicious.

    Reply
  1997. Annie on

    Cut Flower Garden opened my eyes to the possibility of a cutting garden. I got it in early 2020 with the goal of giving beautiful bouquets to my neighbors, family and friends. My kids have loved delivering them with me! I also love Discovering Dahlias and am gifting it to my sister for Christmas this year with some of my dahlia tubers. Dahlia Breeding by Kristine Albrecht is another favorite! So many to choose from!!

    Reply
  1998. Rachel Muia on

    I lovde to read Wendell Berry, especially his short stories. Lately though I’ve mostly been reading bedtime stories to my toddler (a current favorite is Pancakes for Breakfast by Tomie DePaola) and and all the gardening books.

    Reply
  1999. Megan Buchanan on

    The book Mink River by Brian Doyle touched my soul. The book is set where I grew up on the Oregon Coast, which is a very special place to me. Brian amplifies the wonder, complexity and magic of that place, the people, and the creatures through his lyrical writing. Reading it was an experience.

    Reply
  2000. Kelly on

    Honestly, and I’m a bit embarrassed to say this being a teacher, I have never been a fan of reading. Even as a child. Your 3 books are actually the first books I purchased in my adulthood that were not required purchases for college courses or children’s books for my daughters or classroom. I absolutely enjoyed sitting down and reading them. I’m usually a skimmer but found myself reading every single word to soak in as much knowledge as I could! 🖤

    Reply
  2001. Debbie Rochon on

    Gosh, choosing one is not easy. I love “Driving Miss Norma.” I’ve loaned it many times and always make sure it’s returned. The love in this book is right there on the page. I also have many gardening/flower books. As a photographer, flowers are one of my favorite subjects. I have flower books from many areas/regions so I can identify the flowers in my photos. Thanks for all you do!

    Reply
  2002. Sabrina on

    I have two favorites , one is a vintage Better Homes and Gardens book, called New Garden Book
    and the other is my
    Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden book.
    Love them both, they are very informational 💐

    Reply
  2003. Courtney Shank on

    I really enjoy reading books when I find the time! Recently I picked up a Mandie book and I could barely put it down. My friend gave me about 20 more books in the series and i’m almost finished with them. I really like the Mandie books, because of all the mysteries. :)

    Reply
  2004. Qingqing Wischmeyer on

    This may sound a bit silly, my favorite book is David Austin handbook of roses. It’s a free brochure they send out every year. There are tons of beautiful pics inside, along with detailed growing information that a newbie can really use a good guide/reference for growing theirs roses.

    Reply
  2005. Teresa Lasaga on

    My favorite gardening book is Making More Plants; The Science, Art, and Joy of Propagation, By Ken Druse. I love being able to make more plants with plants that I already have in my garden.

    Reply
  2006. Amber Martin on

    Will Rogers said he never met a man he didn’t like. I must say I never met a book (I could probably say this for most desserts, too). When I ponder on those that inspire and ignite my passion for the garden there’s quite a long list. For general splendor and inspiration, I love “Flowers” by Carolyne Roehm and “Art Flowers” by Oliver Dupon. One of my favorite southern gardeners is Felder Rushing and I enjoy his humor and no-stress philosophy of gardening in “Slow Gardening.” Another great gardener, Linda Vater, will have a fabulous book coming out in the Spring of 2022. I can’t wait to read “The Elegant and Edible Garden.”
    Erin, thank you for the constant inspiration. I love your books!

    Reply
  2007. Andrea O. on

    First off, THANK YOU from this New England librarian for sharing the impact and impression that libraries can make on young (and not-so-young) learners. We think it’s a great place to be! My favorite book lately has been Still Life by Sarah Winman; it’ll make you drop everything and plan a trip to Florence!

    Reply
  2008. Maggie R. on

    It’s hard to find the time to really settle into a book lately with four littles, but once I do have the time again I will reread (for the 6th time) the red tent by anita diamant. Historical fiction in the time of the bible is my absolute favorite! What a great collection of suggested books, this time of year is secretly my favorite to research and bookmark new plants to experiment with in my cutting garden. My mom had the Martha Stewart’s month by month book and I’d always page through getting excited to see what new things she had planned. We had a small yard but it was bumped up next to a woodline where she had the most beautiful garden every year. She always made sure to plant Marguerite’s (mine and my grandma’s namesake) in there somewhere for us. Thankfully I caught the gardening bug from her.

    Reply
  2009. Meredith Brown on

    My favorite book is Donna Eden’s “Energy Medicine.” Her easy-to-understand techniques are simple, yet powerful to balance the body’s energy systems and restore health. It has been life changing for me, and I continue to learn more about energy medicine and share it with others!

    Reply
  2010. Kelly Hering on

    My favorite book is A Year in Flowers. This got my started with flower gardening, and I have a passion for it now! Thank you!

    Reply
  2011. Beverly Byer on

    “Martha Stewart’s Gardening: Month by Month”! I bought this in 1991 when it first came out and I have been obsessed ever since. It’s an absolutely gorgeous book and covers so many different aspect of gardening from tools, containers and soil to vegetables, herbs, and FLOWERS! Although this past year was my first foray into a true garden in my back yard, I have been using and enjoying this book for ideas for 30 years! I love Erin’s idea above to pick up available copies from used book stores and sending them as gifts. Great idea!

    Reply
  2012. Kaitlin Haaning on

    In Bloom by Clare Nolan is one of my all-time favorite books. She gives wonderful tips/information on growing flowers, but she incorporates her emotions into the book. I grow flowers because of how they make me feel, and because I can give to others through them. She gives great detail and insight into creating beautiful gardens at home, seasonal advice, specific plant information, etc…and while this is all very important I love most how I can feel her joy coming through the pages. It gets me excited about my garden every time I pick it up.

    Reply
  2013. Angela Bachman on

    I have taken gardening to a whole new level with “Cut Flower Garden” & “Discovering Dahlias”. I am using “Color Me Floral” along with You Tube tutorial for creating fresh flower bouquets. You have inspired me, Erin, to experiment and I am loving the creative process!!

    Reply
  2014. Carter on

    The Victory Garden has been my favorite. I grew up using with my mom in Nebraska. It holds a lot of good memories.m plus it’s just solid. Im really intrigued by the book by Monty Don here; definitely gonna check it out.

    Reply
  2015. Julie Thorpe on

    Perennial All Stars by Jeff Cox is a great resource with wonderful pictures. I too love books but especially my gardening books and my horticultural therapy resources to make gardening accessible for everyone.

    Reply
  2016. Brooke on

    My favorite book is Sunset’s Western Garden Book. I consider it my Bible, and have owned several editions over the years. It was my textbook when I went through a1200 hour horticulture program over 30 years ago, and I still find it the most valuable and most used resource I have.

    Reply
  2017. Cosette on

    It’s a little boring, but I love Sunset’s Western Garden Book. Its filled with a wealth of knowledge for anything I’m looking for!

    Reply
  2018. Carolyn Brinn on

    My favorite book is Anne of Green Gables. I’ve read it so many times. I’ve read it to my daughters as well. I love her vivid descriptions and the names for all of her special places and plants. I’m transported to a magical place every time!

    Reply
  2019. Lauren Martin on

    I have to tell you only one book I currently love?! Oh boy, let’s see if I can do this!

    Right now I am currently reading and love “The Organic Medicinal Herb Farmer” by Jeff & Melanie Carpenter.

    It is inspiring and what isn’t great about growing a plant that you know will help to heal someone? Not to mention that many are beautiful flowers that are beneficial to surrounding insects and wildlife. Just like narrowing down my favorite book, it’s hard for me to narrow down exactly what I want to focus on and grow. Our garden just keeps getting bigger and bigger!

    Reply
  2020. Kay Clark on

    Right now my favorite book is: For the Love of Kamut. Making bread has been fun again

    Reply
  2021. Brie T. on

    Books feel like friends to me and nothing is cozier than curling up with one in a rainy day with a warm beverage in a mug to drink. Whether it’s a beautiful cookbook, a novel, or memoir, they all hold special memories of who gifted them to me or what season of life I was in when I first read them.

    This may sound cliché, but the Harry Potter series will always be in my favorites list. Reading this series truly was the first time I felt fully immersed in a long storyline and I fell in love with reading. I can return to them again and agin over the years and never grow tired of it!

    Reply
  2022. Kayla Roberts on

    I would say that my favorite book of all is Educated by Tara Westover. Not only did she grow up in my community, but I have never read a book that inspired me to rise above and conquer dreams with determination more than her story. It is a lesson in self reliance, while allowing space for understanding and grace. Give it a read!!!

    Reply
  2023. Kimberly on

    What an inclusive list! In bloom is a great book, I was glad to see it on your list!
    Not gardening related but I recently finished the Pillars of the Earth series, I was so glad Follett came out with another book after all those years! Its a great series.

    Reply
  2024. Tina Wister on

    My favorite book is any book by Maeve Binchy. I love her writing style and her sweeping stories of people’s lives. I read them over and over again.

    Reply
  2025. Jody Hug on

    My favorite gardening book is A -Z of Companion Planting by Pamela Allardice, illustrations by Sue Ninham. Plants, pollinators, bugs, flowers and herbs are all described delightfully including folklore, herbal remedies, recipes and beautiful illustrations. Companion planting is not only beautiful but beneficial because it enables you to be more organic. This book will bring joy to any gardener like the sun on your back when your digging in the dirt.

    Reply
  2026. Shu-Hsin Bredthauer on

    My favorite book of all time is definitely the Bible. It is not fun and pretty to read, but it is truly a relationship to a living God. There is always new wisdom and insight I can glean from it even from the passages I am familiar with. It has sustained me though very difficult moments of my life, and it is truly a living book.

    My next favorite book… is Alice’s adventure in wonderland… it is whimsical and quirky, and always makes me chuckle of all the wits.

    Reply
  2027. Bonnie Manion on

    Hi Erin,
    My favorite gardening book is Rosalind Creasy’s Edible Landscaping. It showed me I could grow my own food in a beautiful and functional way!!
    She is a pioneer in this thinking, and gives you tips, ideas, and an incredible reference to edible landscaping!
    I loved all of your favorites in this blog post!
    Merci…..Bonnie Manion

    Reply
  2028. sushma kommineni on

    Floret Farm’s A year in flowers is my favorite book. This is the first gardening related book that I purchased and the floret flower blog together served as a good inspiration and a learning guide for me to start a small patch of flowers in my patio container. now I am able to grow a good range of cut flower garden on a half acre plot in the backyard and sideyeard of my New England home. This book is easy to follow, serve as a good inspiration and a beautifully illustrated guide for any stage gardener. This book never gets old. Every snowy cold winter I find myself reading and making notes along with some hot chocolate or hot tea by my side.

    Happy reading all!

    Reply
  2029. Stacy Lee DeHart on

    The Sunset Western Gardens Book has been my “Bible” for many years. However, there is lots of room on my bookshelf, and I would love to have more color there too!
    Thanks for always providing such helpful and useful information and resources.

    Reply
  2030. Rebecca McLeod on

    What a fun giveaway! It’s so hard to choose a favorite book but I would have to pick Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. Her writing is a beautiful love story of just how sweet our earth is and a call to action to treat her better

    Reply
  2031. Lisa Feng on

    Rosemary Verey’s ‘Good Planting Plans’ is my go to book when I need inspiration, direction or just because. It’s a book that’s filled with applied botanicals. love and knowledge. Rich with history as well as beauty. It’s my happy place.
    Thanks for asking!
    peace…

    Reply
  2032. Alison Bynum on

    A current favorite book of mine is Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund. Beautiful book about Christ’s gentleness towards us. ❤️

    Reply
  2033. Julia Hall on

    I love Greg Boyle’s incredible book “Barking to the Choir: the Power of Radical Kinship”. Boyle is a Jesuit Priest that spends his time helping gang members heal and start new lives. The love, compassion and friendship he creates is amazing.

    Reply
  2034. Brandt on

    Joel Salatin has many great titles. Some would be great to help the future farmer.
    “You can farm” “Everything I want to do is illegal” “Fields of Farmers”
    A more technical book on understanding plant insect interactions by Phil Callahan “Tuning into Nature”

    Reply
  2035. Hedy on

    I love the Charles Dowding No Dig gardening books as he makes it so simple to create and tend to your garden through his no dig method.

    Reply
  2036. Denyse Horsburgh on

    I’m hard pressed to name a favorite but any book relating to flowers or food is at the top of my list.

    Reply
  2037. Marianne Gately on

    Martha’s Stewarts Gardening: Month by Month. I bought this at a thrift store so many years ago and I still refer to it for tasks to be done and for the prevention of problems with my flower and vegetable gardens. She provides spot-on and basic information for the gardener. I learned that gardening whether it be of flowers or vegetables is not just during the growing season but all year.

    Reply
  2038. Kim Morris on

    I have so many favorite books, it’s difficult to choose only one. Since I found Floret through my love of gardening, I will share my go to gardening book as a gardener challenged by the harsh Texas climate. Neil Sperry’s book, Lone Star Gardening is a veritable encyclopedia of gardening in our state. It even covers grasses and pre-emergent treatments and timing for various weeds for which we are plagued.

    Niel Sperry has been the foremost expert on Texas gardening since the 1970’s, has his own radio show, newsletter, and does so much for the community in general. (I think of him as our own Monty Don.) Using his advice I’ve helped many friends and neighbors struggling with their gardens and lawns.

    Reply
  2039. Heather Grunig on

    It is difficult to choose a favorite book. I do love Persian Pickle Club by Sandra Dallas. It is a story based in the 1930’s about a women’s quilting/friend group and their adventures in a small town. This is the era my Grandma grew up in and I like to imagine her story as I read it. She passed away a few weeks ago and so to think about it today brings tears to my eyes.

    Reply
  2040. Michelle on

    Gardening / floral design books are the best! One winter weekend we had someone over who did not know us very well and they noticed that the only books on the coffee table were gardening books and beekeeping magazines.

    Best winter reading for us.

    Reply
  2041. Annie on

    All Creatures Great and Small Series by James Herriot are my all time go to for peace of mind. I always throw one in my carry on for airplane travel as take off and landing are not my favorite things in life! They are heartwarming and extremely funny in covering a country vet’s life in Yorkshire, England in the 1940s. His vivid descriptions about the rural countryside will delight all gardeners!

    Reply
  2042. Marissa Villescas on

    The dry garden by Beth Chatto because water is a precious resource and so are plants. Great inspiration for those of us who garden without much water.

    Reply
  2043. Abigail Smith on

    I actually love Fahrenheit 451 because it shows you the importance of books and reading!

    Reply
  2044. Katie Maslowski on

    Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. It’s a book I read over a decade ago but the message has stuck with me & is so inspiring. Thank you for this opportunity Erin & team Floret!

    Reply
  2045. Casey on

    I wasn’t much of a reader as I didn’t know what I liked to read when I was younger. I remember picking up the book The five people you meet in heaven to take on a cruise and couldn’t put it down. It was the first book that really kept me on my toes.

    Reply
  2046. Carlie Brooks on

    Your new “Discovering Dahlias” book has me enchanted. It’s been such a treat to read it with my 2 year old son as well. He’s begun to learn the names of some of the dahlias and will excitedly tell me which ones he know. It’s been a sweet treat to read and own that book.

    Reply
  2047. Greg Cannistraci on

    Sunset Western Garden Book has been my go to for all around gardening over the past 50 years. A trove of information, it has been a reference for gardening from southern California to the far Pacific Northwest. Certainly an encyclopedia for those west of the plains.

    Reply
  2048. Trudi Oconnell on

    I really love these to authors. Thalassa Caruso and Beverley Nichols.

    Reply
  2049. Rachel Burgoon on

    We are a book loving family! We read to our son and daughter every night before bed and I hope that never changes!

    I am new to the flower farming world but I would have to say Erin’s book Discovery Dahlias really inspired me to take growing flowers to the next level!

    I also have a friend who is a Librian whoI rely on for all novels! So to share, books by Brene Brown are very inspiring and inspirational! Happy Reading!

    Reply
  2050. Abigail Grove on

    My favorite book must be The Girl of the Limberlost by Indiana naturalist Gene Stratton Porter. I grew up in the woods on 40 acres and experienced magical things in nature but it was Gene Stratton Porter who opened up my world even more and made me look for beauty and wonder in the littlest of creations. I love to read and it would be a privilege and pleasure to receive your favorite books.

    Reply
  2051. Suzanne on

    One book I find myself picking up or listening to, at random, as I’ve read it more than once, is ‘Decisive’ by Chip and Dan Heath. I like the reminder that we have more choices than we think. Rarely, if ever, are there only two choices…you just need to move around the focus of what you are looking at, change the view, adjust the lens…good stuff.

    Reply
  2052. Stephanie Giorgi on

    Listing just one book is hard! My favorite childhood book is The Velveteen Rabbit. My copy is so soft and worn and loved! As an adult, I still go back to The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd.

    Reply
  2053. Rebecca Peterson on

    I don’t know where to start! Oh how I love books! I can’t just say which one— but I love beginner books. Books that lay it out so easily. Beekeeping for dummies was perfect for me getting into bees, and Natural Soapmakiny by Jan Berry was just what I needed to feel confident in soapmaking. Beginner books make me feel like a Jack of all trades and I really appreciate that!

    Reply
  2054. April on

    It’s hard to choose a favorite book, but I adore Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore (and all of her novels). The young woman protagonist has to navigate a world she’s not prepared for, including deceptive politics. I like how she learns to trust herself, think for herself, and surprise everyone with unique ways to lead. In gardening, I checked out The New Gardener’s Handbook by Daryl Beyers from the library earlier this year and loved it. I just started gardening in earnest this year and am trying to soak up lots of knowledge.

    Reply
  2055. Celeste on

    My longtime favorite book is Death Comes to the Archbishop by Willa Cather. It is about the history of New Mexico and Santa Fe where I now live. There is a reference to the archbishop’s apricot tree, trees that abound in the city and produce great bounty and beauty.

    Reply
  2056. Peg on

    There are several books that I go back to time and time again to get inspiration, a tip, instruction, etc. I so enjoy your 3 books (have one on my coffee table) along with Marie’s Everything is Figureoutable, Donald Miller’s business books, and Lisa Mason Ziegler’s Cool Flowers (that one is probably the most worn-out – lots of notes and soil in that book).

    Merry Christmas!

    Reply
  2057. Elena on

    I am just starting out and don’t own any gardening books yet. But my favorite book, despite it being a children’s book, is Blueberrys for Sal, as it inspired me to garden and move the East Coast.

    Reply
  2058. Sydney Jensen on

    My favorite book has been the Regenerative Growers Guide. It has been really amazing to learn how to use things in my backyard or nearby forest to better the soil life of my garden, like weeds! I’ve always trashed them but I just learned I can extract their nutrients to use as a fertilizer.

    Reply
  2059. Taylor H on

    I love curling up with any floret book when it’s cold and dreary out. I also enjoy a good Nicholas Sparks book, I think the Longest Ride is my favorite.

    Reply
  2060. Lindsay W. on

    They are all my favorite :). I have never read a “bad” book. I grew up in a very rural area with no libraries. Any book I could get my hands on was a gift! One of the greatest feelings is opening a book for the first time and taking a journey with the author!

    Reply
  2061. Stephanie Porter on

    I am also a lover of books and it is so hard to pick a favorite one! I love all of the Jane Austin books and any book set in that time period. But I’d have to say one of my very favorites is The Night Circus. It’s a fantasy book about magic and love and I thought it was beautifully written. Also thank you for the giveaway!!!

    Reply
  2062. Megan on

    Anne of Green Gables. Not the first book you’d think of when it comes to flower gardening but I find myself reading the series at least twice a year. Growing up I always loved Anne, her approach to the world and finding beauty in nature and her surroundings. I never thought that when I did grow up, I’d find myself relating more to Marilla. But I was blessed with a daughter who is the epitome of Anne’s spirit, and talks just as much too. I never realized how much Anne loved flowers and used them throughout every day life until I started my own little flower garden. They’re alive and have names and personalities and make you want to live in a house built with them. My daughter is a daily reminder to not be so Marilla-ish and really take the time to see the beauty that’s around us and delight in the joy it brings us.

    Reply
  2063. BeckyJo Bourgeois on

    How to decide?! :)

    On life –
    Traveling Mercies (Anne Lamott)
    She has a joy and a self-deprecating sense of humor that helps me fight my Virgo’s craving for perfection.

    On art –
    Sunflowers, a Novel of Vincent van Gogh (Sheramy Bundrick)
    Read this in anticipation of seeing the van Gogh exhibit. It was moving (and tragic) to imagine his life, his inspirations, and the circumstances of his death.

    On farming –
    Carving Out a Living On the Land: lessons in resourcefulness and craft from an unusual Christmas tree farm (Emmet Van Driesche)
    My hubby and I have a dream to farm — Christmas trees, flowers, veggies, and animals. This was our latest read. We are so drawn to regenerative farming practices, and it was fun to learn about coppicing Christmas trees specifically, and resourcefulness in general.

    Reply
  2064. Cynthia Spratt on

    One of my favorites is The Red Tent, by Anita Diamant. I love it because it’s a novel based on a small scripture in the Bible, but it’s also about midwifery and I spent much of my professional years as a nurse in labor and delivery and the NICU, so it’s close to my heart. And of course, the book is a total page-turner…the best kind of book to read. What an incredible and believable story, as so much research went into the book to bring to life what it was like to be a woman way back in the early biblical days.

    Reply
  2065. Beth Chatterton on

    No Pain No Gain or Capital Gains by Chip Gaines. They are both really good – inspirational, practical and funny. The way in which Chip sees the world and helps others is amazing – we need more Chips in the world. Everyone can take something from either of these books, including if you are a business owner.

    Reply
  2066. Shani on

    I love Cut Flower Garden because it was the perfect place for me to start with flowers. I return to it again and again and it always has some helpful insight in my journey. Thank you!

    Reply
  2067. Dana on

    It’s impossible to pick one favorite, but as a new gardener (who started with food and is expanding to include flowers!), “Kitchen Garden Revival” by Nicole Johnsey Burke stands out. It is a beautiful book with great, foolproof directions and information on starting and maintaining your own kitchen garden. Having a successful kitchen garden has really given me the confidence to branch out, and has motivated me to try new things and take new risks when it comes to gardening!

    Reply
  2068. Betsy B. on

    My newest favorite book is the Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern. It’s a story about a love of books and stories that is utterly captivating. Also, Monty Don is the best, I’m thrilled to see him on your list.

    Reply
  2069. Jennifer Smith on

    Two books I have bought several times because I keep giving them away to people because I want them to find joy like I did are: “What God Really Thinks About Women” by Sharon Jaynes and “Mere Christianity” by C.S. Lewis. Flowers bring joy as well and I am excited to learn more about them.

    Reply
  2070. Jenni M on

    I’ve never been much of a book reader, but have discovered a new love for reading! My Floret books are my go-to and never get ‘old’. I’ve been a big fan of Monte Don as well and would be delighted to win the bundle!

    Reply
  2071. Angie Guyette on

    Discovering Dahlias has been my most recent favorite “flower” book. There is so much awesome information and amazingly beautiful photos! I also have loved the cookbook I received a few months ago by Christina Tosi, so many fun recipes and a wealth of baking information. The book is Momofuku Milk Bar!!

    Reply
  2072. Nikita Rath on

    Thank you for this great opportunity. My favorite book is “The power of your Subconscious mind” by Joseph Murphy. It is my favorite book because it talks about the inner powers we all possess which can help us to achieve anything and everything in life. It makes me believe that I can achieve all I want in my life by my own thoughts and belief, nothing can get better than that. I have implemented its teaching in my own life to see successful results as well. Loved reading about your love for books. Thanks for inspiring each one of us!

    Reply
  2073. Jo on

    I have been reading Jojo Moyes books which all draw me in and hold me captive…and also The tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris was a deep read..Just recently I finished Three Sisters also by Heather Morris and found it riveting… I love my floret cut flower book ! It’s my most used book..not just for advice but also for the pictures! And last but not least I’ve been loving Kali Ramey Martin’s magazine and book.

    Reply
  2074. Amy C. on

    My gateway book into flowers was Vegetables Love Flowers by Lisa Mason Ziegler. Next, I found Floret and took a deep dive into all of Erin and the Floret team’s books. Have read some of the books from your post but many are new resources. Can’t wait to read through those over winter!

    Reply
  2075. Judith on

    I have to pick a favorite book!? Erin, this is impossible. I’m reading “Hunt, Gather, Parent” right now and it’s been a refreshing read, especially as I let my 4yr old help plan out our garden for the spring! I also enjoy most C.S. Lewis, and Michael Pollan. As a kid the “redwall” series was amazing and I can’t wait until my kids are old enough to read it with me!

    Reply
  2076. Ann on

    I love a good book. I can’t name a favorite book — especially about gardening as I’m so new to it— but this question brought to mind Mary Stewart’s book Rose Cottage. It’s not a “great book” but it gave me the idea of making my own home and yard into a rose cottage. It’s a 1970’s rancher so it’s a stretch. The garden will have to outdo the house! With the help of an out of season sale of roses (some David Austen’s included) at Costco and our shop turned library as storage for them until planting time, we began. Three years ago, my daughters and husband redid the perennial beds against our house. Last year was my turn. My son took down our old and very used playhouse before he left home. My daughter got married last November. And there was the pandemic. I wanted a garden, and so, from basically zero gardener, I signed up for the 2021 Floret Workshop. I have yet to read so many of the books listed above.

    There is an English Nursery Rhyme too that I learned —-oddly enough in college:

    This is the Key of the Kingdom:
    In that Kingdom is a city;
    In that city is a town;
    In that town is a street;
    In that street there winds a lane;
    In that lane there is a yard;
    In that yard there is a house;
    In that house there waits a room
    In that room an empty bed;
    And on that bed a basket–
    A Basket of Sweet Flowers:
    Of Flowers, of Flowers;
    A basket of Sweet Flowers.

    Flowers in a Basket;
    Basket on the bed;
    Bed in the chamber;
    Chamber in the house;
    House in the weedy yard;
    Yard in the winding lane;
    Lane in the broad street;
    Street in the high town;
    Town in the city;
    City in the Kingdom–
    This is the Key of the Kingdom.
    Of the Kingdom this is the Key.

    I’ve thought of it many times in my life.

    If I had to grab one book on the way out the door if my house was on fire, it would be the St. Andrews Daily Missal that my book loving husband gave me years ago. Why? So I can follow The Mass and the liturgical year.

    Reply
  2077. Lisa on

    I can’t lie, my favorite book of all time is the one and only, Sublet’s Guide to Birds. This bird nerd doesn’t leave home without it. As for gardening related reading, Page Dickey’s Uprooted is a book I relate deeply to as a gardener who has left two beautiful gardens behind after moving across Arizona twice in the last six months. It helped me learn to move on, look back with fondness and look forward to new beginnings.

    Reply
  2078. Catherine Lanci on

    My easy all time favorite and go to gifting book is “Letters to a Young Poet” by Rainer Maria Rilke … his timeless advice awakens the poet in each of us. A close second is “La Foce: a Garden and Landscape in Tuscany” by Benedetta Origo … this visual treat epitomizes the beauty that is singular to the Italian landscape.

    Reply
  2079. Zandy on

    What a great collection of books! Can’t go wrong with Monty Don and Eliot Coleman.

    Reply
  2080. Hydie McDonald on

    My favorite book is “The Secret Garden” by Frances Hodgson Burnett. I read it as a young girl and an adult many times and chose it as one of my picks for our monthly book club meeting. Once I had children, I wanted them to experience this classic and timeless book. No matter your age, this book appeals to everyone. If you have not read this book, I recommend it to all. Happy Reading my friends!!

    Reply
  2081. Katarina Sawtelle on

    I love Francis H. Cabot’s The Greater Perfection: The Story of the Gardens at Les Quatre Vents. My home is in the NorthEast US, so the landscape and plants are familiar. His plantings enhance already beautiful surroundings. Magic!

    Reply
  2082. Brittney Plummer on

    If I’m being honest I read sees catalogs more often than anything. I love the tidbits of information tucked in with pictures of the plants.

    However currently I’m most often found with your Cut Flower Garden book. It’s getting dirt from being referenced so often.

    Currently reading my childhood favorite book with my boys: Where the sidewalk ends

    This is such an exciting giveaway!!

    Reply
  2083. Lorraine Gangsei on

    Any flower book is great and yous are some of the best. I guess I would pick Martha Stewart Month by Month

    Reply
  2084. Jolene Shank on

    Right now I’m in a season of reading more books to my children than to myself and a recent favorite has been Anne of Green Gables. However, favorite of all time would have to be the Bible, God’s love letter to all of humanity.

    Reply
  2085. Jan Jeffryes on

    My favorites recently of coarse are Cut Flower Garden and Discovering Dahlias! I started my journey with The Lavender Lovers Handbook and Sunset’s Western Garden Book. The Flower Farmer and Cool Flowers are my go to books. Love them all! I really enjoy Monty Don’s Gardeners World on PBS too!

    Reply
  2086. Melanie Gothman on

    WOW, what a collection. Thank you for sharing. You are an inspiration to both my husband and I. We are currently in the planning stages of starting to grow more flowers and grow what we are passionate about.

    Reply
  2087. Darlene Cullen on

    You just might have as many books as me! I have them tucked everywhere as well. I definitely DID NOT need to read your blog (joking) because I’ve added 5 more to my “want” list. 🙄 Thanks so much for reviewing and sharing!

    Reply
  2088. Jody on

    Oudolf Hummelo. Oh my Goodness, the seasonal textures and layers are stunning!

    Reply
  2089. Audrie Patterson on

    Floret’s cut flower garden has been my favorite because it’s attached to a season of my life where I was seeking inspiration in a hobby that I had recently found – gardening. I loved the beauty of the book and all the possibility it offered. It served to inspire the pursuit of dreams in my life. And it’s helped to store greater awe and wonder in my heart.

    Reply
  2090. Debbie Rivera-Collins on

    I read a lot of thrillers, post-apocalyptic, gardening, art, fiction, non-fiction, and mystery books. Not too long ago I found a book that is absolutely beautiful and has become one of my favorites. I don’t really believe in favorites of anything because there is just so much to choose from and people and things are amazing! ‘On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean’ Vuong is so poignant and intimate. In it, Little Dog writes a letter to his mother, who doesn’t speak English. As it encompasses many issues, it is at once, beautifully written, and poetically stunning. His writing is glorious, his words leave me breathless. Rarely has a booked moved me as this one has. I am an intuitive person in general but his work had me crying like a baby. Here is a little slice of his work…

    It’s not too late. Our heads haloed
    with gnats & summer too early
    to leave any marks.
    Your hand under my shirt as static
    intensifies on the radio.
    Your other hand pointing
    your daddy’s revolver
    to the sky. Stars falling one
    by one in the cross hairs.
    This means I won’t be
    afraid if we’re already
    here. Already more
    than skin can hold. That a body
    beside a body
    must make a field
    full of ticking. That your name
    is only the sound of clocks
    being set back another hour
    & morning
    finds our clothes
    on your mother’s front porch, shed
    like week-old lilies.

    Reply
  2091. Rachel Marsh on

    I have two (is that ok?) My favourite book is Sissinghurst, The Dream Garden by Tim Richardson. It’s a perfect stroll through Sissinghurst but also made me realise and accept that it was ok plant my garden for me, for a particular season or with certain varieties – all just because…

    My other favourite it You Choose by Nick Sharratt – the best children’s book for getting their imagination going.

    Reply
  2092. Charlotte Nordstrom on

    I love reading seed catalogs cover to cover! The Baker Creek Seed Catalog is a great read.

    Reply
  2093. Christine on

    From early childhood books were my friends and the library a favorite place to spend hours. When I think about a favorite book I can’t choose just one as they all are favorites. I think my favorite is what I’m reading at the moment. Currently that is cut flower gardening in preparation of a beautiful spring.

    Reply
  2094. Eileen on

    With so many great books in the world the one that I return to most often is Grey’s Anatomy 🤣 It makes sense as I am a retired massage therapist of 30 years but I still open it to identify my latest muscle pull or just to marvel at the human anatomy

    Reply
  2095. Ann DeRose on

    I love Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden. The text contains great tips for getting started and growing so many different varieties of flowers. I love that the information is specific to various flowers rather than only general instructions for categories such as annuals, perennials, etc. And…the photography is stunning and so inspirational – from what to grow, to how to use the material in beautiful arrangements. I highly recommend this book.

    Reply
  2096. Amanda Pratt on

    One of my favorites is Under Western Skies. It highlights the most beautiful botanical gardens in the west.

    Reply
  2097. Terese Byrne on

    Your Cut Flower Garden Book is my favorite. I’ve been able to learn so much about specific flowers. It teaches me what I’ve done wrong or haven’t done with flowers I’ve struggled with in the past. I often catch myself thinking, “now that makes total sense.” I am excited to try some of my favorites again and bet I’ll have better success!

    Reply
  2098. Sandra Irber on

    As a 5 year old my favorite book was The Carrot Seed, and it was made into a children’s record. I played it over and over. I loved it! It is one of my fondest childhood memories, and to this day “I water it, I pull the weeds. Carrots grow from carrot seeds.”However, now it’s flowers grow from flower seeds!
    Sandy Irber, Flower Floozy

    Reply
  2099. Stephanie Cornell on

    Honestly, my favorite is your book Cut Flower Garden. It inspired me to grow many annuals that I didn’t think I wanted to.😄 It also got me interested in dahlias. I also really like Vegetables Love Flowers by Lisa Mason Ziegler. I really enjoy growing vegetables along with flowers.

    Reply
  2100. Alyssa M. on

    My favorite BOOK is The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran. However, my most-used and most-loved gardening book currently is Cut Flower Garden. =)

    Reply
  2101. Meg Birnbaum on

    I wish that I had a book to recommend that hasn’t already been mentioned. The Floret book collection is a hug joy for me and especially helped me to weather the pandemic lockdown. I also want to give thanks to my fierce friend Judy who passed this year. She taught me that everything can and should be considered because bad design can take the same amount of energy as good design. She always had fresh flowers in her house – even when it was an extravagance. Any overnight trip or picnic always involved flowers. And I thank her for that.

    Reply
  2102. Ellie Alexander-Loomis on

    My current favorite is Let’s Make Dumplings! I’ve had the best time making their recipes and I love the graphic nature of the cookbook.

    Reply
  2103. Katie Woodruff on

    Harry Potter, because it opened the door to me loving books as a lonely teenager.

    Reply
  2104. Dorcas Anderson on

    My Favorite book is Flowers, Flowers! by Paula Pryke. This book taught me how to make amazing arrangeents. This book covers containers, colour themes, special occasions, techniques, plant gazetteer, common names and latin names. Her style is so unusual and beautiful. I took flower arrangements to church every every Sunday for about 20 years. It was great practice and brought beauty to church.

    Reply
  2105. Mike on

    My current favorite gardening book is ‘A Tapestry Garden’ by Marietta and Ernie O’Byrne. It chronicles the building of their incredible garden outside Eugene, OR and world class Hellebore breeding operation. The book is filled with incredible photographs and great information about the choice plants that can be grown in the maritime PNW climate.

    Reply
  2106. Victoria Kotrotsios on

    Animal, Vegetable, Miracle A Year Of Food Life. Barbara Kinsgolver with Steven L. Hopp and Camille Kingsolver. An inspirational book that change can happen from the raw land of an old farm. It’s an adventure of change and the bounty of life.

    Reply
  2107. Sarah Francks on

    Yes! I’m obsessed with so many gardening books, but especially my vintage Better Homes & Gardens books, some old books on Ikebana from my Aunt, and Monty Don’s “The Complete Gardener.”
    Thank you so much for all your content hear round, and this fabulous giveaway. What fun!

    Reply
  2108. Jenny Revollo on

    My favorite book of all time is Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell. I still remember my 4th grade teacher reading the story to us and feeling so inspired by The Lone Woman of San Nicholas, it has been a story of courage that I’ve come back to throughout the years.

    Reply
  2109. Anastasia Sweeney on

    My favorite book is Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson. She’s so honest and open about mental health and adds such a funny spin to the struggle. So good.

    Reply
  2110. Jenn on

    I have so many favorite books it’s hard to pick… I love the Chronicles of Narnia series because it takes me back to being a kid, and my mom reading them to me in different voices/accents for all the characters. Pride & Prejudice is wonderfully quippy. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver is well-written, thought-provoking, inspiring, and just a plain good read. And anything by Bob Goff- he is an absolute delight and I want to see the world and people with the grace and love that he does.

    Reply
  2111. Britany Lundberg on

    Old Man and the Sea by Earnest Hemingway. Growing up reading did not come super naturally to me, and for quite some time, I didn’t understand why people bothered. My father gifted me this book and it was a turning point in my perspective on reading. Oh the adventure, the people and places! In addition to be being a beautiful story this book taught me that reading is about discovering and learning and transporting oneself into the world of the book. Whether thats a seaside, a garden, a science lab, or the top of a mountain reading can take you anywhere.

    Thank you for the list of beautiful books. I look forward to continual discovery!

    Reply
  2112. Annika McIntosh on

    I also love “The New American Herbal” by Stephen Orr and “ The Resilient Gardener” by Carol Deppe. So many!!

    Reply
  2113. Karin on

    One of my favorite Garden books is the Art of Gardening Chanticleer and of course your books.

    Reply
  2114. Sarah on

    The Bible is my favorite book of all time, but the book series that awoke my love of reading as a child was the Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I would wake up before anyone else in the house to curl up in the big cozy chair and get lost in the world of the pioneers. I have revisited them as an adult and they are still just as rich and inspiring as when I was young. And now I read them with my kiddos!

    Reply
  2115. Francina on

    Wow what a great blog post jam-packed with info especially for book lovers, of which I count myself as one! Oh goodness me, my favourite book? It changes from time to time for sure but right now, my favourite has to be David Chang’s memoir: “Eat a Peach”.

    I’ve always been a fan of the author’s cheekily maverick attitude towards food & life, but the book was a window into the respected chef’s (sometimes tormented) inner world and his courage in fighting his way to the top of the restaurant scene. It struck many emotional chords with me, at times like looking into a mirror. Emotionally it is raw but also so full of empathy and humanity.

    Reply
  2116. Sherry on

    My favorite book is the Bible. The story of God redeeming us and creation through his Son Jesus.
    So much hope! Also, any book by Francine Rivers and Lynn Austin.

    Reply
  2117. Shannon on

    I love flower books, and I’ve only read half of the ones you listed, so I need to find the rest! But my favorite book is a retelling of the myth of Cupid and Psyche, Till We Have Faces, by C. S. Lewis
    “The sweetest thing in all my life has been the longing…to find the place where all the beauty came from” Couldn’t that quote have been written about what flowers do to you?

    Reply
  2118. TRACI CASTRO on

    Hmmm, not a gardening book actually, but a children’s novel. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin. The adventures of a little girl on a journey, wrapped in many layers and lessons, including the definition of happiness, true friendship, and the vital role of gratitude in our lives. A great book to read as a family!

    Reply
  2119. Ashley on

    Honestly the only flower book I’ve read is Floret’s Cut Flower Garden and I love it so much it went on my Christmas wish list!

    Reply
  2120. Samantha Wyslak on

    Everlasting by Bex Partridge is my most enjoyed book. I love the fact that I learned so much from it. All the inspiration in book is phenomenal. It as helped me create pieces in ways I would’ve thought of. It has also taught me that when creating a piece, sometimes a flower might not dry how you thought it would and that’s okay.
    The pictures in it are absolutely beautiful too! Sometimes I’ll just open it up just to look at those. I think it’s a must have book if you like to learn about dried flowers or just looking at beautiful flower pictures.

    Reply
  2121. Treva Elwood on

    I found “The God of Small Things” by Arundhati Roy to transport me in a time where I needed adventure and magic. Seeing her characters struggle and triumph in the midst of mystical wonder was like fertilizer in the field for me.

    Reply
  2122. Emily H on

    I would say my favorite is Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass. I read it during a pivot time during my youth and it really awoke my love and appreciation of nature and how I would devote my life to fiercely protecting it.

    Reply
  2123. Ruth Tunick on

    My favorite book is Francis Palmer’s Life in the Studio. As I do several different types of creating including botanical dyeing and slow stitching I found this amazing. Gardening is my first love and an art as well.

    Reply
  2124. Abigail K. V. on

    My favorite book is “An Old Fashioned Girl” by Louisa May Alcott. I first read it when I was twelve and I fell in love with it. It reflected perfectly the little girl I wanted to be like. I’ve read it multiple times since then and it never gets old.

    Reply
  2125. Samantha Rosa on

    My favorite book! That’s so difficult to choose. I love books! Recently I read Believe it by Jamie Kern Lima. It is very inspirational, her story about how she faced challenged and succeeded. Also, all profits go towards helping families through nonprofits. She isn’t keeping a dime! Pretty amazing.

    Reply
  2126. Stede Barber on

    Hard to pick just one…a favorite is “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse” by Charlie Mackesy…a book full of gorgeous illustrations, words, kindness, and bursting with creativity…it is an astounding and wonderful little book…I read it from cover to cover and or just open it to random pages for a touch of wonder…

    Reply
  2127. Elizabeth T on

    My favorite book is Anne of Green Gables – I read and re-read the entire collection while growing up, always taking off the dust covers and then returning each book to its spot in our bookshelves. I love the innocence, acceptance, and growth, and especially find her journey of self-confidence really appealing and helpful.

    Reply
  2128. Ann on

    My favorite book is often the one I just read. Right now that is The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Richardson. I also have an extremely tattered copy of The Far Pavilions by MM Kaye that I have read many times. I love books that transport me to a different time or place.

    Reply
  2129. Jenna Thompson on

    I feel best surrounded by stacks of books, it’s definitely how I make it through the winter months!
    My favorite garden book is the layered garden by David Culp.
    It is a beautiful book on how to transition your garden from season to season and it definitely makes me feel better about my plant collecting problem.

    Reply
  2130. Elizabeth on

    A Pattern Language by Christopher Alexander

    Books to share please!

    Reply
  2131. Whitney Miller on

    Weeds of the west! It’s such a great resource for my area and I use it all of the time to identify different weeds in my garden!

    Reply
  2132. Sandy S. on

    I too have haunted libraries all my life and need to be surrounded by books. I read 60-75 books per year, so I really couldn’t choose a favorite, but I found “Cool Flowers” last year and I can finally grow sweet peas in my VA garden! :)

    Reply
  2133. Pamela Z on

    I retired from teaching a few years ago, and have been on a journey to the Next Thing. My husband & I are restoring old houses – he’s an architect and I’m a gardener/designer. How can I take this idea of “spaces” and create a gig from it? Mad About The House by interiors blogger Kate Watson-Smyth, and Erin’s Cut Flower Garden are the two books that made me think “I can DO this!” So, I’m doing the interiors of the 1871 house my husband & I are restoring, and designing the landscape for cut flowers and 4-season beauty. There is no such thing as too much inspiration! Thanks, Erin!

    Reply
  2134. Andrea Saadatmandi on

    Like you, I was obsessed with books, reading and hanging out in our little town library when I was younger. The book obsession has never waned. I have several of the books you mentioned, but I’d have to say, the one that has left the biggest impression on me was one from my childhood. The Golden Name Day by Jennie Lindquist. It transported a young New Hampshire girl to a magical place with special people, beautiful places and unique customs.

    Reply
  2135. Eileen Schoenmoser on

    Eckhart Tolle’s The Power of Now changed my life. I was able to forgive and understand my mom more as she was mentally ill. I was able to forgive myself and realize that all the negative things I thought about myself are not true. I was able to break through conditioned thoughts. I’m not a religious person but I am a spiritual person. This book is like my bible. I’ve read it four times. It helps me reset.

    Reply
  2136. Loeta on

    I love books, as well, and these suggestions are sure expand my reading list! My favorite of all time must be the Bible. It is such a rich revelation of God’s love for mankind and a practical guide for living.

    Reply
  2137. Holly Walker on

    I love to read, mostly fantasy or books about nature now as an adult. But I feel like my favorite books were those I read when I was a child, the ones that sparked wonder in my life and taught lessons. Recently I rediscovered the Velveteen Rabbit and how much this was my favorite book as a child and even more now as an adult.

    It has a lot of quotes that now mean even more to me as I grow older.

    “…Weeks passed, and the little Rabbit grew very old and shabby, but the Boy loved him just as much. He loved him so hard that he loved all his whiskers off, and the pink lining to his ears turned grey, and his brown spots faded. He even began to lose his shape, and he scarcely looked like a rabbit any more, except to the Boy. To him he was always beautiful, and that was all that the little Rabbit cared about. He didn’t mind how he looked to other people, because the nursery magic had made him Real, and when you are Real shabbiness doesn’t matter.”
    Margery Williams – The Velveteen Rabbit, 1922.

    Reply
  2138. Beth Rodgers on

    Ishmael by Eden Southworth. It’s such a gripping story with a fabulous lesson. You can hardly put it down and won’t easily forget it!

    Reply
  2139. Abby on

    Right now, I really love A Year in Flowers. I couldn’t put it down and that is saying a lot since I haven’t picked up a book since college. There are so many things that go into growing and design that I never would have even imagined. Besides, I am a huge visual learner and all the pictures really help!

    Reply
  2140. Kim on

    I absolutely LOVE how-to books but my favorite book of all time is David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. It’s a story about people both lovely and loathsome and happy endings.

    Reply
  2141. Julia on

    This is difficult. I have favorites in every genre! My favorite writer is Edgar Allen Poe, so I’ll go with any of his poems and tale compilations. My love of reading started with the Bobbsey Twins and Little House books like so many others. I’m enjoying reading the comments!

    Reply
  2142. Chel Smith on

    The Bible is my favorite book of all time but I loved Nancy Drew mysteries as a kid! My latest “favorite” is Anne of Green Gables…absolutely wonderful! I have to admit that I never read it as a child (I am now 63!) and thought I should read some of the classics. Books are truly magical things!

    Reply
  2143. Jacqui Kennemer on

    One of my favorites is The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. It has proven to be one of the most simple, clear cut and encouraging books on how to live an intentional life. I remember the first time I read it, I was challenged by his upbringing and yet blown away by the truth he presented. The wisdom in the four agreements was spot on and aligned with my values and heart. It was easy to digest and apply that mindset to everyday life. I have since shared this little book with friends and family and have found it to be in my top 3 all time favorites to read and revisit.

    Reply
  2144. Beverly on

    One of my favorite books is Paths of Desire by Dominique Browning. She talks about restoring her neglected garden, but she also “reminds us that the life of a garden can never be separated from the people who wander in and out of it”.

    Reply
  2145. Debbie Guy on

    To name a favorite is definitely a challenge as favorites change depending on the time in my life. Currently it would be Anam Cara by John O’Donohue. His poetic writing about spirituality, connection to landscape and nature, and the beauty of all of it including our inner landscape wraps itself around me in such a beautiful way.

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  2146. Annika McIntosh on

    Right now I am loving the book by Henk Gerritsen & Piet Oudolf , “Dream Plants for a The Natural Garden”.

    Reply
  2147. Annalissa Miller on

    Honestly, it’s so silly but my current favorite book is Grumpy Monkey. It’s a kids book but I have two young kiddos and I work in Early Childhood Education. It talks about a grumpy monkey and everyone trying to fix it for him and he recognized in the end sometimes he just needs to be grumpy and that’s ok, but it will get better. Such a good message for adults too, haha!

    Reply
  2148. Andrea Favro on

    “The Lavender Lover’s Handbook” by Sarah Berringer Bader makes you dream of fragrant lavender fields. It is inspirational and has everything from identification of different lavender plants to uses of each type and even recipes and how to crafts – the photos by Janet Loughrey are beautiful representations of what this herb (and it’s flowers) bring to our lives. Lavender started my love of herbs (flowers) and the garden over seven years ago and it fills my life with fragrant joy!

    Reply
  2149. Christina Nordick on

    What a great list! I would add: “One Thousand Gifts” by Ann Voskamp – a wonderful book focusing on gratitude and thankfulness – being observant to all the beauty and gifts around us. Because, a thankful heart is a happy heart.

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  2150. Andrea Favro on

    “The Lavender Lover’s Handbook” by Sarah Berringer Bader makes you dream of fragrant lavender fields. It is inspirational and has everything from identification of different lavender plants to uses of each type and even recipes and how to crafts – the photos by Janet Loughrey are beautiful representations of what this herb (and it’s flowers) bring to our lives. Lavender started my love of herbs (flowers) and the garden over seven years ago and it fills my life with fragrant joy!

    Reply
  2151. Lindsay Pruchnicki on

    My favorite book will forever be the Bible. I know that might sound cliche, but it truly is. Not only does it have excellent advice for life today, it gives you examples of people and the outcome of their choices in life. I am always encouraged when I read Proverbs because my family have been victims of injustice. And Proverbs talks about how God feels about injustice, and how he will rectify all injustice in the future. It also talks about how the whole earth will soon be as beautiful as your gardens! And I love picturing myself there, helping to restore the earth to the beauty it was meant to be! I could go on and on about why I love it and the hope it’s brought me, especially during these difficult times. It’s such a wonderful book!!!

    Reply
  2152. Caitlyn on

    My favourite books (I can’t choose just one!) are Educated by Tara Westover & A House in the Sky by Amanda Lindhoult & Sara Corbett. Both books are memoirs are share the stories of people who overcame enormous challenges and the circumstances they found themselves in.

    Reply
  2153. Katie Mendelsohn on

    My all time favorite book is “Miss Rumphius” by Barbara Cooney. I first read this beautiful children’s book around age 8 and it has been a directing force in my desire to “make the world a more beautiful place” ever since.

    Reply
  2154. TamieG on

    Lisa Ziegler-Masons book Cool Flowers has been a learning, go to book. Tied closely to my course book from Floret.

    Reply
  2155. Taylor on

    I’m like you and have soooo many gardening books, but Cut Flower Garden is the first book I ever preordered. It really did influence my love of growing flowers. Prior to finding your account and reading your books, I was strictly obsessed with growing food. Now I incorporate as many flowers as possible in my garden.

    Reply
  2156. Jennifer Reimers on

    My favorite gardening book has been yours, Cut Flower Garden. I am definitely a garden novice, but your book has been helpful in making me not feel completely out of my depth while also stoking the flame of my excitement. I’ve loved every second of it and have already dog eared it a ton!

    Outside of gardening, my favorite book is The Autobiography of Henry VIII with notes by his fool Will Somers by Margaret George. I am a history major by degree and Henry VIII is absolutely fascinating to me. While this book is historical fiction, I love the detail and research Margaret put into it while making the information feel more relatable as it is told in the first person in the form of Henry’s journal writings.

    Reply
  2157. Sarah Erstrom on

    I always loved Tuesdays with Morrie, it really makes you ponder life :)

    Reply
  2158. Andrea Favro on

    “The Lavendar Lover’s Handbook” by Sarah Berringer Bader makes you dream of fragrant lavender fields. It is inspirational and has everything from identification of different lavender plants to uses of each type and even recipes and how to crafts – the photos by Janet Loughrey are beautiful representations of what this herb (and it’s flowers) being to our lives. Lavender started my love of herbs (flowers) and the garden over seven years ago and it fills my life with fragrant joy!

    Reply
  2159. Pam Dale on

    I am a beginner and have Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden which I love and so appreciate. It is my only gardening book, making it my favorite garden book. Thank you so much for the list, now I have books to explore. Erin thank you so much for all you share with us.

    Reply
  2160. Andréa on

    Tough question as there are so many that are on repeat! Really can’t choose :)

    Reply
  2161. Denise D on

    So many books, so little time! One of my more recent favorites is The New Heirloom Garden by Ellen Ecker Ogden. Ellen is the co-founder of the Cook’s Garden seed catalog and lives in gardens in Vermont, as I do, which is helpful in our short-lived and challenging garden season. The book is a mix of design, seed collecting history, inspirational ideas and recipes. I love the layout, photos and readability of this book. I second the mentions of Braiding Sweetgrass which I try to read of bit of before I go to bed. I discovered it during early COVID and found it calming and therapeutic, beautifully written!

    Reply
  2162. ben on

    JM Fortier’s book “the market gardener” is a concise, to the point book that gives a great base for any farming business. It is a condense book with loads of information that I use through out the year to reference information I need for my vegetable business. For our flower business Floret is our go to book for all the same reasons except it has better pictures! (a guy thing)
    Farmer Ben and Denise

    Reply
  2163. Laura on

    Such a good list and many of my favs too! One of my favorites for business is Essentialism. It’s a great book that really has helped me think about how to focus on the most important aspects of my work.

    Reply
  2164. Jessica Johns on

    Ah this is a tough one! I reference your cut flowers book as well as The Complete Gardener often. I have a small gardening library as well and every winter I sit with these books to dream about spring. Most of my books are from my Grandfather’s library, featuring many old books on roses, CA gardening & whatnot. He passed away Feb 2020 so it’s sweet to feel connected to him as I plan, calendar and sketch out all of my ideas using my library as a reference.

    Reply
  2165. Mrs Eley on

    My 13 year old daughter has been eying your books all year! So I’ll comment on her behalf =) She loves all gardening and flower books. Its a dream of hers to have a mini FloretFlower farm. She also enjoys good history. But I’d say her favorite is Nature’s Healing Herbs and The Time Life’s Complete Gardener series.

    Reply
  2166. Ramona on

    This is such a great post! I look forward to reading from your book suggestions list.

    Reply
  2167. Larochelle Dayondon on

    This is a hard one! I have a collection of all sorts in my home library. To put a pin on a particular life changing book, I would say the very first Harry Potter book. This was the first book I ever read by myself and understood. It made me discover the pleasure of reading.
    Over all I read graphic novels and fantasy books. I love a good culinary books and I recently got inspired by your books (Cut Flower Garden and Discovering Dahlias.) Those two I have highlighted and read from cover to back. I was so inspired I asked for more gardening books and necessities for Christmas! Thank you

    Reply
  2168. Lacey @Clear Sky Flowers on

    The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, Illustrated by Tasha Tudor was a childhood favorite that I have reread many times. This book was my first insight into why gardens are such magical places. As a child I had no idea Tasha Tudor was also a gardener, only that her illustrations captured the magic of the book. As an adult I now understand how only a gardener could have created the ideal illustrations for the book.

    Reply
  2169. Kate on

    Book #1: How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie. An instant pick-me-upper every time I feel down. The pieces of advice are so simple and so good! Reading the stories how people conquered their worries is so inspirational.
    I also really enjoyed The Flower Recipe Book – a few varieties of flowers can go a long way when we create flower arrangements. And, of course, Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden :) It currently teaches me basics of gardening:)

    Reply
  2170. Joyce Wolfley on

    The book I have been referencing for months is actually yours- Cut Flower Garden. I keep going back to get the basics on how to do everything since this is my first year attempting to grow anything. I’ve had it so long that I’ve maxed out my renewals at the library! It is an inspirational yet practical guide that makes me feel like I can succeed at growing flowers.

    Reply
  2171. Sarah on

    Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer is currently on repeat in my house and on constant loan from my library (I have 3 copies). As an intuitive herbalist, much of Kimmerer’s teaching feel familiar and “right” to me. I deeply appreciate her perspective as she weaves together modern science with ancestral knowledge.

    Reply
  2172. Andrea on

    Right now, I’m loving Simply Nigella. It’s a cookbook, but the way that woman talks about food makes me want to dive right in. And for me, cooking and gardening are inextricably linked. Regarding gardening, Monty’s Complete Gardener is a must.

    Reply
  2173. Johanna on

    It may seem old fashioned, but the old King James Bible is my favorite book. It has all I need to guide and direct my life and can never become outdated. As many as have endeavored to destroy it, it still stands and will continue to stand.

    Reply
  2174. Amanda DaSilva on

    Such a difficult question to pick a book! I think the one series that really brought my love of reading to light was Little House on the Prairie. There is a certain nostalgia with this series that brings me back to my childhood and warm family memories. I still read them from time to time. 😊 These books started my dream of farming which turned into gardening as I got older. It is amazing how a book can speak to us this way and spark a desire in us.

    Reply
  2175. Paige on

    My favorite books are either the James Harriet books or the Bertie aand Jeeves books. So many good ones its hard to choose

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  2176. Raven Whitney on

    Your “Cut Flower Garden” is my favorite of the Floret books, but I also love Sarah Raven’s books. It’s a toss up between “Grow Your Own Cut Flowers” and “The Bold and the Brilliant Garden”.

    Reply
  2177. Carrie on

    I grew up loving the Laura Ingalls Wilder Little House on the Prairie books. I think a part of me wishes I had grown up in that time period… :)

    Reply
  2178. Lucy Vue on

    I just purchased the book “she” by the Kate spade company and I love it! It identifies different women and their life.

    Reply
  2179. Jennifer Henson on

    I should say, I am just learning about flowers, so I’m delighted to be seeing these and hopefully gaining many new favorites!

    Reply
  2180. Georgianna Bull on

    Being an avid reader since childhood, it is hard to pick just one book! I’d have to say that To Kill A Mockingbird is my go to read that I pick up each year to reread. Harper Lee’s masterpiece, in my opinion, guided me in my life that one should never give up no matter how unfair the fight. I’ve read everything written about the author and named my dog after her. Thank you for your books and work.

    Reply
  2181. Amanda on

    The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown! That book (and all of her work, really) changed my perspective on how I viewed myself. Her work has helped me so much. ❤️

    Reply
  2182. Julie on

    One of my favorites is SeTtle Urban Farm CO’s Food grown right in your own backyard. Got me started in veggies and now with your books I’ve expanded to some dahlias. Happy holidays!

    Reply
  2183. Jennifer Henson on

    So many choices! Currently one of my two favorite books is At Home in Mitford for its light, uplifting stories, and lovely small town descriptions. My second is Live and Let Chai-well the whole Seaside cafe mysteries-it’s a nice cozy mystery that includes food recipes!

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  2184. Nancy on

    The Language of Flowers is my favorite book

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  2185. Jacklyn Kary on

    My favorite book is and will be “Back In The Garden With Dulcy”. She wrote a weekly garden column in The Oregonian before she passed. This is a book filled with her columns. What a wonderful way to remember her.

    Reply
  2186. Roxann Hadley on

    I love this post and the LIST!! Yes – the library is a favorite place second only to bookstores – especially used ones & places that say: “Free Books”!!!! Because then the books don’t have to be returned – just new additions built!!!
    My father was an avid reader, and somehow he was always patient with my hundred thousand questions about whatever he may be reading! In fact, my name “Roxann” comes from a play written by Edmond Rostand (but my mom picked the name spelling. ;) ) So loving all things Lit! (Literary) comes quite naturally!
    Favorite book of all is The Bible, and I read & study it daily, for there I find my “Why?” :)
    Other favorites – because there is never just one! – Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy, Les Misérables by Victor Hugo, Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriett Beecher Stowe, Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Montgomery, Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, Zoë Bakes Cakes by Zoë François, Amy’s Bread by Amy Scherber & Toy Kim Dupree, The House at Pooh Corner!!!! by AA Milne, The Moffats by Eleanor Estes, anything about gardening/design/photography, etc. I would love recommendations! I also love and cherish a myriad of short stories, news articles, OpEds, poems, plays, etc.! (And anything by R McCloskey, F Schaeffer, & any of the “Inklings” . . . ) These days, I mostly read all books and content by Erin Benzakein with Jill Jorgensen & Julie Chai! I am stretching & growing continually as I learn, apply, and harvest ALL the benefits! THANK YOU!

    Reply
  2187. Rebecca on

    My favorite book is ‘Rebecca’. Not only does it share my name but I love the mystery, and suspense that du Maurier created in such subtle ways. I can read it over and over and still find it fascinating.

    Reply
  2188. Leisa Perrotta on

    One of my favorite gardening books (it’s too hard to pick just one) would be Martha Stewart’s Gardening – Month by Month. I like to bring it out every January and read it month by month to get inspiration. An Island Garden, Secret Garden, and Rosemary Verey- Life & Lessons of a Legendary Gardener are oldies but goodies too. I collect old books too.

    Reply
  2189. Jenna on

    “The Big Red Barn” by Margaret Wise Brown has been my favorite forever. Some of my earliest memories are of me sitting in my mom’s or dad’s lap in our big rocking chair and hearing this book. Now I read it to my kids and someday I hope I’ll read it to my grandkids too. Without a doubt this story began my lifelong love of animals & farming.

    Reply
  2190. Alli on

    I love Cool Flowers as my floral book choice and Between Two Kingdoms is my favorite book from 2021!

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  2191. Flore on

    My favorite book is an old cookbook by Patricia Wells: French Bistro Cooking. I am Franco-American and she has explained French bistro cooking to me better than any French writer! That book is in a sad state given all the love it has received in the kitchen over the years ;)

    Reply
  2192. Dragonfly Hill Garden on

    Just finished
    The Overstory by Richard Powers…
    followed it up with his most recent book, Bewilderment. Highly recommend for all modern nature enthusiasts! The Overstory was perfect to wrap up and tuck in our vegetable garden for the season. If you love being outside, tending your small contribution to earth, this is a great novel to read (and listen to on audiobook while you are doing garden chores).

    Reply
  2193. Jacquelyn on

    Cool flowers by Lisa mason Ziegler has been such a resource of precious information for me this year. I live in central Pennsylvania and am discovering so many cool flowers that I have been able to plant out now that will survive through the winter. I don’t know if I would have ever tried it without this book! And of course I have all of Erin’s books and love them just as much!

    Reply
  2194. Kelly on

    Anything in the Port William series by Wendell Berry, or specifically Hannah Coulter. I go back to them time and time again. Berry has such a soft spoken wisdom and such reverence for his characters and places. Each book contains such a range of simply, but eloquently expressed emotion.

    Many of his essays are also well worth reading for any farmer, gardener or someone interested in small scale agriculture.

    Reply
  2195. Dania on

    Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer is hands-down my favorite book ever. It is a beautiful exploration of the intersection of scientific knowledge and indigenous wisdom, and the power of relational living with the earth and all living things. The writing is poetic and the content is superb—it’s one of those books that left me feeling I had lost a dear friend when it was over. I could read it again and again and again.

    Reply
  2196. Ann on

    A LOVE the Cut Flower Garden! I have learned so much about going flowers from this book. I have always grown perennial flowers but this book opened my eyes to a whole new world of possibilities.

    Reply
  2197. Elizabeth Binks on

    ‘Four Season Harvest’ by Eliot Coleman has been very influential in my gardening journey. I’ve adapted several winter gardening practices I first learned from this book. Winter harvests fill my gardening soul during the dark months!

    Reply
  2198. Karie Everett on

    My favorite book is “Cool Flowers” by Lisa Mason Ziegler. Even though I have been gardening for 15 years, when I read her book it taught me so many new exciting things. I learned the world of cool flowers and it brought so many new to me flowers for my gardens. The biggest reason I love the book was because it taught me how to soil block. That was a game changer for me! I don’t have tons of space or tons of grow lights, but because of soil blocking, I now can start more seeds than ever before. I grow so many more annuals now, which makes it possibly for me to give away bouquets as “surprise gifts” to people. My 12 year old daughter and I grow the flowers and then drive to people’s houses and surprise them with a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Their response is “priceless”

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  2199. Katie on

    I learned so much from Cut Flower Garden! I am also a big fan of the flower recipe. So many of these books are on my wish list and I LOVE puzzles!

    Reply
  2200. Sarah Schuster on

    The book Oh Crap Potty Training changed my life potty training my twins 🤣🤣🤣 but more seriously Becoming Michelle Obama was an amazing read and one of my recent favorites. So hard to pick a favorite of all time!!

    Reply
  2201. DONNA JENKINS on

    I’m a Texas gardener, so I love Neil Sperry’s books. They give me guidance for gardening in my East Texas yard.

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  2202. Melissa Hall on

    Thank you so much sharing a list of your favorites! A Year in Flowers and Cut Flower Garden are my only two flower books and they remain on our coffee table all year through for everyone to enjoy! The photos are beautiful and bring all who view them so much joy!

    Reply
  2203. Vivian Skinner on

    Easy Gardens for North Central Texas is my favorite, for obvious reasons. It is specific to this area, and rates annuals, perennials, shrubs, trees, etc. for their suitability and ease of growth in this crazy climate.

    Reply
  2204. Catherine on

    I too am a gatherer of books. Currently I seem to go between the books with gorgeous photography to gleen garden design ideas to the instructional books to educate me on processes. Your Cut Flower book at this point travels with me all the time.

    Reply
  2205. Joan Yates on

    What an absolutely fantastic list! I just added almost all of them to my wish list.

    My grandmother was a huge part of my early gardening life and instilled a love for gardening. I have all of your books, and can credit you with starting my dahlia obsession!

    It’s hard to pick a favorite, but along with your books, I’d have to say “Vegetables Love Flowers” is fantastic.

    Reply
  2206. C Clements on

    My goodness, it’s so hard to pick a favorite. I’d have to say Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. I was in 5th grade, decades ago, and that was the year I had my favorite teacher, Mrs. Lospenato. She ignited a fire for learning, of books, and of libraries, that I cherish.

    Reply
  2207. Isabella on

    I have to choose?! To be honest, I’m big into YA and historical fiction, both of which are really, really good genres, no matter a person’s age. If I have to pick, one of my favorites is The Reluctant Duchess by Roseanna M. White. It’s kinda historical fiction, kinda romance, but it walks you through a forged marriage and the process of the main characters learning to love each other, with a little mystery involving valuable diamonds thrown in. Maybe I’m a hopeless romantic, but the love between the two characters is something I dream about finding…

    Reply
  2208. Amanda Okello on

    Any time I need a break from life, I crack open Joanna Gains’ Magnolia cookbooks and get lost making something new.

    Reply
  2209. Amy Nabors on

    I’ve loved to read for as long as I can remember. My favorite book is All Over But the Shoutin’ by Rick Bragg. Thanks to being inspired by Floret I am diving into flower books now! Thanks for sharing about all these books!

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  2210. Jetta Neely on

    “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle” by Barbara Kingsolver inspired me to rethink food and family and life in general. How can one look at things the same way after reading that book? Since reading the book, we have started a walk down a new road. Thank you so much for the opportunity to win a set of books! When as a single parent money was tight, I heard a lecture about the importance of affordable luxuries. After the lecture, my friend asked me what my affordable luxury was. That was a no-brainier! Books, of course! And thank goodness for Half Price Books! I too have night stands over flowing and stacks on the floor.

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  2211. Kristina Jensen on

    My favourite book is for the moment Floret Farm’s Cut flower garden. It’s been an inspiration to start my own cut flower garden and it’s my go to book if I’m in doubt of something.

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  2212. Kate LS on

    It’s so hard to choose! Lately I’ve been loving looking at the beautiful gardens in “Dreamscapes” by Claire Takacs!

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  2213. Pam Lacey on

    Thank you for this blog post. I’m new to flower gardening and planning, and this list is wonderful! I’ve bookmarked most in a special “flowers” book list. :-) I too found Strengths Finder an amazing experience, especially because it clarified so many inner-knowings and helped me cultivate a more rewarding self-employed life. It was fun to see that title on your list. My bookshelves are filled with books on artist processes, creativity, self-empowerment, faith and more! One of my favorites is a book I discovered I’d added to my Amazon wish list years earlier [Have you ever gone back and looked at all the entries on your wish list? So fun!] and, when I rediscovered it, was only available as a used copy. I bought it for a song and found myself inspired into new directions artistically. It’s now been reprinted in hard book form, by a publisher who prints textile artist books with a hard bound, soft-to-the-touch fabric cover. I have many of theirs (ohhhh, I’m a sucker for a soft fabric cover feel), but I’m still loving my used-yet-nearly-mint-bought-it-for-three-dollars copy of Three Dimensional Embroidery by Janet Edmonds far too much to upgrade. Book love at its best. :-)

    Reply
  2214. Rachel Young on

    I love books as well! One of my elementary school librarians let me choose which Nancy Drew books to add to the school library and I always got to read them first. My favorite book is Wednesday Wars by Gary D Schmidt – baseball, history, and Shakespeare. I love it!

    Reply
  2215. Corey Knight on

    My favorite book is “This ain’t normal people” by Joel Salatin. I really enjoy it because it explains how corrupted our food system has become by commercial farming practices and the difference that eating an organic diet can make. I find it more and more important to pass this knowledge along the more I see the dire effects of families eating the “normal” American diet.

    Reply
  2216. Mollie Farnsworth on

    What a wonderful list of books. There are so many I can’t wait to check out. I am obsessed with books and spend all the time I can absorbing new information and inspiration. With it turning cold and cozy, I cannot seem to get enough of Bella Grace (It’s a book-a-zine…does that count?) The issues have so many beautiful stories, quotes, and images. They get me thru the cold winter months❤

    Reply
  2217. Marge Davey on

    I love the Well-Tended Perennial Garden, Tracy DiSabato-Aust for its easy to read & understand content as well as beautiful pictures so this is my go-to. I have I guess, a beginner’s library of books on gardening as I became a Master Gardener in my county just 6 years ago, I added more. I do enjoy reading books about Natives and how to incorporate them into the landscape and how to use them to bring us back to a more natural way of gardening. Those books include Nature’s Best Hope, Garden Revolution and Bringing Nature Home. I’m always on the lookout for easy to read and interesting gardening books as well as beautiful pictures of gardens. Thanks for the opportunity to possibly win more books!

    Reply
  2218. Lori Poole on

    Oh my! You have such a love for books!!! It is wonderful to see someone who shared in the love of books too! I have so many favorite books. One I read over and over is Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. I grew up reading ALL the Laura Ingalls Wilder books as well as All of the Trixie Belden and Hardy Boys books. I still have them in my bookshelf today!
    But to be most honest, my favorite book is the Bible. It’s the only book I read every day. When you say you like books for instruction, this would be what the Bible is to me. It gives me the best instructions for ALL things.
    I cannot wait to add more of your books as favorites to my list. You are amazing at flower instruction and I need it desperately!!!

    Reply
  2219. ellen sternstein on

    Wuthering Heights. I always loved the romance, as well as the depictions of raw nature on the British moors.

    Reply
  2220. Terry Watts on

    I love the old Beverley Nichols gardening books like Merry Hall and Down The Garden Path. Good English humor and surprisingly good gardening advice! I also have a Floret Farm book on my wish list for Christmas!

    Reply
  2221. Tracy Kermode on

    I am in to everything gardening, food and cooking.My current favorite read is The Planter of Modern Life, Louis Bromfield and the Seeds of a Food Revolution! This fabulous biography of author Louis Bromfield details his life during WW2 with the literary and Hollywood scene as well as his thoughts on farming and gardening which changed modern agriculture. This book has history, romance and best of all, tons of gardening info. This is a really interesting book!

    After reading the book, take a tour to Bromfield’s once working farm in Mansfield, Ohio! The farm is free and owned by the state now. It is also where Lauren Bacall was married to Humphrey Bogart!

    Reply
  2222. Oona Cava on

    Only one? This is hard. My favorite little-known middle grade book is Wise Child, by Monica Furlong. It is grounded in nature, full of herbology, simple cooking, weaving, and highlights found families.

    Reply
  2223. Peggy Savage on

    I loved Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry. He’s an author from Kentucky that writes about the agrarian life and I can imagine what life was like for my grandparents when they purchased and farmed the land that I have lived on all of my life. Thanks for the opportunity to win these books. My daughter is a florist that works for two women who are flower farmers that just opened their own shop so she gets to both sow and nurture the plants along with making arrangements. I would love to pass these along to her.

    Reply
  2224. Jennie Miller on

    My favorite book is “Where the crawdads sing”, I love the connection to nature and the detail the book goes into referencing all of it along with an amazing life story behind it.

    Reply
  2225. Claire on

    What the Wind Knows by Amy Harmon. It was such a great introduction to Irish history and a lovely story about a grandfather’s love for his granddaughter. Of course, I also adore Audubon’s Field Guide to Birds for it’s pictures and information.

    Reply
  2226. Jo Hannon on

    I really like cookbooks. One of my favorites and most helpful for learning about sourdough is Artisan Sourdough Made Simple by Emilee Raffa . It is well illustrated, clear and helpful instructions.

    Reply
  2227. Elisabeth Paine on

    Wow, I have so many books and love so many. “The Boys in the Boat” is a favorite that lingers in the mind because it is an amazing story of personal strength against very long odds. It also made me realize how much has changed in 100 years about attitudes about parenting and childhood – most for the better, some not so much. Your book “A Year in Flowers” was gifted to me and took my casual flower arranging to a whole new level. I even did the flowers for a friend’s wedding this summer for fun which I never would have tried to do without what I have learned from you. And I added raised beds and am growing many more annuals, also with inspiration and knoweldge from your books and site.

    Reply
  2228. Lindsey on

    I am an avid reader so my bookshelf is busting at its seams at all times. A few of my favorites I go for constantly are The Flower Farmer by Chelsea Green, Growing Season by Sarah Frey & Seed to Seed by Susanne Ashworth! All of these ofcourse runners up to the Bible & anything Timothy Keller. The key is constantly growing myself outside of the garden in order to keep myself focused on the true mission of growing in and through the garden

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  2229. Teresa Moore on

    David Austin’s English Roses is such a great book on growing these amazing plants. He was a genius. and one of my favorite children’s books is Stella Luna – a book on generously becoming who we are.

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  2230. Samantha on

    To Kill A Mockingbird has to be my favorite. It is one of those books that really touched my soul in ways that only great books can.

    Reply
  2231. Kay Jenney on

    I love Birds of Ohio Field Guide. I enjoy feeding the birds and discovering the types that visit my garden. In the winter, it’s especially nice to see the bright red cardinals and blue jays and many others. They bring a certain joy and color back to the sleeping gardens. Another book I purchased is your Dahlia book. I sat and read it from front to back. Beautiful book with great information.

    Reply
  2232. Shelly Silver on

    Working on all aspects of me right now- I am loving the gifts of imperfection by Brené Brown! Also, Gifts from the Sea. I would absolutely cherish the books you are giving away thank you for sharing even more with your followers!

    Reply
  2233. Sheila on

    My favorite gardening book is”Herbs” by Emilio Tolley and Chris Mead. I love herbs and grow a lot in my garden. This book talks about growing, drying and decorating with herbs. It also has some wonderful recipes and ways to use herbs in your cooking and home. The book has wonderful pictures and takes one from planing and planting your garden to using your harvest in the home and kitchen. This is the book that inspired me to make my own vinegar and teas. It is the perfect book to curl up with on a snowy day and plan ones spring gardening adventures.

    Reply
  2234. Rebecca on

    My first job ever was as a shelver in a library because I couldn’t think of anything better than working with books! I have so many favorites, but right now I’ve been loving the Watercolor Workbook by Sarah Simon. Since I can’t pick flowers in my garden right now, I create flowers in my craft room – and her book of watercolor techniques and pages to paint is the best way to relax after a long day. :)

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  2235. Amanda T. on

    No book lover can choose just one lol and it’s funny to read the comments because we all feel the need to state, qualify and justify why we can’t choose just one as though we’re cheating on our book collection by choosing! Ha!

    The Little House on the Prairie made me fall in love with the homestead era as a young girl, and planted the seed that became the dream to live that kind of life. Cut Flower Garden, was the first of all the homestead and garden books that allowed me to dream big and inspired me to go for it. Your passion and excitement for what you do is contagious!

    Reply
  2236. Elena B. on

    My recent favorite is Tartine Bread by Chad Robertson. It beautifully describes the art of making sourdough bread – it is definitely one that not only an inspiration but also a great teacher. Completed with amazing photography, it appeals to me as a visual person. I admire books that combine knowledge with inspirational photography, and this book definitely does a great job. Erin, thank you also for sharing wonderful photography in your books and website!

    Reply
  2237. Kari Blandford on

    I also LOVE books! I was a First Grade teacher for 21 years so I’ll start with my favorite children’s books! Hands down Jan Brett and Patricia Polacco! Jan Brett’s books are gorgeous! She illustrates them herself! All of her books are my favorites! Patricia Polacco also illustrates her books! My favorite ones include Pysanka Eggs!
    My favorite cook book is anything Tieghan Gerard, Martha Stewart, or Julia Childs! Gerard’s recipes work ever time and are so yummy and who doesn’t love Martha and Julia?!
    Two favorite “farming” books are Growing a Farmer by Kurt Timmermeister and The Encyclopedia of Country Living by Carla Emery! I have learned so much about plants and all my critters from both!
    And of course I have and LOVE al the Erin Benzakein books! They live on my coffee table!😀

    Reply
  2238. Caitlin Hennessey on

    I have to agree with the recommendation of Eliot Coleman. He has been a long standing resource in my life for gardening knowledge. I have childhood memories of watching his TV show with my mom. She owns several of his book which I borrow regularly.

    Reply
  2239. Leslie Lewis on

    Braiding Sweet Grass by Robin WallKimmer is my all time favorite. A book that deepens a growers connection to the natural world and a window to understanding the native ecology that is impacted by every move we make. If you haven’t read it, it is a must.

    Reply
  2240. Maria Tome on

    I’ve had a love for reading as a young child as well☺️And also published my very own book last year!

    Growing up my most favorite book was actually about a mouse, who had the name of a flower (which now makes sense of my love of flowers that have developed over the years) . Not only is it my favorite because of the floral name of the character, but it talks about bullying and it is a teachable story. It was by Kevin Henkes and it’s called Chrysanthemum. About a little mouse with a looong name. She was made fun of for her long name, but in the end there is a surprise twist & reasons why she isn’t made fun of for her name anymore. It’s such a sweet fictional story! My Nana would read it to me every time she visited us. So many memories surround this book and my childhood.

    Reply
  2241. Catherine S on

    Erin, thank you so much for setting this up. I just read Wendy C’s comment and she brought back memories of Tasha Tuddour’s art work to me. Her sweet books are amazing and I’ll hunt them down. Her drawings prompted me to head into my parents Garden Center when I was young and draw flowers whenever I could. Now I know why you “touched” me so much. Sweetness always wins out! Thank you.

    I don’t mean for you to post this, it’s a thank you to you and your staff for brightening my days.

    Reply
  2242. Amy on

    Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I learned so much about self-reliance, hard work, and perseverance from them as a kid. Not to mention loving the farming/pioneer themes!

    Reply
  2243. Gloria on

    The Lord of the Rings trilogy. I’ve read it so many times since fifth grade. It’s an epic good versus evil adventure!

    Reply
  2244. Kim Glover on

    As a fellow lifelong lover of books, it is very hard to narrow it down to one, however, I read, To Kill a Mockingbird, in high school and it will forever be one of my favorites!

    Reply
  2245. Coleen Bateman on

    My favorite book is The Bold and Brilliant Garden by Sarah Raven. I am going to stop growing all of my dahlias in large pots and will be starting to grow them in several large growing beds. I want to learn how to plant/place all my bulbs in a creative and beautiful way.

    Reply
  2246. Kim Orndorff on

    Calm My Anxious Heart by Linda Dillow. If you worry about the “what if’s” in your life this book will help you see the promises in Scripture that will Calm your Heart. Good Read!

    Reply
  2247. Sara on

    Asking for your favorite book is like asking for your favorite child; I love them all! I find myself reaching for Cut Flower Garden at least a few times per season, as well as The Market Gardener. Jessie Frost’s No Till Grower’s Guide is also quickly becoming a favorite reference book too. I’m just so grateful for everyone who takes the time to share their hard earned knowledge with the world.

    Reply
  2248. Sharene Rausch on

    The Flower Farmer by Lynn Byczynski. I bought Growing For Market while I was originally doing farmers markets and working on my masters degree. Then I came across The Flower Farmer and knew that’s where I would be “one of these days”. Ten years later I am finally there and I am constantly goin back to Lynn’s book and the others that I have added to my collection over the years.

    Reply
  2249. cynthia M on

    “Onward and Upward in the Garden” by Katherine White, a classic gathering of essays from White’s writings begun in 1958 in the New Yorker where Katherine was a legendary editor. Published posthumously in 1977 by her husband, the writer E.B. White. A brilliant look at mid-century gardening and sensibility.

    Reply
  2250. Rebecca Weiss on

    Just one favorite? Too hard. But I love Peonies by Allan Rogers that gave me a solid foundation and confidence in a growing one of my favorite plants, knowledge on propagation, plus it has such beautiful photographs. It was the first flowers I started to grow in my home garden. My other book I grab a lot is Allotment Gardening by the Levelles. While it is geared more to the fruit and vegetable gardens, it is practical advise on how to grow anything, anywhere, in a limited amount of space, and a bunch of good information on basic garden maintenance. On my little 1/4 acre lot, that is important to me as I eyeball every inch for growing potential.

    Reply
  2251. Julie Ann on

    Flicka, Ricka and Dicka …..a series of childhood books about 3 Dutch girls and their country farm adventures, hands down. ( because you have taken me back to my wonderful memories in the library too)

    Reply
  2252. Fay shrock on

    I love Charles Frazier’s books . His love and descriptions of the Appalachian mountains melts my heart every time. I also like margaret roach’s gardening memoirs .

    Reply
  2253. Casey on

    My favorite gardening book is Floret Farms Cut Flower Garden. This book drew me in with the photos and made me want to grow something so beautiful myself. I don’t have many people in my life that grow flowers for cutting, so I never realized it was possible (actually doable!) for me. Seeing these blooms and processes presented in such an attainable, clear way inspired me to start my own garden. Now I want to keep growing and learning about what I can do with my space. Thank you!

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  2254. Leah on

    So many books and so little time. I love your book Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden. I learned so much from this book.

    Reply
  2255. Wendy on

    For flower arranging I love Color Me Floral, by Kiana Underwood. It’s the first book I picked up when I started getting interested in florals and it has helped me so much with the fundamentals, as well as color theory and other design elements.

    Reply
  2256. Allison Griffith on

    I love the book Fraiche Food Full Hearts by Jillian Harris and Tori Wesszler. It’s a beautifully done cookbook with sweet, personal anecdotes and inspirational photos. All of the recipes are simple but feel fancy and unique.

    Reply
  2257. Karen Francis-McWhite on

    Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower is one of my favorite novels, despite being an all too prescient dystopia that everyday seems to be emerging as a reality. Her writing is crisp. The character development makes sense. Her invocation of the nearly divine aspect of Change is on point. And the novel illustrates both the necessity of preparedness and its limitations given the broader social context. That mix of prudence and humility is an important ethic to develop and lesson to learn.

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  2258. Jessica Williams on

    Cut Flower Gardens has changed my gardening life. My grandparents had a vegetable farm on LI and my Grams had the most beautiful garden. I wondered if it always skipped me that I could never keep any plants alive. Ive been so inspired by IG and your book that I’ve dedicated a section of my garden as a cutting garden to see if I can do this. I’m also sharing your book with my girlfriends this Christmas do that we can all do this together.

    Reply
  2259. Brenda S. Miller on

    How can you pick just one? As a graphic designer and gardener, I have loved Malcolm Hillier’s Color Garden (1995). A year -round guide to creating imaginative color combinations. He focuses on color theory and the moods that color evokes. The color wheel and color values/hues are taught in flower combinations and by seasons.

    As a mother and now, grandmother, I have read all the Flower Fairies collection of books by Cicely Mary Barker. Her poems and watercolors are charming, with meticulous botanical accuracy. First published in 1923, they are beautifully reproduced by Frederick Warne. All treasured and will be passed down for generations.

    Reply
  2260. Amy on

    Monty Don’s the complete gardener is a fave of mine!! I bought his new edition after discovering BBC’s Gardener’s World show last winter and have loved reading and just taking in the pages!

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  2261. Lauren Bier on

    I’m only starting out – just received “A Year in Flowers” by Erin at Floret as a gift, so I’m on the right path (no path intended)

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  2262. Tanya on

    Floret’s Cut Flower Garden is my favorite. It has taught me so much and I still reference it to this day.

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  2263. Dorothy Maddock on

    Lovers of books and gardens seem to go hand in hand. My very favorite author is, Barbara Pym, little known, but well worth including in a list of required reading. I give her signature book, Excellent Women, to all of the important women in my life. Hope you enjoy it. Your fascinating story definitely qualifies you as an”excellent woman.”

    Reply
  2264. Elizabeth on

    Deep Economy by Bill McKibben ended up in my hands as a 23 year old and changed the path of my life. I grew up in a major metropolitan area surrounding D.C. and did not feel the interconnected nature of economy and ecology during that time. McKibben’s text helped ground my goals for sustainable community living that has given me value and direction for thr past decade-plus.

    Reply
  2265. Kate Myers on

    My favorite book is Living Well Spending Less by Ruth Soukup. I have a tendency to be all in when I take on a hobby or obsession. My favorite thing about this book is how she talks about self-control. Learning to pare back when you get excited about something you want to do or want to have and learning to say no to yourself is a key characteristic of success. She relates it to her spending, but I can see that skill applying to anything we pursue in life.
    I’m currently preparing to start my own flower garden in my new home and I keep finding flowers I want to fill it with, but I have to remind myself to pare back and use that self control to be patient and wait for the resources to grow the garden later.

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  2266. Cindy on

    I love books! All of them. So many kinds. But my favorite book I use all the time is a vintage copy of Taylor’s Garden Encyclopedia. Arranged alphabetically with all words relative to gardening. It lacks pictures (but it would make it waaaaay too big if it had them) but I reference this book all year both on and off season. It’s a fabulous resource.

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  2267. Lisa de Kramer on

    I have a number of great books that I love. Cookbooks, books on horses and horse training, flowers, Monet Gardens, is a nice one. But truly I have to say my favorite of all is the Bible. It is rich in history. It is the word of God, it is the Spirit of Truth.

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  2268. Patricia L Taylor on

    You do present a challenge! As a young reader, I fell in love with Jane Eyre & all things Bronte – that still holds true. But if you take me out to the garden, Jim Crockett’s first book, The Victory Garden, was the one that introduced me to all the joys of digging in the dirt and planting that first seed. I never missed an episode of his PBS gardening programs & have all of his books. When he passed away, the loss was immense. The sweet collection of books and booklets by Adelma Simmons Grenier and meeting her at Caprilands long ago began my journey into the world of herbs. Your Cut Flower Garden book is the top wish on my Christmas list this year.

    Reply
  2269. Cheryl Hagan on

    I just found Cool Flowers by Lisa Ziegler! I live in Florida. The summers are so hot! I am interested in starting flowers seedlings in the fall. This book will help me find hardy annuals (cool flowers) so that I can get seeds in the ground now. I checked this morning and I believe the Bells of Ireland are coming up! I am so hopeful that many others: snapdragon, sweet peas, Dara…will be raising their little heads soon!

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  2270. Maria on

    What a wonderful and thoughtful list of books – thank you!
    My favorite book that I go to repeatedly is my grandmother’s 1947 Roger Tory Peterson ” A Field Guide to the Birds”… complete with all of her pencil remarks and dates of when she spotted certain bird species. I get to relive her joy and share the experience every time I look up a mystery bird to identify.

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  2271. Kristi S on

    Vegetables Love Flowers. It combines my love for cut flowers and my need for fresh vegetables. I have a list of so many more books to read as well!

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  2272. Deborah Ream on

    When someone asks what my favorite book is, I immediately think of my 5th grade teacher Mrs. Calderon. At Christmas that year she handed out gifts to all of her students. I was not allowed to accept the gift (at that time we did not celebrate the holiday in my family). I felt bad to tell her I couldn’t accept it but she understood. On our last day of school before we headed out the door to begin our summer vacation Mrs. Calderon called me over to her desk and handed me the gift she’d held onto since Christmas. It was a book, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne, I was elated and couldn’t believe she’d held onto the gift and waited to give it to me. I still have that same book and have the most fond memories of Mrs. Calderon. Even today it’s still an exciting, adventurous and fun read. Thank you for bringing that wonderful memory to the forefront for me today.

    Reply
  2273. Shelley murray on

    My daughter sent this to me, I love it Discovering Dahlias. I have a small garden of about eighty different Dahlias , I live in New Brunswick, Canada.

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  2274. Ruth on

    My favorite book is Bound Feet and Western Dress. It was the first book I read that opened my mind to different parts of the world and how cultures grow and change from generation to generation. It was also one of the first books to teach me about empathy!

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  2275. Daphne Minkin on

    I am inspired by the writings of Jan Karon, who creates a world in the fictional town of Mitford where people still see good in others despite their problems, neighbors know how to be neighborly, and simple things are celebrated as divine. I find her novels as relevant 25 years later and re read them for some personal refreshment in times like today! Thank you Erin for you graciousness and all that you share with all of us, we can make the world more beautiful one flower at a time!

    Reply
  2276. Shari Froelich on

    As a newbie to the cut flower group, my favorites have been all of your books. I’ve used them so many times this year for reference and many pages are smudged with dirt as I kept them in the greenhouse to determine when to start growing, transplant, and ideal time to cut for longest vase life. I’ve also referenced your class manual several times and am looking forward to being an alumni participant again in 2022!

    Reply
  2277. Cynthia Konicke on

    I love Sunset’s “Western Garden Handbook.” I took the first copy from my parents when I got married, but lost it after many moves. Last Spring, I found a copy at an estate sale. It’s such a quick and easy reference for a hobby gardener.

    I moved into my current home 2 years ago. I purchased it from a contractor who had “flipped it.” The yard had been ignored for decades. I’ve been trying desperately to rebuild the soil health. I’ve started reading, Teaming with Microbes.” It’s an easy read and has a wealth of knowledge.

    Reply
  2278. Astrae Doty Vargas on

    I love Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. She’s one of my favorite novelists, and in this non-fiction book she details the year that she and her family lived completely off their land, from season to season. Recipes included, a great read!

    Reply
  2279. Gillian Kelley on

    I just read “Vegetables Love Flowers” by Lisa Mason Zeigler and it was full of great advice on using nature to improve your garden– I can’t wait to put some of Lisa’s tips into action!

    Reply
  2280. Susie Stuvland on

    Honestly, my favorite book is Cut Flower Garden. It is the book that started it all. I was dropping off my last child at college for her freshman orientation experience. Due to her level of security I thought it best to stay in town for a bit before I drove back home five hours just in case she bailed on freshman orientation. I was wandering around one of my favorite stores and picked up Cut Flower Garden. It was beautiful. I picked it and put it down several times before saying to myself if you don’t read it it is ok, it is a pretty book to own. When I went to the counter the young girl who was checking me out raved about my choice telling me it would change my life! She used all of the practices in the book and she lived in an apartment and gardened on her balcony. She told me I needed to follow Erin on everything! She proclaimed she loved Erin’s posts on Instagram, I didn’t have Instagram and I am not good at any of that but she was adamant that I get it. The girl was so convincing I made an account when I got back to my car. I also sat in my car reading the book. On my long drive home I began to dream and called me husband and said “I think we should grow flowers”. He for once didn’t talk me out of it!! He agreed. Our land had raised every kind of 4H and FFA animal for years but it needed something new, this was it!! I enrolled in floret school that winter and have been running ever since!! I recently picked up the book and gave it a hug so thankful for the day I picked it up in a small shop. Books are so important and this one really did change my life!!!!!!!

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  2281. Sally Christiansen on

    Beverley Nichols wrote a trio of gardening books in the fifties that are my all time favorite books. His gardening and life escapades are hilarious.

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  2282. Michele Deppe on

    One of my first and strongest influences that showed me how to create a beautiful life with flowers, food, art, travel, etc. was Victoria magazine. I subscribed to Victoria in high school, and was so delighted all of these years later to see Erin featured within their pages!

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  2283. Kim Durr on

    I first want to say that I love this contest! Such a fun idea!

    My current favorite book is “When Women Were Birds” by Terry Tempest Williams. It is such a beautiful and thoughtful memoir and is one that I love to share with the women in my life.

    It is my favorite because it makes me feel empowered as a woman and encourages me to ponder how nature has impacted and inspired my life.

    Reply
  2284. Paula Huckabaa on

    My favorite non-fiction book is Ego is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday. I’m wired to be competitive and this book always re-centers me to a good place where I focus on the big picture, not just my role in it. Plus it just frankly helps me “get over myself” and be a better, more generous and humble person. I highly recommend any book by Ryan Holiday!

    Reply
  2285. Jac Baker on

    Martha Stewart’s Gardening: Month by Month is my all time favorite gardening book. So beautiful, so inspirational. During the winter, when spring feels so far away, I’d sit with this book and a cup of coffee while slowly turning the pages…and making ambitious plans. Even when outdoor gardening resumed, I still opened it up for the practical, timeless advice.

    Tasha Tudor’s Garden is a close second because of the photos and Tasha’s charming watercolors.

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  2286. April Outlaw on

    There are so many books to love at first I didn’t think I could pick just one but for me it has to be a little children’s board book “Owl Babies”. I’ve read it hundreds and hundreds of times to both my children when they were little and the time I spent with them on lap as we flipped through and read I will forever cherish.

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  2287. Chelsea on

    I’m not sure I can choose a favorite novel, it would be more like a top 5, so I’ll share my favorite gardening and flower books since this post got me thinking about that!
    Gardening would have to be “The Complete Gardener” by Monty Don. He changed my gardening world! And my favorite flower book would be “Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden” because it gave me the courage to pursue a dream.

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  2288. Rochelle on

    One of my favorite books is ‘Weeds – in defense of nature’s most unloved plants’ by Richard Mabey. It was a gift from sister a few years ago and I learned so much. Most of the plants we consider weeds are beneficial and beautiful – I now find myself defending ‘weeds’ whenever I talk gardening with friends.

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  2289. Rebecca Bodicky on

    Woody Cut Stems for Growers and Florists: Production and Post-Harvest Handling of Branches for Flowers, Fruit, and Foliage
    My go to book for so many reasons, it’s been worth its weight in gold.

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  2290. Sarah Kochert on

    You want me to pick my favorite book?! That’s like picking a favorite child. ;-) Like you, we have books in all the places of our house; under beds, on every table, in drawers, on bookshelves, on the floor, etc. I’m really not sure I can pick a favorite. I love many books, even fiction, for the various things I learn. I hope that answer is good enough. My favorite book my be different depending on the day.

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  2291. Susan B on

    Wow! I can’t wait to dive into some of the books on your list! Being a newly retired reading teacher, it is hard for me to choose just one favorite book, but I can say that Erin’s book Cut Flower Garden has already become one of my new favorites. I just can’t put it down! I am looking forward to starting her book A Year in Flowers before Christmas. My favorite fiction books are the Harry Potter series by Jo Rowlings because of the themes of doing what is right and good along with the power of love. I became hooked on the series before the movies ever hit the screens when reading to my daughter who was home sick from school one day!

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  2292. Sarah Richter on

    This is making my heart sing!!! As a child, my most favorite book was the Black Stallion and the series. I would have rush to the children’s section of the library, crossing my fingers hoping the next book in the series was available for me to check out. I went on to read the Little House on the Prairie books, Nancy Drew and so many more! The smell of the library still sparks that feeling of excitement and anticipation as I ready myself to dive into a new world of imagination. Reading will always be a passion that feeds my heart and soul.

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  2293. Amy on

    My favorite book is Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston. I first read this book in college and have re-read it more times than I can remember these past thirty years. I will buy it for anyone when I have the slightest excuse!! It is all about finding yourself, knowing what is important, growing up, and celebration. Everytime I read it I find something new! Please let me know if you haven’t read it – I will send you a copy! :)

    Reply
  2294. Beth Hatcher on

    The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewdki made me sob harder than any book I have ever read. Maybe not a ringing endorsement for a good read, but it was so good! Garden related is for sure Cut Flower Garden. It is what inspired me to start my own flower farm and business! All of these recommendations are amazing!

    Reply
  2295. Monique on

    Anything by Monty Don, I have The Complete Gardener on my shelf. He is a wealth of information, and I love that he uses gardening as his “prescription” for depression. Also, his dogs are so fun!

    Reply
  2296. LindaRumble on

    The cut flower garden. The most beautiful pictures!!

    Reply
  2297. Stephanie on

    Definitively “Market Gardener” by Jean-Martin Fortier! And I recommand “L’avenir est dans le champs” (The future is in the field). The “Cut Flower Garden” from Floret Farm is my go to for wonderful pictures and mood inspiration :)

    Reply
  2298. Michelle Marcotte on

    The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer. I read it when I need to believe love can endure anything.

    Reply
  2299. Jennifer Scopp on

    It would be SO HARD to pick a favorite book. I love books and reading and I have so many books. I’ve finally started getting books on my Kindle to save room. A book that stands out to me, that really inspired me during a tough time, is “Lighthousekeeping” by Jeanette Winterson. It’s a novel but the prose is written so beautifully it’s like poetry, and the imagery and the story are just wonderful.

    Reply
  2300. CC on

    The Bible.

    Reply
  2301. Michelle Germer on

    I love to read so much it’s hard to pick one favorite book! I have discovered the joy f gardening just this year and can’t wait to plant my first cut flower garden this spring. I have read several gardening books this year and all from our local library as well. I loved several of the books you listed.
    My favorite book I read this fall was The gifts of imperfections. by Brene Brown . I loved it so much I bought a copy for my self and highlighted so much. I even bought another copy to give as a Christmas gift for my sister.

    Reply
  2302. karen osier on

    I love books and read from many different genres, including sci-fi fantasy. I think one of my favorites though is Strengths Finders. I have the original one that I received from a workshop with some coworkers. It really helped to focus on my strengths in a world that seems to be obsessed with working on your weaknesses. People and teams are always more successful when individuals focus on what makes them unique and what they are best at.

    Reply
  2303. Juliet on

    Monty Don. The Complete Gardener. I carefully read through this book and found so much inspiration. He and his book really gave me courage and inspiration to just get out in the garden and go for it, and trust myself and my vision. It changed the way I approach gardening all year round.

    Reply
  2304. Gwen on

    I got “Cut Flower Garden” for Christmas last year and I love pulling it out to choose what flowers to plant every year. I also love the instructions included! I especially love pulling it out in the winter when there are no outdoor flowers and dreaming of spring and summer. That is currently the only flower/gardening book I have, and I would love to grow my library. I also love pouring over seed catalogs and David Austin Roses catalogs as well! Discovering Dahlias is on my Christmas list this year.

    Reply
  2305. LeAnn Price on

    Aside from the fabulous list of books you’ve listed that I’m sure would be great future favorites, my all time favorite book is The Agony and the Ecstasy by Irving Stone. It’s a beautiful window into the life of Michelangelo. I am an avid gardener with multiple gardening books but am ready to jump into more florals! What a great list of inspiration!!

    Reply
  2306. Mikelle G on

    I love books! I have 8 different bookshelves in my little home packed with books. One of my favorites to read just to make me happy is actually a children’s book “I Want My Hat Back” by Jon Klassen. It’s great humor and the illustrations are hilarious. Makes my heart happy. Silly, but life’s short- make it meaningful!

    Reply
  2307. Micala on

    Cut Flower Garden is my favorite because it showed me how I could make a dream a reality even in a small space.

    Reply
  2308. Reagan Lasseter on

    I bought The Plant Recipe quite a few years back. It is such an inspiring book inviting us to bring more living plants into our homes. These arrangements include multiple flowers per arrangement, and help those with small ,or no, yards bring plants inside with us. I have always been a sucker for anything that grows.

    Reply
  2309. Lisa M Lamberson on

    We live at 7,000 ft here in Flagstaff, so a recent favorite is The Year Round Vegetable Gardener by Niki Jabbour. And The Botanist’s Sticker Anthology for its beauty I can share on letters and notes.

    Reply
  2310. Andrea Anthony on

    I love my Southwest Gardener, it breaks up the months and what chores you are to do in the garden and what to plant or start from seed. Breaking it down by region helps so much when you’re growing in the desert.

    Reply
  2311. Amanda on

    My favorite book would definitely be Cut Flower Garden! It’s one of the main reasons I took the leap and started growing flowers for business!
    Thanks for sharing all of these lovely books! Can’t wait to read!

    Reply
  2312. Shawn on

    Thanks for the book list. My favorite books are any craft or gardening books.

    Reply
  2313. Rachael Ackerman on

    My favorite is an 1891 Practical Floriculture book by Peter Henderson.

    Reply
  2314. Jocelyn on

    My childhood home was a few blocks over from the largest library in the city. From the moment I was allowed to venture away from the house on my own that’s where you would find me. Reading to me is as essential as breathing. My mother, another voracious reader always said to me that if you had a book you had a friend, and to someone like you Erin who is an extreme introvert can get you through some pretty rough times. I love so many books in so many genres that this is almost an impossible task to choose a favourite, so instead I will choose my most treasured book. It is Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management. Gifted to me by my mothers dear friend Phyllis, her personal copy that was given to her in 1936 from her parents when she was a teenager in England preparing for marriage and life. She had no daughters so passed it on to me. The book has everything from trussing a chicken, setting a table for a 10 course meal to being your own lawyer. No pressure on women at all!! Thanks team Floret for another great giveaway!

    Reply
  2315. Martha LaBrake on

    French Dirt: The Story of a Garden in the South of France (Richard Goodman) was my first gardening book which I found on the shelf in the Everett Public Library and fell in love with gardening when we purchased our first home in Everett, WA in 1993. If we still lived in WA I would definitely sign up for courses at Floret (oh, to dream). Tasha Tudor’s Garden – always lovely! Anything by or related to Julia Child, the Irish Country Doctor Series (Patrick Taylor), and L.M. Alcott. We are also bookies – never enough shelf space. Shop on!

    Reply
  2316. Kaitlin Whelan on

    “ The $64 Tomato: How One Man Nearly Lost His Sanity, Spent a Fortune, and Endured an Existential Crisis in the Quest for the Perfect Garden” by William Alexander.

    Reply
  2317. Alison on

    My favorite book is The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom. It is a tragic true story that teaches love, resiliency, forgiveness, and an underlying faith in God. It is a book my family and I read together and we still talk about it often.

    Reply
  2318. Megan on

    I’ve always loved flowers so when my husband and I purchased our house, I jumped right into gardening without any previous knowledge I had to relay on books. I’ve really enjoyed the wealth of information out there about gardening, one of my number one books has been Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden. My daughters and I have started selling our cut flowers at the end of our driveway

    Reply
  2319. Anna Francis on

    As a longtime fan of Amy Merrick, I would say her On Flowers book is simply divine! She has been an inspiration to me since her work with Grace Bonney and I love watching her continue her journey.

    Reply
  2320. Allie Gannon on

    Hard to choose!! As a child, my favorite (collection) of books was Ramona and Beezus by Beverly Clearly. Such fun! I was gifted Cut Flower Garden by a friend when I first started becoming interested in learning how to farm. I have since (I kid you not) read it 6 times through. I had no idea what floret was before that!! I’m so grateful for books and the inspiration they can give us!

    Reply
  2321. AMY DENDY on

    I enjoy the Pioneer Woman cookbooks because the recipes are so simple to prepare.

    Reply
  2322. Stacy Stewart on

    My favorite book is A Dog Year by Jon Katz. It’s a love story btw a man & his dog. The passion to nurture his dog is enviable. I love dogs as much as I love growing flowers. I went to college for horticulture and fill my home with flowers & dogs, living passionately and sometimes need to remember loving your daily life is really important to a happy heart.

    Reply
  2323. Katie Teuchtler on

    My favorite book about gardening is The Secret Garden; the children’s classic by Frances Hodgson Burnett. I couldn’t put this book down. The garden as a place of healing, building friendships, and creating beauty made a memorable impact.

    Reply
  2324. Donna Miller on

    My favorite book is Nature’s Best Hope by Doug Tallamy. His message is to get homeowners to reduce their lawn size and replace it with native plants to increase biodiversity which supports the food web which supports us! As a cut flower grower I’ve been including flowering natives in my bouquets and arrangements. I’ve found a balance of having a productive cut flower garden surrounded by native plants.

    Reply
  2325. Renee Gibson on

    My current and favorite (audio) book is The Danger Old Woman by Clarissa Pinkola Estés. As she also narrates, she brings more depth and meaning to the old stories like Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs. Its a deep dive into Womens souls and heart spaces-women of all ages…..And she offers a different and mostly softer view of current events/psyches. I highly recommend this audio book-it is one of those that will be listened to time and again with something new each time. Renee’

    Reply
  2326. Barbara O'Brien on

    My very favorites are dahlias and zinnias!! Great color and super easy to grow with minimal effort. I try lots of other varieties with them and love to mix and match all the colors in my cutting garden. I would love more information, there’s so much to learn!!! It is so great that Floret is local, so growing varieties here in the Northwest is more helpful!

    Reply
  2327. Heather on

    Seriously my favorite flower books are yours!! I checked them out from my library and absolutely fell in love with your farm. I was inspired to plant a cutting garden through your books!
    Thank you for being my inspiration for all things flowery!!

    Reply
  2328. Krystal on

    The Yellow House by Sarah M. Broom. I find humans fascinating in all the various ways that we experience life and how we allow those experiences to shape who we are. The Yellow House is so vulnerable and real and written in a way that lets you view life through the authors eyes.

    Reply
  2329. Stephanie D on

    I love books! As a young girl, my father would take me to an old barn that had been converted to a used book-barn. Although I never had much in the way of toys, I could always purchase as many books as I wanted. I still remember getting Hans Christian Anderson’s The Silver Skates for $.25. I have lots of gardening and flower books but my favorite has to be,
    The Beatrix Potter Gardener’s Year Book by Caroline Kennedy. It was gifted to me in 1994. The artwork is beautiful and the pages
    have a soft feel to them. It’s such a beautiful book, I’ve never written in the monthly pages. Thank you Erin for this fantastic list. I’ll be sure to add them to my wish list.

    Reply
  2330. Kat W on

    This isn’t so much an inspirational book but it’s packed full of useful information, “The Sunset Western Garden Guide.” Early in my horticulture career I would read a letter chapter every month and try to remember as much as I could about the plants it contained. There isn’t a more dogeared book on my shelf.

    Reply
  2331. Lisa Derx on

    My favorite book of all is Middlemarch by George Eliot. In fact, I have been listening to it while dividing dahlia tubers all week! My favorite flower book is Henry Mitchell’s On Gardening – I learn something about growing and something about life every time I read it.

    Reply
  2332. Diana C. on

    Carrots Love Tomatoes stays in my gardening bag. I love this book for vegetable garden planning. I’ve found it so useful to companion plant, deal with pests and learn about a multitude of plants.
    My other obsession is cookbooks. I love to leaf through and admire all the amazing recipes. Bonus if I can have it signed by the chef.

    Reply
  2333. Stephanie on

    The Garden Chef from Phaidron features chefs and their restaurants gardens from around the world. Beautiful pictures of urban rooftop gardens, rural county side gardens alongside essays and recipes from the chefs who tend them. I’ve had my copy for years and always find myself returning to it in the bleak and uninspired late winter. It’s a really wonderful escape to food and plants and flowers.

    Reply
  2334. Dorothy Peterson on

    One of my favorite gardening books is A Little History of British Gardening by Jenny Uglow. She takes us through the Magic’s history of the Romans cultivating Britain. So interesting! And readable. Thanks for your post!

    Reply
  2335. Bobbie Grimes on

    My favorite book changes from season to season but right now I keep going back to Vegetables Love Flowers by Lisa Mason Zeigler. I love planting my flowers & vegetables together!

    Reply
  2336. Mei Chen on

    My favorite books are the three books written by you! I have all of them and go back to them all the time. You inspired me to start cut flowers and arrange them at home. Thank you!

    Reply
  2337. Lucy LaFayette on

    I too love books of all kinds, but one of my first big influences for gardening is Ann Lovejoy’s The Year in Bloom. This book really inspired me to learn more and to grow lots of beautiful plants in my own garden.

    Reply
  2338. Melanie Leclau on

    My favorite book is Plant Breeding for the Home Gardener by Joseph Tychonievich. He has such a great way of organizing and explaining his process. He draws you in and gives you the confidence to try his methods.

    Reply
  2339. Leslie Messersmith on

    I am an avid reader and book lover, but my dahlia and cut flower book are at the top of the pile. Floret’s Cut Flower Garden has been a go to in this first year of developing a cut flower garden of my own. I’m a ceramic artist as well and I dream of being able to have a Farmer’s Market booth of cut flowers and my ceramic flower garden ornaments someday.

    Reply
  2340. Cindy on

    Lonesome Dove is my favorite book. My florist daughter would love these books! I know she enjoyed Flower Confidential.

    Reply
  2341. Gina on

    Martha Stewart Month by Month- a timeless treasure!

    Reply
  2342. Julie on

    Cut Flower Garden was gifted to me by my adult daughter, and it’s just so beautiful!!

    Reply
  2343. Amanda Burnem on

    I am a beginner at being a cut flower farmer. I am reading all of the books I can during the down season! I am currently reading Cool Flowers. I loved reading Cut Flower Garden. I will be rereading it! With kids and work I haven’t been able to read much for enjoyment. I enjoyed reading The Walk to Remember, I cried reading it more than while watching the movie.

    Reply
  2344. Megan Dawson on

    So many that I haven’t read. I would love how to grow a cut garden but all of them look wonderful!

    Reply
  2345. Aisha on

    Aside from studying Discovering Dahlias and staring at all the varieties we want in our garden, I really love Foraged Flora. It reminds me of my relationship with my mom, who is the ultimate forager. You can spot us together on the side of the road, collecting wild sweet peas, or flowering tree branches (like for my brother’s wedding). She eyed this abandoned heirloom rose for years (how she even eyed it is remarkable), and would always talk about it. So one day I finally drove her to it and we dug it up and brought it home. Unfortunately, we got poison ivy that day but we always have the memory!

    Reply
  2346. Ashley Seamans on

    I have quite the love of Books myself. I love the nostalgic smell of the book mobile and as a child dreamed for book fairs at school. My children have carried on with finding any excuse to get to the library. My favorite book is one I read as a 4th grader. Nothing Hurts But My Heart by, Linda Barr. It’s about a young girl who is diagnosed with scoliosis. This is devastating for her as she’s a gymnastics Olympic contender. A great story and lesson in perseverance. Thanks for taking the time to read this childhood memory and the opportunity to collectively inspire us to read more!

    Reply
  2347. Sara Sharpe on

    Impossible to pick one, but fun to try! My current favorite is WINTER SOLSTICE by Rosamond Pilcher. WS is a lovely novel about lovely, interesting people, and Rosamund has a gift for painting vivid and impossibly cozy scenes: warm fires, delicious food, fresh flowers… This is a story of and for the holidays, and I curl up with it at this time every year.

    Reply
  2348. Anna on

    Probably a Tale of Two Cities. The layers to that story are just incredible.

    Reply
  2349. Ellie matthews on

    My favorite gardening book is the cut flower garden. It is the first book that ever got me interested in gardening. Now I love gardening and just expanded my garden over the weekend!

    Reply
  2350. Alice Yamamoto on

    Thank you for this amazing book list! I can’t pick a favorite but an oldie but goodie is Gardening Mad by Monty Don. The photos are amazing but the essays are so informative and inspiring.

    Reply
  2351. Jackie on

    Oh, it’s so hard to pick a favorite garden book I love them all! Currently I’m reading and really enjoying “FloretFarms Cut Flower Garden” I am considering starting a small flower farm and have found this book to be great at giving an overall picture of what that will entail. The pictures are gorgeous and insightful. I have truly enjoyed this book.

    Reply
  2352. Krystin on

    I am not new to books, I am a major book hoarder and lover, but I am new to homesteading! We have been a military family for the last 10 years and renting and moving often hasn’t really allowed for much growing of things of our own, at least not in a way that we could really master anything since we are constantly moving from places like TX, to the PNW, and now the deserts of Nevada. My mother is a master gardener and I wish I would have paid more attention growing up, but now I am working to learn on my own! Well I haven’t found any books to favor as of yet, I have been enjoying Potager and also Canning For A New Generation which has outlined the basic processes of canning for me and instillrd the love in something I never would’ve imagined I would love to do! We move back to Whidbey next year to put some roots down and I am already dreaming up my garden and allthethings!

    Reply
  2353. Lori Aseltin on

    Follow The River by James Alexander Thom. A heartbreaking novel about loss and the strength to survive. I have lent this book out many times. I really don’t have a good gardening library as I am new to Dahlia, and most recently Zinnia and pumpkin planting!! I did order one of your personal books, A Year in Flowers, as a Christmas gift to myself!! This is a great giveaway and I will be very excited if I win!! Happy Gardening. 😃

    Reply
  2354. Maria on

    Thank you for putting together this list and sharing your favorites. I don’t yet have a favorite gardening book but gather as many as I can every time we go to the library.
    My favorite children’s book Cranberry Thanksgiving. My personal ones are Bark of the Bog Owl, and Saving my Assassin.

    Reply
  2355. Velvet VanHoose on

    StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Tom Rath was so inspiring for me. It was so impactful I shared a copy with each of my children (in their early 20’s) in hopes of inspiring them to identify and leverage their strengths!

    Reply
  2356. Suzanne Cerrone on

    Hi Erin,
    What an awesome idea! Your beautiful heart and generous spirit leave me in awe! I too am an avid reader and flower lover. I am so grateful to leave a comment in hopes of being gifted some of your favorite books. Best to you and yours. Your team is amazing!

    Reply
  2357. Thoma on

    My favorite book, purchased years ago, A Country Garden for your Backyard…not on your list but an inspiration and reference that I couldn’t live without. I was so touched by your passion for gardening and books because they mirrored mine. I can’t tell you how much I’ve enjoyed your show…including the struggles and challenges that are so prevalent with gardening and familiar to all of those that are passionate about the art.

    Reply
  2358. Jessica W on

    I’ve found Cool Flowers by Lisa Mason Zeigler. As someone new to starting flowers, I was so surprised to learn just how much makes it through winter to get a head start on spring growth and flowers.

    Reply
  2359. Annie Farmer Keresey on

    The Postage Stamp Garden by
    DUANE and KAREN NEWCOMB
    This book is my oldest all time favorite books. When my children were small, I moved 12 miles inland and started my first garden 🪴 this book showed me how to plant in a tiny space and rotate crops to keep the soil healthy (spellcheck just changed soil into soul- perfect!) My tiny son would fill his t-shirt up with tomatoes and zucchini that we would cook with bacon and basil, and freeze for winter pasta with the fresh taste of summertime.
    Thank you so much for the beauty you bring to others!

    Reply
  2360. Kristy Kowalski on

    Flowers By Jeff Leatham. I was a floral designer at the time he was working in Paris and it totally transformed the way we looked at flower arranging. Such an influential talent!

    Reply
  2361. Jess D on

    I have been a voracious reader most of my life and there’s never enough space for all the amazing books. A few of my current favorites are: To Kill a Mockingbird, Rooted by Lyanda Lynn Haupt, The Monster at the End of this Book (it was read to me as a child and I now read it with my own children), and Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson. I am taking notes because my hope is to start a cut flower garden this coming year!

    Reply
  2362. Martha Wanous on

    Picking a favorite book is like picking a favorite flower, a favorite body part or favorite food. I am grateful for all that I have read. Yet as I think of gardening, “From Art to Landscape: Unleashing Creativity in Garden Design” by W. Gary Smith.

    Reply
  2363. Mindy on

    It’s hard to pick just one favorite. I’m a book nerd, so I have feeling for them all haha! Currently I’m really loving, “Growing Flowers” by Niki Irving. It’s such a beautiful, practical approach to growing flowers.

    Reply
  2364. Linda on

    Cook books. And flower book. There something new that brings new hope and family’s together

    Reply
  2365. Ozlem Kal on

    Hard to pick one but the first one came to mind is “Meanwhile in San Francisco: The City in its Own Words” an illustrated book by Wendy MacNaughton.
    I adore her drawings and it takes me back to SF whenever I go through it. Such a warm book telling the story of a city and its people.

    Reply
  2366. Jan on

    My favorite gardening book is Dear Friend and Gardener, a collection of letters between Beth Chatto and Christopher Lloyd. I love to read their back and forth banter about the plants that are blooming and their ideas about the value of each in their gardens.

    Reply
  2367. Lynette Martin on

    favorite books usually have something to do with gardening,at the top of the list is your Cut Flower book ,also Liasa Mason Zeigler’s Cool Flowers and Vegetables love Flowers

    Reply
  2368. Teresa on

    Books, books, books…so many choices! ❤️ My current favorite flower growing book is A Year in Flowers.
    Thanks for sharing your favorites…my Christmas list is growing!

    Reply
  2369. Yvonne Ranft on

    It’s difficult to choose a “favorite” book.
    However, “Seeing Flowers” photography by Robert Llwellyn and written by Teri Dunn Chace is one of my favorites.
    This book features gorgeous photos and lyrical illuminating essays on flowers and is organized by flower family.
    As stated on the back cover the reader enters “into a fantastic realm where petals become the walls of richly hued caves and pistils and stamens turn into bizarre extravagant sculptures.

    Reply
  2370. Claire on

    I just got the “Discovering Dahlias” book out from the library and can’t put it down!

    Reply
  2371. Cindy on

    I return to the sweet books by Jan Karon over and over again when I need to immerse myself in a calm mountain setting. The characters feel like old friends. The main character loved flowers and his time spent gardening speaks to my heart.

    Reply
  2372. Michelle Ruback on

    Part 2- I was so excited about the books I forgot to say mine. I don’t have one in particular because I have sooo many. My current “fav” however is The Heirloom Gardener – John Forti. He has a wonderful Facebook page also. He brings the beauty of gardening & takes you back to the origins of so many things we never knew. Basically this book & his FB page are a spiritual retreat for gardeners. You will learn something new every day. It’s magical, informative, rich in history. I think he may have time traveled here from two centuries ago.

    Reply
  2373. Alex Smith on

    Amy Merrick’s book introduced me to the beauty in everyday flowers in your life.

    Reply
  2374. Kelli LeBeau on

    Kansas Wildflowers and Weeds by Michael John Haddock, Craig C. Freeman, and Janét E. Bare. I read it EVERY day, reference it with every foraged seed. It is a 500 page ‘bible’ of Kansas plants. It informs my passion and my goal to revive native plant species in the Great Plains prairies, desperately hoping to help rapidly diminishing insects and the food web that follows.

    Reply
  2375. Aracely on

    My favorite book is Like Water for Chocolate. Such an amazing book! Highly recommend! The author has a great ability to describe how someone is feeling when making recipes described in the book and how those feelings are transferred into the food and how it affects the people who are enjoying the delicious food! I’ve read the book at least 6 times. I always go back to it.

    Reply
  2376. Jenny Rae on

    My hands down favorite gardening book is Vegetable by Vegetable buy Colby and Myers. It’s a concise guide for growing near the Salish Sea that’s easy to use, tote around in my garden bag and with just the essentials I don’t get overwhelmed with unnecessary details!
    My favorite novel on the other hand is All the Light You Cannot See, or the Nightengale. So many amazing books out there!

    Reply
  2377. Stephanie Goodrich on

    I cannot decide between “the complete gardener” by Monty Don or “discovering dahlias” by you. I have poured over the pages many times and am drawn to the photography first and then soak up the information. I so greatly appreciate those who invest their time into sharing their knowledge with us.

    Reply
  2378. Janelle on

    Cool flowers by Lisa Ziegler. It has been my go to for growing cool annuals.

    Reply
  2379. Skye on

    I love every book I’ve read by Lisa Jewel! But my absolute FAVOURITE is Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden. So informative and I could literally just stare at all of the pictures all day.

    Reply
  2380. Mandy on

    I have never been so excited about a favorites list or a giveaway! Thank you! I’ve opened tabs now for most of these books.

    The book I return to most is “The Southern Gardener’s Book of Lists” by Lois Trigg Chaplin. In it, horticulturists and gardeners share lists of plants for success in different growing conditions and for specific uses. It’s been so useful to me through the years as I have moved and helped friends and family with their gardens around the southeast. At this point, the majority of the pages are dog-eared.

    Reply
  2381. Elaine Gilman on

    My library is a bit out of control as well. I love grand historical fiction like Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett and All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, but I LOVE my flower and gardening books as well and have reread Discovering Dahlias many times this year as it is my first year growing dahlias.

    Reply
  2382. Jeanette Linke on

    My all time favorite book is Annie Between the States. It’s a beautiful romance novel set during the Civil War. My family does Civil War re-enactments and the love between the main characters reminds me of myself and my husband, so this book is very special to me and an incredible read! :)

    Reply
  2383. WEndy C on

    Just read through all of the comments as I am always interested in what others are reading, so many of their favourites are also mine, so I won’t repeat them.
    My favourite flower book is Flowers Rediscovered by the owners of Madderlake flower shop in NYC. This book stunned me, and I actually looked into studying floral design but got sidetracked into landscape design and gardening as a profession. My mother always read to us four girls, so I love to read. Favourite books over the years, Jane of Lantern Hill by Lucy Maud Montgomery; Becky’s Christmas by Tasha Tudour; The Velvet Room by Zilpha Keatley Snyder; The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand; White Oleander by Jane Fitch, books by Francis Mayes, and of course Nancy Drew and Trixie Beldon! And many of the books read by your readers. There are just too many to list. Reading takes you into different worlds, we travel in our imaginations and are totally inspired by reading. I am not allowed to buy flower and gardening books any more, I just have too many. But I read your blog and follow your instagram, SO MUCH BEAUTY!!! Thank you!

    Reply
  2384. Shawn on

    One of my favorite flower books is called Right Plant, Right Place by Nicola Ferguson. It is an older book and I probably have had at least 30 years. The pages have yellowed and you can tell the paper back book has been read. The book breaks up hundreds of different plants by color and style and helped me understand how to group flowers together within different areas of my yard in order to get the best growth and flowers from them. Today, my library is larger and of course, additional books are always needed. :-) but I find myself still referencing this wonderfully designed, collection of plants and knowledge.

    Reply
  2385. Sarah Wesch on

    Picking one favorite book is a challenge, but it’s easy to pick my favorite genre: culinary memoirs. I love books that are about family histories intertwined with food, particularly stories of relating to immigration. I have lots of favorites in that genre, but the one that’s coming to my mind first is Madhur Jaffrey’s Climbing the Mango Trees. I learned so much about the history of India and Pakistan that I hadn’t previously known.

    Reply
  2386. Ashley Bowers on

    The Little House on the Prairie series, I loved it as a kid, but appreciated it so much more when I re read them as an adult. Learning about their struggles makes me appreciate my modern conveniences.

    Reply
  2387. Lori Lee on

    I LOVE all my gardening books, don’t get me wrong. But I also love a good mystery. I love all the books by Nevada Barr. She is definitely one of my favorite authors. I was lucky enough to meet her in my home state. All of them revolve around some type of mystery at a national park. Definitely some of my most favorite books.

    Reply
  2388. Haley Franklin on

    My first gardening book I read was Floret Farms Cut Flower Garden and it took me from a small cut flower garden to wanting it all and diving head first into ALL the gardening books. Reading Eliot Coleman right now. But my all time favorite book is The Secret Garden, I was maybe 12 the first time I read it, and even 30 years later I can still remember it and the way it made me feel when I did.

    Reply
  2389. Sue on

    Martha Stewart flowers book is the reason I decided to start a cut garden. She makes it seem so easy!!! Ha!!

    Reply
  2390. Joshua on

    One of my personal favorites is The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. One day I hope for the conclusion to his trilogy, but I have read and reread through it multiple times. There are several sections in the novel where the main character is comparing his love interest to a flower, and is attempting to not be cliché in choosing what he thinks fits her best. The author does a wonderful job of internalizing the struggle of choosing for her, and the character ends up picking a delicate, challenging, and beautiful vine based flower. I highly suggest this series to anyone who enjoys Fantasy/Fiction.

    Reply
  2391. Jean Bryson on

    Actually, my husband is the flower growing enthusiast. I’ve been meaning to get him a couple of your books…especially the one for growing dahlias. We’ve watched all the online series on different flower growing tips and found them very helpful. Thank you for your inspiration, the books look to be not only beautiful but great guides for the novice flower grower.

    Reply
  2392. Grace on

    One of my favorite gardening books is “Planting the Natural Garden” by Piet Oudolf. I love how he layers plantings and always chooses plants that are very interesting in winter as well as during the rest of the year.

    Reply
  2393. Kenzie Webb on

    My favorite book currently is The Rural Diaries by Hilaire Burton Morgan. We just recently moved from a large city to 5 acres of land. It’s been a lifelong goal to have a farm with huge gardens, cut flowers and animals everywhere. She’s an actress turned farmer and I loved reading and relating to her journey in small ways. She added a few favorite recipes from the farm or favorite books of hers!

    Reply
  2394. Melanie Miller on

    My favorite book depends on the day, my mood, the season. Since this is a gardening blog I’ll recommend Tasha Tudor’s Garden. It is a really delightful look into the life of Tasha Tudor and the amazing gardens she created at her homestead.

    Reply
  2395. Sheree Watson on

    I love books. I could spend a whole day in the bookstore. Besides gardening and growing beautiful flowers I am a knitter. Right now my favorite book is “52 Weeks of Socks” by Laine publishing. This great book contains 52 sock patterns to make gifts for family and friends with gorgeous pictures.

    Reply
  2396. Sarah Sh on

    How difficult to choose just one. I’ll say Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl. It focuses on love, hope, responsibility, inner freedom, and the beauty to be found in both nature and art as means that help one endure and overcome harrowing experiences. The book will show you how although one cannot avoid suffering, one can choose how to cope with it, find meaning in it, and move forward with renewed purpose. I have two copies on my shelf and constantly give it away and get new ones from thrift books.

    Reply
  2397. Mary Anna Christensen on

    Tasha Tudor’s Garden
    Cool Flowers- Lisa Mason Ziegler
    Square Foot Gardening- Mel Bartholomew
    Before Erin’s books, these were in my faves! One for Inspo, one for my climate, and one for my lack of space!

    Reply
  2398. Sarah C Yoder Parker on

    Its always hard for me to pick a favorite book but here are two one fiction one not. A Girl of the Lumberlost and the vegetable Garderners Bible the most borrowed book in my library.

    Reply
  2399. Crystal on

    Such a massive task, to choose just one! There is so much out there to inspire, lead and guide our minds into endless possibilities of influencing our lives, and helping us to understand others and their creative life choices. But I’ve got to say the most powerful influential book I have ever read, the one that reveals new things to me every time I have time to read it is the Bible.
    It is so steeped in wisdom and insight for anyone who would search for it there.

    Reply
  2400. Kristine Smith on

    I have to choose just one favorite book? You’re killing me smalls! I’ll choose my favorite flower book for this post. My fav (other than yours 😉) is The Posy Book by Teresa H. Sabankaya. It has many recipes for tiny bouquets that mean something such as friendship, love, good wishes, etc. she has compiled,in the last part of the book, one of the largest floral dictionaries for the language of flowers I have ever seen, both Victorian and Modern and what sentiment it means to different parts of the world. So what one flower symbolizes to someone in the US might be entirely different for someone in Japan and so on and so forth. I’m fascinated by floriography and this combines that interest with my love of growing flowers and designing with them.

    Reply
  2401. Angela Hicks on

    Gardening seems to bring out the best in writers. It is hard to choose a favorite but Vita Sackville-West’s In your Garden series, a compilation of her articles written for the Observer are some of the best. Her practical advice mixed with biting, witty commentary is timeless and delightful.

    Writing the Garden by Elizabeth Barlowe Rogers is a great book about great garden books, listing and commentating on over 200 years of garden writing from Rousseau to Rosemary Verey. I have filled a bookcase from this little book. Now, from these posts I see I need another bookcase for books specifically about flower farming! Thanks to everyone!

    Reply
  2402. Andrea on

    The Little House series has been a favorite of mine for years. I began reading them as a child, have gifted a set of them to each of my daughters, and now am in the beginnings of sharing sets with 3 of my granddaughters, as they become age appropriate. We do read alouds with them to my grandsons too. They have always been such an inspiration to another time, to a way of simplicity, of life, hardship, fun, laughter, love, and genuine living. It has been fun sharing through 3 generations so far.

    Reply
  2403. Jackie Branz on

    I love Cass Turnball’s “Guide to Pruning” so much! I am a pretty confident pruner, but I still turn to this book on plants that I’m sure how to tackle. The best writing and clear cut illustrations.

    Plus, Cass was a real northwest personality and a gem to the pruning world.

    Reply
  2404. Rachel Chapman on

    An oldie but a goodie- Little Women will forever hold the most special place in my heart! My grandmother used to read it to me when I’d stay the night at her house and I could see the sisters come to life to her voice. Being pregnant with my first daughter now, I can’t wait to share this tale of women finding their way with her!

    Reply
  2405. Loren Wilkerson on

    I would never say I have favorites, but the book I always go back to is Pride and Prejudice. I’ve re-read it the most out of any book in my life. It has just the right combination of class, wit, and romance. Such great writing!

    Reply
  2406. Emily Tan on

    Oops–and I hit that comment button too soon! These two are my favorite because of the place they hold in my gardening journey! I grew up on a farm on the east coast where land was not scarce. We had a garden that was over an acre. As I ventured out into the adult world, I found myself in California where any kind of garden area was at a premium. “Bountiful Container” by McGee and Stucky became my gardening bible as I learned how to garden in tiny spaces. My second favorite is “Green Thoughts: A Writer in the Garden” as it introduced me to short essays on gardening. This book introduced me to writing not only about the factual side of how to garden, but also about the feelings gardening brings about–pure magic!

    Reply
  2407. Sherri Orsucci on

    What a generous gift to give away. My favorite would be The New Organic Grower: A Master’s Manual of Tools and Techniques for the Home and Market Gardener by Eliot Coleman. I recently moved into a new home in Northern Minnesota and have an area for a big garden in virgin soil. I have had a vegetable garden before, but I really would like to start organic gardening.

    Reply
  2408. Anna on

    I am floored! This list didn’t include Niki Jabbour and her delightful musings on weird veggie varieties or season extension, Margaret Roach and her beautiful meditations on gardening, or Ken Druse with his stunning photographs and fantastic stories about conservation, horticultural history or plant propagation… all three authors are highly recommended garden writers and I just so happen to be currently reading their work :)

    I read audiobooks constantly: while driving, doing household tasks, or gardening. Also a huge fan of big beautiful coffee table books. Another favorite is Indoor Vegetable Gardening by Elizabeth Millard – her writing is so encouraging and straightforward it will make you feel ready to try anything!

    Reply
  2409. Claudette Aubart on

    James Herriot’s All Things Bright & Beautiful, All Creatures Great & Small, All Things Wise & Wonderful, The Lord God Made Them All.
    My aunt gave me this series for Christmas years ago. I was just out of high school and preparing for my wedding! I didn’t have time to read them. After my wedding I was going through some boxes and discovered these books. I started reading the first book before going to bed and could not put it down. Some stories made me laugh so hard I had tears rolling down my cheeks! What a wonderful author! He inspired me to buy his children’s books for my boys for Christmas! Oh, and my dream came true! We have lived on a farm for almost 35 years now! We have raised sheep, turkeys, chickens, guineas, dogs, cats, rabbits, etc. and I have quite a few memories and stories of my own!! I am now more into flowers and am looking forward to the books you have recommended.

    Reply
  2410. Terri Springer on

    I used to say my favorite book was, “any book with words!” Beyond that, it’s such a hard question. BUT, I want to be entered in the drawing so I’m going to come up with an answer, I promise … I guess I’ll go with The Tidewater Tales by John Barth.

    Reply
  2411. Emily on

    Waaaaay too many to choose from, but a recent favorite was There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather – a really inspiring read about getting outside more and letting nature have a dominant role in raising our children. This book, combined with the tutorials from A Year in Flowers and Cut Flower Garden, were the reason I foraged for and created my first winter wreath this week!

    Reply
  2412. Sarah Jo on

    Growing up in a sketch neighborhood, a nearby library literally saved my life, so this post really resonates with me :) My husband jokes that books are my love language (he’s not wrong!) The Secret Garden is one of my absolute favorites- I was lucky enough to read a beautiful illustrated version as a child and so many parts of it speak to my soul even to this day.

    Reply
  2413. Mary-Paige Provost on

    So hard to choose just one but currently The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller. It is a beautifully written book where the setting is as big of a character as the people. The cabin alive, the pond an old friend…I really loved how it transported me!

    Reply
  2414. Jamie Desmond on

    My all-time favorite book is The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck. As a teenager, I discovered the book in my parents’ attack and read it one summer and was captivated by the story. As an adult, we read it in book group and found the message to be as meaningful today as when it was first written.

    Reply
  2415. Fiona on

    My favorite book is Cool Flowers by Lisa Mason Ziegler. She was the reason I became interested in flower gardening and this book is packed with useful and succinct information. Lisa has a very approachable teaching manner and I still go back to this book every so often because it’s that user friendly and helpful.

    Reply
  2416. Anita Segers on

    “One Thousand Gifts” by Ann Voskamp is a book I’ve read more than once…any time I begin to feel a little down. This book literally teaches us how to count gifts… a new bird at the feeder, a scented sweet pea, a harvest moon. “One thousand Gifts” is all about thankfulness in spite of our difficulties.

    Reply
  2417. erin harman on

    A year in flowers was my first floral book I ever bought and it has sparked such a great interest to learn and grow more about the beauty of flowers and gardening

    Reply
  2418. Hayley Sanchez on

    One of my favorite things to do during the winter months is to read! Excited to add more titles to my list for my local library. One of my all time favorite books/series is Anne of Green Gables. I remember my Mom sharing her book set with me when I was around 10 years old. The poetic words, Anne’s creative and fiery personality captivated me. It is still a series I love to pick back up in the spring and read through.

    Reply
  2419. Sindee Brady on

    I’ve always had a love of growing flowers, I guess I inherited it from my mom, but once I found you and your books I have a whole new obsession! I literally cried through the whole first episode of Growing Floret! Talk about inspirational WOW! My favorite book right now is your very own Cut Flower Garden. I’m hoping to be more successful this coming new year with the help of this book . I could use all the help I can get so thanks for the book recommendations!💖

    Reply
  2420. Lauren Allen on

    My favorite is hinds feet on high places. It’s a beautiful allegory about relationship with God, trust in Him & how we develop through difficulty & our character is changed through the better. Highly recommended. I have been loving learning about cut flowers & have just gotten into gardening, because of floret. So grateful for this company!

    Reply
  2421. Katie Rice on

    My fav garden book is ‘Cut Flower Garden.’ I reference it all the time and share it with friends!

    Reply
  2422. Corrie on

    How can I choose just one favorite book? I have favorites in every genre! However, Cut Flower Garden is my favorite gardening book, and it has been both inspiration and practical guide for me.

    Reply
  2423. Samantha on

    How can I choose just one? I think I have to say the Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis because it is meaningful for any age. In the non-fiction category, I love a late 1800s English Grammar book called Intermediate English Grammar by Maxwell. Words and the way they work is fascinating!

    Reply
  2424. Mary from Michigan on

    I’ve collected flower books for years. They’re always my first stop in bookstores, thrift shops, and library book sales. But hands down my favorite is your Cut Flower Book. It is full of sticky notes and yellow highlighter markings. My daughters’ bought it for me as a gift, the first that I heard of you. I had started many cutting gardens over the years in my yard and they are my favorites. Julie was later appalled that I had highlighted in the book. But all good pieces of information need to be highlighted!! I just loaned it out to my daughter’s friend who wanted to “come pick my brain” about starting a dahlia garden. She arrived with a clipboard in hand and left with my copy of your Cut Glower Book!!!! I didn’t feel that she totally understood the concept of my ‘hole garden’, the one with the burned holes in landscaping fabric with netting. Now she has the winter to understand, enjoy, and take lots of notes!!

    Reply
  2425. Tia on

    One of my favorites is Carla Emery’s Encyclopedia of Country Living. I stumbled upon it as a teenager who was raised in the suburbs and totally disconnected from the natural world. I read it cover to cover until the pages disintegrated and then I duct taped it back together. It inspired me to find the joy and satisfaction of making and doing things for myself- exploring growing and preserving my own food and getting started with animals.

    Reply
  2426. Elizabeth Whorten on

    My favorite book is « Living in the Garden Home » by Monty Don. It’s inspired so many color combinations and projects that have really enriched the lives of my family year round, even when the snow is deep!

    Reply
  2427. Kyra Tanner on

    I don’t know what my favorite book is!! I like reading books that inspire me to better myself and/or my business. Christy Wright’s book, “Business Boutique” got me started on the fundamentals of starting my own business!

    Reply
  2428. Jacqueline on

    My favorite book is Untamed by Glennon Doyle. It was the first book I read that completely rewrote my thinking. It’s a revolutionary book!

    Reply
  2429. Alandra Kahl on

    The hitchhikers guide to the galaxy. if you know, you know!

    Reply
  2430. Keimo M on

    My favorite book is Kristine Albrecht’s Dahlia Breeding for the Farmer-Florist and the home Gardener! She explains the dahlia breeding process in such detail. The scientific process behind dahlia breeding is fascinating. I can’t wait to try out the breeding process for the first time next season!

    Reply
  2431. Katrina on

    So many great titles in this blog post – and now I have a list of ones to put on hold at the library, too! Choosing a favorite book is such an unfair thing to ask, haha! As for gardening books, I’m a sucker for beautiful pictures and one book I really appreciate is The Heirloom Life Gardener: The Baker Creek Way of Growing Your Own Food Easily and Naturally. It has lovely photos, wonderful starter information, and the texture of the pages is really nice.

    Reply
  2432. Jen Koym on

    My favorite book of all time is “A Ring of Endless Light” by Madeline L’Engle. I first read it as a very lost and sad teenager and it helped give me hope and so much comfort. I think because I read it at just the right time, the magic it gave me will always make it my favorite book. If we are talking flower books, I’d say “Cool Flowers” by Lisa Mason Ziegler.

    Reply
  2433. Cheryl Roe on

    Although I love a good gardening book in the winter, my all time favorite book is Fresh Eggs Daily, by Lisa Steele. This is literally my Bible on chickens. I have always had some form of garden but have only had chickens for about 3 years. My husband has always gotten me a book or two for Christmas and we have a quiet afternoon reading our books.

    Reply
  2434. Kelly Hager on

    There are some books that appear in your life at the right time, and capture all the emotions you haven’t been able to put words to yourself. The Wind-Up Bird by Haruki Murakami, is that book for me. When I was a teacher in Japan, my predecessor left it behind. Lonely and bored one weekend, I picked it up, then promptly spent the whole week engrossed by it. Murakami described the strangeness I’d felt living in my new country, with an added flair of magical realism. It’s not everybody’s cup of tea, but I’ll never forget how strongly that book resonated with me.

    Reply
  2435. Chelsea Johnston on

    The Lord of the Rings series by J.R.R. Tolkien, the books are fabulous but it’s probably more the memories created with my family reading together and later watching the movies.

    Reply
  2436. Amy Hurst on

    My dad has a great story about how he got started keeping bees in the 70’s by propping a library copy of John F. Adams’ “Beekeeping: The Gentle Craft” up next to his new beehive, holding his breath, and dumping in a package of bees he got in the mail. Forty five years later I’m finally getting into beekeeping myself and this wonderful book has become one of my new favorite classics. Written before today’s era of mite infestations and hive collapse syndrome, Adams’ nostalgic prose is lovely and inspiring. I’ll be reading this book every year for the rest of my life – highly recommend!

    Reply
  2437. Jelissa on

    I’m not just saying this to suck up haha! … but, my favorite gardening book is Cut Flower Garden. My husband likened it to my baby blanket because I would take it everywhere with me. As a visual learner, the photography is totally captivating and the instructions/advice are concise, easy to follow, and top-notch. It’s been very empowering and has given me confidence to try something I had never tried before!

    Reply
  2438. Angie W on

    Only pick one favorite book? An impossible task, but I’ll choose one of my favorites to share.

    Francine Rivers The Last Sin Eater has captured my imagination for years, even decades. Story of a young girl in the Appalachians.

    Reply
  2439. Katina Smith on

    Educated by Tara Westover has become one of my favorite books. In this book the author explains her childhood and links how education helped change the projectory of her life. I read that book and was astounded by the thought that a great mind could go undiscovered just because the opportunities were not presented. I really believe that in all that you do or want to do educating yourself on the subject gives you the foundation required to help you make your first steps with confidence. And education comes in an array of facets. Rather you read to gain a better understanding of your subject, go to school to get a degree in your subject or simply work with best to learn a craft from an expert education is the foundation for progress. So like yourself I have a “out of control” library of books. And whenever I come across any one book I’ve read I can tell by the subject what milestone was occurring in my life then. I have always looked to books as my pathway to wherever I want to go. And now that pathway is gardening. I have many Martha Stewart books first on cooking, then on baking, then on cleaning of all things. Martha Stewart has definitely helped me in all things domesticated. I also bought her book on gardening. So now after reading your blog, I have a whole new list of authors to help me on my gardening journey. Thank you for sharing your information and your inspiration!

    Reply
  2440. LeAnn Snyder on

    Right now it is Teaching from Rest, by Sarah Mackenzie. We recently started home schooling and that is why I started reading it but it has applied to so many areas of my life. It’s a wonderful to reminder to not always be in a hurry. As well as how to measure success, not as the world measures success.

    Reply
  2441. Mahalia Hornback on

    I’ve always loved and preferred to grab books for information. I just love the tangible feeling of them and flipping through the pages while on the hunt for answers to all of my questions! This year Cut Flower Garden was so incredibly helpful while I had a trial year for a large cut flower garden before I begin selling. I’ve also really been enjoying Cool Flowers by Lisa Mason Zeigler!

    Reply
  2442. Stephanie N Barrus on

    One of my recent favorites is byTracy DiSabato-Aust.
    “The Well-Tended Perennial Garden: The Essential Guide to Planting and Pruning Techniques” gives plant by plant advice on how to pinch, prune and care for a host of plants. It saved my daylilies from looking horrible this fall. I loved it! I also really like “The Flower Recipe Book” by Alethea Harampolis and Jill Rizzo.

    Reply
  2443. Rebecca on

    Profit First from Mike Michalowicz…. not a gardening/ farming book but was absolutely life changing for my business and personal life. I highly recommend to anyone who struggles with finances, he shows you how to pay yourself first and makes it completely doable no matter where you’re starting.

    Reply
  2444. Sarah Clayton on

    My favorite book right now is floret’s cut flower garden. Any book by Nora Roberts also get read as a favorite .

    Reply
  2445. Johanna George on

    Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden!! All the information you need to get started and the tips & tricks are invaluable!

    Reply
  2446. Shae on

    A year in flowers was a great catapult for me to add more beauty in my vegetable garden!

    Reply
  2447. Mackenzie T on

    While I don’t yet own it, I checked out your Flower Farming book from the library and I love it! I could spend hours looking at the beautiful flowers, but I also love how thoughtful you were in teaching someone how to build an arrangement. I’ve really struggled with arrangements, never really knowing if it needed more or less flowers. So I was so thankful for you breaking down each part of a bouquet.

    Reply
  2448. DeAnna Olson on

    My favorite book, hands down, is the 2021 Floret Workshop course book. Even after the workshop, I find myself turning to it again and again for guidance. I can’t wait for the updated version to arrive. Granted, I have plenty of other books with amazing pictures and great information, but my course book is my goto.

    Reply
  2449. Wendy Morrison on

    Thank you for this list! When we lived in the Netherlands, gorgeous floral bouquets were available at a reasonable price on every street corner. When I returned to the US, I started thinking about growing flowers on my own. Erin’s books, gifted to me by my mom, have been so inspiring. I refer to Cut Flower Garden all the time as I try to build my own garden. Aside from flowers, Gift from the Sea, also gifted to me by my mom, stands the test of time!

    Reply
  2450. Chris Boone on

    I grow organic flowers and vegetables. This time of year I use Better Baking by Genevieve Ko for wholesome baked goods!

    Reply
  2451. Angela Sampson on

    I have soooo many favorites. 100 cookies by Sarah Kieffer is a family favorite. Anything by America’s Test Kitchen. The Fine Art of Paper Flower by Tiffany Turner. Harry Potter of course and any and all flower reference books!

    Reply
  2452. Lauren on

    How can I choose just one book? 😊 I love the classic romances like novels by Jane Austen, of course, and I also love beautiful coffee table books with gorgeous photography and stories. I always love growing my library!!

    Reply
  2453. Sabrina on

    Currently I am using Month by Month Gardening Georgia by Walter Reeves, to get the basics for my new state which is a huge difference from my previous state of Florida. So many wonderful new items we can grow here that could not take the heat and humidity of Florida😃

    Reply
  2454. Lisa Stark on

    One of the books that’s changed my perspective the most is a book my late grandmother Joyce gave me called Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbra Kingsolver. This book opened my eyes to the ways in which the industrial food system works but also gave me hope and inspiration to start a garden and grow food for my family and friends.

    Reply
  2455. Mary Alison Williams on

    My all-time favorite book is To Kill A Mockingbird. Hands down. I read it when I was in the 7th grade.. the first time. That book moved me then and still does. As well as the film. I still believe it is a book all should read if they haven’t. I still keep a copy on my bookshelf… 28 years later.

    My collection of books and gardening books is ridiculous. Haha. Of course I have all three of your Floret books. (The first one is still my favorite) I love the library, books and reading. (And shopping at thrift stores for them.)

    Thanks for the giveaway!

    Reply
  2456. Caren Fisher on

    My favorites are anything by Joel Salatin, he inspired us to get into gardening/farming.

    Reply
  2457. Ali Matthews on

    I love the book Present over perfect by Shauna Niequist. This book is a yearly read for me reminding me to slow down! We are highly productive and driven people slowing down and focusing on proper rest really allows quality time for the ones we love and the hobbies we enjoy! This book has inspired me to actually start my first fresh cut flower garden as I have always wanted to but now I have made the time for it! Looking forward to tulip bulbs popping in my field in 2022! Can’t wait to plant other flower varieties! Your talent inspires me to want to try so many more!

    Reply
  2458. Emily Tan on

    Like you, my library overflowed! And I can’t pick just one favorite!

    Reply
  2459. Jo McClarrinon on

    My favorite flower book which stays out on my coffee table is A Year in Flowers, by Erin Benzakein. You are much too modest in that
    your informative, thoughtful, beautiful books should be included in the top ten gardening books. Just sayin’.

    Reply
  2460. Kelly Dorathy on

    It is so hard to say what book is my favorite. Not one single book comes to mind but a series.As a mother of six boys and the constant activity. It’s has always been hard to fit in time to read for myself. However reading to the boys and having a bookshelf so full of kids books have been a priority of mine. The boys have so many books they are squeezed into the bookshelf. The boys LOVE to be read to..even now as my youngest is a teen. They enjoy mom reading to them. Even though my personal bookshelf has a lot less books it contains a few select books one that is a text book from college about animal science and of course canning and gardening books. With that small collection sits a series of books I have had since I graduated high school some 23 years ago. For graduation I was gifted the series 1-8 of The Work and Glory (at that time the series only had 8 books) the night of graduation I started the series and read all 8 books in a two week period. Reading into the early morning hours..stopping for a few hours of sleep, bathroom, and a quick food break. This series of books are 300-500 pages each book. When the 9th and final book came out that was read in two days..These books though fictional are based on historical content. That just brought history to life. The collection is a great addition that I never plan to part with. With our family getting smaller with each passing year it has reached a point where it is also growing bringing daughters into the fold (can’t lie I am overly excited) however I look forward to being able to pick a book up more often and enlighten my mind with the knowledge and stories in books.

    Reply
  2461. Sarah Havard on

    I am not a big reader although somehow I buy a lot of books and never finish them because I always fall asleep! I have never consumed a book faster than Discovery Dahlias. Growing Floret and that book was the beginning of my magical journey into home garden cut flower growing and I won’t ever go without a garden in my life again!!! 🥰

    Reply
  2462. Erin Linn on

    For gardening books, my favourites are the Lois Hole series. “Lois Hole’s Perennial Favorites” is my pick of her many gardening books. Although, I have some of the books in your list, it has certainly inspired me to make a trip to the bookstore for some extra winter reading.

    Reply
  2463. Katherine Mangum on

    The Gardens of Colonial Williamsburg by M. Kent Brinkley ~ This book reminds me of my childhood growing up on the Duke of Gloucester Street in the historic area of CW. I spent countless hours exploring and playing in those beautifully curated and maintained gardens. Thanks to all things Floret and the 2021 online course, those early magical experiences have reignited my passion for growing flowers. This soon-to-be empty-nester has found a new, joyful purpose and I am so very grateful!! While my tiny city garden is not as structured as the gardens of my youth, I still find inspiration in this book’s lovely photographs. I cannot wait to participate as an alum this winter as I prepare for a new growing season and I would love to add my growing collection of books!!!

    Reply
  2464. Maya Moon on

    I have many favorite books, but the one I always come back to is Thornyhold by Mary Stewart. It combines all the things I love about life and then some. I fell in love with the story when I was a teenager and was longing for stability and love in my own, disorganized life. It is a classic love story centered around an old farm house in the country side. I believe that this book is what decided me that I needed a lilac hedge, with fragrant climbing roses growing through it and violets peeking from underneath, which I am now working on.

    Reply
  2465. mary O"Brien on

    I love your books. I like the cut flowers book the best … Love the photography in your books. They are inspiration to me. Thanks for contest !!!

    Reply
  2466. Prisilla Ann Cope on

    The Decoupage Kit by Belinda Ballantine. I found this book at my small town local library as a teen in the early nineties. Scouring for something to learn to stay somewhat out of trouble, this old art form is still saving me. Art is therapy. My 11 year old daughter loves collage! We’re crafting partners. Thank you. 💖💐🌟📚

    Reply
  2467. Bracken Edwards on

    My favorite book is The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. I love that Liesel loves books. During WWII Germany when books were being burned, not to mention the horrific treatment of Jewish people. She is able to find comfort in the books she saves/steals. She learns to read and reads to the man they are hiding in their basement. It’s a very emotional story.

    Reply
  2468. Liz Hall on

    The Garden Awakening by Mary Reynolds
    I just love this book. I totally believe in her stance on creating natural habitats in gardens, be them urban or country. Her design photos in the book are amazing and are similar to my own drawing style. I believe in fairy forests too. She has inspired me to delve deeper into perennial gardens that work in my home state of Kentucky.

    Reply
  2469. Nadia Kessler on

    Monty Don’s The Complete Gardener.
    It’s my favorite because Monty has such an endearing personality and all his advice is from his own experience. He is generous and makes me feel that if he can do things, I might be able to, too.
    Apart from the fact that some things won’t grow here in Colorado the way the do in Herefortshire…
    But that’s not the point. He loves his garden and I love that.

    Reply
  2470. Kara on

    Cut Flower Garden is definitely my most recent favorite. It’s a beautiful book and has been incredibly helpful in improving my flower gardening for selling flowers at farmers markets ❤️

    Reply
  2471. Amy Hurst on

    My dad has a great story about teaching himself to keep bees in the 70’s by literally propping a library copy of John F. Adams’ “Beekeeping: The Gentle Craft” up next to his new beehive, holding his breath, and dumping in a package of bees he received at the post office! Forty five years later I’m finally getting into beekeeping myself and this book has become my new favorite classic. Beekeeping in that era was truly a gentle craft, without the mite problems and hive collapse we deal with today, and Adams’ prose is so lovely and inspiring. I feel like I’m connecting with my dad’s younger idealistic self when I read it, and I’ll be rereading it every year from now on – highly recommend!

    Reply
  2472. Gianna Guzzardo on

    My favorite is your Cut Flower Garden, it has opened by eyes to the amazing world of gardening and growing and continues to inspire me as I prepare to prepare and grow my first garden ever! As I am new to the gardening party, I can’t wait to continue adding to my library collection!

    Reply
  2473. Emily Pelles on

    I agree that it’s hard to choose a favorite! One of my favorites from recent years is On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong. The story was quite powerful and emotional, and I had a hard time putting it down!

    Reply
  2474. Melissa on

    My favorite book is Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in Your Yard, by Douglas W. Tallamy. It is an in depth look at how what we plant is important to ecological health. I especially like it because it gives great resources and knowledge on what you can do to help native animals where you live.

    Reply
  2475. Heather Andignac on

    Favorite, oh that’s so hard… one of my recent faves is “Where the Crawdads Sing” with its lush nature writing and murder mystery combination. I love Monty Don as well!

    Reply
  2476. Rebecca on

    I love wintertime because it means checking out piles of books from the library for garden dreaming. Two I keep coming back to again and again are Tasha Tudor’s Garden by Martin & Brown and Natural Landscaping by Roth.

    Reply
  2477. Cate Bower on

    My first and still favorite gardening book is The Natural Shade Garden by Ken Druse. I’ve lived on this acre of waterfront land for 27 years and until I dug up part my front lawn last year to plant a dahlia cutting garden (Thank you for the inspiration and the education that made a season of dahlias possible), I had only shade to work with. This book has resulted in a self sustaining series of shaded beds that are a delight season by season, year after year.

    Reply
  2478. Michelle P on

    Lately, my favorite book has been Niki Irving’s Growing Flowers! It has been my go-to resource in starting my first cut flower garden and has shown me real, practical tips for everything from planting bulbs to dealing with pests. Not to mention that it is also so beautiful and the pictures are amazing!

    Reply
  2479. Susan D Shearer on

    One of my favorite go-to books is The Complete Book of Cacti and Succulents by Terry Hewitt. I have a hard time keeping succulents alive and this book helps me to trouble-shoot what I’m doing wrong and has beautiful color photographs of the different species.

    Reply
  2480. Sherri Bradley on

    My favorite book is the Cut Flower Garden it has started the path of my flower garden and now onto the workshop. Such a great book to refer back to!

    Reply
  2481. Pat Richardson on

    Charlottes Web…..Classic!

    Just subscribed to Discovery + to check out your show. Loving your story & passion! Thanks for sharing it!

    Reply
  2482. Lauralee Harding on

    My favorite books as a child and still to this day are L. M. Montgomery’s classic tale of a mischievous, red-headed orphan girl who longed for a family to call her own. This spirited, imaginative heroine is none other than Anne of Green Gables. She captured my imagination as a child and drew me into the tranquil, beautiful world on Prince Edward Island, which still captures my heart as an adult. This beloved series is now my daughter’s favorite as well, and we are planning a mother-daughter trip to Prince Edward Island in 2023 so we can immerse ourselves in Anne’s world for an unforgettable holiday!

    Reply
  2483. Sonia Covarrubias on

    I have a fever for dahlias and hydrangeas, so currently I have 2 favorite books , one is “Hydrangeas” by Naomi Slade’s and your book about Dahlias (which I totally loved receiving the seed packet) , thanks for sharing your enthusiasm with us !!! Sending Love from Texas

    Reply
  2484. Lori on

    I absolutely loved this post! You have inspired me with your book list and helped me to remember my own favorites. I read and reread The Secret Garden as a girl, I loved it. I think that’s my goal for the day, find a copy to reread.
    Thank you.

    Reply
  2485. Steph on

    I don’t know if I can pick a favorite book, I love books so much! I’ve run out of space for them but I don’t care! I’ll make room lol. My favorite book to read right now is Harvesting Color by Rebecca Burgess. It’s about finding natural dye plant by the season. I love plants! They have so many uses! Not to be a huge suck up I also have all of your books, I love them they are beautiful!

    Reply
  2486. Babette Thurston on

    I love Martha Stewarts Gardening: Month by Month. To me she is the quintessential friend that guides you along and makes you want to dive into gardening. I love to garden and just discover what comes up. Martha Stewart has a way of making gardening look easy and you can do it. I, like you Erin, love books and so does two of my sons. I could stay in a bookstore all day just perusing and reading. I love to find antique books. Thank you for the giveaway and I love your site and delving into cut flowers!

    Reply
  2487. Julie Clites on

    My pick would be a book that had a big influence on my life. Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Klyosaki. I read it the first time when I was single, starting a business and goal setting. It gave me new perspectives and defined ideas I already had about money and finances. Bonus, I accomplished several of those big financial goals!!!!

    Reply
  2488. Meredith Loewen on

    I’m loving Monty Don’s Down to Earth right now! He’s like the gardening grandpa I never had.

    Reply
  2489. Esther on

    Educating the whole hearted child by Clay & Sally Clarkson

    Reply
  2490. Allie R on

    I had to buy a bigger house just so I had room for my library – I feel you! Books have the magical quality of igniting the soul and I love them for it. I lose myself in fiction and love sharing stories with my students. The book I am reading now is quickly becoming a new favorite that I can’t wait to re-read again – Once & Future (book 1) and Sword in the Stars (book 2) by A. R. Capetta and Cory McCarthy. A retelling of the King Arthur legend full of inclusivity and female empowerment that I highly recommend!

    Reply
  2491. Andrea Ware on

    I have too many favorites as well! My favorite of all time is probably the Harry Potter series though, because it sparked my love of reading.

    Reply
  2492. Michelle Scheier on

    My favorite right now is Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden. I am a newbie gardener, having started super small during the pandemic. I grew veggies in a community garden plot last summer and made my share of mistakes. Next summer, I will attempt to grow a variety of flowers and decorative pumpkins along with my veggies to contribute to my son’s wedding in the fall. I need all the help I can get!

    Reply
  2493. Jacquelyn Duggan on

    It’s so hard to choose just ONE book! But, one that I turn back to over and over again is Savor by Shauna Niequist. It always leaves me with a full heart after I read it!

    Reply
  2494. Marilyn D. on

    Oh my, pick just one book out of the thousands I’ve read. First and always will be the Bible. It’s the only truth that stands the test of time and my home will always have one. After that, would be my worn and falling apart copy of Little Pilgrims Progress. My oldest and I have read it so many times it had to be replaced. From there my shelves and Kindle overflow with herbal medicine, gardening, foraging, history, and science volumes. I have two of your books on Kindle but I’d love to own them in book form.

    Reply
  2495. Nancy Wynne on

    I love this! I agree and have read so many of these best books. One not yet mentioned but definitely in my top five is Dracula by Bram Stoker. Beautifully written. Cut Flower Garden is my favorite flower book. My copy is dirty and dog eared already.

    Reply
  2496. Michelle Ruback on

    Lifting up all these talented artists & spotlighting their strengths just fired me up for the day. I feel inspired to try something new in the kitchen, in my garden planning, all of it! I have some of these books but just discovered some more gold. Thank you for sharing these talented humans & their unique gifts with us.

    Reply
  2497. Holly on

    I still love The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. I try to find time every year or two to read it because it reminds me of so many important truths that over time I tend to forget.

    Reply
  2498. Chelsea Morrison on

    Rodale’s Ultimate Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening is my favorite book. If I am curious about growing a particular species or tackling a pest, staring composting, re-designing my beds or anything else garden related, I go to this book first and it always helps.

    Reply
  2499. Emily on

    My favourite gardening book is Food to Grow by Frankie Flowers. I love it because it gives an uncomplicated guide to planting a backyard vegetable garden and since he’s Canadian it’s applicable to my zone. Each year I re read it and plan my vegetable garden including when to start seeds inside.

    Reply
  2500. Chelsie Solie on

    One of my favorite books is Poisonwood Bible. It was such an eye opener into humanity outside my little bubble. I loved it! I’ve bought copies for friends and recommend to everyone!

    Reply
  2501. Rachel on

    I have referenced A year in Flowers so many times as I have gotten my feet wet growing flowers. It has been so so helpful!

    Reply
  2502. Natalie Lairamore on

    Wow! This is a fantastic list of invaluable resources I’m sure I’ll be referencing many times in the future. Thank you! I have so many favorite books, it’s hard to choose just one. One of my favorite authors in recent years is Amy Harmon and my favorite book of hers, so far, is called Where the Wind Blows.

    Reply
  2503. Chelsea Morrison on

    Rodale’s Ultimate Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening is my favorite book. If I am curious about growing a particular species or tackling a pest, staring composting, re-designing my beds or anything else garden related, I go to this book first and it always helps.

    Reply
  2504. Denise on

    What a fabulous giveaway? It’s hard to pick just one, but Doug Tallamy’s book “Bringing Nature Home” is definitely a favorite. It reinforces the idea that small changes in how we garden can have such a huge impact on where we live.

    Reply
  2505. Winn Holly on

    My favorite book is such a hard pick, there are so many for so many different reasons..I love and began my journey with Gaia’s Garden. It’s still a favorite and something I read every year coming in next to that is The Natural Way of Farming both informational and incredible inspiring. Nothing makes me feel so in love with nature and people than this book does as tend to my small garden.

    Reply
  2506. Monica Goodrich on

    One of my favorite books is The Trees by Conrad Richter. He writes of a family that travels (in either the late 1700s or early 1800s) from Pennsylvania to the Ohio Valley region to resettle in “the woods” where there is hardly any light of day getting through the forest canopy. Focusing on a fourteen-year-old girl, Sayward, he writes about their survival, family, and how Sayward becomes the leader in the family. This is the first book in the trilogy (the next two books are The Fields” and lastly, The Town – do you see the progression in the titles?) Anyway, I love his poetic descriptions of both the surrounding woods and people, the old language he uses that the uneducated family speaks, and finally the strong character development.

    Reply
  2507. Melanie Helton on

    I, too, love books and hope to never quit collecting them! I believe that I enjoyed Robert Schuller’s Positive Thoughts the most. I read it when I was in an unhealthy relationship and it guided me toward the right decision! I’ve had many favorites over the years, depending on what is happening in my life….hard to choose. I’d love the book collection for me and to share. I started a dahlia club after attending Floret Flowers last year – I would share some of the books with my new friends! Thanks for sharing your love and knowledge!

    Reply
  2508. April Singer on

    One of my many favorite books (I have bookshelves full of favorites and even not so favorites) is A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. I love how Count Alexander Ilyich Rostov is able to find camaraderie and purpose, even friendships and love, entertainment and fun and occasional good meal while sentenced by the Bolsheviks to lifetime house arrest at the Hotel Metropol in St. Petersburg Russia, in a tiny attic room with a window “the size of a chessboard”. This fictional story takes place starting in 1922. I especially love his developing friendship with a nine year girl, Nina, and the way she comes to love him as her friend. I realized just now that the Count’s ability to make a life for himself in this situation could be a manual for how to survive the covid lockdowns, restrictions, and isolation that many of us have experienced in the last two years. That and a garden to sit and read in. Hmmm, I may need to read A Gentleman again soon! For me it was a story to truly get lost in and one of those that I really, really didn’t want to end.

    Reply
  2509. Eileen Ferrari on

    My favorite book is the Dead Zone by Stephen King but my favorite flower book is Fast Flower Arranging by Jane Packer..it helped me to learn basic design techniques until I could afford floral design school!

    Reply
  2510. Travis on

    One of my favorites is “Growing the Southwest Garden” by Judith Phillips. It is a great resource for designing gardens aesthetically and environmentally.

    Reply
  2511. Jessica on

    My favorite book is The King Arthur Cookie Companion. It has gorgeous pictures and fantastic recipes. (Not really on theme with these books, though)

    Reply
  2512. Angela Conley on

    One of my favorite books from this past year was Ten Ways to Destroy the Imagination of Your Child by Esolen. It was not only helpful in rethinking how I am mothering but it fostered a deep desire in my heart to correct ways that I might be endangering my previous imagination. One cannot grow, create, or soar to higher heights without a strong imagination and a love for the whimsical.

    Reply
  2513. Hannah Betts on

    One of my favorite flower books is a a beautiful one that I found in a used book store. It is called the Manual of Japanese Flower Arrangement. It is filled with rice paper and incredible illustrations. I will treasure it always!

    Reply
  2514. Mindi Cowley on

    I am not sure I can narrow down to a favorite gardening book, so I will share my favorite business/personal development book. It is called ‘Extreme Ownership’ by Jocko Willink and Laif Babben. They are two former Navy Seals and I believe their approach to owning our actions is life changing!!

    Reply
  2515. Sonya Stice on

    I am so excited to work my way through your list! I have been pouring over stacks of books all about flowers and perennials. For my birthday this year I got my new favorite book, “Cut Flower Garden,” by you and Julie Chai. The beautiful images and easy to understand growing information makes this book such a joy to page through over and over. I love experiencing the beauty and art your book brings into practical learning!

    Reply
  2516. Deborah M Terry on

    My favorite gardening book is called, “Treasury of Gardening”. It’s an older book, but full of info. Beautiful photos and “how to” garden info. But I would love to extend my library and learn alk I can from you. Thank you!

    Reply
  2517. Moorea Hall-Aquitania on

    I only have two favorite books so far, both recommended by you and beloved by me! Your Cut Flower Garden book is my go-to and I’m so excited to be going into my first full year of growing seasons armed with it! I also love Sarah Raven’s
    Year Full of Flowers. There are so many tips I want to try but somehow it never feels overwhelming. I’m excited to discover more favorites!

    Reply
  2518. Ellen Greenberg on

    My most frequently used book is “The Well Tended Perennial Garden” by Tracy DiSabato-Aust. Great basic information on how to grow and prune a number of different perennials.

    Reply
  2519. Bethany Smith on

    My favorite books are MeatEater’s:Hunting, Butchering, and Cooking Wild Game by Steven Rinella,
    Vol. 1 & 2. These are wonderful because they give step by step, visual descriptions and are very detailed to help hunters use the entire animal. The books are beautifully made and extremely helpful, just like Erin’s at Floret!

    Reply
  2520. Catherine Isabell on

    Picking just one is hard because I grew up with a home library plus weekly trips to the local library & I regularly hit the max for holds & checkouts! Good books are such a delight & my favorite memories from childhood are of being lost for hours in a story.

    Dorothy Sayers is my favorite British mystery writer & I’d say that Gaudy Night is one of the best books by her.

    Reply
  2521. Nichol Erdman on

    My favorite book and author has got to be Monty Don and his book The Complete Gardener: A Practical, Imaginative Guide to Every Aspect of Gardening. I watch his TV show Gardener’s World and pour over his books through the long winter months in Michigan to plan and imagine my garden for next year. I don’t know how I would get through the boring winter season without it.

    Reply
  2522. Julie Seagraves on

    In terms of books about or featuring flowers, I love Frances Palmer’s book, Life in the Studio, because it’s about creativity; not just flowers. So no matter your jam, it’s appropriate and inspirational. I think it’s fascinating that she considers herself a potter because when I look at her work, I see floral designer. She has an incredible eye for visual design. Her work triggers my imagination.

    Reply
  2523. Melissa Osborne on

    The Secret Garden illustrated version has been a favorite of mine since childhood. This book hands down does a fantastic job of showing that magic as well as the healing and peace that can be found amongst the flowers and animals and life of a garden neglected that comes back to life.

    Thanks for this awesome list of books!

    Reply
  2524. Kris Vasser on

    Living in California my original ‘go to’ gardening book was Sunset Magazine Garden Book. Living in Palo Alto, I was able to visit the Sunset gardens for real time experience and ideas. Over the last 50 years I have collected a bookcase of garden books, garden experiences, and cultivated several gardens.
    The Sunset Guide To Gardening is still on my shelf. Plant names and information are in alphabetical order. There are illustrations and seasonal growing strategies. It’s big, it’s heavy. It’s filled with expert advice.

    Reply
  2525. Beth Blinn on

    My favorites can change, depending on what I’m into at the moment. Right now it is Naomi Slade’s “Hydrangeas,” as I’m planning to develop a “grove” of all types of hydrangeas.

    Reply
  2526. Bella Sarno on

    I love Martha Stewarts’s month by month gardening book! It is a helpful and effective strategy to break up gardening by months. I found it to be a highly useful resource over the years, and to have current information despite its age. Her Turkey Hill garden is a huge inspiration, as well as her other crafts and floral design. I would love the opportunity to read more of the books on this list!

    Reply
  2527. Lisa on

    Good Housekeeping cookbook

    Reply
  2528. Marla K Baxter on

    Hands down “A Year in Flowers” by you, Erin, is my favorite book and total inspiration. It has inspired me beyond what I could’ve imagined. Moving to a farm this past January and always having a brown thumb, I didn’t know what/or if I could grow anything. I bought your book, devoured it, grew dahlias over the summer, bought “Discovering Dahlias,” started a business, am taking your online workshop and I’m so excited for this journey. Like you, I could spend hours in the library (still a favorite place of mine) or a bookstore or a hardware store. Librarians are wonderful, passionate people who love inspiring others to imagine. Thank you for the inspiration, Erin and team! Looking forward to a flower-filled life!

    Reply
  2529. Lynn on

    One of my most favorite books is Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney! This is a childs picture book that would be loved by all ages. The pictures are beautiful and the message simple…do something in your life to make the world a more beautiful place🌸

    Reply
  2530. Alana on

    While it is not a gardening book, my favorite book is Devil in the White City by Erik Larson. It is a thrilling historical fiction novel set in my hometown of Chicago during the time of the World’s Fair. I am looking forward to growing my gardening book collection this year!

    Reply
  2531. Kristy on

    My current favorite is Emma by Jane Austin. I am getting to share it with my daughters this year and listen to them laugh and gasp at all of the crazy situations Emma finds herself in. I love it so much and think it’s a book every young lady should read when they enter their teen years. It is great for pointing out how spoiled and insensitive someone can be without even realizing it.

    Reply
  2532. Kalli W. on

    One of my favorite books is the flower farmer! I had it on loan from my supervisor during my internship and wrote as many notes down as I could before I had to give it back!

    Reply
  2533. Erika Settles on

    I’m an avid reader too! My current favorite is Untamed by Glennon Doyle. It’s not related to flowers. I hope that’s ok! I’m just new to gardening and have always had the opposite of a green thumb. I do appreciate the beauty flowers bring to life and want to learn more! My daughter is an artist and graduating high school this year. She’s grown a love for floral design over the past two years and wants to make a career out of it, so I’m building up a library for her. I’m ordering Floret Farm’s A Year in Flowers to start her collection for Christmas and would love to win more! Thank you for the opportunity.

    Reply
  2534. Tricia Monfrey on

    As a bookbinder, it’s hard for me to pass up any old book with a beautiful cover or illustrations … I always think , maybe I can rescue this one? Can old books be used as mulch?

    Reply
  2535. Laura Fenby on

    It’s so hard to pick just one book. It kinda depends on what mood I’m in. I’ve always loved Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice if I’m in the mood for romance. But I also love Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. I’ve never owned a flower book, but A Year in Flowers has been on my Christmas wish list.

    Reply
  2536. Cindi Poole on

    Erin, thank you for this great list of books. My all time favorite gardening book is From Seed to Bloom, by Eileen Powell. It has information on growing over 500 annuals, perennials and herbs from sowing the seeds thru propagating the plants.

    Reply
  2537. Deedee Grubbs on

    Martha Stewart’s Gardening Month by Month by Martha Stewart. My mom gave this to me as a gift after my daughter was born and it sparked in me an urge to have a little space to garden of my own. 30 years later we finally have our little homestead and I refer back to this book all the time in our gardening journey.

    Reply
  2538. Melissa Deseve on

    Specialty cut flowers from Allan Armitage is one of my go to when in doubt: A year in Flowers from you Erin is my bible for arranging flowers and choosing varieties for the next season:) I love to plan ahead with ideas and idea boards in mind

    Reply
  2539. Antoinette Reutimann on

    My all time favorite gardening book is Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden: Grow, Harvest & Arrange Stunning Seasonal Blooms by Erin Benzakein with Julie Chai. It was gifted to me several years ago by a dear friend who knew I loved flowers. Reading that book started a dream, to grow my own cut flowers. Even though I can’t support myself on my flowers yet, I’m growing my own cut flowers and sell bouquets at the local farmer’s market. It is going over expectations well! Thanks to that book I have entered a new world, one that I fell I belong to.

    Reply
  2540. Kari on

    Just one book?? Impossible. But one that jumps out at me is Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. What an amazing story. While not flower-related, it has inspired me to make the most of every day that I’ve been given. Thanks for the chance to win some more books… Maybe a new favorite is hidden in there!

    Reply
  2541. Brenda Bailey on

    I use Floret’s Cut Flower Garden religiously in my small cut flower business. Lots of great advice , even for my climate.

    Reply
  2542. Janet Condon Krieger on

    My mother was my influence when it came to gardening. Six children and limited funds found her “rescuing” plants and shrubs that were slated to be thrown away in the flower shop/nursery where she worked as a floral designer. As she would unload them from her car she would say “ They just need a little tender loving care” and that is what she gave , not only to her plants but her children. Her gardens and yard were beautiful. She is gone now but, her five daughters are all gardeners because of the passion and love for gardening that she passed on to us.
    My favorite gardening book is well- loved and was a gift from my mom many, years ago. It is called Thoughts: A Writer in the Garden by Eleanor Perényi,
    It is a book of 72 essays on the history of gardening, plants and gardening.

    Reply
  2543. Laura Toro on

    Tulip Fever by Deborah Moggach is a fascinating book that explores the tulip frenzy of the 1630’s. It was the first recorded boom and bust of a particular trade and the idea that it revolves around a flower is absolutely fascinating.

    Reply
  2544. Lauren Bush on

    I am new to the gardening scene so I am loving all of these book recommendations! I am also a huge book lover so while I cannot possibly pick a favorite, I have two that I have memorized of my children’s books. All the world by Liz Garton Scanlon and Wherever you are my love will find you by Nancy Tillman both hold a special place in my heart!

    Reply
  2545. Melanie on

    I just finished Don’t Panic: A business guide to cut flower farming by Sarah Adams. She references your books and farm often too she’s a Canadian farmer.

    Also Bloom has been sitting gin my my amazon wish list for a few months for sure!

    Reply
  2546. Jennifer Wharton on

    We grow a lot of vegetables and we love Ashley English’s Canning and Preserving book. Does that count? :) You’ve gotta have something to do with all of that homegrown produce! We also love your show. It was shot so beautifully.

    Reply
  2547. Jill Handley on

    There are so many good books that it’s hard to choose just one. I really love Cut Flower Garden by you Erin. It’s inspiring and beautiful, not to mention very helpful.
    I also really like the book I’m reading now, Thanks A Thousand by A.J. Jacobs. It really brings perspective to things, and how we can include gratitude in our lives to help us live fuller and richer.

    Reply
  2548. KC on

    My favorite book is East of Eden by John Steinbeck, because my mom read it to me. Rather than reading only children’s books, she also read me really great writing. She is the reason I love reading so much now, so seeing that book and remembering her introducing me to really great books and the way she would always give all the characters different voices and really made it fun for me really makes me smile!

    Reply
  2549. Catie Larsen on

    Cut Flower Garden by my personal hero, you. As I prepare myself for my first year with a full on cut flower garden in the backyard of our first home, it has been so wonderful. I am currently still trying to decide which flowers and fillers I want to grow this coming season and I am so excited about the journey. I know these books would be a major blessing and guide in this journey.

    Reply
  2550. BRENDA BITTINGER on

    One of my favorite books that I’ve re-read and made tons of notes in the margins in is Eat Pray Love. There are great lessons with humble and soft ways of creating a new path for yourself through the story of another.

    Reply
  2551. Dani on

    I absolutely love the National Audubon Society Field Guide collection!

    My favorite that I constantly reference is the field guide to birds.

    Since this page is full of flower lovers I would also like to note they have a reference guide to North American Wildflowers. I haven’t seen this one yet, but I just ordered it while researching for this post 🤣

    Reply
  2552. Ren on

    Not a garden book, but I think my favorite book is East of Eden. I’ve read it a few times in my life and every time I’m struck by new connections to my own life. Also its laugh out loud funny. But I just finished The Overstory and that might be a new favorite, I’ll have to read it again in a year or so to see if is actually a life favorite.

    Reply
  2553. Jennie Chamberlain on

    My favorite author on arranging flowers is Judith Blacklock, she has a variety of books available and videos too. My “go to” book is Flower Arranging; a complete beginners guide. She covers weddings, church flowers, contemporary arrangements and flower arranging by season. I have long been a fan of Monty Don and also Alan Titmarsh – they both have wonderful TV programs that I can watch at my leisure.

    Reply
  2554. Kathy Bohndorf on

    I too am a “library nerd”, going every week!
    Ar home I have an overstuffed bookcase filled with gardening, cooking, craft books. The best thing is when the grandkids come over and cozy up on the couch with one of grandma’s books, no electronics. In the summer months I take the “grands” on a tour of my gardens to learn about the plants and herbs!

    Reply
  2555. Stacy Brown on

    So, I had to think about it for a little bit and come back to the question! It’s hard to choose one, but my favorite book must be Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin because I think I’ve read it the most times of any book. I love that Mr. Darcy is so misunderstood by Elizabeth at first. So much so, that she almost loathes him. But once she finds out a nice thing he does for her family and let’s go of her pride and her prejudices about him, she ends up loving him. We all love a good romance don’t we?! Also, I have to say that all of the Laura Ingalls Wilder books are a close second, as I’ve read the entire series many times as well. I think I just love the simplicity of life back then and the true strength it took just to survive.

    Reply
  2556. Rebecca K Vannette on

    It’s so hard to pick just one or read just one at a time for that matter! Temptations of working at the local library. In the realm of farming, the book that has inspired me the most is Michael Pollan’s ‘Cooked.’ Made me rethink the commercial food system, grow more of our own food, and find the joy in slow cooking.

    Reply
  2557. Christine Yentes on

    I am new to flower growing books though several caught my eye as I read through the list. I have been a veggie grower for years which at the height of growing food for and with my children (who also grew up) led us to growing about 80% of our food! So I’ll tell you the title of my all time favorite veggie book. It was ‘How to Grow More Vegetables Than You Ever Thought Possible on Less Land Than You could Imagine’ by John Jevons. A great book for beginners, not to dense, not to overwhelming for a beginner Gardner. Your flower garden plan seems to follow similar plant spacing ideas which I like. I have always grown flowers among my vegetables, I just couldn’t help myself— so here I am wanting to grow a whole garden full of flowers!

    Reply
  2558. Danielle on

    Picking a favorite book is so difficult!! My favorite non-fiction is probably the Heirloom Gardener by John Forti; It’s such a small book but it’s jam packed with so much plant knowledge! Plus it’s cute to boot. My favorite fiction is a tie between The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis and The Count of Monté Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. The former because it gives such a beautiful depiction of heaven as well as a glimpse into the human condition. The second because it is the greatest adventure story ever written!

    Reply
  2559. kelly on

    My all time favorite book is The Alchemist, by Paulo Coehlo. Its a fable and a beautiful crafted tale. But this year I am really loving The Big Door Prize, by M.O. Walsh. I haven’t quite finished but its a delicious narrative and imaginative journey. My favorite gardening book is Herbaceous Perennials by Allan Armitage.

    Reply
  2560. Kathleen Koehrsen on

    Absolute have loved and worn through The Garden Primer by Barbara Damrosch – bought a copy, bought a new copy and am on my third – tagged pages, reread and always so helpful. It’s focus is not on flowers but it inspired my to go for growing and get in the dirt (other than my Mom).

    Reply
  2561. Breanne Burch on

    My favourite book is for sure your cut flower garden! I have read it over and over and it really helped me in my first year of cut flowers farming. Also cool flowers by Lisa Ziegler because hello zone 3!

    Reply
  2562. Trinity Rinear on

    My favorite flower book is Clare Nolan’s In Bloom for its beautiful simplicity and her do-what-works-for-you attitude. My all time favorite book is Jane Eyre; it is romantic and haunting and the perfect winter read each year.

    Reply
  2563. Sally Wells on

    There are too many favorite books (in general) to just pick one. In the realm of flowers, and floristry, however, I do frequently consult Ariella Chezar’s Seasonal Flower Arranging. Within it, I often find inspiration for color and form, as well as many practical details for putting together arrangements that are a bit out of the ordinary.

    Reply
  2564. Jodi on

    The Selfish Giant by Oscar Wilde. I will never be too old for picture books and the edition that Lisbeth Zwerger illustrates is gorgeous. I also have always loved books and have a problem with collecting them, and beautiful books are even better!!! Happy holidays!!

    Reply
  2565. Amity Arnold on

    My favorite gardening book is still one of my first – The Victory Garden by Bob Thompson – remember the show on PBS? It’s from 1987 but still a great vegetable gardening book that takes you through season by season, month by month. I’m a voracious reader and relatively new to flower farming so I’m slowly growing my flowering farming library too. Thanks for all the good book recommendations!

    Reply
  2566. Nicole on

    My favorite book is The Little Prince. It has been a favorite of mine since I was in 8th grade. It’s a story that, no matter at what age you read it, you learn something new and take away something different. It also connects me to my oldest brother. He was the one that recommended it to me and shared his lessons he learned. It’s a book that makes me cry every time!

    Reply
  2567. Wendy Henrichs on

    A favorite book? Has to the hardest question ever!!! So many great ones. For gardening… I love your Dahlia book! And The Cut Flower Patch by Louise Curley.

    Thanks for the giveaways!!! And for all the amazing advice. You are the BEST!

    Reply
  2568. Nola on

    Favorite gardening book is probably Henry Homeyer’s Vermont Gardener’s Companion. A great book for VT gardeners with lots of good tips and resources.

    Reply
  2569. Emily August on

    One of my favorites is The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom. The idea that everyone you meet in life- no matter how insignificant or fleeting, somehow has an impact on yours and is intertwined with your own story in ways you can’t even imagine. It’s A short read, but such a beautiful and humbling concept!

    Reply
  2570. Tina Floyd on

    I started with Elliot Coleman, moved on to the Market Garden with JM, and Then moved to Your books that brought all those ideas to flowers. I can’t pick just one.

    Reply
  2571. Rebecca on

    It’s hard to narrow to one book so I’d have to say the Outlander series. My dad unexpectedly passed when my daughter was 4 weeks old. These books (rented ebooks from our library) kept me company and were great distractions during late night nursing/pumping when it was impossible not to think about the huge loss of Dad.

    Reply
  2572. Allie Medellin on

    Dahlia Breeding for the Farmer Florist and home Gardner has been my favorite book when I became helplessly obsessed with flower gardening during the pandemic. I love how it allowed me to learn to effectively grow dahlias but also the beautiful mechanics behind it.

    Reply
  2573. Jessie on

    Thank you for the great list!

    The book I would add, and it’s hyper-focused on my region so not for everyone unfortunately, is Golden Gate Gardening. The Bay Area is such a unique place to grow, and quite challenging with extremely foggy summers in the city!, and this book is so thorough it’s kind of mind-blowing. If you live in the Bay Area, or somewhere with a similar climate, comb through this book!

    Thank you again for sharing your list!

    Reply
  2574. Johanna Walker on

    Thanks for sharing an amazing list of books. I love garden magazines, so much to learn and explore; one book that helps me discover that I can direct sow so many seeds in my garden during Winter is Cool Flowers by Lisa Mason, I did Wintersowing too.

    Reply
  2575. Aletha Frei on

    I have gardening books that I have read through a couple times, but Cut Flower Garden is the only one I have read and read again and read again….. I’ll also flip to the season I’m in and give myself a refresher on what I should be doing in my home garden. Sometimes I’ll flip through the book just to look at the pictures again. They are so beautiful and inspiring!

    Reply
  2576. Deborah Beisel on

    I forgot to say why I liked the books I listed. I love the creative fantasy of LOTR and Harry Potter. The worlds created by these authors are amazing abd I love when the good wins. The Nature Study book and Sand County Almanac taught me a great deal about nature and conservation. And Mary Jane’s story is much like Erin’s. I admire their vision and have used many of Mary Jane’s recipes and ideas.

    Reply
  2577. Elizabeth on

    I have too many favorites. Right now it’s The 30-Minute Allotment, published by the RHS. It’s a great guide for a busy person to tackle the garden chores in small bits everyday instead of being overwhelmed on the weekend.

    Reply
  2578. Chanda on

    How can I pick one favorite? I’m like you I have so many books not enough shelves. I’ve bought everyone of your books over the past year and read cover to cover. Taken notes. Marked pages etc. You know it’s a winner when you pick it up and have pieces of paper falling out!

    Reply
  2579. Carla O on

    My favorite book series is the Mark of the Lion Series by Francine Rivers. It gives a whole new perspective on Roman times in the 1st century and on forgiveness. I am wanting to start gardening and growing flowers in my retirement soon so I am ready to learn!

    Reply
  2580. Kim Hardin on

    Personally, my favorite book is The Five Minute Journal. It changed the way I begin my days. I have gifted this book to many people.
    I would like to win the “favorites” books for my daughter. She is a creative, brave, hard worker who started a flower design business. She studied social justice in college and through an entrepreneur class feel in olive with flowers and their meanings. She nannied for 7 years while growing her business and just took it full time.

    Reply
  2581. Felecia Hays on

    My favorite book is Native Texas Plants, by Sally Wasowski. Living in hot,dry and arid Texas gardening can be an extreme challenge. Sally’s book taught me to look for—and find—beauty in native plants that are often overlooked and undervalued. There is beauty in what some people think are weeds! Even though I have learned to grow many non-natives in my landscape, Sally reminds me to include some local species.

    Reply
  2582. Tracy Duncan on

    I love Taylor’s Guide “Encyclopedia of Garden Plants” by Frances Tenebaum. It is so informative and literally lists every type of plant possible. It has very detailed descriptions and knowledge that is helpful if you are to plant. I am always looking to expand my library!

    Reply
  2583. Sarah on

    A very favorite is so difficult to pick. But “Angle of Repose” by Wallace Stegner is one of my favorites. A compelling story set in our beautiful American West.

    Reply
  2584. Erika on

    I loved Discovering Dahlias and In Bloom, so much great information as a newer gardener

    Reply
  2585. Holly Lorentz on

    I don’t have a favorite book as I am just starting to get into gardening but I hope to get some for Christmas! I love all the learning and ideas.

    Reply
  2586. Nicole on

    At this time, Cut Flower Garden, would be my top favorite book! It will hold a special spot as it was the first book to introduce me to cut flowers! I have checked it out of our local library many times!!!

    Reply
  2587. Meghan on

    There are so many good books! I have really enjoyed Vegetable Gardening the Colonial Williamsburg Way by Wesley Greene. It is fascinating, and helps that I’ve been to Colonial Williamsburg a few times and love seeing all their types of gardens!! Bonus: fun light-hearted reading would be Rick Bragg’s book called My Southern Journey. This book reminds me of my family history and has some incredible “laugh out loud” moments!

    Reply
  2588. Lisa Elizarraras on

    I loved reading Lab Girl by Hope Jahren. She weaves in plant lore throughout each chapter which chronicles the story of her becoming a botanist.
    Fascinating!

    Reply
  2589. Debra Whitesel on

    Me too!
    Our home library is overflowing, but it’s worrisome that hardcover and paperback books may someday be obsolete. I collect children’s books from Authors like Eric Carle, Tomie dePaola, Mercer Mayer, Kate DiCamillo, Ezra Jack Keats, and many others.
    There’s nothing quite like holding a real book. Although I do my share of reading on my devices.
    My all time favorite book is the Bible. Life lessons, problem solving, promises for the future, history, and most importantly God’s love for me and the heavenly garden I will someday live in where the roses never fade!
    And I also have been reading Discovering Dahlias- learning so much! What a beautiful book!

    Reply
  2590. Rachel Hanchett on

    My favorite book is Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. It’s such a beautiful story of love and sacrifice and while yes it’s quite an undertaking it’s oh so worth it!

    Reply
  2591. Blaine on

    My favorite book is Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden. It is so useful and has everything I needed to start growing cut flowers. It was one of my first cut flower books and I am constantly referencing it for all of my Gardening needs.

    Reply
  2592. Diane Wiser on

    My favorite book is Arranging Flowers by Martha Stewart. I love the way she always presents her projects. Love to see ideas of how a bunch of flowers can be beautifully arranged.

    Reply
  2593. Hannah h on

    One of my favorite comfort books/series that i read over and over again are ‘anne of green gables’ and Harry Potter.

    Reply
  2594. Laura on

    I don’t have a favorite book yet. I just recently watched your show and I loved it. I have always wanted color and flowers in my yard but didn’t know where to start. Having all these great recommendations is wonderful and I can’t wait to start reading some!

    Reply
  2595. Penny Ferringer on

    I have many older gardening books. But my favorite now is Cut Flower Garden by Floret Farms. I would absolutely love to win a new collection to read this winter.
    Thank you.

    Reply
  2596. Gregorie Robles on

    I don’t necessarily have a favorite book as I’ve recently started my flower journey to support my wife and have yet to read any. I’d love to read one, though. It might become my favorite!

    Reply
  2597. Christine Blaylock on

    Ahhh so many to choose from, for the longest time I was obsessed with all things Hemingway. I love historical fiction

    Reply
  2598. Alena Ivakhnenko on

    “One Straw Revolution” by Masanobu Fukuoka

    It’s an amazing exploration of what it means to farm and to work with nature and the cycles we are a part of. Paring down farming to the basic exchanges between season and organic systems. If you are in need for a book about the soul of farming this one definitely hits the spot!

    Reply
  2599. Deanna Lagace on

    I’m in a zone 3 climate in Saskatchewan Canada. It’s so hard to find books about growing in the prairies. I have come to love a local author Lyndon Penner. Specifically how garden design for the short season yard.

    The urban farmer by Curtis Stone is also a great “how to” book for starting a market business.

    Reply
  2600. Mary Hegnes on

    Favorite book is The Book Thief. I am a big historical fiction fan and this book really touched me heart.

    Reply
  2601. Benjamin Rousseau on

    In an attempt to stay on topic and focus on things floral, I thought I give a shout-out to the incomparable Margery Fish and her inspiring (and often humorous) book “We Made a Garden.” It’s as much about perseverance as it is about her passion for gardening — and she shares her endless experience and knowledge while also sharing encountered mishaps and mistakes. It’s also, in many ways, a love letter to her husband, with whom she created her legendary garden in Somerset. She humorously and sweetly recounts their conflicting gardening styles and interests — making the book all the more entertaining. It’s a pleasurable read— and one every gardener is likely to enjoy. The other great part: it’s a book of discovery. I wasn’t familiar with all the species discussed in her writing, so would occasionally pause to do some side research— and that’s the joy of gardening for me; the constant sense of discovery and endless exploration. Enjoy!

    Reply
  2602. Katie Y on

    My favorite children’s book is Hello Lighthouse. The illustrations are gorgeous and the story leaves both children and adults with a sense of wonder!

    Reply
  2603. Karen Shweiky on

    My favorite book is Blue Violet by Cig Harvey because it is a feast for your senses. She is a master with words and images…it feels like a dream. I think the beauty is that it shows us the beauty in the everyday, small things that if you blink you will miss them.

    Reply
  2604. Jennifer on

    Everything is Figureoutable by Marie Forleo. Inspirational, educational, and part workbook, this book shows you that everything truly is figuroutable.

    Reply
  2605. Dana Russell on

    My favorite book is Gaia’s Garden by Toby Hemenway. It’s about incorporating permaculture into your own yard by creating garden guilds and food forests. I was really intrigued by how the author described the relationship of every living organism from the microorganisms in the soil to the treetops. It’s scientific without being too technical if that makes sense. I can’t wait to get my hands in the dirt next spring!

    Reply
  2606. Emily S. Marten on

    The Gurensy Literary and Potato Peel Society by Annie Barrows and Mary Ann Shaffer. It is the type of book that you want to grab off the shelf and clutch to your chest because it makes you feel so good. It is about a group of neighbors in WWII who meet secretly to discuss literature. You won’t regret reading this book.

    Reply
  2607. Stefani Smith on

    My favorite book is actually a series: “The Lord of the Rings.” I just adore this classic series because it’s such an immersive, sweeping reading experience. As an aspiring writer, it also gives me an incredible example of writing from which to learn and grow in my craft!

    Reply
  2608. Tam on

    My ultimate book is Lost Horizon by James Hilton. Lost Horizon is a great depiction of how the world can be so utterly chaotic and challenging to every one. But by climbing mountains and enduring the unknown, one reaches a path leading to tranquility, love, and beauty of all things. I have worked at and resolved, throughout the years, to find the beauty (or ‘silver lining’) in my life rather than attempting to find fault.
    I also love reading MC Beaton’s books. They are delightful, fast read, and very entertaining!

    Reply
  2609. Chelsea on

    Having to pick just one favorite is hard, but if I have to pick it would have to be Cut Flower Garden! I work in a florist shop and have always loved flowers but after reading that book it got me thinking, “why not grow all these beauties yourself and give back to your community with all the magic you grow”. So because of that book and how detailed it was about growing and caring for flowers it made me want to pursue having my own cut flower garden!🌻🌹❤

    Reply
  2610. Kayla on

    Anxious People by Fredrick Bachman. Encompasses ALL of the feelings, but especially highlights what happens when kindness reigns within humanity.

    Reply
  2611. Diane Green on

    Oh my, to pick one favorite! I have loved cook books all of my life and tv cooking and craft shows! Martha Stewart is at the top for the longest running and I loved all of her books but Baking with Julia by Julia Child was my favorite since I have loved to bake since I was a child ☺ I am sad that I have to be gluten free for health reasons and I miss tasting lovely breads and rolls so much. I am so inspired by your beautiful flowers and books to turn to a new love! I live in an acre of land that sure needs to be a flower garden!Thank you and your blog is so inspiring and gorgeous 💗

    Reply
  2612. Alison on

    Currently loving Dear Highlights, a new book where the Highlights Magazine editors share letters they’ve received from children and responded to over their 75 years. Highly recommend. Would love to have some flower books to add to my library. I could get so happily lost in them!

    Reply
  2613. Maddie on

    The first book that comes to mind is The Alchemist. While I love the idea of reading a book front to back, it has always been a challenge of mine to sit still for that long (I guess that’s why I’ve found myself working as a gardener ha!). The only book that I have ever read in one sitting is The Alchemist. It completely sucked me in! What a wonderful feeling it was.

    Reply
  2614. Lauren Child on

    Cut Flower Garden might have to be my favorite! Reading through it and reflecting back on the seasons gets me so excited for what’s to come every season.

    Reply
  2615. Tawni on

    Too many wonderful books to choose from. Cutting of Stone by Abraham Verghese is masterful in portraying humanity in all its beauty and heartbreak. It will never leave you. My library card has always been one of my most precious possessions and books have reliably been my escape, my love and my joy.

    Reply
  2616. Brooke on

    It’s hard to choose just one! Some of my favorites are The Help and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.

    Reply
  2617. Ann Woleben on

    Shady Retreats by Barbara W. Ellis is my favorite shade gardening book. Our yard is heavily shaded and I refer to this book when I want to add a new shade plant to my garden. Along with colorful photos and information on shade plants and shade gardens, Ellis gives detailed plans /design elements for creating “shade retreats” or a “shade garden refuge.” My garden is for me a refuge – a place to quiet my soul and to create poems for my garden journal.

    Reply
  2618. Rochelle Sotter on

    Since I was 18 (I’m 42 now!) I have been a Martha Stewart devotee and have the magazine collection to prove it. Many years ago my mom found 3 books by her. One on home decor, another about gardening basics and the 3rd about flower arranging. They are special on many levels and I return to them often.

    Reply
  2619. Laura Fisher on

    Discovering Dahlia’s, it’s everything you need to know about the Dahlia in one book

    Reply
  2620. Marsha S. on

    Wow. Erin thank you for starting us off. I’m so happy to have your list. I’ve just read through all the comments and now wish all those books were in list form too. Such a beautiful resource. I loved reading it. The children’s books that got me loving gardening with wonder and joy! Then the later children’s books that I read to my daughter.

    What perfect timing for the holidays. Miss rumphus’s garden was so beautiful about leaving the world a more beautiful place is so meaningful. I’ve left each of my homes more beautiful because of my love of flowers. It’s about giving back to the world in a small way.

    Thank you.

    Reply
  2621. Jennifer on

    I love a Cut Flower Garden…..awesome guide for gardeners like me!

    Reply
  2622. Ashley Simon on

    I recently read ‘The Midnight Library’ and it stuck with me how small decisions impact our lives in ways we’ll never know and how many different lives we could have led.

    Reply
  2623. Amanda on

    There are too many great books to pick a favorite! I love fantasy fiction and loved the inheritance trilogy.

    Reply
  2624. Alysse Hobbs on

    Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers!

    I read this book every year, sometimes twice. This book shows how much God loves us even though we may be dirty and unworthy. They are making a movie in 2022! I can’t wait!

    Reply
  2625. Alison Landis on

    The closest I can come to picking one favorite would be a book I read to my children, “The Bark of the Bog Owl,” by Jonathan Rogers. The trilogy is so well-written. Of course, many flower books are consuming me right now with “Cool Flowers” and your book!

    Reply
  2626. Annie on

    Lynn Byczynski’s Flower Farmer launched me into growing flowers at scale. Kiana Underwood’s Color Me Floral is a feast for the eyes for floral design. Love love books!!!

    Reply
  2627. Kelly on

    When winter is in full swing gardening books get me through. A Year In Flowers is my current coffee table book and I find myself thumbing through it again and again to remind myself of the beautiful things that nature has to often all year round.

    Reply
  2628. Katherine Hogan on

    Thanks for this robust list. Looking forward to discovering some new favorites. The book that impacted my way of thinking I read as a teenager – Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. Followed by The Prophet by Khalil Gibran and The Little Prince – another that shows up in my thinking day to day.
    Refuge by Terry Tempest Williams holds equal value to each of these. I read it 21 years ago while receiving breast cancer treatment. It’s a story of conservation, climate change, love of family, grief and healing. My oldest daughter had my copy signed by the author a few years ago after telling her my story of healing. It remains a treasure.

    Reply
  2629. Kimberly Longey on

    Thank you for this inspiring book list! One of my favorite books is “The Good Life: Helen and Scott Nearing’s Nearly 60 years of Self Sufficient Living”. This book inspired an exploration into growing sweet peas, and also helps me focus on some core sustainability practices of work/learn/rest/play. When I read books that impart special wisdom I flag the page with small sticky notes so I can go back and read when I’m having a hard – or a good – day.

    Reply
  2630. Hannah on

    What an exciting giveaway! Hard to pick just one book of any kind- my all time favorite is The Hobbit for enjoyment. Most of my library consists of resource books and childrens books, because I love illustrations.

    Reply
  2631. Claire Kern on

    Thank you, Erin, for this tremendous list of recommendations! I love giving books as gifts because you can show someone you notice and care about them through gifting a book on a subject they’re interested in. A personal favorite for me is The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. A story of loss and hope and redemption that I come back to time and time again.

    Reply
  2632. Jenny Stein on

    The Salad Garden — Joy Larkcom’s book published 35 years ago… at a time when all I had were window boxes, and then a postage stamp backyard (a friend’s) — it’s a great book in that it provides so much of the basics while also encouraging a highly aesthetic approach. Anything by Elliott Colemen is appreciated, not just for the info contained but because he was my dad’s go-to and so I think of my dad whenever I’m opening Elliot’s books.

    Reply
  2633. Tali on

    Oh my! I’m currently working through a handful of flower books, but I have a special place for ‘A Cut Flower Garden’. Your book fueled my new found interest in flowers. Also as an architect, I love your space planning approach to gardening. It made me all the more confident and excited to begin my own patch! Thank you for all the knowledge you share.

    Reply
  2634. Maria on

    My favorite gardening book is Louis Holes “northern Flower gardening” I used it a lot last year in identifying different flowers.
    My favorite non gardening book…. Impossible to choose but I’d say the Harry Potter series.

    Reply
  2635. Lexie Gallant on

    I love your recommendation for Monty Don’s book! I’m watching BBC’s Gardener’s World and am so inspired.

    As far as choosing a favorite book… that is always so hard for me! I really enjoyed Once There Were Wolves.

    Reply
  2636. Deborah Beisel on

    This is hard, I have so many I love. And btw I love Monty Don and Gardeners World. I’ve also loved libraries, I can still remember when I was little, the wonderful smell of the library in my town. So here are some favorites….Secret Garden, All of Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Handbook of Nature Study, Sand County Almanac, MaryJane’s Ideabook Cookbook, Lifebook. I’ll stop now:)

    Reply
  2637. laurie niles on

    Noah’s Garden Restoring the Ecology of Our Own Backyards. Sara Stein
    On terms of reading this book piqued my simmering interest in how to live in balance with the growing would around us.
    The historical, geographical, & human voice of Sara folks the pages and makes for this a long lasting companion book.

    Reply
  2638. Dina Beavers on

    As I looked through your books, of course there were many that I liked. But when I read your response to Turning Pro and that is was YOUR catalyst to what you have now, that was the book that I most wanted to read. I have entrepreneurial desires and ideas but recognize that I have let fear dominate efforts.

    Reply
  2639. Stacey Erwin on

    Man choosing a favorite book is so hard! I love Viviann Howard’s “Deep Run Roots” it’s a cookbook but it’s full of stories and photos that make me feel close to my southern heritage. It’s beautifully written and I have enjoyed making the recipes from it!

    Reply
  2640. Ashley Appelhanz on

    I love the idea of “Martha Stewart’s Gardening: Month by Month” because it would give me a great guide of how to get started!

    Reply
  2641. April Rush on

    My favorite book is ” it’s not supposed to be this way ” by lysa terkeurst… a reminder that life can be hard and sometimes heartbreaking, but there’s hope that God is there in the midst of it all.
    .and one day there will be no more tears or heartache, only praise and worship of our Lord!

    Reply
  2642. Sheri Stafford on

    The Flower Farmer’s Year by Georgie Newberry. After reading an article about Floret in late 2020 I decided on a new hobby for retirement, a cut flower garden.

    Read a dozen books, including all of Erin’s (which are beautiful and helpful), and landed on The Flower Farmer’s Year as the one I go to all the time.

    I think after reading so many books on the subject I began to narrow down my deeper wants and desires with my cut flower garden and this book hits those spots for me.
    It’s been a fun year of trial and error and experimenting with everything I’ve learned.

    Reply
  2643. Angie Whipple on

    Wow, thank you for the great list of books I need to check out. It’s hard to choose just one book. I have gotten the Flower Farmer from the Library but it would be a great book to have on hand. And I also own your books: Cut Flower Garden and Discovering Dahlias which I LOVE!!!

    Reply
  2644. Angelena Galbraith on

    My mom always read to me and my siblings when we were not yet old enough to read ourselves. She found it was so important for us to enrich our vocabulary, learn and grow. We continued reading, and doing summer programs at the local library in order to win prizes for all the books we read. I loved it. I was always a lover of reading books. One series of books I became very fond of probably around the age of twelve and up was A Series of Unfortunate Events. Looking back now, it’s still a favorite read to immerse in the story and the writing I felt was far beyond some of the other books I had read at the time. Thank you for sharing all these lovely books with us!

    Reply
  2645. JackieMarie Beyer on

    My favorite garden book of 2021 is definitely hands down is Farming While Black: Soul Fire Farm’s Practical Guide to Liberation on the Land by Leah Penniman. This book is for every gardener of farmer. I can’t believe I didn’t read it sooner but when someone recommended it and I couldn’t check it out from the library I finally splurged and oh so glad I did.

    Leah not only packs this book full of history and inspiration but she fills it full of details on how to grow everything, how to pick your land or site, start your beds. This is an exquisite manual that teaches you how to share knowledge as well as learn.

    Absolute must read. Could be my all time favorite but oh so many great books I also loved the Kitchen Garden Revival: A Modern Guide to Creating a Stylish, Small-scale, Low-maintenance, Edible Garden by Nicole Burke this year…

    Reply
  2646. Stephanie Poppa on

    Personally, it’s impossible for me to pick a favorite book because I’m constantly finding new ones, but if I have to pick it would be Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. I read an adapted version in seventh grade and fell in love with love. Jane Austen has such a wit to her writing and Elizabeth’s story made me believe in happy endings and finding your equal.

    Reply
  2647. Sabrina on

    My favorite book and one I read over and over will always be To Kill a Mockingbird. I love it because it is told from Scout’s perspective and she reminds me of me. The delicate subject matter of that time period and Atticus’ fight for justice make it even more appealing to me.

    Reply
  2648. Vicky Fickett on

    After writing a long list of all my favorite books in every genre possible past to present, the one that keeps coming back is A Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard. It’s a treasure.

    Reply
  2649. Jessenia Vazquez on

    I am a fan of cookbooks because I get to learn something new to eat, our bodies, and about the author. I really want to get into gardening and learning all I can. I found Floret on the Magnolia Network and I am hooked!
    Whether I get chosen or not, your cut flowers book is on my Christmas list!

    Reply
  2650. Malorie on

    I’m right there with you with everything Monty Don & Sarah Raven do. I read their books (especially Montys Complete Gardener) over & over again. Sarah Raven has such a gentle approach to designing and growing that I feel much more connected rather than the majority of US production a lot of the time feeling very commercial. And, of course, your book “Cut Flower Garden” was one of the first I ever owned, and I still open it all the time!

    Reply
  2651. Lauren Kaskey on

    I love this and am now scheming on how to send it to my Mother-in-Law for help with the next 10 holiday presents….my current favorite book is The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson. I learned so much and the stories were poignant.

    Reply
  2652. Jenny Loughridge on

    My newest favorite is The Flower Hunter by Lucy Hunter. The cover is gorgeous and everything inside is spectacular! Her designs are a flower lovers dream because they showcase every bloom.

    Reply
  2653. Estefanía D. on

    I love books and I have so many favorites but my current favorite is Raising Lions by Joe Newman, as a young mother it has been very helpful to read a different perspective on parenting and get guidance on how to be more effective setting limits in a loving but firm way. I would love to add more flower related books to my collection though! Thank you for sharing your favorite books with us Erin!

    Reply
  2654. Pud Kearns on

    The book that changed my life in terms of gardening was Antique Roses for the South by William Welch. The idea that amazing roses I could easily grow were all over the place if I would just look started me on the hobby of “rose rustling” (rooting cuttings from old garden roses) and I’ve grown and shared many over the past 30 years.

    Reply
  2655. Jennifer Barnard on

    ~Braiding Sweetgrass~ by Robin Wall Kimmerer. I love this book for so many reasons. Robin is a botanist, she’s also Native American; she seamlessly intertwines her Native American culture and beliefs with science. The result is a heart evoking experience that creates a mindfulness of our stewardship of the earth. Her words are a beautiful garden, she’s such a talented thinker and writer.

    Reply
  2656. Samantha Jackson on

    Cool Flowers by Lisa Mason Ziegler is my favorite because it taught me how to successfully grow sweet peas (finally!) in my NC zone 7b garden as well as many other flowers. It also taught me how to soil block and that has been an amazing seed starting method for this home gardener!

    Reply
  2657. Jill Reed on

    I loves books but find I do most of my research on blogs and websites. I tend to listen to audio for my entertainment. My book shelves are full of children’s books as that has been the phase of life I’ve been in for years. But I’m looking to change that.0

    Reply
  2658. Becca Fitzpatrick on

    I am currently reading ‘The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue’ and it has been so good I can’t put it down- I’m even having dreams about it!

    Reply
  2659. Andi Flynn on

    It is virtually impossible for me to pick any favorite – book, movie, food, etc.! I will say though, that one of my top favorite classics is To Kill A Mockingbird. My newer top contemporary fiction is between The Nightingale and The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah. And I also LOVE Discovering Dahlias – the gorgeous photos of my favorite flower are total eye candy!!

    Reply
  2660. Tarah McBride on

    My favorite book currently is Everybody Always by Bob Goff. It’s a great reminder that everyone is deserving of love, grace and acceptance regardless of their decisions and circumstances. It helps me to always strive to extend grace and love to others.

    Reply
  2661. Ariel Oakes on

    I was attending my brothers graduation at UCSB and the speaker told the compelling story of Paul Farmers work in Haiti. They gave out free copies of Mountains beyond mountains and that book changed my perspective on so many concepts about how we see the world and view

    Reply
  2662. Lauren on

    One of my favorite books is The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison, its a story of shame/oppression & how they can completely take over your thoughts. Really eye opening and written over 50 years ago.

    Reply
  2663. Amy Wilson on

    My favorite flower book is probably yours, a Cut Flower Garden. It was what got me started growing flowers. Favorite fiction is probably Anne of Green Gables. It really is hard to pick favorites!!

    Reply
  2664. Nicole Swick on

    What I Was Doing While You Were Breeding by Kristin Newman was a cheeky book that made me feel like I wasn’t alone… and it’s a book about traveling alone! Honorable mentions: the Harry Potter series and Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea.

    Reply
  2665. Amy on

    What an amazing response you have generated! Your list is inspirational, and I loved reading all the favorites. Thank you. Like so many others who follow you, reading and gardening prove to be a symbiotic relationship that grows and grows! (Hahahah) I garden on a small scale, but dream big and put many of these dreams to test with your books and tutorials. Again, thank you. It is not easy to select a favorite book, but the Collected Works of Emily Dickinson continues to both beguile and incite wonder. Her observation of the natural world and of human capacity is an infinite source of delight.

    Reply
  2666. Jen Anson on

    So hard to pick just one but right now my favorite book is A Gentleman in Moscow. I’ve heard it described as a balm for the soul and I 100% agree!

    Reply
  2667. Emma on

    Monty Don is, of course, amazing. I’m currently reading The Modern Cottage Garden by Greg Loades and am really enjoying it!

    Reply
  2668. Stephanie Galarza on

    My favorite gardening books are The Flower Farmer and Discovering Dahlias, both have taught me so much!

    Reply
  2669. Lori Chally on

    Choosing a favorite book is definitely like choosing a favorite flower! I have loved different books in different seasons! But one I keep coming back to is a fictional journal written in the 1800’s called Stepping Heavenward. I have read it so many times and find it relevant in a meeting way each time! 💕

    Reply
  2670. Lisa O'Neil on

    “I’m so small,” said the mole.
    “Yes,” said the boy.
    “But you make a huge difference.”

    Isn’t that the same for a flower – small, but it makes a huge difference!
    The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy was given to me as a 60th birthday gift.
    I often read it slowly and thoughtfully with our grandsons, pouring these nuggets of wisdom into them, and still learning myself!
    A beautiful read for all ages to share in.

    Reply
  2671. Kathryn Carlson on

    My favorite book is Pride and Prejudice. It’s a classic and full of witty banter. I even named my dog Mr. Darcy because I love this book so much!

    Reply
  2672. Kristin Smock on

    My favorite book of all time is Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier. I try to read it once a year! I’ve read it dozens of times. If I’m in between a good book, or the last book I read was garbage, I’ll read it to cheer myself up! It’s a great story. My favorite gardening book is your Cut Flower Garden! I reference it all the time. And Lisa Ziegler’s Cool Flowers. It’s so helpful! And I LOVE Sarah Raven, I would love to have one of her books. Next on my list!

    Reply
  2673. Laura M on

    My favorite book is Every Moment Holy by Douglas McKelvey. It takes the mundane tasks of the day and year and turns them into liturgies and prayers, making even the hardest moments holy. There is a liturgy for planting of flowers and for gardening.

    Reply
  2674. Jenn Abbott on

    One of my absolute favorite books is the Giving Tree. My daughter is five and she points to it and says “That’s the book that makes momma happy cry.” And she’s right. I love the way the tree finds its purpose and joy in helping and giving of itself for the little boy. That old man sitting on the stump in the last page gets me every time.

    Reply
  2675. Rebecca I on

    My favorite book of all time is the yearling. I’ve read it as a child and an adult. Beautifully written about a young boy who adopts a fawn and through struggles and hard life lessons grows into a man. I will reach for this book again and again

    Reply
  2676. KariAnne on

    Floret’s A Year in Flowers is one of my favorite books. For someone who lives in MN, it has given me inspiration of what to plant to bring the most flowers and foliage into each year. It is very inspirational to get through the winter months.

    Reply
  2677. Emiley Dewey on

    I can only do this in categories!! East of Eden by John Steinbeck is my favorite novel. The concept of Tinshel and his writing generally is out of this world. A River Runs Through It by Norman Maclean is my favorite “story,” though it’s true. Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake by Anna Quindlen is my favorite memoir. SkinnyTaste One and Done by Gina Homolka is my all time favorite cookbook and Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty is my favorite children’s book these days. I have gifted and read all of these many times.
    But I also have all three books released by Floret and they are now among my all time favorites. Truly. I have also read and gifted them many times! They are so beautiful and helpful and hold a true gift in what they teach!

    So… thank you. So much. From one book lover to another. Thank you!

    Reply
  2678. Lynda Hardwick on

    My new favorite gardening book is Grow A Little Fruit Tree by Ann Ralph. The author spent her career in a nursery and became an expert on growing fruit trees. She taught her customers basic pruning to ensure a small harvest for your family and friends. I love this book because so many people become overwhelmed with out of control fruit trees. This book will calm your fears and not only teach you to grow a small tree, but also to prune your mature tree and make it more manageable.

    Reply
  2679. Alisha on

    I have two favorite books – first was your Cutting Garden book, which was a wonderful place to start and gain inspiration when first growing flowers! 2nd was a recommendation of yours – The Flower Farmer by Lynn Byczynski.

    Reply
  2680. Lisa Clow on

    My favorite book is Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew.
    I read this book years ago and realized that you can plant so much in a small space.

    Reply
  2681. Gale K. on

    The greatest gift is the gift of knowledge – Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek – Simon’s perspective gives us the tools to look into and understand ourselves – the best starting point.

    Reply
  2682. Julie Richardson on

    Goodness, so hard to pick a favorite book!! Favorite fiction—Frankenstein and Gentleman in Moscow. Nonfiction—Wintering by Katharine May.

    Reply
  2683. Samantha L Durfee on

    I love Monty Don’s books. I find them very helpful and I watch his show so you can also see what he is talking about in action. I love the flow of his books.

    Reply
  2684. Barbara Mele on

    Just one book?!

    The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russel, because it is a novel that is beautiful, full of hope and curiosity while also being an exploration of human hubris and faith against the backdrop of discovering life exists elsewhere in the universe.

    Reply
  2685. Wendy Hall on

    How can I pick one book! Each book holds a new story to bring me along to another adventure. One book I really enjoyed was Unbroken. It was very inspiring that someone could persevere through such a situation was amazing.

    Reply
  2686. Connie Barron on

    I’m a new cut flower grower this year and by the looks of your library, I have a lot of reading to do. I am also taking your class this year and your notedbook will fast become dog eared too.
    However, over the years I have collected books for my zone thar are truly dog eared. THE SOUTHERN GARDENER’S BOOK OF LIST might be my best. Lois Chaplin answered the age old question, what grows best in???(shade ,sun,wet areas etc.,).
    The other book I love is from The Seed Savers Exchange. THE SEED GARDEN. It is a completely wonderful book on seed saving I have used for years. But I must say, my best book isn’t a gardening book at all. It’s my grandmother’s tiny, 6 ring, 4 inch leather binder from her 1969 Mimosa Garden Club in Mobile Alabama. It has her garden notes, meeting agendas, budget and typed (with carbon copies) phone list. She is the reason I garden. So when I need to know where my roots are… she’s there for me.

    Reply
  2687. kimberly s misiaszek on

    There are so many great books, for learning, stories, history I really enjoyed sarah’s key. I also love the strengthfinders book!

    Reply
  2688. Callie on

    Such a great post about books! ❤️ My favorite is The hiding place by Carrie ten Boom. It reminds me to keep my faith in times of trials and that things could always be worse.

    Reply
  2689. Alex M on

    With two young children going to the library is a weekly adventure for us! My favorite floral-related book is absolutely Floret’s Cut Flower Garden. It’s just the most helpful book I’ve read for growing a cutting garden. Honestly, such a good one! For non-floral related books, I have too many favorites :) Anthony Doerr’s All the Light We Cannot See is one I would put towards the top of my list though.

    Reply
  2690. Sarah Evans on

    Thank you so much for taking the time to create and share this. I have my library and it is only full of books I love. My favorite fiction book is “A Man Called Ove”. I love Fredrick Backman’s story telling so several of his books touch me but this one in particular, my husband and I read to each other at night. We laughed together and cried together.

    My favorite nonfiction is Cut Flower Garden. For the past several years, trying to get this flower thing figured out, I have carried this book around, tabbing things so I can easily get back to it. It has helped me get started and has truly been a gift.

    Reply
  2691. Amanda on

    One of my all time favorite books is “Wild” by Cheryl Strayed. The loss of her mother sent her spiraling downward and even while she knew she had a huge hole in her heart, she also knew she possessed the strength to survive without her mother—somewhere inside her. So she took to the wilderness to find that part of herself that died with her mother. The writing is perfection, the story is harrowing and the way it gave me permission to go in my own wild journey saved my life!

    Reply
  2692. Debi on

    Braiding Sweet grass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. I recommend this book in the audio format. Robin narrates and listening to her while taking a walk or hike is sublime. You will forever feel more connected to the gifts of this earth.

    Reply
  2693. Lisa Mann on

    I was never a reader as a youngster until high school when I read Swan Song. Couldn’t put it down! As an adult the only books I read are ones with amazing photos that capture my attention and keep me flipping through the pages. I teach floral design at our local college and would love a set of your favorite books!!!

    Reply
  2694. Ann K. on

    Hands down, Strengths Finder 2.0 has been life-giving. Learning to focus on that which makes me unique and talented, instead of those areas that I’m not suited for, has impacted all areas of my life. It’s impacted me in everything from professional goals to personal relationships. Buy a few copies and gift them to those whom you love!

    Reply
  2695. Linda Wright on

    Erin, I love reading your blog and I drool over the gorgeous flower photos. I’m relatively new to gardening but have enjoyed flower arranging for years. I have Carolyn Rohem’s set of seasonal garden books that pull them out at different times of the year for inspiration. Please keep on writing and keep on growing. Linda

    Reply
  2696. Christa Harrison on

    Think and grow rich by Napoleon Hill. It is less about money and more about getting clear about what you want and opening yourself up to receiving it. Changed my life.

    Reply
  2697. Heather Hoffman on

    So hard to choose a favorite book, so by narrowing it down by genre, my favorite flower farmer book is Cool Flowers by Lisa Mason-Ziegler. It has such basic information, but it’s information that is not easily accessible elsewhere. The information on cold hardy annuals and how/when to plant them is just not out there. Even on seed packs and websites, many hardy annuals list to plant them after the last spring frost. I have many of the books you listed and I also use my library regularly. I always check the library first for books! I am excited to look up some of the books you listed! Thank you for this resource!

    Reply
  2698. Aleah Larson on

    I got so excited when I saw that we had a favorite book on common. On Flowers by Amy Merrick is one of my favorites. It sits on my coffee table so I can share it with everyone who comes over. It is a book that completely transported me to a different place. It is so lovely and whimsical.

    Reply
  2699. Leslie Shrage on

    As an artist and gardener, my favorite book by far is An Island Garden by Celia Thaxter, with beautiful painted illustrations by Childe Hassam. In this book, Celia beautifully describes how she grows her lush garden in her sometimes harsh island microclimate off the shores of Maine. In addition to gardening details (She starts her Iceland poppy seeds in eggshells to transfer into the soil without disturbing the roots), she includes descriptions of her home and life as well as how she displays her cut flowers (this is where I learned to sear the ends of poppy stems and how beautiful they can look with single stems in tiny vases all lined up in a row). A luscious narration of a beautiful life, I highly recommend the hardbound edition, if you can find it!

    Reply
  2700. Fernanda Zamera on

    I love this post. Books are so special and magical. My all time favorite book since I was a teenager is “The Alchemist” by Paolo Coelho. It’s a book that is have read about four time in different decades of my life, and every time it sheds a new light and perspective. Such a special book.

    Reply
  2701. Tina Ridgely on

    Cut Flower Garden is my favorite! I look at it all the time just for the beautiful photography but the information as really helped me in my own garden!

    Reply
  2702. Mia Arrington on

    My current favorite read is Grow and Gather by Grace Alexander. I actually bought it based off Erin’s recommendation in her stories. Grace living out being a child psychologist and growing her own beautiful flower garden business inspires me daily. It’s helping me to learn how to merge my two dreams together instead of feeling like I have to choose between the two.

    Reply
  2703. jen meyer on

    My favorite book is Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White. Beautifully written (he’s the White of Strunk and White’s Elements of Style). If you haven’t listened to the audiobook where White reads, you must. This is a book about the power of friendship. It’s a gem.

    Reply
  2704. Tina on

    Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
    This book seems to reach into the soul of Mother Nature, and our forgotten relationship to her. It’s a beautifully written reminder of how we should appreciate and connect with the world outside. It’s a very moving story filled with gorgeous imagery and love.

    Reply
  2705. Autumn on

    I was diagnosed with dyslexia in 2nd grade. After going through training to read with dyslexia, my sister gave me Anne of Green Gables to read. It took me months, but I read it and fell in love with all the
    characters . I felt less broken after reading that book.

    Reply
  2706. Cynthia Roberts on

    My favorite book is definitely the Bible. Its God’s word to us and deals with every important aspect of our life. Your book collection looks amazing and I definitely don’t have a collection like that. I recently picked up kitchen Garden Revival bc I’m putting in a raised bed garden. I also Love puzzles!!!!!

    Reply
  2707. Anna on

    Hard to choose just one, but I really loved Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver.

    Reply
  2708. Joy on

    I have many favorites and would love to add more!

    Reply
  2709. Stacey on

    Discovering Dahlias! You have taken the research part out of what to add to my garden when looking for specific characteristics!

    Reply
  2710. Martha Anderson on

    Oh my gosh – it’s like your children- how do you pick a favorite!! One of my original favorites is The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver. More recently I loved Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

    Reply
  2711. Emily McNiel on

    Oooh, I love a good book list! Thanks so much for sharing! My favorite book is anything written by Jane Austen ☺️ but of the list above, Strengths Finder was a real life changer for me and the way I looked at myself.

    Reply
  2712. Jayne Tiehes on

    My love of books began as a small child, and has never waned. I too, have books stuck in every nook and cranny of our small home. In fact, my favorite scent is book pages. (Odd, I know, but there it is!)
    My favorite book of all time is The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. It is my favorite, because I beleive gardens heal souls, and create joy!
    My favorite gardening book is Gardening Success:
    A comprehensive guide to creating and maintaining the perfect garden by Peter McCoy with Susan Berry and Steve Bradley. As a novice gardener, and a young wife, we lived in many different hardiness zones due to my husband’s work. This book truly gives a ton of information for just about every plant you can think of as well as soil types and weather conditions. It’s an oldie, and even though we are permanently planted in our current location, I still refer to it to identify a new to me flower or plant. I also love all 3 of your books. They have inspired me to plant my first ever cutting garden, and to share those flowers to brighten someone else’s day.

    Reply
  2713. Marilyn Tomlin on

    The Market Gardener by Fortier is a favorite of mine in my library because it was one of the the first books that started me on my path to gardening. I’ve since evolved and included flowers but this was the book that got me started.

    Reply
  2714. Carol on

    Living in the Midwest fighting disease, pest and lack luster growth in the heat this book has opened up my eyes to a new world.
    The Regenerative Grower’s Guide to Garden Amendments: Using Locally Sourced Materials to Make Mineral and Biological Extracts and Ferments

    Reply
  2715. brady macdonald on

    Favourite fiction – Deception point by Dan brown
    Favourite non-fiction – Braiding sweet grass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

    Reply
  2716. Linda on

    Yes it is hard to pick a book, I read daily with my children and we have gone on so many adventures over the years. Our next adventure is starting a flower farm. Erin, I found your book at the library and couldn’t put it down. The imagery along with the organized steps has encourage me to continue this dream.
    Current favorite reads; Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan and Navigating Early by Claire Vanderpool top my families list!
    So happy to have found this resource.

    Reply
  2717. Phil on

    My favorite book is “The Little Guide to Your Well-Read Life: How to Get More Books in Your Life and More Life in Your Books” by Steve Leveen because who doesn’t need that advice?!

    Reply
  2718. Tracy Marino on

    I know these are kind of cliche and mainstream but I love Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert and Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes. They both inspire me to take risks and break out of my comfort zone. I was recently laid off from being a design manager for a builder showroom after 6 years and I am currently trying to decide what direction this next chapter of my life will take so I revisited those books for inspiration. I am trying to figure out how to combine my love of design with gardening while living in the suburbs.. haha 😆

    Reply
  2719. Julie A. Homan on

    The Complete Gardener is one of my favorites. When I was beginning to garden, it was my “GO TO” for all things gardening…
    Actually, I Continue to “go back to it” if I am stumped or just need a refresher of information.
    Gardening is a passion…when I’m not nurturing children in class, I’m nurturing plants in the garden.

    Reply
  2720. Katy Tolbard on

    My favorite book is called “Black Beauty”. It’s a preteen book about a bond between a kid & a horse. It was the first book to make me really feel like I was there & actually make me cry because it was so sad/beautiful. I have been chasing that feeling ever since!

    Reply
  2721. Laura Thorne on

    I never read it until I was 50 years old, but The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett captures the excitement of reviving an old, walled rose garden into something beautiful, and then sharing it with a needful friend. The friendships Mary finds in that cranky Colin and the wild animal befriending Dickon (don’t I wish I could carry a raven on my shoulder?!) are magical indeed, not to mention the thrill of seeing a garden emerging in springtime, with the crocus and daffodils poking through the ground. It will transport you in time during the doldrums of winter – I highly recommend!

    Reply
  2722. EMILY B on

    “If You Give A Mouse A Cookie!” but more garden related I frequently reference the “Audubon Backyard Bird Watcher” to see who is enjoying our yard with us.

    Reply
  2723. Lindsey on

    Discovering Dahlias…the pictures are so inspiring!

    Reply
  2724. Andrea P. on

    I love “Cultivating Delight: a natural history of my garden” by Diane Ackerman. Her descriptions of her gardens, especially her roses, are so evocative and bring delight.

    Reply
  2725. Robin Parsons on

    Right now my favorite book is The Lost Kitchen by Erin French. It’s not just a cookbook. It’s her life in a cookbook. I read cookbooks like I read novels( I’m in the process of reading her memoir too.). We were blessed to visit her magical restaurant; an experience I won’t ever forget. Every recipe I’ve made from The Lost Kitchen has become a favorite, and every time I cook one, I am transported back to that wonderful night in Freedom, Maine.

    Reply
  2726. Melanie Torres Williams on

    I have a few books on shade gardening since so much of my property is shady but someone recently gifted me a book very specific to my area – “Take Our Advice: A Handbook for Gardening in Northern Virginia” – Margaret Fisher & Friends. I loved that the advice is directed towards the challenges and plants in my particular area. It was so interesting to recognize so much of what’s mentioned in the book because it’s so specific.

    Reply
  2727. Colleen Morrissey on

    One of my favorite books is Natural Healing for Babies and Children. I got it 20 years ago in my first pregnancy, and have been referring back over all these years at the herbal protocols and monographs. It’s such a treasure and I always learn something new, each time I read it. It’s too hard to just pick one favorite book, but that is my most-read and valuable thus far.

    Reply
  2728. Sara Caldwell on

    About 10 years ago I told my husband, kind of similar to you, that we needed to get out of the suburbs and find a smaller house with more outside space for a garden and chickens. We finally made the move a little over 6 years ago to a small house with 3 1/2 acres. First I enrolled in an OSU Permaculture course and was introduced to Jessi Blooms’s book “Practical Permaculture” then I took your very first online flower farmer course and bought your first book “Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden.” These are still my two favorite books.

    Reply
  2729. Melissa Longman on

    Cut Flower Garden and Cool Flowers have been my ‘go-to’ resources over the last 2 years. I discovered the Cut Flower Garden during the first COVID lockdown, my garden has since doubled in size and I have been able to share so many beautiful flowers with friends and family. There is nothing comparable to seeing the smile on someone’s face when you hand them a vase of flowers, just because! Digging in dirt is mental and physical therapy for me and keeps me grounded. I’ve connected with other flower growers in the area and love sharing pictures and stories. It is such a fulfilling hobby. Thank you!

    Reply
  2730. Cassandra on

    I don’t think I could possibly choose a favorite book! Cut Flower Garden is one of my flower related favorites as it was the one that inspired me to start growing cut flowers, and Ariella Chezar’s books have been hugely inspirational to me learning to arrange

    Reply
  2731. Sarah Eddy on

    My favorite gardening book is “We Made a Garden” by Margery Fish. I love this book because it is partially about the author and her husband taking their yard and making a garden from scratch and their relationship–lots of good ideas and suggestions for first timers like myself! Even though Margery Fish was doing this garden with her husband before WWII–it is still relevant today as men and women and gardeners are timeless.

    Reply
  2732. Kristen Rust on

    My favorite book would have to be pride and prejudice by Jane Austen, I can’t help the simple romance allure. I appreciate all the time and thought put into this beautiful collection of books on this blog and know it will be very helpful!

    Reply
  2733. Brian on

    The Complete Gardener: A Practical, Imaginative Guide to Every Aspect of Gardening would be our favorite. Watching Monty Don on Gardeners World is how my girl friend caught the gardening bug. She had dabbled a bit before but when she saw Cottage Gardening with Monty that is what did it for her. And of course I got into it by helping her and watching Monty Don. And then we found Floret on Discovery+. Fingers crossed for another season!

    Reply
  2734. Deb on

    What a great list of books. I can relate to going to book stores and libraries too. It’s an exciting place to go to and forget about everything .
    My favorite book is your A Year in Flowers. So much great information, beautiful pictures, and the super A-Z ingredient guide which is very helpful.

    Reply
  2735. Nicole Balanoff on

    Cut Flower Garden and Discovering Dahlias I love so much. These are the only two of the list that I own and have read. I draw so much inspiration from the beautiful photography in these books. Id love to add more books to my collection.

    Reply
  2736. Katherine Nelson on

    I have to honestly say that my favorite book on gardening is Erin’s Cut Flower Garden. I have her book on dahlias too, but my favorite is still the Cut Flower book. I’ve learned so much, and truly ventured into the world of gardening in part thanks to Erin’s encouragement and teachings :) Now we have neighbors stop and tell us how beautiful our gardens are :) We share with them about Erin’s books and encourage them to give them a try. :)

    Reply
  2737. Celina @enchantedgardens on

    Think Like A Monk by Jay Shetty, is great book to inspire people to live life with peace and purpose. Thanks to this book I am now enrolled in the 2022 Floret online workshop. Everything Is Figure outable by Marie Forleo is next on the list to read.

    Reply
  2738. Kirsten on

    I loved The First Time Gardner by Jessica Sowers. Every page front to back was filled with practical knowledge, in a relatable way. While it is based on vegetable growing, it helped to give me the confidence and base knowledge I needed to really get started with a large garden. Now I am expanding to a cut flower garden and am having so much fun deciding what to include! I cant wait to read some of your recommendations this winter!

    Reply
  2739. Rhonda Larson on

    I love Sara Raven and her book “Gardening for all Seasons”. I just love books! Any book. Have read some of the old english gardening books and they are so fun. Books about the discovery of plants and how they made it to America in the past days when travel was not easy are my favorite right now. Thank you! I have all of Erins’ books and my shelf is quite colorful!

    Reply
  2740. Dominique on

    My favorite book rotates occasionally, but I continually find myself coming back to ‘The Inheritance’ by Louida May Alcott and ‘All Creatures Great and Small’ by James Herriot.

    Reply
  2741. Nicole Wenzel on

    For quite a while (and perhaps still!) one of my favorite books is A Teaapoon of Earth and Sea by Dina Nayeri. The story paints a picture of the difference between pre and post revolution Iran and various attitudes towards the US through the marrators relationship with her sister and how she imagines America to be. It’s really just a great coming of age, growing up novel.

    Reply
  2742. Erin Persinger on

    I’ve worked in libraries and bookstores, it’s impossible for me to have ONE favorite book. I need a category LOL! My favorite gardening book is “Raised Row Gardening”. It’s been my gardening bible for two seasons now!

    Reply
  2743. Jen D on

    I just finished Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver and it is definitely one of my favorite books! It follows two storylines of two families decades apart that live/lived in the same town and addresses their struggles in the different societal and political climates of their times. Although it is fiction, some of the people actually lived. Regardless of if the characters actually lived or not, I was drawn to them and found myself relating to them and learning bits of wisdom from them. It was a compelling story and I look forward to reading more of this author’s works.

    Reply
  2744. Michelle Lesher on

    I struggle with reading comprehension and continue to push myself to read because I do enjoy it and understand how important it is. My most favorite book to read is the Bible. The Psalms are so poetic and comforting and there are many favorite Bible promises that help me when I am having a hard time.

    Your generosity is amazing! Thank you for offering so many giveaways!

    Reply
  2745. Rebecca K on

    I’m a huge fan of Josh Volk and his 15 Proven Plans for Market Farms on 5 Acres or Less.

    We had the pleasure of meeting with him on our farm when we first decided to start expanding our reach.

    Not only is he full of knowledge that he happily shares, he’s an unknowing inspiration and cheerleader.

    His book is FULL FULL FULL of information and inspiration on starting, expanding and generating an income on a small scale farm.

    Reply
  2746. Heather Nathaniel on

    A Year in Flowers inspired me to add flowers to my garden, but I have turned to Monty Don for advice and inspiration in the garden for years. Your collection is great, and I’ve added a few titles to my wishlist!

    Reply
  2747. Vicky Hopp on

    I would ❤ to win this collection.
    Blessings and Gratitude
    Vicky

    Reply
  2748. Brianne Goodine on

    Such a wonderful and timely blog. I’m an avid reader and regular at my library too, which fortunately is in walking distance to my house! I love the idea of book giving and sharing. I loved the Flower Farmer, Cut Flower Garden and Growing Flowers. But I also love any good mystery book. One of my favorite things to do- read!

    Reply
  2749. Dorinde Vahl on

    This is a local recommendation, but the most beautiful book on flowers currently eking out a place on my very crowded bookshelf. Title is ‘Finding Flowers’ (Finnish title ‘Maasta Maljakkoon’), written by Anu Jokela. Now everything is pretty much iced over I garden from paper, and this book finds it way daily onto my desk.

    I love how this book makes me cherish what I already grow but may have overlooked, instead of making me anxious of what I don’t grow (yet). Spent thistle seedheads (crop of choice at the back of my plot) make for lovely additions to arrangements, as do green rowanberries and gooseberry branches. Natch there’s many gorgeous flowers in abundance (Dahlia ‘Polka’ will be added to the ever expanding family next year), all beautifully arranged and photographed. Epic eyecandy.

    Reply
  2750. Sue slevin on

    Well I am a Montessori preschool teacher so my favorite books tend to be for the littles. My favorites are Marsupial Sue, Pete the Cat and Chrysanthemum and of course anything by Dr Suess!

    Reply
  2751. Pam Barth on

    I recently bought Jacqueline van der Kloet “ A Year In My Garden” and I’m in love. So much to learn ..I’m fascinated with the way she designs and plants Spring bulbs. I’ve tried a couple of her techniques this year.

    And of course, I have learned so much from you! You have shared your talents. That is a true gift. THANK YOU!

    What an amazing gift if I won. I would cherish each and every one!

    Reply
  2752. Sarah on

    I’m absolutely loving the land gardeners. It is breathtaking in every way and so very inspiring. Plus it makes me want to ditch the overalls and garden in gorgeous boots, a full skirt and a linen jacket. And to build a gorgeous flower room. And hunt second hand stores for all the glorious vintage vases. And cut buckets and buckets of billowy cosmos and dahlias and roses and tulips.

    Reply
  2753. Karen Levy on

    Hands down my favorite book is “Mandy” by Julie Andrews Edwards. Its about a young girl in an orphanage that climbs over the wall and discovers a cottage and she creates her own garden with a borrowed trowel. I read it in fifth grade, an impressionable age, and for me a critical time as we had just moved. The garden is her secret and changes her life. As an older gardener however, the book I reference all year and re read parts of every winter is “America’s Garden Book” by James and Louise Bush-Brown published in1939 ( revised in 1958). It was my Grandmother’s only gardening book and was treasured for its valuable and applicable information that still works on todays current cultivars.

    Reply
  2754. Angela Dublikar on

    My favorite books are actually cookbooks! I love flipping through, especially when the author has stories behind why the recipes are so special!

    Reply
  2755. Amy Pent on

    While I love everything That Monty Don does because it is so educational and insightful, my favorite book right now is Seasonal Flower Arranging by Ariella Chezar. The eloquent beauty of the colors, textures and photography is both I intriguing and inspiring. That is what I want to be able to produce from seed here at Arcadia.

    Reply
  2756. Jennifer on

    I was just introduced to Carrots love Tomatoes &Roses Love Garlic to help me expand my garden and because this spring I am attempting a cut flower garden. It’s a quick and simple book to glance at to know what to plant with what so that all plants do their best, repel insects and It discusses flowers and vegetables.

    Reply
  2757. Amy on

    My favorite book is the Bible because He’s the creator of all life including the beautiful flowers we all love to grow and share with others.

    Reply
  2758. Susan on

    I love the book Creative Flower Arranging by Betty Belcher because my mother gave it to me when I first started to follow in her footsteps and attempt to create floral designs. It is my go to book when I am beginning the thought process for a design either for a holiday table setting or a flower show. It is a great reminder of the basic elements of design and contains helpful information on how to create the design.

    Reply
  2759. Julie on

    I love books! Anything by Lynn Austin is always my favorite.

    Reply
  2760. Mo Sorenson on

    Rachel Siegfried ‘s The Flower Book: Let the Beauty of Each Bloom Speak for Itself. But only if I have already read through The cut flower garden by Floret lately and need to mix it up ;)

    Reply
  2761. Rachael Patenaude on

    I love reading about everyone’s favorite books! Helps to make a great library list. My favorite of all time is The Giver by Lois Lowry. In 6th grade that book just opened my heart to a new passion for reading. Most loved book though is my Bible. Cannot express how life changing God’s Word has been for me. :)

    Reply
  2762. Jennifer Hatch on

    The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown. As a recovering perfectionist, this book helped me find the freedom to try and fail, get up and try again. As I have entered the world of gardening, this mindset has helped me through the myriad of uncontrollable elements, and learn from my (many!) mistakes without getting discouraged, but recognizing it as a learning opportunity.

    Reply
  2763. Sheri Kahnke on

    I am a food scientist specializing in dairy manufacturing. I have been fascinated by dairy products and all of the wholesome products that we make from milk since taking my first college course on the topic over 20 years ago. While doing research for my Masters degree I discovered a book in the college library written in 1929 by Samuel Crumbine, The Most Nearly Perfect Food -The Story of Milk. It contains a wealth of knowledge about milk from nutrition facts, historical info, food safety, practical uses, recipes and more. I coveted that book and contemplated checking it out permanently from the library, but didn’t. 😊 Several years ago my Dad found a copy of the book and gave it to me for Christmas. It is a treasure!

    Reply
  2764. Elizabeth A Cryderman on

    It’s honestly so hard to pick a favorite! One of my absolute favorites since I was young is Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. I have read and reread that book so many times, my library will never be without it. I know it’s not a gardening book but it is still one of my favs.

    Reply
  2765. Lynne Driedger-Enns on

    Thankyou so much for this blog post! Such dandies!
    My Favourites…hmmmm… only one!?
    Its usually the one I am reading right now. yet –

    “Imagine a day” by Gonsalves is one of my favourite pieces of children’s literature – Mistry’s “A Fine Balance” a beautiful novel – and anything by Maxine Greene especially “Releasing the Imagination” on Educational theory,

    Reply
  2766. Tonya Wimberly on

    Discovering Dahlias is my absolute favorite book because it opened up my world to Dahlias. I had no idea how beautiful they could be and so many varieties! Who knew! I’ve already placed my order for tubers for next spring. I’m so excited thanks to Erin and Floret for producing such a gem of a book.

    Reply
  2767. Staci Weiler on

    So many books, so little time.; and many of my favorites are listed here (including Erin’s gardening books). My favorite, favorite, however, isn’t one that I’ve read but, rather, one that I’ve written … my journals. They (in addition to my now very well worn Bible and my flower garden) have helped me to weather a very difficult time in my life.

    Reply
  2768. Kristen Wheeler on

    What a fun contest! Not only am I enjoying Erin’s blog post, but also the responses! If there was ever a reason to sell flowers it’s so I could buy more books.

    Favorite book… such a hard question. My all
    time favorite book is A Wrinkle in Time by Madaline L’Engle. I bought it at a book fair in 3rd grade, but wasn’t able to really digest it until 5th grade. That book gave me permission to be my quirky self and gave me a feeling of belonging in what felt like a cookie cutter world. I’m so thankful I read that book when I did, as it shaped my view of myself and my world view in a much clearer way going forward.

    But for gardening books… I’d have to say it’s would be Thomas Jefferson’s Garden Book by Edwin Morris Betts. It’s a time travel based on the farm logs of TJ at Monticello and a practical history of what, how, who, and sometimes even why stuff was grown. As a Virginia resident on the borderlines between 7b/ 8a, I use this book as a reference of what I have to potential to grow. It’s also interesting to learn where certain cultivars came from that are in many of our seed packs today.

    Reply
  2769. Carrie on

    My favorite book is The Heirloom Garden. I’ve always loved flowers but I discovered a love of gardening in 2020 as I had a tired garden outside of my new home that needed some love and being in the garden provided recreation and relaxation…and beauty! My mother-in-law introduced me to Erin’s farm and books and we bond over our mutual love of cut flower gardens and gradually taking over every patch of grass with more and more plants together, haha!

    Reply
  2770. Jenna Byrne on

    One of my favorite gardening books is Green Thoughts: A Writer in the Garden by Eleanor Perenyi. While it is full of tips and tricks from a seasoned gardener, she also injects her own informed opinion (sometimes a with a little extra spice) and her dry wit into each topic. The book is arranged in a way that it would be used as a reference, but I actually read it straight through when it was gifted to me by a sweet, exceptionally talented gardener and neighbor-friend. I laughed out loud all the while learning lots about every aspect of gardening.

    Reply
  2771. Stacy on

    Well this is extremely difficult. I’m not one to make decisions easily or able to say one favorite of anything. So, at the moment my favorite book recently read is The Forest Lover by Susan Vreeland. I’m a big fan of any book that can tie in nature and history. So, squeezing in a few others The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean and anything from Barbara Kingsolver. I’m new to the more instructional garden books and just ordered all three of Erin’s from the library this past Monday!!!! This blog was so timely for me. Thx for the list of others. I’ll be keeping our librarian busy this winter!!!

    Reply
  2772. Mona Roberts on

    When my daughter started her floral and event company, I became her helper. Since I knew very little about florals, I did some research and the name Jane Packer kept coming up, so I purchased some of her titles to get a foundation in florals, I have just recently purchased Field Flower Vase by Chelsea Fuss.

    Reply
  2773. Stefanie Schori on

    My favorite book is always the one I need in the moment, depending on what I am looking for. I love all of your floret books. I am planning a cut flower garden at the moment, so ‘Cut Flower Garden’ is sitting on my nightstand to ensure I can dream big and beautiful. :)
    Apart of the that the books I picked up most during this season:
    – ‘Growing under Covers’ – Nikki Jabbour
    – Plant Partners – Jessica Walliser
    – The Vegetable Garden Pest Handbook – Susan Mulvihill (really wished I didn’t need that one that often ;) )
    – Foolproof preserving – America’s Test Kitchen

    Reply
  2774. Jenny Barton on

    My favorite book is A Reason for Hope by Jane Goodall. She has always been an inspiration and has done so much for conservation. Her work led me to study environmental education and I was even able to work with primates for awhile. For a different pace, I began gardening and fell in love with flowers. There is nothing that brings me more joy.

    Reply
  2775. Rhonda Turner on

    Too many to pick just one ! I read a chapter to my students everyday after lunch. I want them to leave my class with a love for books. We are reading The Secret Garden right now. Love that book!

    Reply
  2776. Courtie Bassarab on

    Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kinsolver, any or all of her books really. Her love of nature, life and great storytelling absorb me instantly.

    Reply
  2777. Ashley on

    We are a household of readers, too! These garden books would make a great addition to our own little library!

    Reply
  2778. Jana Barnes on

    My favorite book is still To Kill a Mockingbird that I read as a child. So many life lessons in that book that still ring true today. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah is a favorite from my adult life. Just an amazing fictional story about love, strength and perseverance-things I strive for in my life.

    Reply
  2779. Meg Smith on

    For me it’s Anne of Green Gables! Probably from all of the flower descriptions hahaha

    Reply
  2780. Greta on

    My favorite book from childhood is a Little Golden book called Baby Dear. It is just the sweetest book about a mother having a new baby, and her older daughter learns to take care of her doll just like her mom takes care of the new baby.

    Reply
  2781. Ti on

    I just can’t get enough or say of what I truly feel about Lucy the Flower Hunter, by Lucy Hunter! This new release has me mesmerized with this delicacy of floral inspiration. Her artistry in everything she touches, from the paintings and displays to the wonderful free flowing natural arrangements she shares. It is as if she lived in the past unadulterated by todays visuals and walked amongst those famous Dutch painters. Once the eyes have feasted on the gorgeous pictures that are filling the book, reading her delightful words adds the cherry on top. If you are into romantic, natural, vintage and more! I strongly suggest Lucy the Flower Hunter!

    Reply
  2782. Lisa Philipps on

    My second comment- I forgot to add an important and impactful book I love: “The Nature Fix” by Florence Williams. Unplug and get out in the natural world!

    Reply
  2783. Duanna Taylor on

    One of my favorite books is Lost Letter by Jillian Cantor. It is an historical novel of a love of family and Country and a little flower that helped win WW II.

    Reply
  2784. April M on

    Discovering Dahlias is my fav gardening book. The clear explanations along with stunning photos are an amazing depiction of my favorite flowers.

    Reply
  2785. Jackie on

    It is so hard to pick a favorite. I loved that our 4th grade teacher read Little House on the Prairie series to us.
    It was magical. I now love all books on flowers and gardening. Erin, you rekindled my love of growing flowers
    and now have all your books! Plus, I always gift my mom with a beautiful book at Christmas.

    Reply
  2786. Heidi Smidansky on

    Expanding beyond cut flowers my favorite is Undaunted Garden by Lauren Springer Ogden. It explores plant choices and growing philosophy for creating beautiful gardens in the arid west.

    Reply
  2787. Elizabeth Van on

    What an incredible list, thank you! My favorite book is All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. It’s as close to reading what feels like a true work of art that I’ve ever experienced. That feeling you get when you gaze at an incredible painting or master florist arrangement? It’s the same when you read this book. A beautifully orchestrated piece of art. Enjoy!!

    Reply
  2788. Melanie Schleich on

    The Well-Tended Perennial Garden ( Planting & Pruning Techniques by Tracy DiSabato-Aust . I’ve had this book for several years but I still reference it when I have questions or just refresh my memory.

    Reply
  2789. Gabrielle on

    Since I was a little girl I have always had my head in a book. Reading is my comfort and as I get older and busier I am really trying to find a balance to keep a healthy amount of reading in my life! Picking a favorite book is almost impossible for me, I appreciate how every book I read takes me to a different place and delivers a different feeling. I am currently reading lots of educational and flower farming books as I start to plan for the next season. My current favorites that I keep going back to are The Flower Farmer and Cool Flowers. We are working on building our new library so I hope to fill the shelves with many of your recommendations! Thank you!

    Reply
  2790. Donna on

    Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls 1961
    I read this story when I was a teenager, I am now 62 and still have that same book and it has been carried from MA to CO, NE, WY back to MA and now in ME. The only book I ever read and was literally crying when I finished and had my mother asking “what is wrong?” It is a story about a young boy that wanted hunting dogs so bad and with this deep “wanting and soul crushing need” eventually obtained his two hounds. Old Dan and Little Ann. The story goes on to tell of all of his adventures with his hounds. At the end of the book, Old Dan dies, Billy buries him on the hill. Little Ann looses the will to live as she misses Old Dan and eventually dies. Billy buries her upon the hill next to Old Dan and the following spring, Billy goes to their graves and there is a sacred “Red Fern” growing between their bodies that the Angels planted which marks something special and admirable.
    This book teaches that if you want something bad enough, you will get it by working hard. Also a great book showing unconditional love.

    Reply
  2791. Alana Ronnquist on

    One of my favorites is “The Book (on the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are)” by Alan Watts. I read it in graduate school during a time that I wasn’t sure about the direction my life would take. It had a profound impact on the way I view my own identity and my connection to the rest of the world.

    Reply
  2792. Susan Maw on

    I use The Garden Primer by Barbara Damrosch more than any other garden book I have.

    Reply
  2793. Christina Goudy on

    What a great list. I discovered Monty Don on Netflix or Amazon and loved his episodes. I can’t get enough! I think my recent go-to book is “The New Organic Grower” by Eliot Coleman. It’s a really great resource.

    Reply
  2794. Jann Skelton on

    I’m obsessed with The Love and Lemons Cookbook by Jeanine Donofrio…the recipes and photographs are wonderful for those that are trying to eat more plants!!

    Reply
  2795. Debi on

    The first garden book I remembered reading when I was a child was Rachael Carson’s Silent Spring. It stayed with me and shaped the way I have interacted with nature for the last 40 years. Since then there have been so many garden books. Over the last several years I have been listening to a lot of podcasts and taking on line video courses.

    Reply
  2796. Sarah Crane on

    Gracious — how to pick one favorite?! I feel like I could write a blogpost to rival yours in only my highlighted choices 😆 I’ll share two categories here to keep it sort of in the lines haha.

    My favorite fiction books for decades have been Ella Enchanted, The Witch of Blackbird Pond, and the Narnia series! The first two are stories of young women finding their own voice, gifts, and way in the world, as women with passion, leadership, and not always understood by the world. Loved them as a young woman, and now too. Narnia is my favorite world to escape to and lean in to enjoy, learn, and be swept up into an incredible story.

    My favorite flower book is your Cut Flower Garden book — it’s been an inspiration and a beauty I’ve carried to multiple countries and homes and I continue to reference regularly.

    Cheers to books!!!

    Reply
  2797. Erin Phipps on

    Forest Feast Gatherings by Erin Gleeson is giving me all the inspiration I need for curating every family get-together (big or small) around the holidays! The beautiful photography make this decor-inspired recipe book a staple for me.

    Reply
  2798. Dave Wolanski on

    My favorite book is one I’m reading now “One Long River of Song” by Brian Doyle. It’s beautifully written and deeply emotional insights into life and death and love are just magical. Close seconds include “Just Kids” by Patti Smith with her memoir of her love of Robert Maplethorpe. Another favorite is “Finding tej Mother Tree” by Suzanne Simard weaving her personal life with her professional life as a forester discovering how trees in forests need each other to thrive.

    Reply
  2799. Monica Wiley on

    I love books too so this is a tough one, but Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett is my favorite fiction. It was a wonderful epic story and I learned so much history while reading as well. My favorite cookbooks are Ina Garten ‘s Barefoot Contessa.. I’m looking forward to reading mostly garden books all winter in preparation of designing our garden!

    Reply
  2800. Lizzy Williams on

    My first thought about your giveaway question was what category? Picking a favorite book is so difficult. Because I have many. When my daughter was young we would visit every single library in our city it was an adventure. We had our favorites. She often had the maximum number of books you could check out at one time. I paid for many lost library books that we later found under her bed 🤣😂 it was worth every penny. I would have to say one of my favorite books is Winnie the Pooh. So many great life lessons about how to treat people. It never fails to make me smile. I now read it to my grandson it is also one of his favorites.❤️

    Reply
  2801. Meredith Murphy on

    Cool Flowers: How to Grow and Enjoy Long-Blooming Hardy Annual Flowers Using Cool Weather Techniques
    Up here in zone 5b Lisa Mason Ziegler made some of my favorite varieties possible for my little backyard garden. Its easy reading with a great story and simple to reference back again as we move through the seasons. It was a game changer for me. Extending my growing season and making spring flowers arrive even earlier easing much of the angst that comes with a long winter.

    Reply
  2802. Brooklyn on

    I’m actually enjoying the text book, Horticulture Principles and Practices Fourth Edition by George Acquaah. It’s my favorite at the moment because it covers a wide span of information. I’m also new to the world of farming so the text is a constant resource for me.

    Reply
  2803. Sarah Brooks on

    this may be a silly answer but you asked what my favorite book is… it is The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein ♡ ever since I was a little girl, it was always on my grandmother’s coffee table – I would read it everytime i would visit – when she passed away, i asked for the book and the coffee table – I have read it over and over again to my children – and now my grandchildren

    Reply
  2804. Dawn Wirth on

    One of my favorite books is MArtha Stewarts =Gardening Book. It has helped me with how to grow flowers and vegetables. I love books too Erin, I used to be in the library when i was kid. Books are the best thing ever – They are like dear friends always there for you. Thank You Erin and Staff for all you do to keep growing alive!

    Reply
  2805. Laurie Whitefoot on

    “Cut Flower Garden” is definitely my favorite when it comes to flowers. It was given to me as a gift years ago before I ever expressed interest in growing flowers, but I had always been captivated by them. I was mesmerized at first by the beautiful photography in “Cur Flower Garden” and couldn’t put it down. Then I started soaking up all of the information in the book and it really started picturing myself growing flowers. This book holds such a special place in my heart and helped me recognize a passion and calling within me.

    Reply
  2806. Melissa Hartley on

    My favorite book is Gitanjali by Rabindranath Tagore. It’s a collection of poems, for which Tagore became the first non-European to win the Nobel prize for literature.
    Good poetry feeds and sustains my soul in the same way gardening does.

    Reply
  2807. Julie on

    I have been attempting a rose garden the last few years and this book has been my go-to, that my mom gifted to me! The Encyclopedia of Roses by Judith McKeon

    Reply
  2808. Hope McDonald on

    Favorites are always so hard for me to choose – but I am currently reading aloud The Secret Garden to my children and it is giving both me and my 6 year old son the itch to work “a little patch of earth”! It’s a delightful story of new life and the “magic” of a garden!

    Reply
  2809. Amanda Flynn on

    It is so hard to pick a favorite! All of your books rank high on my list, as well as; The Vegetable Bible by Tricia Swanton- it shows how to grow, store and cook all veggies, Gaia’s Garden by Chelsea Green(permaculture), Growing Flowers by Niki Irving, but I think my favorite right now is Dahlia Breeding for the Farmer-Florist and the Home Gardener! I find it so exciting to create my own line of dahlias.

    Reply
  2810. Katie Connell on

    Books! Flowers! Gardening! Books about flowers and gardening! It doesn’t get better! I have found less time to garden and read as my kids & law practice keep me busy so, now you can often find me in the yard listening to an audiobook whilst I garden- Ha!

    Reply
  2811. Hope Bolstad on

    My favorite book is Capital Gaines by Chip Gaines. I feel that we are kindred spirits when I read this book and I feel his passion and zest for life as if it were my own. His practical and first hand advice makes me able to go out and live more freely right after I put the book down. I know I can make my dream a reality after I read this book. :)

    Reply
  2812. Sherry B on

    Erin, What an incredible opportunity to add to or begin a fabulous garden library! I too like you have been in love with books all my life. I grew up living with my grandparents and single mother who all provided me with the luxury of owning books. Often there was very little or no room for luxury. At 10 years old we moved and I discovered our small town library in walking distance. From 10 until 17 I believe I read most of the books in the entire collection. A book can take you anywhere and I love passing on this love of reading and research to my grandchildren. Your choices cover a wide range of garden, farming and creative subjects. I have to say one of my absolute favorites is a Martha Stewart Gardening through the seasons. I also love P Allen Smith and Monty Don. I pour over their books over and over again. A tip for other book lovers is to look in charity and resale shops, I have frequently found signed editions for a few dollars on the shelves. Your love of flower farming is a joy to witness. Thank you for this chance to own a hand selected treasure chosen by you! Sherry B

    Reply
  2813. Mayson on

    My favorite book is Bel Canto by Ann Patchett. For flowers I also love cool flowers.

    Reply
  2814. Chris Sylvester on

    One of my favorite books is The Artisan Soul by Erwin Raphael McManus in which he ties together faith and purpose with the creative, and how everyone creates. The book describes how “we all need to create – to be a part of the process that brings to the world something beautiful, good, and true – in order to allow our souls to come to life.” I find this applies to growing and creating with flowers, baking artisan bread, and wood working which we explore at Spectrum Farms Delaware.

    Reply
  2815. Anna Pittman on

    I would usually refuse to try and name an absolute favorite book but I must concede the giveaway has swayed me 😂
    But still it’s difficult! I have loved many different books for many different reasons. Just last night my friends and I were raving about a Becky Chambers book so I guess I’ll go with Long Way To A Small Angry Planet. She writes so cleverly and thinks so deeply about the logistics, big and humble, of what alien life and culture would look and act like. I simply adore her work ☺️

    Reply
  2816. Rosemarie Kammer on

    My earliest favorite was The Secret Garden. I still have my Mother’s copy from when she was a girl and hope keep passing it down. While I’ve had many favorites since, but I always make it a point to read Truman Capote’s A Christmas Memory, each year around this time. It’s a simple, sweet story and slows me down at this frenzied holiday season.

    Reply
  2817. Ruth Ann on

    My favorite book? Isn’t that like picking a favorite child? Well, one of favorite books is “Stepping Heavenward”. This is because it changed my life more than any other book. It’s written in journal form and is a young women’s journey to Godliness. I have read it countless times and every time it just gets better. But I have rekindled my love of children’s books lately as I have my own children and I am loving reliving The Little House books among others.

    Reply
  2818. Jessica Bloomberg on

    As a police officer, my refuge from the madness is my garden AND books about gardening. I still drool over the photos in Martha Stewart’s books. Classic and timeless. I’ve learned SO much from you and other growers on IG. Thanks for all you share so generously.

    Reply
  2819. Laura on

    I’ve always gravitated to a well used garden book called simply, “McCalls Garden Book’.

    Reply
  2820. Juliet Turner on

    I love the printed hold in your hands book, and I could spend hours in a library or used books store. Lots of favorites, but the current one is The Flower Farmer’s Year by Georgie Newberry.

    Reply
  2821. Monica on

    It’s so hard to pick a favorite book because I love so many for so many different reasons. I am going to say, The Four Agreements, by don Miguel Ruiz. I’m choosing this book because it’s the first book I read that started to shift my perspective of the world around me and of myself. I read it about 12 years ago and I still remind myself to not take things personally at least a couple times a week!

    Reply
  2822. Stephanie Schiro on

    Your “Cut Flower Garden” has been my inspiration to begin a flower farm this year! Not only is it filled with practical tips, it is inspiring and makes growing flowers actually seem doable!

    Reply
  2823. Anna on

    I can’t choose a favorite book but my favorite cookbook is Love Welcome Serve by Amy Nelson Hannon- the hospitality and heart behind the recipes is inspiring and the food is amazing!!

    Reply
  2824. Lauren C on

    My favorite book of all time is Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden. The prose is beautiful and captures your heart in a way that still affects me twenty years later. Sayuris story is so sad but so inspiring and the description of her beautiful but often cruel world leaves one thinking about how they might find a little more beauty in their own surroundings if they just found a different way to look at things.

    Reply
  2825. Monica Pressley on

    I know this may sound a little elementary and not super sophisticated in the way of some books, but my all time favorites are the Laura Ingalls Wilder books. My mom got me a set as a child and I still have them today. Of course, I grew up with the little House series (and still watch when able). I always wonder what it would have been like to love back then. Sometimes life seems like it would be much simpler, but I know it probably would have been harder and more of a struggle. Still, there is a simplicity to her life that draws me in. It shows compassion and simplicity of do good, be kind, help each other…love thy neighbor. I get lost in those aspects and wish it was more like that today.

    Reply
  2826. Sammi Combs on

    Gah! My favorite book and series of all time has to be A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle. If you have have only read A Wrinkle in Time, the other ones are even more amazing!!

    Reply
  2827. T on

    Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden is my favorite flower book. The Notebook is my other favorite. I love getting lost in the pages of a good book.

    Reply
  2828. Janet on

    Ooh, so many! Impossible to pick one favorite. Some books that have always stayed in my mind: Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown (such beautiful words and pictures about the profound love of family), Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (wise and witty and timeless) and Spark Joy by Marie Kondo (deceptively simple but remarkably on point in highlighting what’s important).

    Reply
  2829. Janet Barriger on

    Practical Botany for Gardeners, and Roses Love Garlic, are two of my favorite gardening books. As another noted above–I also love Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Love!

    Reply
  2830. Carley on

    I also love to read and still love going to the library. The inter-library loan is such an awesome resource. I have a small house but keep quite a big library. I keep a running list of books I read each year, I typically read 20-30 books per year. My favorite book of fiction is: The Hummingbird’s Daughter by Luis Alberto Urrea. As for gardening my current favorite books are: Will Bonsall’s Essential Guide to Self- Reliant Gardening and the Regenerative Grower’s Guide to Garden Amendments by Nigel Palmer.

    Reply
  2831. Carol on

    I just finished The God of the Garden by Andrew Peterson this morning. It has made me think about my past and how much trees play a part of our lives. My dad was a preacher and had a lawn care business on the side. His mom and her father were planters. My favorite memories of my dad and grandmother are usually in their gardens. My dad knew that planting seeds (in the ground and in people) eventually meant there would be beauty for the community around to see. What a gift it is to come from a long line of planters. They are my favorite gardening “books”.

    Reply
  2832. Nancy Mosley on

    This is tough but if I had to choose a book no matter the topic that’s had the most impact in my life it’s The Holy Bible. I enjoy many books but it’s one that I read daily and changed my life. Thank you for the giveaway and for sharing all your favorite books with us. I homeschooled my kids and when they were little we’d fill up our library basket with books weekly. We read daily after lunch before they took a nap. My sister grew up to be a librarian and so we all love books.

    Reply
  2833. Amy Mast on

    Goodness, so hard to list one. I’ve opened & referenced your Dahlia book the most this past year. I grew a couple dahlias for the first time this past summer for my daughter’s wedding. Your book (so beautiful) helped me jump in and give it a try. Even though I only invested in five plants (tubers), she had two flowers in her bouquet. I might have cried. Also, your Amarenth seeds grew the biggest floral stars of her wedding decor. We had it cascading on tables, centerpieces, and bridal bouquets. It set the tone for her dream day. Obviously, I’m growing Amarenth and Dahlias next season, too!

    Reply
  2834. Karen on

    Books open the world to us! The Bible is timeless, The Flower Farmer is full of helpful info, Be Your Own Doctor is so valuable too.

    Reply
  2835. Winonah Sacks on

    My parents instilled the love of books in my brother and me. Our favorite place to go whenever we went to “town”(Anchorage, Alaska) was the Book Cache. Even though I have enjoyed so many books over the years since childhood, one set of books that always comes back to mind is “The Little House in the Big Woods” by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I love the simple but deep lessons taught through the Ingalls family’s struggles and joys and written so beautifully.

    Reply
  2836. Martha on

    The first thing that popped into my mind was The BFG by Roald Dahl lol! It was my go to as a kid. I don’t have any adult favorites, but I do like to collect all types of non-fiction books.

    Reply
  2837. Tarah on

    I can honestly say that Cut Flower Garden had been a constant companion of mine for about 2 years. The spine is getting all worn out and I worry about losing pages soon. Cool Flowers by Lisa Mason Ziegler is a close second!

    Reply
  2838. Audrey on

    I am an avid book lover and spend any spare dollar on a book. One of my favorite picture books is When I was Young in the Mountains by Cynthia Rylant. Beautiful illustrations and story of a young girl living in the Appalachian Mountains

    Reply
  2839. Mary K Murphy on

    My favorite garden book is: One Hundred English Gardens, by Patricia Taylor I love it because it is so inspiring. I get excited to try new things and revel in the beauty of established, well- tended gardens of England.

    Reply
  2840. Nicole on

    Thanks for always being so generous with your giveaways!
    I feel like I have many favorites from all the genres, but my favorite book about plants/the earth is Braiding Sweetgrass. With great gentleness, we can care for the earth as she cares for us.

    Reply
  2841. Jennifer Thompson on

    A brand new, independent bookstore just opened in my little hometown! Serendipitous, as I now have a few more items on my wishlist. Picking a favorite book is too hard, but A Confederacy of Dunces, The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, and The Dark Tower series are standouts.

    Reply
  2842. Susan Felley on

    The Secret Garden. I read it as a girl, and read it again to each of my daughters. The magic of a secret garden remains undiminished. This book is ageless.

    Reply
  2843. Jill Schonaerts on

    The $64 Tomato by William Alexander. It’s just funny. His story about his journey on becoming a vegetable gardener is hilarious. As a very small backyard gardener, it was great to see that I am not alone. I laughed out loud reading this book.

    Reply
  2844. Rae on

    Thanks so much for the great list of books to add to my Christmas list!

    Reply
  2845. Natalie Shoaf on

    Deciding on one book is quite hard, as I thoroughly enjoy reading and listening to audio books.

    So I guess I’ll list a few.

    Childhood book that grew my fascination with flowers and gardens would be of course Secret Garden! I read it before it ever came out on movie and was so captivated by the everything about it!

    Funny, was definitely Yes, Please by Amy Poehler. Really light-hearted, easy, and fun to read.

    Empty Mansions was so intriguing. I highly recommend this one, it really gives you something to think about.

    Savannah Blues by Mary Kay Andrews grew my love for Savannah and continued fan base of her writing style.
    ☺️

    Reply
  2846. Lisa Lewis on

    I really don’t have any flower books or books on gardening. I used to go to the library for any book I needed or wanted to read. My favorites are the Bible and the Alchemist. Although I love gardening and plant every season i haven’t done much with flowers. I saw your show early this year, and have been mesmerized by growing flowers. Typically each year I only grow zinnias.

    Reply
  2847. Erin Healy on

    My favorite gardening book when growing up was Sunset Western Gardening. I wanted to grow EVERYTHING! Nowadays, I live on a few acres and grow an extensive veggie garden but recently started considering a cut flower garden. Your book is on my list as dahlias are a family favorite and yours are lovely!

    Reply
  2848. Amanda Littell on

    I love The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. Although it is a novel, it made such an impact on me and my love for all things flowers and their meaning.

    Reply
  2849. Jenni Herchenbach on

    On Flowers: Lessons from an Accidental Florist by Amy Merrick is my current favorite book. Everything from the bright orange cover to the magical photos and delightful story inside capture my imagination and inspire dreaming. It’s a beautiful volume to curl up with while your mind wanders through flowers and gardens near and far.

    Reply
  2850. Rachael Faber on

    Its so hard to pick one favorite book, but I guess I would say The Flower Farmer: An Organic Grower’s Guide to Raising and Selling Cut Flowers, 2nd edition, by Lynn Byczynski because its the book that got me started as a flower farmer.

    It would be so very awesome to win one of these collections! Thank you for doing this giveaway ❤️

    Reply
  2851. Katherine C Barnes on

    I love all books… cookbooks, hardback and paperback books. My first love was Bridge to Terabithia when I was a little girl.

    Reply
  2852. Joanne Fetting on

    So many goodbooks in the world but I’ll make this a gardening one. My favorite garden book for managing my perennial beds is The Well-Tended Perennial Garden by Tracy Disabato-Aust.

    Reply
  2853. Carissa on

    Your book Cut Flower Garden will always be my favorite since it introduced me to and developed my love for cut flower growing.

    Reply
  2854. Jessica Mattaliano on

    I narrowed it down to two. Every Moment Holy because it has a way of grounding me and helping me to refocus on what’s important when I get overwhelmed by life.
    And Floret- Cut Flower Garden ❤️. I bought it right after I watched Growing Floret and haven’t been able to put it down. I’ve read through it several times and can’t wait to put into practice everything I’ve learned from it! And it pointed me to the Online Workshop! Which I can’t wait for either!!!

    Reply
  2855. Mikayla on

    “Color Me Floral” by Kiana Underwood has been a book that has inspired me in my floral arranging. It shows monochromatic arrangements from spring through winter. I love all the textures she uses and I was impressed with all the color varieties she was able to use.

    Reply
  2856. Roxy Roehrig on

    My flower gardening library has grown over the years, but the titles you listed are new to me and I will definitely have to seek them out . I love to propagate flowers and flowering shrubs, so my most favorite book of all is titled MAKING MORE PLANTS by Ken Druse. It is like a bible for me and I have gone to it many many times over the years since purchasing it when it first came out. I have been blessed with great success because of the detailed information he shares, allowing me to gift plants and shrubs to family and friends. Thanks for sharing your list, I find it inspiring, and will get my local library to help me so I have some beautiful reading over the cold winter days ahead.

    Reply
  2857. Valarie on

    I’m an avid reader and picking just one isn’t easy. In the fiction category my pick would be “To Kill A Mockingbird.” From a high school requirement to a lifelong love. Your books are a work of art in addition to being an excellent resource. I’m so glad you share your knowledge with us.

    Reply
  2858. Jane Powers on

    The Garden Book for Wisconsin. By Melinda Meyers

    I have worn this book out. Full of beautiful pictures, growing advice, pest control and pruning information. It was my very first garden book and covered all my questions. The pictures inspired my choice of things to plant and enjoy. It was built for success because it covered the flowers and plants that would thrive in our climate and zone.

    I refer to it often for advice and its the book I pour over all winter to dream of next year’s garden.

    Reply
  2859. Kelly Hill on

    The Harry Potter Series has always been a favorite to read, as they transported me to a far away, wonderful place (and I was totally Hermoine in school), and were so easy to get lost in for hours and hours.

    Reply
  2860. Allyson on

    I really love Miss Rumphius! It’s a beautiful tale about life and finding how you can make the world more beautiful. The illustrations are magical. I’m filled with inspiration just looking at the book.

    Reply
  2861. Tina Gregg on

    Hmmmm, what category should I pick from haha! We have booked in every corner of the house. If I had to pick an all time favorite I guess I would go with The Lord of the Rings.

    Reply
  2862. Kat T on

    Monty Don is an inspiration! Watching his Netflix show opened me to a whole world of gardening!

    Reply
  2863. Tina Roy on

    My fave books this year was a combo of Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden and Frances Palmer’s In the Studio. In my first year as a flower farmer, these books gave me the tools and inspiration to start a new career with flowers and pottery. I can’t tell you how many times I have referenced these books. It was such a fulfilling year for me as I gained the confidence and knowledge to share part of myself with others through flowers and people were happier because of it. Thank you!!

    Reply
  2864. Terry Cho on

    The past few years I’ve been redoing my yard and incorporating native plants. The 2 books that I continue to revisit for ideas and inspiration are “Bringing Nature Home” by Dough Tallamy and “Native Plants for New England Gardens” by Mark Richardson and Dan Jaffe. It has been so much fun creating a beautiful space that helps our native fauna. I’m now turning my eye to my raised beds for growing more cut flowers and have been slowly adding to my library. There is always something more to learn!

    Reply
  2865. Lorin on

    Also good to have Ralph Thurston’s 2 books in your library “Deadhead” the bindweed way to grow flowers and All pollen no petal, behind the flower farming dream. Good solid truths. :)

    Reply
  2866. Liz on

    I love books as well❤️🎉 I’m currently reading, Everyday Battles by Bob Schultz. It’s practical and encouraging. I’ve laughed and cried throughout this little book and read it every year🥰

    Reply
  2867. Keli Horne on

    My favorite book is the Holy Bible. Without Jesus, I don’t know what I’d do. I reference my Bible often for answers during times of struggle. I’ve found my encouragement in the pages of this book. 😊

    Reply
  2868. Renee Cauthen on

    I love books!!! Children’s books, nature books, gardening the classics, mysteries, and of course the Bible. It is too hard to pick just one. I am usually reading 2 or 3 at a time. The classics are always a favorite, especially Little Women. I have read it too many times to count. It was my favorite to read a loud to my girls when they were younger.

    Reply
  2869. Rachel Connelly on

    Hard to choose a favorite book! I love so many, but have been inspired over the years by Jan Karon’s Mitford series. Especially Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good. I read it every autumn. Father Tim reviews life and relationships amidst the frustration of growing older. His thoughts give me much to think about. And, the story includes a good bit of humor. I’m just starting to learn more about flowers and growing them in my own yard, and so far my favorite is Cut Flower Garden. Practical with beautiful photos. And, Sarah Raven’s Grow Your Own Cut Flowers is on my Christmas list.

    Reply
  2870. Beth DelConte on

    Cry the beloved country by Alan Paton is my favorite book. Published in 1948, it is a small book about tremendous forgiveness. Thanks for the opportunity to receive your favorites.
    Beth DelConte

    Reply
  2871. Meghan on

    new favorite: Iwígara: American Indian Ethnobotanical Traditions and Science by Enrique Salmón

    Reply
  2872. Ashlyn Briere on

    My favorite is “There’s no such thing as bad weather.” The book discusses the importance of nature for child development and how you can help your kids spend time outside even if it’s really cold or raining. I love their perspective and ideas!

    Reply
  2873. Brooke Hall on

    In the last year, my favorite book has been redeeming love. It captivated me so much and it was so hard to put it down. My favorite book all of time would still have to be the 3rd Harry Potter. Just makes me feel so nostalgic when I read it now! Love watching my bookshelf fill up with some favorite throughout the years. I’m also a high school agriculture teacher now so I love having books in my room that my students can actually touch, mark up and read.

    Reply
  2874. Joanne Hirt on

    The book that started my passion for reading was White Fang by Jack London. I was in 3rd grade and was not a fan of reading. One day my teacher introduced a book club that cost a $1 a month. That was a lot of money way back then that my Mom and Dad couldn’t afford with 5 growing children but my Mom told me she would make it happen if I wanted to. I told my teacher that I would try but I didn’t like reading. She asked me what I did like and I told her dogs and horses. She suggested White Fang and I shrugged my shoulders and said okay. That one suggestion turned into a passion. White Fang changed my whole perspective on what books can do and where they can take you. I have read classics, memoirs, how to books, the list goes on. I just received my much anticipated order of your books and oh my gosh the world of flowers that I have always loved just became a magical world of possibilities!

    Reply
  2875. Barbara Louks-Weidner on

    Erin thank you so much for this amazing list of your favorite books! It is so welcome and helpful to this home gardener who dreams she was younger to tackle a cut flower business but instead fills the space around her home with varieties of flowers both perennial and annual that I never dreamed of seeing or growing. A rekindled passion I have had all my adult life and I attribute that rekindling to your book collection! So of course they are my favorites but if I had to pick one it would be Cut Flower Garden as I don’t have it yet and am looking forward to receiving it soon! A couple others I enjoy are Cool Flowers by Lisa Mason Ziegler and Herbaceous Perennial Plants by Allan Armitage.

    Reply
  2876. Chloé Olsen on

    I love The Food Explorer because it paints a beautiful picture of a time when many plants and fruits were still exotic to Americans. The stories behind the American conquests of Meyer lemons and avocados are far more intricate and courageous than I would have ever known!

    Reply
  2877. Jen on

    I think the most inspiring and powerful book I have read is Women Who Run With The Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes. It’s about mythology and the wild woman archetype, reconnection and the power of storytelling.

    Reply
  2878. Robin Habing on

    As I reel like I am starting my farm over and over every year, my favorite book is “Cut Flower Garden.” I gravitate to this book every time I have questions about my flower farming. The information it holds is why it is my go to book.

    Reply
  2879. Jaclyn on

    I did buy Sarah Raven’s Gardening for All Seasons at your recommendation earlier this year, and you’re right!! It IS amazing. Will definitely check out the others. My favorite book changes all the time (I love books and reading and I worked in bookstores for 7 years in high school and college before I got a job with my degree. I still maintain working for Borders was the best job I’ve ever had!) my current favorite is House in the Cerulean Sea by Tj Klune. A heartwarming story that will make you laugh out loud and cry, and shows us the importance of looking beyond appearances.

    Reply
  2880. Jordan Daves on

    This past October, my sister got me Cut Flower Garden for my 17th birthday! I am now planning for my 16’x33’ cut flower bed that will start in spring! I am soooo excited! This book is what started an amazing journey for me and I am so anxious to see how it will grow my curiosity and knowledge! Also, through Erin’s workshops on Magnolia Network, I have learned so many new and helpful things! I am ecstatic to see what I will learn once I start my plants!! I can’t wait! Thank you Floret and Erin for fostering this new aspiration in my heart!!!

    Reply
  2881. Cate Rowen on

    Hmm I think right now it might be the Wayfarers series by Becky Chambers. Totally charming sci fi. I’ve been pretty obsessed with everything Milk Street when it comes to cooking, and I’m a huge fan of Amy Herzog’s knitting books because she really explains how fit works and gives good guidance on adapting patterns for different body types.

    Reply
  2882. Darcy on

    Lord of the Rings is one of my favorites. Myths, magic, questing. The journey is full of adventures, testing the spirit and finding friendship. History plays such an important roll in modern day actions, this series ties it together. Treebeard was one of my favorite characters and the hobbits’ wisdom.

    Reply
  2883. Shalon on

    I love two books and they are both quite similar with information the first is in Bloom by Clare Nolan, it has gorgeous pictures (i find that I just look at the pictures and forget to read) and Erins first book, The Cut Flower Garden. They both are very informative on growing.

    Reply
  2884. Delia Axman on

    My favourite book is Anne of Green gables. I love how Anne refers to everyone as “kindred spirits” and how she views the world with childlike wonder. I wish everyone took the time to admire the world like little Anne does 🤍

    Reply
  2885. Lauren Quatro on

    This is a tough one to narrow down but I just love Elizabeth Gilbert’s books, especially Big Magic and The Signature of all Things <3

    Reply
  2886. Katie Oskin on

    My favorite book is Jurassic Park. It fulfills my nerdy side but also my sense of adventure and exploration. It is far superior to the movie!

    Reply
  2887. Kayla M. on

    My favorite book is “The Little Book of Lykke” it talks all about how others find and create happiness around the world. I struggle with depression so it’s nice to escape and take little bits here and there from other cultures traditions and try them out for myself. It’s also just nice to read about others being happy, put a smile on your face!

    Reply
  2888. Shaina Arb on

    My favorite book is The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. I read it with my mom, mostly in the same room 😆 she passed away a year ago so it’s extra discuss now.

    Reply
  2889. Jeannie on

    Erin, you are speaking right to my book-loving heart! I will share two of my favorite volumes, but they are certainly not the only ones. The Encyclopedia of Country Living by Carla Emery, because the author shares so many practical insights on everything from gardening to raising animals with humor & points you to additional resources that can expand your chosen skill set (a delight for lifelong library lovers). Little Women, because it is such a far-reaching reflection on all the great epochs of life & how rich the journey is, even when it doesn’t go the way you planned. 20 more titles will likely come to mind as soon as I share this comment! Thanks so much for your generosity.

    Reply
  2890. Kari Romaine Compton on

    “Favorite book” is way too hard… I need categories! Haha. Humble Roots by Hannah Anderson is one of my favorites… she interweaves storytelling, nature, and scripture to unpack what true humility looks like.

    Reply
  2891. Kristina on

    I grew up reading books by Tahsa Tudor. My favorite was her book about her personal garden. I can honestly say that is what inspired me to grow a garden of my own. She created such beauty and inspires you to go and create your own world of beauty with flowers!

    Reply
  2892. Rebecca Rowley on

    “Church Flowers “ by Judith Blacklock has become a favorite book. I accidentally discovered this book through the library. Even though the premise of the book is how to create arrangements for a church, the author expands on styles, shapes, etc. She’s the first author to go into details of the why. Most other flower arranging books (including many of the ones you list) don’t do that. They just talk about the flowers and how many you need. Judith explains the reason for the shapes, how to decide what flowers based on the setting, lighting, what mechanic options to choose, etc. Very detailed book with tons of photos!

    Reply
  2893. Olivia on

    I feel like I am being asked to name my favorite child. Ugh. I love them all but here’s the one that makes me look over and over again – Seven Flowers and how they shaped our world by Jennifer Potter

    Reply
  2894. Susan DORFMAN on

    My favorite go to book: Adaptogens:herbs for Strength, Stamina and Stress Relief, by David Winston and Steven Maimes. Alongside growing flowers and food, I love growing medicinal herbs. Adaptogenic plants help us strengthen our own body’s resiliency and capacity to move through life with greater wellness and inner peace. I believe growing and taking adaptogens is critical to our evolution and healthy aging. Access to medicine is our birthright and we can grow the medicine plants we need most. It is pure joy to connect with the plant allies and ambassadors that feed our nervous system and well being through life!!! The spirits of the plants are our joyful companions as we walk the earth and place our hands in the dirt!

    Reply
  2895. Susan Leavitt on

    My favorite is A Year in Flowers also—it taught me so much about taking advantage of seasonal flora, a beyond flowers to other branches and leaves and how to mix colors. Changed the way I can have fresh flora on my table and on my counter throughout the year!

    Reply
  2896. Cindy Whitford on

    My favourite book ever is Victor Franks’s “Man’s search for Meaning”. It’s an amazing book about life and the struggles and joy in it. After both of my parents deaths I struggled with many questions in life…what was the point…why. This book was the only thing that answered my questions and gave me clarity and the strength to go on. A good read written by a great man.

    Reply
  2897. Mariann Brown on

    Lots of favorites like To Kill a Mockingbird” and the”Lord of the Rings” series. Recent favorite “Project Hail Mary” by Andy Weir. Such an interesting scenario. Favorite gardening books Howard Garrett’s organic gardening geared to Texas and of course your Floret series!

    Reply
  2898. Penny Griffith on

    the secret Garden, is probably one of my favorite books! It allows the wonder and creativity of a small young soul to transform, share, and enjoy true nature in its natural splendor!

    Reply
  2899. Amy Buchanan on

    I love Carolyne Rhoem’s seasonal notebooks. I bought them years ago and look at them at the change of every season for simple inspiration and ideas.

    Reply
  2900. Karen S on

    My favorite book is Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude. (My gardening/flower book collection is quite wee as it is now, it could really use this bump!)

    Reply
  2901. Kristine Towns on

    I only have a few flower books, but I have been very excited about Discovering Dahlias book. I was eager to dig my first crop up this fall and successfully store them for next season!

    Reply
  2902. Sandra Burr on

    Fire Starter.
    Life in the Studio.
    I will find and buy both of these books!

    Reply
  2903. Le'Ann Solmonson on

    My favorite cookbook isThe Farm. I love how it tells a family’s story of their farm. The author is a grandchild and he and his generation are revitalizing their grandparents’ farm that they loved as children. Oh, and it has some good recipes from the crops they grow.

    Reply
  2904. Joy Marino on

    That’s a real challenge for any book lover, but I will give it a try. My favorite book is a book that has been read by me in my times and places of my life. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is the book my mom read to me, I read to myself, I read to perhaps 20 second and third grade classes throughout my teaching career, and I read to my two books and husband as part of our family read aloud. Charlie’s story is one that passes on great messages about how to be a good person or a not so great person (Veruca Salt comes to mind!) It’s not about flowers but about gardening in life, weeding out the struggles and smelling the joys. Thanks for having me answer that question. I brought lots of fond memories to mind. Happy Reading.

    Reply
  2905. Meghan on

    My favorite book is Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. I love it because it is a story based on the book of Hosea in the Bible and a picture of God’s pursuit of sinners.

    Reply
  2906. Lynne Resch on

    At this moment it is my Floret Farm’s Online Workshop Course Book! It is ENORMOUS! And the quality of its production far surpassed my expectations. Packed with a staggering amount of information, I’m hitting the ground running already!

    Reply
  2907. Cindy Edwards on

    I have not read “The Market Gardener: A Successful Grower’s Handbook for Small-Scale Organic Farming by Jean-Martin Fortier” but will if I win it, if I don’t I will buy it online or borrow it from the library. My librarian is an excellent resource and he finds all kinds of gardening and horticulture books for me. I own quite a few but love copying pages out of the library books. Thank you so much for this opportunity!

    Reply
  2908. Lydia on

    My favorite book changes almost monthly, but I do have a few “specials” that I like to return to. Right now it’s The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles. Both of his previous novels are also “specials”. For garden inspiration I like Martha’s Flowers – or really any of her books and magazines.

    Reply
  2909. Beccy on

    I dug through Monty Don’s book this fall. ❤️ I love books, too. Thanks for sharing your favorites! My fav book of all time is still the Bible – comfort, wisdom, amazing stories and people, and it is where I met Jesus.

    Reply
  2910. Bernadette Greenwich on

    Morning,
    My favorite book is your Discovering Dahlias book. It is first flower book I bought and I followed it step by step to a beautiful blooming garden of Dahlias from your seeds. I applied what I learned to other cutting flowers for my garden and my family received new flower bouquets weekly. Thank you

    Reply
  2911. Beth on

    My current favorite is Braiding Sweetgtass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. It is like reading a love letter to the earth.

    Reply
  2912. ROBERT TAINSH on

    “The Complete Gardener: A Practical, Imaginative Guide to Every Aspect of Gardening” by Monty Don is my favorite gardening book. I have been a fan of his Gardeners’ World for years. I even crieed when his beloved Golden Retriever “Nigel” passed away. His book takes me to a garden I might never have for myself, but I am inspired every time I visit in the pages of his beautiful book.

    Reply
  2913. Stephanie Carroll on

    I love “The Nightingale” (fiction), but “The Flower Farmer” has quickly turned into a favorite reference book for me!

    Reply
  2914. Melissa Gardner on

    I, too, have books stacked in every corner of the house. I never could get on board with digital reading. I am obsessed with physical books and one of my favorite places to be (besides the garden) is in a book store. It’s one of my goals.. to own a shop that incorporates fresh flowers AND books in one amazing space.
    I can’t say that I have a “favorite” be ause that is like picking a favorite child, haha! I love them all in their own special way. I will say that when I decided to start growing my own flowers.. I didn’t know who you were and I didn’t know what I was looking for.. but knew I needed a book to inspire and teach. I found your book on the bookshelf at the store and it spoke to me. It was the 1st flower book I ever brought home. A year later I took your workshop and this year I’m ready to do it again! Thank you for all the flower knowledge and inspiration!

    Reply
  2915. Chelsea Nelson on

    My favorite book is the Flower Farmer! Lynn is a wealth of thoughtful knowledge and this book has been so useful in helping me navigate the logistics of not only growing great flowers, but storing and selling them too!

    Reply
  2916. Ashleigh McCarn on

    I’m a newbie to the gardening scenes so the gardening section of my library is almost non-existent. I recently purchased my first book for the section and I’m making my way through it, Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden. There is so much helpful content for a beginner. This list is great, I look forward to exploring additional books to help further my knowledge of gardening.
    My favorite book, Being Dead Is No Excuse: The Official Southern Ladies Guide to Hosting the Perfect Funeral, is delightfully hilarious. I found myself laughing out loud more than once. As with most really good humor, there is a lot of truth and wisdom here too, and the “guide” part of the title is, in my opinion, fulfilled. This was great fun and an easy read.

    Reply
  2917. Cara on

    I love WWII era novels and my favorite is The Alice Network! There is so much bravery and courage throughout the story. I couldn’t put it down!

    Reply
  2918. Tracy T. Mank on

    It is hard to pick a favorite! To Kill a Mockingbird is my top pick.

    Reply
  2919. Kristen Dennis on

    I started with a vegetable garden before dabbling in flowers, and Eliot Coleman’s “The New Organic Grower” has been my bible for the last few years.

    I’m excited to check out the others on your list!

    Reply
  2920. Danielle on

    East of Eden by John Steinbeck

    Ever since I read East of Eden I’m always searching for the next book as good as East of Eden.

    I’ll also never forget the memory tied to purchasing this book. I was in college at UCONN. Their bookstore is beautiful. You walk into the university shop and you just want to read. I called my mom and challenged her with, “I need a really good book to read, name one!” She said East of Eden, I purchased it, and didn’t put it down until it was over!

    Reply
  2921. Deanna Hasse on

    My favorite book series is the The Lord of the Rings trilogy. I love the world building in the series. As a kid, I spent a lot of time at the library as well. Between nursing school and having kids, I’m finally getting back into reading books for pleasure, and starting to feel like myself again.

    Reply
  2922. Staci on

    Wow, this is incredibly difficult to choose one favorite book, as I have many.

    I’ve always been a moderate-sized vegetable gardener and it wasn’t until I received a free packet of zinnia seeds with my vegetable seed order that my world opened up to growing flowers. The first book I purchased was “Cut Flower Garden” and remains my go-to book for reference. It has inspired and given me the tools to grow my own cutting garden and expand beyond a small corner of my vegetable plot to the entire plot.

    Reply
  2923. Clara Stickney on

    Oh my goodness thank you so much for sharing! I am so excited to add these to my winter reading list. I was also a child who exited the public library with a stack of books and I find it difficult to pick one favorite! In the gardening/flower art genre (other than the exquisite Floret books of course and the Amy Merrick book listed above that I read last winter and adored) I have found books by Kerry Ann Mendez to be very helpful. In particular “The Ultimate Flower Gardener’s Top Ten Lists.” But also “Top Tens for beautiful shade gardens.” They are wonderful to assist in designing, installing, and maintaining perennial gardens with as little extra fuss as possible. Oh I can’t wait to check out “The Art of Wearable Flowers!”

    Reply
  2924. Sally Wadhams on

    My favorite book is the beautiful and unusual epic

    The Eighth Day by Thornton Wilder

    Reply
  2925. Kirsten Potter on

    Cut Flower Garden is my current favorite book. It has inspired my journey.

    Reply
  2926. Autumn Olson-Gallagher on

    Pride and Prejudice is a forever win for me. I’ve been through many copies, and it never gets old. The relationship between the parents always cracks me up.

    For gardening, I very much love Martha’s Flowers. The tone is friendly, and there’s just enough storytelling mixed with the information to make it a lovely Sunday afternoon read.

    Reply
  2927. Kat Faulkner on

    There are two books that have really made an impact on me. The first was gifted to me after a coworker passed unexpectedly. We worked at a local greenhouse together. It was actually his book. Walking in this World -the practical art of creativity by Julia Cameron. This book means so many things to me on so many levels. It’s taught me how to stop, listen to my inner creative self. The next book is Untamed by Glennon Doyle. This book has helped me realize I am capable of so much more than I think I am. Or thought I was. I’ve since gifted it twice♥️

    Reply
  2928. Kathy on

    My all-time favorite book, which makes me happy, optimistic and emotional just thinking about it, is Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman. While I could write paragraphs about why I really connect to certain sections, in general I value the way he talks about nature and the cycle of life…..”Life immense in passion, pulse and power.” This is just one of the themes core to this book, but it is the one that really speaks to my soul.
    (Have to note that I see Strengthsfinders on your shelf, and that hands down has been my most valuable career-focused book …. it really helped me understand when to say No, where to focus, and that has helped me create a career that I truly love.)

    Reply
  2929. Gayle Barton on

    I have so many favorite books; it’s impossible to pick just one. My favorite gardening book is Niki Jabbour’s Veggie Garden Remix. This book has many, many tabs sticking out of it! It’s about diversity in the veggie garden and learning about new varieties that you probably haven’t heard of before. It is just outstanding. My favorite cookbook is Isa Does It by Isa Chandra Moskowitz. It’s an amazing vegan cookbook that I turn to more than any other. My favorite daily devotional book is Lisa Brenninkmeyer’s Be Still. This book has changed me. My favorite novels are Louise Penny’s Armand Gamanche series.
    I’m so excited to see everyone’s responses and learn about new books! So happy to see Erin’s list of books and spend some time going through them. Sharing books is the best gift we can give to each other!!!

    Reply
  2930. Elise Lauterbach, Spindle Hill Farm on

    Making More Plants by Ken Druse is a wonderful dive into plant propagation that took my gardening to the next level. It changed how I thought about designing my garden/farm because I realize plants that I thought were unaffordable weren’t— I could propagate them. I’ve always been an experimental gardener and this book encouraged that in the most productive ways! (It also is a beautiful package with incredibly helpful photos).

    Reply
  2931. Gail Lesher on

    My favorite book is “Just So Stories” , Rudyard Kipling. My father would read these to me, as a child. I can still hear his voice today!

    Reply
  2932. Mandy on

    Books, along with gardening, have been with me before my first steps. The Secret Garden was my favorite for a long time. However, it has been Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen for over a decade now. Even though it is a novel, Claire the main character weaves plants and magic together for her clients in such an inspirational way. It is how I wish to use flora in planning and designing peoples’ landscapes. Finding not just flora that melds with the landscape, but connects with the client in a meaningful and deep way.

    Reply
  2933. Lee Carriker on

    I read every night to calm me down for sleep. My favorite book is Sacajawea by Anna Lee Waldo. I love the adventure and history.

    Reply
  2934. Sandy on

    Books take you to a magical place. My latest book was Where the Crawdads Sing. I would much rather read a story than watch a movie!! 💖📙

    Reply
  2935. Kathy McBride on

    Well I am just starting out in gardening so I don’t have many books yet but love learning. I do have a local gardeners book that I refer to often by Denny McKeown The Gardening Book for Ohio and his Month By Month that tells you what you can do each month to plan or maintain your garden. I really enjoy your blog and all your guides to specific flowers. I grew dahlia’s for the first time this year, they were beautiful. I have also enjoyed your mini courses. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge, your passion is evident.

    Reply
  2936. Liz Hugo on

    I’m not good at picking favorites, though the books I reference most tend to have lots of beautiful photos, such as Cut Flower Garden. I don’t know how many times I’ve gone through that book, but I do know I wouldn’t garden the way I do without it. The book in reading currently, Atomic Habits by James Clear, would fit well into your last category.

    Thank you for sharing this list. Most of these books are now on my wishlist!

    Reply
  2937. Jenna van Dyk on

    My favourite book is the language of flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. It was a life changing read for me. I read it at a challenging time it and it was a catalyst for change.

    Reply
  2938. Christie on

    I have loved reading A Year in Flowers! I’ve tried to extend the experience by limiting myself to a few pages a night & cant wait to dive into Cut Flower Garden next!

    Reply
  2939. Dani Boss on

    One of my favorite books (there are many!) is Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton. When the movie came out, I was 9 years old, and I saw they re-released the book as a promotion. I read it before seeing the movie and loved it! It is probably one of the earliest books that solidified my love of reading, and also my ongoing love of science and science fiction. I went on to read everything by him!

    Reply
  2940. Kassie Graham on

    I just LOVE the Life Giving Home by Sally Clarkson. The type of home she has inspired me to creat is one of coziness, smells of fresh cut flowers, baking bread, the sound of a tea kettle whistling and a welcoming environment for all who enter. It has inspired me to create a welcoming outdoor eating/gathering space surrounded by a cut flower garden. Soooo that leads to the love of any of Erin’s books to inspire me and teach me to grow them with excellence!

    Reply
  2941. Lorin harrison on

    I love all the books and I take pieces from them all in practice. But the Ball red book has cultural information that is straight to the point and wonderful for reference. :)

    Reply
  2942. Greer on

    The Donkey Companion! Sounds silly, but it is part practical guide, part history and general info. I am a first-time donkey parent… and this book has been a critical resource for me and my herd of four rescues to heal and get the best possible ongoing care.

    Braiding Sweetgrass in another favorite!

    Reply
  2943. Anna Gehring on

    The Mark of the Lion series by Francine Rivers is by far my favorite series of books. It is historical fiction, set in Rome during the time of the biblical apostles. Historical fiction has always been my favorite genre, as I always enjoy a good story, but I always enjoy the historical treasure-hunts that these books lead me on. I always end up learning many things that I didn’t know, and with this particular series I finish feeling inspired and encouraged!

    Reply
  2944. Amy Oldenhoff on

    The Old Fashioned Garden by Nancy Lynch is a delightful pop-up book that has inspired me to garden and also planted a seed in my daughter when she was about 5 to become a horticulrist when she grew up. How awesome is that.

    Reply
  2945. Amanda Moffitt on

    My favorite gardening book is Organic Gardening by Charles Dowding. I love his practical, calm way of gardening. I also enjoy Gardening by Myself by Anna Warner. It’s a sweet little book written in the early 1900’s that has wisdom on life and flowers. Thanks for doing the giveaway!

    Reply
  2946. Connie Boyd on

    I’m just starting to grow flowers to sell. My first planting is 375 tulips. I’m so anxious for Spring and can’t wait to see how well they will do. I’ve watched your video on planting/growing tulips and am trying your method. The Ultimate Tulip Growers Guide by Fraser Wheaton has practical tips and information for new growers like me.

    Reply
  2947. Patricia on

    My favorite book is one of yours : Floret Farm’s Discovering Dahlias: A Guide to Growing and Arranging Magnificent Blooms . My father passed away last year and to help my mother – who loves flowers – to be less sad, i decided to plant Dahlias in her garden. Your book was so helpful and we had beautiful flower all summer and autumn ! Every time a flower bloomed we had a thought for my dad :-) Thank you.

    Reply
  2948. Becky Nixon on

    The Gospel of John because I have learned so much about the character of my best friend by reading it over and over.

    Reply
  2949. Megan G on

    It’s like picking your favorite child, but I guess I would have to say The Thorn Birds. It sort of has it all.

    Reply
  2950. Vanessa Deckard on

    The complete gardener by Monty don is my go to as well! I also adore his newest release called my garden works which is all about the wildlife you may find in your gardens.

    Reply
  2951. Liz Conner on

    So many beautiful books! I have collected them since I was a little girl, because I knew I wanted to have a library in my house when I grew up. My favorite garden book is one I purchased when it first came out, Martha Stewart’s Gardening Month by Month. Every Christmas I ask for a book with lots of pictures, usually about gardens or beautiful homes, and after the excitement of opening gifts and savoring a delicious dinner, I sit down in front of the fire, with a cat snuggled up next to me and open the deliciousness of my newest book. I also love Bunny Williams An Affair with a House, because she weaves beautiful designs and gardens throughout. I can’t wait to check out all of the books that are you favorites Erin!

    Reply
  2952. Ashley Kinnan on

    Florets Cut Flower Garden has been my Bible this year. It has the answers to all of my one million questions and has inspired me to follow my dreams.

    Reply
  2953. Brittany Roehl on

    My favorite book varies depending on my mood, but most recently it is The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert. The setting was described in such a way that I can picture it in my head as though I’ve actually been there. And the story as well kept me intrigued the whole way through.

    Reply
  2954. Tiffany Lobner on

    Can you have a fav book in different genres? I think so. I just love Coming Home by Rosamunde Pilchur (fiction), the Inspector Gamache series by Louise Penny (crime/mystery), and recently learning from books from Floret. There are more books and great authors to list but these are just at the top of my mind. Thank you for sharing your favorites!

    Reply
  2955. Caitlin Custer on

    Honestly it’s Monty Don as well. He is such an inspiration and a calming soul! His complete gardener book is amazing.

    Reply
  2956. Janelle Greene on

    We read a lot! My most recent favorite is The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Bradley. The whole family loves reading it together.

    Reply
  2957. Sharon Peterson on

    My favorite book is Once And Future King. I had to read in high school and actually enjoyed it much to my amazement.

    Reply
  2958. Joni Sauers on

    Pick a favorite? That’s impossible!! It seems to be whatever I’m currently reading ;) But, one of my endearing book loves is, “Anne of Green Gables”.. to see the world through the lovely lens of Anne, is to be inspired! Her love is enormous and nature also inspires her <3

    Reply
  2959. Amy Koehler on

    A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan. It’s about the passing of time and aging and the realizations that we have (or don’t) when we get older about the past. It moves back and forth in time for a few different characters who’s lives overlap. Art and music are constant themes. I was overwhelmed at the end by how it captured that feeling you have when you suddenly see past events more clearly or you become hyper-aware of the passing of time. I read it ten years ago and I still think about it.

    Reply
  2960. Az on

    I love everything Monty Don but my favorite woud have to be The Complete Gardener. I have found so much inspiration from Monty.

    Reply
  2961. Sarah Leist on

    My favorite book of all time is A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers. I, too, used to visit the library as a child and leave with a stack of about 15 books! What would life be without books?? This is my favorite book because it transports you to Ancient Rome, Ephesus, and Jerusalem with incredible writing and vivid characters. The character Hadassah changed my life and helped shape me as a person. I reread this book every few years because it is THAT good.

    Reply
  2962. Shari on

    My favorite book is Eat, Pray Love. It was the first book that I read that someone was really struggling with life. I re read when I am struggling with life.

    It inspired me that I could be creative when I was always told that I am not creative and not good at anything.

    Reply
  2963. Kate S on

    My favorite book is Moby Dick. For some reason I was determined to read it and it took me forever for some reason but I love the historical aspect and tale of adventure.

    Reply
  2964. Natalie on

    I am a voracious reader. I can’t say I have a single favorite book. I have dozens of favorite books. The Wheel of Time series, Assassins Apprentice series, John Sanford, Lee Child, the list goes on and on!

    Reply
  2965. Kathy Tennison on

    I love P. Allen Smith’s book “Garden Home: Creating a Garden for everyday living” . It’s such a great book for getting started on your own garden journey . The book has step by step projects when you need ideas for what to do in your own yard. Plus it explains the 12 principles of garden design. Who knew there were principles? Just a great all around book.

    Reply
  2966. Glenda on

    The book that opened by eyes to the world of growing flowers was The Flower Farmer, by Lynn Byczynski.

    Reply
  2967. Laura Heeney on

    I love books and always have a large to-be-read stack or two around the house. A couple of my favorites are The Language of Flowers and Where the Crawdads Sing.

    Reply
  2968. Tammy on

    I have fond memories of The Secret Garden. It was a book my grandma shared with me as a child and I shared with my daughters and now my grandchildren. ❤️ Books are the gifts that keep on giving!

    Reply
  2969. Liselotte Vince on

    How do you choose just one book? I’ve been an avid reader all my life. If I had to choose just one it would have to be East of Eden by John Steinbeck. I tried to read this book so slowly so that I could savor every word. I remember after reading the last page, I closed the book, held it to my heart, and cried, grateful to have been able to read such a beautiful book.

    When it comes to gardening, nature and flower books, I haven’t met one I didn’t like. I refer to your books Erin, time and time again. I feel like I am walking through your flower fields. There’s is a quote in the book Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon that says “books are mirrors: you only see in them what you already have inside you.” This sums it up for me.

    Reply
  2970. Lori Babiar on

    I have to say as a brand new flower farmer (Hidden Gem Flower Farm, est 2020), the three most inspirational and go-to reference books I use daily are Floret’s Cut Flower Garden, Cool Flowers by Lisa Mason Ziegler, and The Flower Farmer by Lynn Byczynski. I know it was only supposed to be one but these are not only great for getting started but I have them all tabbed out and seriously use them daily for operations and planning.

    Reply
  2971. Edith on

    With all the digital age I am afraid that one day books will be gone, which makes me sad. Schools that have switched to computers for books also makes me sad. That is why I have shared my love of books with my daughter and now she is a collector of books. We can spend hours at the library and often visit libraries when we are on vacations. It is hard to pinpoint one favorite book, as to I have favorites from my childhood, favorites I have read to the kids and favorites as an adult. Escaping into the smell and journey of a book is why I read..❤️

    Reply
  2972. Kasey J Hochmuht on

    Picking a favorite books is like what I assume picking a favorite child is like. They’re all so special and so different at the same time. My go-to for life is the Encyclopedia of Country Living, for appreciation and perspective it’s Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, my current cookbook love is Half-Baked Harvest, and for fun I’ll always pick up Charlotte’s Web

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  2973. Astrid Bowlby on

    It is so very hard to choose one favorite. I have been in transition and have been unpacking my gardening books and it feels like a wonderful reunion with old friends. A book more gardeners might like to know about is Essay on Gardening by Henk Gerritsen. I love this book. It is part philosophy and part personal memoir with a big dose of plant love. Gerritsen was a collector, an artist, a thinker, and a gardener. Through reading this book I was able to coalesce numerous disparate threads about how I feel about garden-making and what it potentially can be. He had a very dry sense of humor, which I also appreciate.

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  2974. Codi on

    My fave book of all time is Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert. I have read it every year and gifted it to as many creatives as I can since I discovered it. The way she conceptualizes creativity blew my mind and is always a reminder to not put your ideas on hold. But my absolute favorite new book I read this year is Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. I can’t even describe how beautiful this book is. I’ve already ordered copies to gift for my nature and plant loving people in my life. I cried several times because her words and wisdom were just so….beautiful.

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  2975. Amber M. on

    I return to In Bloom by Clare Nolan time and time again for inspiration. This book is just so pretty to look at. I love floral and gardening books and when learning new things their information is well needed, but there is something about the books that show what could be and not just tell you what could be.

    Reply
  2976. Jessica Mezyk on

    The Martha Rules by Martha Stewart is a favorite business book. With 10 essential rules, it is small enough to actually complete. Highly recommend it!

    Reply
  2977. Sarah Wilcox on

    I love your Discovering Dahlias book! It inspired me to start trying to grow with cuttings and to try breeding. Can’t wait to see what my seeds produce next year!

    Reply
  2978. Alisha on

    My favorite flower related book is Sarah Raven’s A Year Full of Flowers. It’s such a beautiful book, absolutely packed with equal parts inspiration and practical knowledge. I found myself delighted with how some of Sarah’s early life experiences and philosophies mirror my own so closely! Did you know she trained as a medical doctor and didn’t get fully into the gardening world until her 30s? This is my situation and I often contemplate taking the leap into a totally different profession. Knowing that someone else has done so, and so successfully, is quite inspiring!

    Reply
  2979. Carl Rogler on

    The Samurai’s Garden by Gail Tsukiyama. A wonderful story about devotion, duty and the ability to forge your own path versus mere acceptance. There’s also some gardening too:). Cutting Back by Leslie Buck is a close second.

    Reply
  2980. Connie Hallman on

    As mentioned, Martha Stewart’s books are always a “go to” for information, how to do everything and great photographs. There’s always more to read and learn from so many people.

    Reply
  2981. Sherry Smith on

    As a homeschooling mom of eight we were always maxed out in our library card! We loved our weekly trips to the library. One of my favorites was a children’s book How to make an apple pie and see the World. Lots of adventure to share with the kids and always a springboard to new learning!!

    Reply
  2982. Rebecca Neilson on

    My favorite book is Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. It’s one of the few books that I have read more than once AND it’s the only book I have read more than twice!
    I love the idiosyncrasies of all of the characters and the humor that is tucked into almost each and every page.

    Reply
  2983. Shauna on

    This is such a helpful resource

    Reply
  2984. Catie H on

    One of my favorite books is If You’re Not From the Prairie.” It’s a Childrens book, and it takes me back to my childhood and love of the prairie

    Reply
  2985. Becky C. on

    Favorite gardening book: Heirloom Vegetable Gardening by William Woys Weaver. This book describes so many disappearing varieties and Weaver’s descriptions are so enticing. It’s out of print but remains one of my faves.

    Reply
  2986. Lisa Philipps on

    It is so hard to narrow down a short list of favorite books! I am inspired by courageous people who have overcome challenges against all odds and made a beautiful life, especially when the story informs me of a life or culture much different from my own. My latest favorite is “Educated”, by Tara Westover. I also have a stack of books about being good stewards of the environment, news ways to look at conservation, and books about trees and birds. These include Natures Best Hope, by Douglas Tallamy; The Hidden Life of Trees, by Peter Wohllenben; and many books about birds, including Bird Brains, by Candace Savage; and The Seabird’s Cry, by Adam Nicolson. As a practicing artist who paints large scale florals and wildlife, I highly recommend The Lost Words and the Lost Spells, both by Robert McFarlane and Jackie Morris, which accompany prose with beautiful art.

    Reply
  2987. Renee' Carleton on

    I heard about The Language of Flowers: A History by Beverly Seaton on a podcast and luckily found it in my local library. So fascinating. It’s an older book (1995) so I had to search a bit to find a copy to purchase. Now when I harvest flowers, I think about the symbolism associated with them. Thanks for sharing your list, Erin! Definitely some there I’ll be looking for.

    Reply
  2988. Vanessa Hughes on

    Nailing down one favorite is impossible. Lately I have been enjoying The Market Gardener by Jean-Martin Fortier.

    Reply
  2989. Elizabeth on

    I am 14 and my favorite book is The Penderwicks! The girls always went in lots of adventures!

    Reply
  2990. Heather Brunelle on

    My favorite book is The Xerces Society guide Farming with Native Beneficial Insects. I have been taking time during the colder months to learn more about fostering my relationships with narive flora and fauna. The Xerces Society offers many awesome guides and I own many of them! 😄❤🐛🐞🦋🐝

    Reply
  2991. Ashley Wegner on

    Oh shucks, I have to pick just one?? I guess the one that was the most influential to me was the Meet Kirsten book from the American Girl series. It sparked a love of history, pioneering spirit, wanting to research my ancestors, and made me want to grow up on a farm SO bad! Well, actually, I wanted to be a pioneer, but I figured a farm was as close as I was going to get. I didn’t grow up on a farm, but now I am raising my kids on a 120 year old homestead and starting my own flower farm!

    Reply
  2992. Jen on

    Life in the Studio: Inspiration and Lessons on Creativity by Frances Palmer. What a magical book, I find it very inspiring!

    Reply
  2993. Haley on

    My favorite book is Quiet by Susan Cain. It offers a new perspective on introversion & the unique strengths of introverts that are often overlooked by society. Very interesting read!

    Reply
  2994. Kasey on

    I have always loved to plant things but have only recently (in the past 4 years) developed a passion for gardening. The first book I read that inspired me in that area was The Layered Garden by David Culp. Another favorite, in fiction, (though it’s really hard to choose) is The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton.

    Reply
  2995. Lucy on

    Oh wow!

    Classical romance: Jane Eyre.
    Christian romance: Let It Be Me (Becky Wade) – for its captivating, fast-paced, beautiful dialogues between the highly intelligent characters, and for a beautiful romance.

    Non-fiction: Bomber Mafia by Malcolm Gladwell. So well-written, I could not put this down.

    Life-changing: Spark Joy by Marie Kondo – for helping me really clear my stuff up and thus my head. Plus it’s just a really fun, enjoyable, motivating read!
    Life-changing: Atomic Habits by James Clear. For a system on how to really change my habits.

    Cooking: Anything by Yotam Ottolenghi… a delight to the palate, nose, mind, and eye.

    Eye candy: Cut Flower Garden by Erin Floret! Simply beautiful, and the perfect gift for flower lovers.
    Eye candy: Accidentally Wes Anderson. So much beautiful symmetry and colour and detail.

    Reply
  2996. Courtney Adler on

    I have lots of favorite books, but one that has been with me the longest and has probably shaped the person I am is “Anne of Green Gables” by LM Montgomery. It’s sweet and charming and funny and floral! I love Anne. She’s got a heart of gold and always follows her heart but often gets into terrible mischief along the way.

    Reply
  2997. Caley Riley on

    My library list just got longer! Thanks for sharing these titles.

    A favorite book is hard for me, there are so many! I’m going to have to say the Little House on the Prairie series.

    Reply
  2998. Teresa W on

    “The Shell Seekers” by Rosamund Picher
    My most favorite novel !
    The Uk & Gardening & amazing characters.
    I reread it every year ❤️

    Reply
  2999. Michele Grooms on

    My favorite book is “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten” by Robert Fulghum. I first read it in high school when I was trying to figure out who I was. I read it again in college trying to figure out the same thing. I’m now knocking on the door of 50 and that book still provides new insights. It’s simple yet profound and has something for everyone no matter where you are in life.

    Reply
  3000. Ryan Dibble on

    You Are Here by Thich Nhat Hahn, part of my journey to growing flowers came from learning to be present in the moment. It’s why I named our farm, WITH PEACE be THE JOURNEY. It’s why I am today. Thank you for sharing and allowing us to share with you! WPbTJ – Ryan

    Reply
  3001. Emily Jones on

    I am an avid reader and went to school for writing so picking just one seems nearly impossible. My most recent favorite on my nightstand I stumbled upon from a magazine article. Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat came to me when i was in search of an easy to understand guide to the science of cooking. It is so much more than a cookbook. Plus it has beautiful illustrations that accompany the text. Win, win!

    Reply
  3002. Tiffany Keimig on

    Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom ~ this is a heartfelt memoir of two people, a young sportswriter and older man battling ALS, who spend time getting to know one another and exploring the joys and sorrows of life. It is inspiring, hopeful and reminds us of the value of human connection. This book has been a favorite of mine since I read it many years ago. I hope others check it out.

    Reply
  3003. Lisa on

    Discovering Dahlias has been my go to book this year. As a new Dahlia grower the information was much needed. During the cold winter, I can use the cards to plan my new Dahlia combinations.

    Reply
  3004. Christine T. on

    My favorite book that I find inspiring right now is the new book by Liz Marie Galvan “Seasons”
    It has inspired me to plant my own Christmas tree !

    Reply
  3005. Emily on

    Where the crawdads sing.
    Also the glass castle.

    Reply
  3006. Natasha K Nichols on

    My favorite book has always been the Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. We had to read it in 3rd grade at my school and not only did it get me hooked on reading (my poor husband) it also started me down a path of loving flowers. I always have a little area where I try something new and different and call it my secret garden.

    Reply
  3007. Sara on

    My all time favorite book is Outlander by Diana Gabaldon! It hits on all of my favorite themes, adventure, romance, fantasy, strong female characters, and it makes me laugh uncontrollably!

    Reply
  3008. Nicole on

    I love your book Cut flower garden and also hope unfolding by Becky Thompson.

    Reply
  3009. Natasha Baranik on

    Uncultivated by Andy Brennan opened me up to a whole Apple world and culture I didn’t know existed. I started collecting wild apple seeds the next day!

    Reply
  3010. Cherie Friend on

    Plant Marriages by Jeff Cox. Given to me by my step mom. I’ve spent many hours with this lovely book.

    Reply
  3011. Marsha Newlon on

    I have copied this, and it is now my new reading list! Thank you!

    Reply
  3012. Carla Azevedo-Taber on

    Sunset Western Garden book of Landscaping. By Sunset Magazine.

    You might have guessed it by my favorite, but I’m newer to gardening. My love for plants was reignited when I purchased a home and had a canvas to play with. Growing up, my parents both loved gardening and my mother especially planted and replanted amaryllis, carnations, marigold, and snapdragon year after year. When I ventured out on my own I always lived as roommate in other people’s homes or apartments. Growing flowers and gardening reminds me of my past plus it gives me present enjoyment as I enjoy cut flowers daily in my kitchen.

    Reply
  3013. Sandy LeRoy on

    I love Garden Design by Joe Eck. It’s a smart, common sense, easy to digest primer that provides a great foundation for any garden, whether or not you’re growing flowers.

    Reply
  3014. Evelina on

    My favorite book is “To kill a mocking bird” by Harper Lee. I think it is a must to read for every person old or young, and Atticus Finch is a great character who can teach us a lot♥️

    Reply
  3015. T F on

    Have to pick a favorite book? That’s like picking your favorite dahlia, impossible! I enjoy reading Fantasy and Sci-Fi novels quite a bit. My latest favorites have been by Robin Hobb and Brandon Sanderson. All time favorites? For nostalgia, A Wrinkle in Time. For grandness, Lord of the Rings. I absolutely loved The Picture of Dorian Gray, Pride & Prejudice, and The Illiad & The Odyssey.

    Reply
  3016. Connie Van Horn on

    My favorite book is Miss Rhumphius. It is a childrens picture book😊. I love the story and love love the pictures!!! Miss Rhumphius scatters lupine seeds all over town to make the world more beautiful!! Absolutely love the pictures when the lupines bloom!!

    Reply
  3017. Carolyn Fleming on

    I love all your gardening books. I refer to them frequently during the gardening year. They are most helpful when planning my garden layout or doing arrangements for my garden club meetings.

    Reply
  3018. Vanessa Hamm on

    I’m new to the world of flowers and while I am excited to explore many of the books on this list, my book recommendation is slightly different and twofold:

    1 – 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey. This book was the first book I’d ever read on how to grow in self awareness, consider the gifts/joys in my own heart and learn how to take action towards them. I remember reading it on a bus to work in my early 20s when I was living and working in Christchurch, NZ. I was in a very difficult season and this book gave me a map of how I could choose differently. I always remember the advice of: make sure your ladder (your efforts) are leaning against the right wall (in alignment with your call/mission), so you don’t work hard and get to the top of the wrong wall…

    2 – My own Journals. I was taught to journal as a child and now, at 35, having decades of my own heart poured into paper is such a gift. I can see my dreams, my struggles, God’s providence, and my own personal growth. I can also see where my patterns of thinking and living have grown or where I am still stuck. In all of this, I have learned to be so grateful and like one does when planting, to allow each part of me, each experience to be as unique as a flower, to grow as it will under different conditions and to be patient and allow the process to happen so that beauty may unfold in its due season…

    Now: to the library to search for new books!! :)
    ~Vanessa H.

    Reply
  3019. Melissa Fisher on

    Your book Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden: Grow, Harvest & Arrange Stunning Seasonal Blooms – was the first flower book I ever purchased! It inspired me to try different blooms in my own garden. Thank you for all of your suggestions! I will be putting them on my Christmas list!

    Reply
  3020. Darlisa on

    This past year I became OBSESSED with roses. I’ve always loved flowers… Even as a kid I said, ‘I want to work in a greenhouse’. It amazes me how as kid I knew my dream but then in the craziness of life it faded away til 10-15 years later when I realized it. I don’t have many books/haven’t read many. Podcasts, YouTube and Facebook groups are how I’ve learned. (Can you tell I’m a GenZ 😄) actually I do have a wishlist of books I want to get tho. On that wishlist would be Monty Don’s book, Tasha Tudor’s Gardens, The Layered Garden and English Cottage Gardening for Americans but the one I’m MOST excited for is Growing Wonder. It’s all about roses. I’ve read your book Cut Flower Garden… can’t wait to read A Year in Flowers! So for a favorite book I would go with your book. I’ve borrowed it countless times from the library.

    Reply
  3021. Michelle Ullrich on

    My favorite books are Little House on the Prairie and Gone with the Wind. I work as an interpreter at one historic site and a gardener at another. Love history and learning how things were done in the past.
    Thanks for a chance to win books. Can never have enough books one of life’s pleasures.

    Reply
  3022. Mike Rapp on

    Creativity, by Pixar founder Ed Catmull, is a fascinating and inspiring telling of how Pixar came to be, and how Catmull intentionally managed and led the ever changing creative culture of the most important animated film company of our time. Yea, you will learn about how many of our favorite movies came to be—but more importantly, you will learn the ideas and assumptions that Catmull and Pixar learned to maintain a thriving creative culture at the company.

    Reply
  3023. Brenda Kaley on

    One of my recent favorites is The Well Gardened Mind by Sue Stuart-Smith. It talks about the connections and therapeutic effects of gardening on people that struggle with mental health, PTSD, and people in general. It’s scientific in how the facts are presented, paired with beautiful storytelling. You can almost see the fields and flowers just from reading it. Other than that, my all-time favorite is M is for Magic by Neil Gaiman. Love, love, love how he tells the story.

    Reply
  3024. Rebecca on

    I am on the way to my library website now! I hope to find many of these books available locally or through interlibrary loan. Thanks for taking time to provide such a comprehensive list of great reading!

    Reply
  3025. Minnetta on

    My favorite book is The Secret Garden, by Frances Hodgson Burnett. I first read this book when I was about 8 years old. That garden was magical and so beautiful. This year I am planning a small(beginner) flower garden. I think I’ll read that story again this winter!

    Reply
  3026. Talya Tate Boerner on

    Trying to select my #1 favorite book out of all my favorites is sooooo difficult for me. But The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett is the book that turned me into both a reader and a gardener, so that’s my answer:))

    Reply
  3027. Maureen Cameron on

    I love FF Cut Flower Garden. I am not saying this because this is their site, I use this book all of the time, from planning which seeds to buy, how to start and care for them. The pages of my book are smudged with dirt.

    Reply
  3028. Brenda Ruckstuhl on

    One of my all time favorites is of course yours Discovering Dahlias. Matter of fact, all three are a favorite. I am a children’s librarian and I talk about flowers all the time to my students. I always have fresh flowers on my desk from my garden and they love to learn about each bloom.

    Reply
  3029. Janet on

    I already own a number of these books, including all of Erin’s book , plus several of Eliot Coleman’s books, which I thoroughly enjoy. But Francis Potter’s book, Life In The Studio, is my new favorite. It inspired me to not only expand my dahlia garden, but was the nudge I needed to pursue my long time interest in pottery. I now have my own little home pottery studio and kiln and plan to focus on making my own signature flower vases ( for the dahlias, of course!). It also inspired me to continue taking photography classes, as I too spend a great of time photographing my dahlias and the great outdoors. Plus, I’m an avid cook and baker and love that she included a section of her favorite recipes as well. One book with some many inspirations!

    Reply
  3030. Sarah on

    It’s an English major’s dream and also hardest task to name just one favorite book. Faves ebb and flow with your ever evolving tastes and old faves fade to the experiential memory of how it made you feel to read it. When you are engulfed in a world so rich you remember it years later, that’s what has the staying power to have it feel ok to pick just one. The past several that’s been The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell. (But also agree with the Starless Sea comment above by Erin Morgenstern, however Night Circus was equally ethereal, so loved that too.) See I couldn’t post a comment with just one!

    Reply
  3031. Ericca J. on

    My favorite book is difficult to choose as a former ELA teacher and current librarian. I would have to say that I enjoy the entire Louise Penny Inspector Gamache series. I look at all of those books as one (I know, I cheated) because it follows the same characters over time. The description, the writing style, and the character development draw the reader into a secret world of good friends and great mysteries.

    Reply
  3032. Jordan on

    My favorite book is the Bible because it is the Word of God. It encourages me and gives me hope, it gives me wisdom and helps me to know God better.

    Reply
  3033. Cole on

    Dare To Lead by Brene Brown

    This book (and all of her books) have had a huge impact on me but this in particular has impacted my work life. It helped me change a mindset ingrained in me since childhood.
    There is a close second and it’s The Year in Flowers planner sold by Floret farms. It has been my favorite (and prettiest) planner by far and I AM SO LOST since it was sold out for 2022 *sigh*

    Reply
  3034. Jess McClintock on

    Floret’s cut flower garden is my go to right now as I am getting started! It has been so helpful in choosing flower varieties, planning my beds and dreaming of future growth. Plus, I love all the pictures! Thank you for sharing this list of books, these will be so helpful as I continue to research.

    Reply
  3035. Misti Rival on

    There is no way I could ever pick a favorite book. Since I have decided to try and become a flower farmer I have been reading as many books as I can get my hands on. Right now my top two picks are Cool Flowers by Lisa Mason Ziegler and Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden.

    Reply
  3036. Bethany on

    I absolutely love books! Soon I’ll be taking my once a year trip to the bookstores and I can’t wait to see what I might find. There’s something to be said when you have the books in your hands to read then using a computer or tablet. Honestly, my top favorites ARE your books!!!!! I’m always finding myself going back to your books for information or in need for inspirations or just to see all those gorgeous pictures! (I have all three of your Floret books plus the workshop course book) I have yet to find any other flower books like yours.

    Reply
  3037. Jane Shellhamer on

    The New Victory Garden – A book that I was introduced to by my dad. Every time I open the worn pages i think of my dad and the time we spent together in his vegetable and flower gardens many years ago. And has inspired mine as well!

    Reply
  3038. Lesli on

    I’m a 2nd grade teacher, mom, wife, and flower farming addict:) So I am going to choose a children’s book. I read it every year to my school kids. It’s called All the Places to Love by Patricia MacLachlan. It reminds me so much of my childhood. Whether your place is by the sea, in the barn, or in a flower field find your place to love:)

    Reply
  3039. Victoria Frantz on

    The Market Gardener by Jean Martin Fortier. Not about flowers, but it is what first introduced me to the idea of selling direct to customers and making a living from your garden. It’s what started my journey, so a favorite for sure!

    Reply
  3040. Jess Ankney on

    My love of books didn’t spark until adulthood when I found myself getting lost in a good fiction book…at the time I didn’t realize it, but it was a major coping mechanism for my anxiety and depression. My current favorite series is the Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson.

    Reply
  3041. Angie Allen on

    I have so many books on flowers and gardening! I love each of them in a special way. My go to book is usually Southern Living Garden Book or Better Homes & Gardens Gardening Book. But my favorite book today would be…One Writers Garden, Eudora Weltys Home Place. She was so passionate about gardening! It reminds me of my grandmother’s love for her flowers and where my love for flowers started! 🌺
    Flowers always, Angie Allen

    Reply
  3042. Tracy Richards on

    During my week of Covid I found Florest Farms on Instagram. I immediately ordered “Cut Flower Garden”. I now have 400 bulbs planted for spring!!
    “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” All praise to Him for his beauty in flowers 💐.

    Reply
  3043. Samantha on

    The Secret Garden.

    The thought of discovering an old garden, full of love & cottage flowers, is so endearing.

    Reply
  3044. Courtney Bearden on

    A Year in Flowers was the book that launched my flower farming journey. It’s still a favorite!

    Reply
  3045. Theresa A. Gawthrop on

    I love “Planthropology: The Myths, Mysteries, and Miracles of My Garden Favorites “by Kenneth Druse. Checked out repeatedly from the library when it first came out! It has everything – history, mystery, beautiful photos – it’s a coffee table book that’s well-read!

    Reply
  3046. Brittany on

    All the Pretty Horses is my favorite book of all time, I stopped counting the number of times I’ve read it. Cormac McCarthy writes exactly how my cowboy friends talk. Their antics leave me laughing and their heartbreak stings every time. (It’s different from the authors other books that are *much darker- it has a dark side but not all dark.)

    Reply
  3047. Nathaniel Petty on

    My favorite is Watership Down by Richard Adams. It’s a fun story aimed at children, but the details of all the plants from a rabbits point of view is immersive. Thanks for all the effort that goes in and comes out of Floret! You are a true inspiration!

    Reply
  3048. Kimberly on

    My favorite “flower adjacent” book is one that I read to my children called “Linnea in Monet’s Garden”. As for gardening reference books, I love the Floret books and also love Jane Eastoe’s books. The information about cultivars, care, cutting and propagation is the main reason that I love them but I have to admit, the photography also plays a huge role (at least in the initial purchase). Organization and layout are key for specific questions but most of the time I find that I read them cover to cover at least once.

    Reply
  3049. Sharon on

    Seems like my favorite book is always the one I am reading. Right now: ‘the backyard parables’ (2013), lessons on gardening, and life. Author Margaret Roach, http://www.awaytogarden.com and now the NY Times garden columnist.

    Margaret’s blog has been a constant in my life over the years and reading one of her books is a chance to immerse myself in her gardening how-to and more importantly her way of looking at plants and the natural world. As she says: horticultural how-to and woo-woo. The plants will do their thing and Margaret will be there as the the keen observer. A good book for winter when the manual labor has seasonally ended.

    Reply
  3050. Tammy Miller on

    Favorite gardening book:
    Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew

    I need to get more books for flower gardening and learn more about it, amend my clay soil, and grow flowers along with food. I do use nasturtiums and violets in my salads!

    Reply
  3051. Lori Faulk on

    So many wonderful book’s. I enjoy Martha Stewart book on flower arrangement. There is nothing better than book’s and beautiful flowers everywhere.

    Reply
  3052. Mary ippel on

    Floret farms discovering dahlias is my favorite! Growing up in a small Dutch community Gallius were a must. My step father grew dahlias and gladiolus for a living and he was the first person to show me how to divide dahlias. This summer while selling some of my plants at my home a young college graduate came to visit my porch and look at my plants. She was so excited about growing flowers that I gave her my Dahlia book. I am a Master gardener in Indiana and she has been so excited and has kept in touch with me on Facebook about her plants. Your book inspired a new flower grower. mary

    Reply
  3053. Sarah Collins on

    The Language of Flowers, author unknown. The meaning behind the book and why it was written is why I feel it’s my favourite. The author’s inscription reads “To Mother, Wishing you many happy returns of the day. From Father, August 8th 1913”. He then follows this with a very romantic quote about love and nature intertwined in the language of flowers. Plus the meaning of certain flowers made me laugh out loud! I’m from overseas but would choose to gift your gift to my friends in Washington.

    Reply
  3054. Joanna Sigman on

    As of now, I only have one book and that’s your “Cut Flower Garden” and I love it for two reasons. The first is that the photographs are just so beautiful. I can look at it again and again without getting bored. The second is that it’s very easy to understand and makes the whole process inviting and manageable.

    Reply
  3055. Lou Ann C on

    My current favorites are the Floret Dahlia book and Cool Flowers by Lisa Mason Ziegler. I am new to cut flowers so there are so many great books in this post. My book list just grew quite a bit. Thanks for sharing your favorites.

    Reply
  3056. Debbie Merten on

    Hands down it’s Martha Stewart’s gardening! I have my whole life had a love for gardening especially for flowers. On cold winter days I pull out her book and plan my flower gardens for the next year and I have to admit I love anything Martha. But I do have to tell you my two New favorite books are yours. Next to my reading chair it’s A Year In Flowers and Cut Flower Garden and hopefully I get your Dahlia book for Christmas!!! It’s on the top of my list.

    Reply
  3057. Vanessa Go on

    Four Season Harvest by Eliot Coleman and the Garden Primer by Barbara Damrosch have been my go-tos in the garden. It’s been a learning process in transforming our small space into a more productive garden and the inspiration you have provided, Erin, has made the garden more beautiful with flowers

    Reply
  3058. Jillian Embry on

    Heidi has been my favorite ever since I received a beautifully illustrated copy as a child. I get totally lost in the magic of living in the mountains and the sweet innocence of a girl and her grandfather. I can’t wait to read it to my children one day!

    Reply
  3059. Kassi Riley on

    I can’t say I have a favorite book – it would be like picking a favorite star. Right now my focus was helped along by Cool Flowers by Lisa Ziegler.

    Reply
  3060. Jennifer Fontanella on

    My favorite gardening book is Nature’s Best Hope by Douglas W. Tallamy. It is about understanding how we each have the ability to create and sustain our partnership with plants, birds, and insects one yard at a time.

    Reply
  3061. Samantha Ludlow on

    All of these books look amazing – both in terms of content and design! How does one pick their favorite book? Such a hard choice! My go-to gardening books are your Cut Flower Garden, and also Lynn Byczynski’s The Flower Farmer. When reading for pleasure, I always love the classics. Little Women, Jayne Eyre, or anything by Jane Austin are always favorites.

    Reply
  3062. Vicky Thompson on

    I’m a book lover too! I recently thinned out my large collection of books by giving away books to friends and family. I love nothing more than going to the book store. Too many favorites to name just one but I’m currently reading “Forever Dog” a book on how to feed your dog for a healthier, longer life. Happy Holidays!

    Reply
  3063. Teresa Dawkins on

    Probably 25 years ago I attended a workshop at Oklahoma State University on growing for market. One of the speakers was Lynn Byczynski. I have her first edition book. It changed my life. I had a full time job but was young and eager so I started an extremely small business. I would arise early, pick flowers and deliver to one of two florists in our small town before leaving for work. When I changed jobs I could no longer pursue the cut flower business. Now I have retired and grow lots of beauty in my garden. I would love to receive books that you would recommend for winter reading.

    Reply
  3064. Lauren Rohwer on

    This question feels as impossible as asking which kid is my favorite haha! I’m my personal life, Gentle & Lowly by Dane Ortland. For laughter, A Damsel in Distress by PG Wodehouse. The book that sparked my plunge into the world of flower farming and cut flowers would be Erin’s book, Cut Flower Garden. It was in turning those pages that I saw how I could use the land on my farm to bring such beauty to those around me. I have totally fallen in love with flowers as a result and have spent the last year in awe of how such fragile, short-lived things can bring so much happiness!

    Reply
  3065. Terri shaver on

    My most recent gardening/flower book was Erin’s Dahlia book. I read every page to learn more about these beautiful blooms!

    Reply
  3066. Dolores on

    As a reading teacher I have favorite books for every age level, month, and season. But I do have all of yours and have thoroughly enjoyed them. I would love to read more about roses in the next flower related book that I choose. My all time favorite book is Goodnight Moon (I know someone else mentioned it) and can still hear my own children reading it from memory as toddlers.

    Reply
  3067. Diane Mahood on

    I love flower arranging, picking the perfect flowers, finding just the right repurposed vase or bowl. After arranging, I find myself doing a still-life watercolor of the arrangement. Then I get inspired to do a small floral embroidery on a favorate hat or cami. The magical world of growing beauties from the earth inspire a world of creativity with one cycle morphing into another use or purpose- eating, viewing or re-imagined into art. My favorite book uses a lot of flowers and leaves for inspiration on recycled materials- Alabama Studio Sewing + Design (Natlie Chanin)

    Reply
  3068. Whitney Parchman on

    A recent favorite book of mine is The Living Soil Handbook: The no-till Grower’s Guide to Ecological Market Gardening by Jesse Frost. Beautiful flowers start with beautiful, healthy soil and this book does a great job of explaining what living soil is and how to achieve it in the context of your garden. I felt completely validating in my love of compost while reading it. The photos and illustrations are lovely too.

    Reply
  3069. Katrina Hastings on

    It is so hard to choose just one favorite book! Earlier this year I read “The Earth in her Hands” – so inspiring! I love historical fiction – Kristin Hannahs the Nightingale and Markus Zusaks The Book Thief are books I always recommend. I also enjoyed the book “Why We Cook” recently – similar to the earth in her hands but about cooking!

    If I had to pick a favorite book I read in 2021 it would probably be Resistance Women by Jennifer Chiaverini. It made me sob, as the best books always do!

    Here’s to hoping I have a chance at winning some amazing books!!

    Reply
  3070. Noa M. on

    As a voracious reader all my life, it’s hard to pick! Since childhood I have read the L.M. Montgomery books over and over, (full of lovely gardens) and anything by Daphne du Maurier. My current favorite author to read is Amor Towles.

    Reply
  3071. Megan on

    I love the book Discovering Dahlias, I received it for my birthday this year and could not put it down. I am new to growing flowers and it sparked my love of flowers and growing from seeds. I am excited to start my first Dahlias next year.

    Reply
  3072. Elyena L on

    Indian Herbology of North America by Alma Hutchens has been at my close side all my adult life raising my family. Having a Russian background and been taught by my Grandmother’s about wild plants, to enjoy and use as food and medicine – -I was able to name the ones I grew up knowing in Russian into English! Wild flowers too!

    Reply
  3073. Carrie Allord on

    To smell fresh dirt and the brand new pages of a book!!! Two of the best smells!

    Love good books!!!!

    Reply
  3074. Kristi V. on

    Right now my favorite flower arranging book is The Flower Chef. It has great ideas for novice flower arrangers!

    Reply
  3075. Alison Kuhn on

    Broken Horses is my favorite at this time. It’s a memoir of my favorite musical artist Brandi Carlile. She gives insight into lyrics of some of her songs, life challenges, and life accomplishments! Her music brings me to tears and her book did too, it’s a must.

    Reply
  3076. Kerry Blossfeld on

    For gardening, it has to be anything by Monty Don. Although I had to tweak timing to account for a different growing climate, the knowledge he gives so freely and the gentle, easy manner in which is delivered make you really want to learn and not just be a better gardener but a better steward of the land.

    Reply
  3077. Andrea Steele on

    Like you, I have been a reader all my life. I am new to gardening. I found Floret online by accident and fell in love. My first gardening book was your Discovering Dahlias. It changed my world. I found a hobby to keep me busy during my retirement. I’ve always been a “yard” person, but never thought about growing cut flowers. I will have my first cut flower garden in 2022. Thanks to you.

    Reply
  3078. Wanda Coy on

    Les Roses by painter Pierre- Joseph Redoute. One of the first books I bought. As a painter I was fascinated with the form and grace of the Rose. It started my desire to transform my yard into an artistic space full of color and texture.

    Reply
  3079. Cathy Jackson on

    After watching your series on Magnolia, I gifted myself with all your books. My favorite is your book Cut Flower Garden. Plain and simple. Thank you for your knowledge! I’m glad I discovered you.
    ❤️

    Reply
  3080. Hope Cuff on

    My favorite book, the catalyst for believing in my own flower journey, is Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. Robert Pirsig takes you along on a journey of self discovery on the back of a motorcycle and in reading that book, I realized that there IS a way I can “give give give” as much as my heart wants… through growing flowers! I gift that book to everyone I can convince to read it!

    Reply
  3081. Abby sturgeon on

    Cut flower garden changed my gardening!! I now dedicate a patch every year to flowers – thank you for that :) also, I always recommend it to friends wanting to grow their own.

    Reply
  3082. Diane Cornman on

    A favorite flower book is Floriography: An Illustrated Guide to the Victorian Language of Flowers. I find in this flower farmer world that you can almost become inundated with information. This gorgeous book with all the illustrations has a way of transporting you back to childhood when I was first discovering flowers in my grandmother’s garden. I love it’s vibe and information and reminds me of why I enjoy the flowers when the stress of farming can be overwhelming.

    Reply
  3083. Amanda White on

    My favorite books at the moment are the Magnolia Table volume 1 and 2! I call them my “cooking bibles”. Even my husband says “do you need your bible” when I’m in the kitchen, hahaha! Joanna and Chip Gaines are two of my favorite humans. Their shows are inspiring and have guided me on our home renovation journey. I love to cook and Joanna is my spirit animal through and through. When Magnolia Network kicked off, the first shows that I watched was Magnolia Table and Floret!
    Erin, help me with my garden renovation! I’d love to have the books that inspired you so I too can learn and grow a beautiful garden for my newly renovated home!

    Reply
  3084. J Murrett on

    The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett started my obsession with gardening from a young age. Uncovering the new growth in the garden each Spring is my most treasured delight!

    Reply
  3085. Sable on

    It’s too hard to pick a favorite book. But the most recent one I have read is Wild Things the Art of Nurturing Boys. I have 3 sons and it’s an honor to raise them! This book really helped me understand just how they were made.

    Reply
  3086. Sarah Strouse on

    My favorite children’s book is The Hunky-Dory Dairy, the Floret books are stunningly beautiful as well as chock full of information presented in a really clear and organized fashion, and another flower growing book that I love is Cool Flowers. My favorite book right now is Hilton Carter’s Wild at Home about styling your home with plants.

    Reply
  3087. Anne Sickinger on

    Hoping to improve my garden every year and expand my cutting garden past my beloved zinnias!!

    Reply
  3088. Justine on

    I have -so- many favorites! All Floret books are definitely included. My most recent read is Cool Flowers by Lisa Mason Ziegler. I only wish I found it a few months sooner so I could have started hardy annuals this fall! Next year :)

    Reply
  3089. Melissa Sullivan on

    My favorite book is the cookbook Mad Hungry by Lucinda Scala Quinn. In it is a recipe for Old Fashioned Pancakes. I started making these pancakes years ago before I was married and had children. Fast forward to today and I still use the same recipe. The pages are covered in splatters and tiny fingerprints form teaching my children how to cook. It warms my heart every time I open my cookbook.

    Reply
  3090. Michelle Koch on

    I love Robin Kimmerer’s “Braiding Sweetgrass” which shows the significance and interplay of our bodies, minds, spirits, hearts and imaginations united with the natural world around us. Books are lovely and I would love to win your selection. Thank you for opportunities such as this.

    Reply
  3091. John Lalley on

    My favorite gardening book is Epic Tomatoes by Craig Lehoullier. I have always grown tomatoes and Craig’s book is a great combination of growing techniques and a historical perspective of heirloom varieties.

    Reply
  3092. Danielle Doby on

    Devotions by Mary Oliver — her connection to nature is one to be cherished, and inspires me to pay more attention.

    Reply
  3093. Paula Smeltzer on

    Sometimes my mind is swirling with the enormous information available about gardening and I need to seek the joy of just watching flowers grow and bloom. When gardening seems more burden that pleasure, I turn to James Fenton.

    “A Garden from a Hundred Packets of Seed”. This delightful read inspires me to draw a new pallet and embrace gardening as the therapy it should be.

    Reply
  3094. Megan Foy on

    My favorite book is Gentleman in Moscow, because it is beautiful and makes me happy, but the book I use the most and pick up almost every other day is my Love and Lemons- Everyday cookbook! I love how she lays everything out ans makes healthy eating feel so simple.

    Reply
  3095. Danielle Joseph on

    My favorite book is Big Little Lies by Lianne Moriarty. I honestly love EVERYTHING by her, she’s such an amazing writer in that she has so many small things going on at once that she connects all together at the end.
    I would love love love to read more about flowers and gardening before spring’s return! So I’m excited to put these recommendations on my tbr list!
    Happy reading everyone!

    Reply
  3096. Sara Dykhouse on

    In Bloom is my favorite book. I am just starting out growing cut flowers, well next year will be my first year I guess. I have been growing vegetables for a few years and last year I added some flowers to my raised vegetable beds. Let’s just say I was in love! So next spring we are building a separate raised bed fenced in area (black walnuts trees and deer are in my yard, in our backyard and I just finished reading In Bloom. I was inspired and made me even more excited for my next journey!

    Reply
  3097. Nikki on

    Month-To-Month Gardening, Colorado is my favorite book. I found this book at a garden show 20 years ago. Colorado is so variable in elevation and this book had plans, projects and varieties of plants for every area. So many people told me I couldn’t grow roses on the eastern plains, but they were wrong. This book played out when to prepare the soil, how, varieties to start with (newbies need to successful!), what do do each month to care for them. Because of this little book, I took the plunge into gardening of all kinds, flowers, herbs, trees, fruit and veggies. Most importantly, I have multiple roses, 3 that are close to 19 years old, that I greatly enjoy!

    Reply
  3098. Caroline Ritter on

    The Botanical Bible…feels like something they would have passed down a century ago among farming families.

    Reply
  3099. Kerry on

    It’s really tough to pick just one! I do really love Eliot Coleman’s New Organic Grower – I re-read it every winter.

    Reply
  3100. April Swiger on

    Oh gosh, how to choose my favorite book?! Probably Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry. His words really are a masterpiece, and the story he tells of a woman’s entire life – all she has gained and lost – is relatable on so many levels. I also love how his writing weaves in a love for community, and cultivating the land. His books and poems are works of art.

    Reply
  3101. Kelsey Waite on

    Oh man, favorite book? That’s tough! I have all three of yours, and they are just as informative as they are beautiful. I love referencing them when looking for a new bouquet ingredient or some tips on propagating dahlias. They also have some really gorgeous arrangement inspiration! I also enjoy the putnam books, tiny but packed with color theory and works of floral art. Finally, must give a mention to Susan Mclearys ‘the art of wearable flowers’. She is such an innovative designer and I love how conscience everything she creates is! Hooray for BOOKS!

    Reply
  3102. DeAnne Benedict on

    Thank you for sharing this extensive list of books! All of them sound amazing and I am fortunate to have many on my shelf, all of yours too Erin!
    Your first book Cut Flower Garden and your book A Year in Flowers are two of my favorite books. I return to them quite often for growing tips and flower inspiration. Another favorite book is Vegetables Love Flowers by Lisa Mason Ziegler. Her book is all inclusive for growing flowers and establishing a healthy ecosystem conducive to growing vibrant flowers successfully.

    Reply
  3103. Kim Johnson on

    I have been a learner my whole life! I love learning as much about the things that I am interested as I possibly can! My interests have changed through the years and currently my favorite books are obviously cut flower garden for all the good information, beautiful pictures, and inspiration! And we are currently starting our farm and I have enjoyed reading anything Joel Salatin!

    Reply
  3104. Olivia Veronesi on

    I love The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls and Wild by Cheryl Strayed. Both of these books are memoirs, so immediately I feel the connection to the authors. Also they have such beautiful descriptions of nature…specifically of the Pacific Crest Trail in Wild and joshua trees in The Glass Castle. The raw emotion in both books is gripping, and I love the stories of struggle to success. I’d recommend them to anyone!

    Reply
  3105. Tisha on

    I’m just starting out so I’m still in the discovery phase. This would help me out immensely on my journey. The first book I bought was the kitchen garden. It is a veggie plot book but I’ve just put in both my garden and flower beds in my back yard to start this new adventure.

    Reply
  3106. Sara on

    My favorite book at the moment, maybe forever, is Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. Beautiful prose, indigenous wisdom, and scientific information all weave together in this book. I highly recommend it to anyone who hasn’t read it yet!

    Reply
  3107. Gail Saunders on

    Cut Flower Garden! It was my 1st ever book on flowers. My love for flowers started with my mom growing zinnias when I was young. I’ve wanted a cut flower garden since!

    Reply
  3108. McKenna on

    My Mom gifted me “A Year in Flowers” and it has been my go-to when it comes to flower identification and floral selection. My fiancé and I are getting married next Summer and this book has been the perfect resource for building our own whimsical arrangements and reference photos for our florist! Also the stunning pictures are a constant pick me up for someone who loves flowers!

    Reply
  3109. Ann Walker on

    David Sedaris When You are Engulfed with Flames – because sometimes you just need to laugh!

    Reply
  3110. Tammy Makoul on

    How do I pick one book? My word! My favorite book is called Wounded by Love, but I have Brene Brown’s newest book, Atlas of the Heart on my Christmas list and I’m sure it will be wonderful! To talk flowers, I love buying these books so much like you Erin, but the one I go back to over and over and have marked up is your Cut Flower Garden book! It’s invaluable to me. Thank you so much for all of your work – it takes action into planning and educating us all on what you’ve found to be successful. Keep trailblazin’!!!!!

    Reply
  3111. Sara on

    My favorite book is One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. It is one I reread so often because it is such an encouragement and it changed the way I think about my life. Being thankful even during the hard times is difficult but trusting in God is the way I want to live my life.

    Reply
  3112. Megan Z on

    Anne of Green Gables. I first read it in 4th grade and have loved Anne, Matthew, Marilla and Gilbert ever since.

    Reply
  3113. Julie Carroll on

    I have a hundred ‘favorite’ books! Most recently I read Erin Morganstern “Under the Starless Sea” (twice) and it was so awesome it’s on my tbr list for again. My plant library is very basic and the only beautiful covers are your books, which I love. I can’t wait to get some of your suggestions! I will have allllllll winter to put wishes in them :)
    Good luck to ALL of us!

    Reply
  3114. Erin Sedlacek on

    My favorite book is the family cookbook I helped my Grandma Tycz put together! We published a cookbook of her favorite recipes and shared it with the entire family and community. I know many of them by heart myself already – but I still open the book and look at the recipe just because I am so proud we actually put the book together!

    Reply
  3115. Amy on

    The only gardening book I have is Cool Flowers, but it’s been a great book to learn about growing Hardy annuals! I would love to have your books, as well as the ones you’ve listed here!

    Reply
  3116. Charlee-Ann McMahon on

    I have read “A Year Full of Flowers” at least a dozen times, it’s always sitting on my nightstand to just browse through. I’ve purchased so many of the books you have listed at book sales or yard sales over the years – they make amazing gifts too!!

    Reply
  3117. Paige on

    With a small person running around the home I have little time to read my own books. Goodnight Moon is a favorite of all the children’s books I read each day. But as a child I loved The Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I always wanted to travel across country in a wagon and wear long skirts and make food over an open fire maybe milk a cow. I’ve done a few of those things at this time in my life, including traveling across country in a ‘station’ wagon. :-)

    Reply
  3118. Emily on

    Wow, there are so many good recommendations here – both Erin’s and in all the comments. How am I ever going to read them all? As a newbie like several others, my current library is limited, but I’ve found Niki Irving’s “Growing Flowers: Everything You Need to Know About Planting, Tending, Harvesting and Arranging Beautiful Blooms” really useful as I plan out next year’s plot. She’s from Asheville, NC, which is a distance from where I am, but we’re at similar altitude and have similar growing season weather so her tips and recommendations are super applicable to my region. The book is laid out really clearly and Niki has a way of making growing so down to earth and accessible. Reading her book left me feeling that I could really do it.

    Reply
  3119. Amber Hutcherson on

    Impossible to pick an all time favorite but right now I have the Southern Living Christmas 2021 hardback on my nightstand.

    Reply
  3120. Joy Bice on

    Your book, The Cut Flower Garden inspired me to begin a cut flower garden in my backyard and has brought a lot of joy to me to be able to give flowers to friends on a regular basis. My favorite book is usually the one I have just finished. I recently finished Anxious People by Fredrick Bachman and loved the way it’s story challenged me to not judge a person before knowing their story.

    Reply
  3121. Jane on

    I have more books than shoes and love all your books…however since it’s December 1st I will go with Mr. Dickens and His Carol by Samantha Silva!

    Reply
  3122. Meghan on

    The Well-Tended Perennial Garden by Tracy DiSabato-Aust has been a fantastic resource for me this year as I plan a perennial cottage garden for my home. It was an immense help for planning, and I know that I will be going back to it time and time again for care tips on the plants I chose!

    Reply
  3123. Ryan on

    For gardening, one of my favorite books was your book Cut Flower Garden! That was the book that started my journey and has been a great reference. I also love LMZ’s Vegetables love flowers! This book showed the importance of balance in the garden and is also an amazing resource. Non-garden related, I love “Where the Crawdads Sing.” It’s a fantastic read with amazing imagery!

    Reply
  3124. Megan White on

    I actually haven’t read any of these books, but this has definitely inspired me to look these up! I love idea of having a big, beautiful flower garden. But I usually just have some small annuals in the front of my house every summer. But one flower I make a point to buy every year are dahlias. They are so beautiful, and I love all the colors and varieties they come in. So I’m definitely interested in checking out the book about Dahlia Breeding! Thank you for all the book suggestions!

    Reply
  3125. Elizabeth Hickman on

    I recently bought and read Piet Oudolf’s Dream Plants for the Natural Garden. I have spent hours pouring over this book already – planning and dreaming of spring. While I don’t have a ‘set it and forget it’ garden I loved seeing the different cultivars and varieties of plants that Piet recommended and why.

    Reply
  3126. Kaelin Fleming on

    It is very hard to choose, but the book I love the most would be Gaia’s Garden by Toby Hemingway. When I was in college studying Agricultural Biotechnology, I stumbled onto it in the best used book store ever (Bruised Books, in Pullman WA if you ever find yourselves over there ☺️) and I knew immediately I was going to be going a different direction with my life post-graduation. (And I did, working on a small local flower farm!) I still revisit it several times a year for good measure.

    Reply
  3127. Kate on

    Gmorning, gnight By Lin-Manuel Miranda. I can open up to any page and find the little boost of inspiration I might be needing that day or a good reminder for the next day. Always makes me smile.

    Reply
  3128. Cindy Thompson on

    Cut Flower Garden by Erin Benzakein with Julie Chai, because I never considered growing a cut flower garden until I purchased this book it opened up a whole different world for me. I had only grown vegetables in the garden.

    Reply
  3129. Ashley Voelz on

    While I’ve read a variety of books, my heart seems to come back to “Water for Elephants” by Sara Gruen. The story is a memoir of an elderly man who at 23, was a polish orphan who just finished vet school. He ran away with the circus and cared for the animals and simultaneously found live with one of the horse performers. The tail travels through hardships of that era and when the circus falls apart, he and his love take the animals and live out a beautiful life raising a family in the country. After his story is finished, he visits the circus that has come to town and decides to run away with the circus yet again and go “home.” It always struck a cord with myself since my family has a barrage of animals and the live between the two main characters mirrors the love between my husband and I. What a wonderful contest!! I would love new books to read as we grow our cut flower farm.

    Reply
  3130. Ginger McIntyre on

    In most recent years, your book Cut Flower Garden, revived and inspired my love for home gardening, a 30 year affair so far. I’ve always had a few trellises for sweet peas, but the last two years (the Covid years) I went bonkers for more: more trellises, more sweet peas, more color, more fragrance . I even grew snaps from seed! I was so refreshed!

    Reply
  3131. Natalie Gaskin on

    I was very inspired by Floret Farm’s cut flower growing book, and that got me started this year in my first actual yard (after renting for years). I am slowly working my way through Monty Don’s new edition of the Complete Gardener and I’ve loved that one so far!!!

    Reply
  3132. Madison Owens on

    I could probably pick a favorite from every genre! For gardening, Cut Flower Garden has been the most straight forward and useful and I’m constantly reaching for it! I love any Rick Bragg or David Sedaris book. And I love Dr Seuss. My 10 month old really does too 💛

    Reply
  3133. Betsy K. Keith on

    The book I turn to repeatedly in the growing season is The Well-Tended Perennial Garden by Tracy DiSabato-Aust. She explains in both words and pictures how to keep flowers looking their best by cutting back early to create tiered growth, deadheading, cutting back mid-season to rejuvenate, and many more tips for specific plants. As a result, visitors often comment on how neat my garden is. She also shares efficient methods for doing this which saves time. What gardener couldn’t use more time!

    Reply
  3134. Emily K on

    For flower books, I have to say your book, Cut Flower Farm, because it is the book that completely opened my eyes to the cut-flower world. I found the book at a gift shop in Vermont a couple years ago in late winter and your book was so encouraging and insightful that I started my cut flower garden that Spring! For classic books, it’s Little Women. If I could go and live within a story, it would be that one.

    Reply
  3135. lisa dehimer on

    The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. It is a memoir and I found it so interesting and really enjoyed her writing.

    Reply
  3136. Sarah Hancock on

    My favorite book is by Fredrick Backman, My Grandmother Asked me to Tell You She’s Sorry. Backman has such a delicate approach to difficult subjects and this book really connected as I had a very special relationship with my own Grandma.

    Reply
  3137. Sunny on

    My favorite book is surprisingly a children’s book, Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert. It a beautiful, colorful book that shows children how flowers are grown from start to finish. I read this book all the time to my daughter Poppy.

    Reply
  3138. Lindsey Esker on

    This is tough! On Flowers by Amy Merrick is one I turn to all of the time. I love the way she invites the reader to find flowers in every season in every setting. It changed the way I look at all things that grow (weeds, wildflowers) and what can go into an arrangement. It helped me find the beauty everywhere and in all things.

    Reply
  3139. Christine Pedersen on

    The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. It completely reconfigured how I saw myself in the world.

    Reply
  3140. Cassie Diemert on

    My favorite books have been something to get lost from reality. I enjoyed Janet Evanovich’s series One for the Money. I’ve recently entered the gardening realm and look forward to getting lost in books that create beautiful things!

    Reply
  3141. Kathy on

    As far back as I can remember (I am soon to be 70) I have loved flowers of all kinds. Also, books on flowers and gardens. I believe it started with helping my dad plant Petunia’s each spring. It is very hard to give a favorite. But I cherish a book I found in a dusty, old book store. It is Nature Perfected, Gardens through History by William Howard Adams. Besides being an enjoyable read with loads of pictures. It is a heavy book. So, it really came in handy when I started my initial journey on pressing flowers. :-)

    Reply
  3142. Emily on

    I’m new to flower growing but I’m really enjoying your book “Cut Flower Garden”. I’m finding a lot of value in it, there is so much information! I am looking forward to resign through your list.

    Reply
  3143. susan barthel on

    Living in the North (Michigan) out west Seattle Washington and now in The south, I’ve always turned to what I was given the western garden book and the southern living Garden book great resources and my best advise is to plant what goes there not what you want to be there…

    Reply
  3144. Kit Tucker Sullivan on

    Lisa Ziegler’s books are small but mighty! Her book on growing flowers by seed inspired my love of growing cut flowers by seed. Her book, Cool Flowers was really a game changer for growing early blooming cut flowers. She’s also a wonderful lady!

    Reply
  3145. Jess Wilke on

    “Tasha Tudor’s Garden”- an in-depth look at her fabled northern New England garden, stories of getting her vehicle stuck in the mud trying to get to Agway for her favorite seeds and her secrets for giant Foxglove and Hollyhocks… my go to in February when I need to dream past the seed catalogs.

    Reply
  3146. Joanna Thomas on

    I love The Prydain Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander. They started my love of fantasy (along with C. S. Lewis) as a child. Recently I got to read them aloud to my children who also loved them and found that I appreciate them even more as an adult.

    Reply
  3147. Meredith on

    The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science By J. Kenji López-Alt

    Anytime I have a question or want to go above and beyond in the kitchen I refer to Kenji. It is amazing to see the science behind cooking detailed and inspires me to learn more every day.

    Reply
  3148. Tracy Smith on

    I am not the biggest reader but my collection of books would say different… it’s got a lot of books I *PLAN* to read one day :) But I think my favorite is a childhood book, Amelia Bedelia. I bought a hardback copy of one of the books as I went into college and it’s traveled with me as I’ve moved to different states and countries. Just a little reminder of the things that made me.

    Reply
  3149. Beth Schulman on

    I am not a big book person. So, if I buy a book it is big!!

    For gardening books, your book, Cut Flower Garden!!

    Cookbook- Simply in Season or Moosewood books.

    Children’s book – The Giving Tree!!

    Reply
  3150. Jo on

    I enjoyed reading The Power of a Plant by Stephen Ritz. It’s a true story about a teacher in the Bronx who let one idea grow into a movement and taught his students to grow their own food . It’s an inspiring story.

    Reply
  3151. Yvonne on

    So hard to pick. Let’s back to the first garden book I loved. Tasha Tudor’s Garden by Tovah Martin. Everything about Tasha Tudor’s life style fascinated me and from the pictures. I thought walking through her garden would be like walking through a fairy tale.

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  3152. LaShell Staley on

    As a small flower farmer/florist in the Midwest I find myself looking through your book Cut Flower Garden often. Especially in the winter months when things have slowed down and seed ordering is upon us. It always provides inspiration and as with your other resources…a great sharing of knowledge. I’m thankful for the things you do and the knowledge you freely share.

    Reply
  3153. Erin Bozetarnik on

    The smell of books rivals the smell of flowers! My all-time favorite book is Pride and Prejudice. I read it for the first time about 20 years ago. I had always heard it was wonderful, but had struggled to get very far…until I began reading it aloud! It sucked me in, and I’ve read it several times since. I, too, have books stacked all over our home…and I’m not sorry!

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  3154. Victoria Coyle on

    I’m a working mom with three kiddos under five so I don’t get to read much, but my husband bought me all three of your books when our daughter was born in July and I couldn’t put them down. My favorite is Cut Flower Garden. I just started my first cutting garden this past season and your book has taught me so much and inspired me to make more room for flowers!! I can’t wait to implement all the things I’ve learned next season!

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  3155. Debbie Kostolansky on

    I love all 3 of your books actually. Very detailed and full of beautiful photography. I’m a very visual person, so these books hit the mark on “how to”, great resources and photography. But currently my favorite is “Discovering Dahlias” as I will growing a small patch next year and this book will help in hopefully my success of my dahlia patch.

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  3156. Kim on

    The Birth House. By Ami McKay. An Historical fiction about strong women and the ordeals they go through. Love it.

    Reply
  3157. Amy Joliet on

    My favorite recent book is Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr. His writing is so beautiful, and the concepts and structure of this book are so well done and interesting. Also I love each of the Floret books – for the photo inspiration and beauty in addition to the great info! Thanks Erin!

    Reply
  3158. Smita Patel on

    My favorite book is a cookbook that I was introduced to by my maternal Uncle. ” Mrs. Balbir Singh’s Indian Cookery” has traditional recipes that are more complex but worth the time and effort. It is the old way of home cooking. It holds a place dear to my heart because even just picking it up brings back a warm flood of loving childhood memories.

    Reply
  3159. Sarah Cate on

    My favorite book has to be Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery. My mom introduced me to this book when I was younger, but the long descriptions of scenery and frequent mishaps of Anne bored me. Now, in my early adulthood, I can’t imagine what was going through my head then! I absolutely love reading through the rapture Anne had for the nature around her. Reading this book inspires me to appreciate and fall in love with the beauty of the world around me.

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  3160. Amy Christianson on

    It would be too hard to pick an all-time favorite so instead I’ll share a favorite right now! I’m currently reading 4ish books but the best one is Brianna Weist’s 101 Essays that Will Change your Life. It offers a new, grounding perspective for a lot of us and the essays are short enough that it’s perfect for light reading before bed. I recently discovered Weist and love her outlook!

    Reply
  3161. Elma Riedstra on

    I love Tasha Tudor and your books. It’s hard to pick a favorite!! When my kids were small we had so many books. Thanks.for this amazing giveaway one can never have to many books right??

    Reply
  3162. Michelle R Orris on

    My favorite book is Dancing On My Grave by Gelsey Kirkland. The details of the ballet world are stunning. Much like flowers, ballet dancers are graceful and elegant and sometimes broken and bent. Regardless, you love them for their beauty.

    Reply
  3163. Jayme Jewell on

    My favorite book is the Eliot Coleman one too! It has helped me become a better gardener. This winter I’m diving into it a again and prepping for spring!

    Reply
  3164. Dani Bucher on

    One of my favorite books is In Full Flower. This book has a special place in my heart because it was a beautiful gift from a thoughtful friend in a time where I was really needing to see beauty through the darkness. This book was the perfect answer! It’s full of beautiful and creative designs from florists and farmers all around the world. The story’s from each contributor are inspiring and many use local product or things harvested straight from their backyards. It’s amazing and inspiring and the photography alone draws you in to explore while transporting you into a peaceful tour of the beauty of this world.

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  3165. Patricia F on

    One of my favorite books : “The Scented Room” by Barbara Milo Ohrbach. It has many recipes for potpourri, pomanders, dried arrangements, etc. It is very classy and the pictures are fantastic. I haven’t had a chance yet to try any of the recipes, but hope to in the near future. Life is so busy.

    Have a safe and happy holiday season. Merry Christmas! He is the reason for the season.

    Reply
  3166. Allison on

    I am completely new to the world of flower farming and flower arranging. I had a beautiful garden for the last seven years but had to move due to circumstances. So I am starting over. Can’t wait to see which of these books my library varies (and recommend they get the ones they don’t have). Thank you for sharing your wisdom!

    Reply
  3167. Angela Lewis on

    Hi! There’s nothing like the smell of real ink on the pages of a book! My Bible is my first favorite, and the next is “Women Who Run With the Wolves” by Clarissa Pinkola Estes. The author filters through old hand-me-down stories and tales and weaves womanly wisdom into the deeper meaning of each.
    Happy reading!

    Reply
  3168. April V on

    I am hooked on books too. I can’t leave the library without a huge stack. One of my favorite books is “Half the Sky”. I love it because even though it highlights some horrific struggles women and girls around the world are having to endure it gives me hope that we can all make a difference in the life of others if we care enough to pitch in and help. I’ve just started gardening this year so don’t have a favorite gardening book yet. I’m looking forward to checking out your suggestions. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  3169. Kathleen on

    My go to garden book is Succession Gardening by Christopher Lloyd. It is my bible for thinking about what to plant where. Not specific plants but ideas for flow through the seasons. I mean why plant one when you can plant three for color most of the year.

    Reply
  3170. Kryssa on

    I lov The Flower Chef : A Modern Guide to Do-It- Yourself Floral Arrangements by Carly Cylinder. Her book goes through different ways of arranging flowers in a way that I can understand it. She even goes through explaining how to cut and care for the flowers when arranging them, among the varies types of products you can use when arranging your flowers.

    Reply
  3171. Kendall Snyder on

    Hands down: The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson. Such necessary stories that need to be told centered around The Great Migration. No other book has opened my eyes like this one to the necessity of educating myself on racial history in America. As a transracial adoptive mama, books like this are such a gift to me and I am grateful to learn more as I seek to serve my family well.

    Reply
  3172. Lindsey Miller on

    My new favorite is Green Lights by Matthew McConaughey. I love his spirit and adventure. It was a really enjoyable read and I liked thinking into my adventurous side and start looking at the good even when there was bad.

    Reply
  3173. Lise on

    Great titles, thank you for sharing your favs. I would add Henry Mitchell’s books to your list (Henry Mitchell on Gardening, The Essential Earthman, One Man’s Garden). His writing is laugh-out-loud funny and a gentle reminder of why we enjoy the struggle.

    Reply
  3174. Naomi on

    I love your book on dahlias. This has been my first year planting, and it was so helpful to me. I was constantly pulling it out and rereading parts as I tackled each new step. Thank you, Erin!

    Reply
  3175. Tina Merritt on

    I have really enjoyed “The Complete Gardener” by Monty Don. I find myself going back to it again and again. Such great inspiration.

    Reply
  3176. Michelle on

    I have so enjoyed Georgie Newbery’s The Flower Farmer’s Year!

    Reply
  3177. Kaylia J on

    If I have to pick an all time favorite book, I think it would be Amazing Grace. It was one of the first books I ever really read fully on my own. (I was very behind on reading as a kid as my mom never took me to school, when my dad got custody, we spent long hours in the summer working on reading and writing.) And this is the first book I accomplished on my own. It also kicked off my love of reading. I still have this book, and recently gave it to my own daughter to read.

    Reply
  3178. Linda on

    My favorite book is probably Passalong Plants. This is the last book my mom bought me before she passed away but also I love going back & reading individual entries ever so often.

    Reply
  3179. Irene Mullaney on

    My favorite book is A Gift From The Sea by Anne Morrow Lindberg. I read it almost every year as it always gives me a new insight into growing as a woman.

    Reply
  3180. Brittany Benedetti on

    Not flower related but my all time favorite book is the Harry Potter series, I love Escaping into that world and taking a break from reality for a moment.

    Reply
  3181. Sarah on

    I’ve got stacks of books- ones I’ve read many time, some I’m planning on reading, references….
    My favorite is impossible to pick. I’m recently working on being better at growing things, so I love your Cut Flower Garden, and Wild at Home. But other lifelong favorites include the Anne of Green Gables series, the Golden Compass, Ferrel Sams’ Run with the Horseman series, anything by Barbara Kingsolver and Diana Gabaldon….

    Reply
  3182. Caitlin Meredith on

    It’s sooooo hard to pick just one book, but I love the 4 agreements.

    Reply
  3183. Dawn Wurst on

    Discovering Dahlias and StrengthFinder are my favorites! I am a first year grower and the journey was made SO much easier by your book! I have used StrengthFinder with my teams several times over my career- it’s wonderful.

    Reply
  3184. sarah on

    Mine is probably We Were The Lucky Ones. It has such great lessons about family and the bonds it creates 🤍

    Reply
  3185. Katie on

    I’m so new to this journey that I don’t even have a flower library yet!!! But I’m looking forward to building one after read this list! As for books in general, I’m not sure I could pick a favorite!! We also have books and bookkkss all throughout our home!! I love nonfiction, though, and have been making my way through the NSBT series recently and I’ve been loving them!

    Reply
  3186. Sonya on

    Oh my goodness, I want to squeal just a bit! This is amazing!

    I have been collecting books too, and the piles are a thing, currently reading a few books at the same time! First is Shadow and Light by Tsh Oxenreider. It’s a journey into Advent that includes artwork to admire and a song each day. It is SO good!

    I am also reading The Bee Cottage Story: How I Made a Muddle of Things and Decorated My Way Back to Happiness by Frances Schultz it’s a honest and creative book about her life with some great tips and humor!

    I just finished reading The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah. This book! It’s fiction but it’s absolutely gripping and tells the story of the dust bowl and depression with clarity and characters that definitely will make your heart break. Gratitude is all I can think of now after reading this, oh it’s so so good. I can’t stop thinking about it.

    Gardening books- oh the list goes on. Thank you so much for sharing your favorites! There are so many great books! I have to agree with a comment from above on The Jewel Garden, by Monty and Sarah Don – it’s really good! I love honesty and man, they sure tell their story! Garden Alchemy: 80 Recipes and Concoctions for Organic Fertilizers, Plant Elixirs, Potting Mixes, Pest Deterrents, and More by Stephanie Rose
    was one I rented from the library and ended up purchasing just so full of information with detailed instructions! Of course I have your books and love them all! Thank you, Thank you! This is so fun!

    Reply
  3187. Rachel Ronnan on

    My all time favorite is Anna Karenina. I just love settling into a long Russian novel in the winter. Getting snuggley is my favorite wintertime activity
    ❄️ ☕️📚

    Reply
  3188. Jennifer Barr on

    I’ve loved Tasha Tudor’s Garden by Tovah Martin since I was a teen. It has inspired me to plant freely, tucking flowers in every corner of my garden!

    Reply
  3189. Tina Hansen on

    I am relatively new to the flower growing industry and the only ones I have read at this point are yours and I love them. They are so descriptive and helpful especially for the beginner like me 😊. I will definitely look into the other books you have recommended. I am diving head first into flowers and know I have so much to learn.

    Reply
  3190. lisandre st-cyr lamothe on

    My favorite book is The Little Prince. I read it every year and always find something new, understand something differently.

    Reply
  3191. Karen on

    My love for books spans a variety of genres. I am rereading the Mitford Series right now. Jane Austin since way back. And new for me is The Artists Way. I will definitely check out the titles on your list. 😊

    Reply
  3192. C Tindall on

    Culpeper’s Colour Herbal is one of my favorites. Its pictures are beautiful and the in-depth descriptions make for a lovely reference book. Hope everyone else enjoys it too!

    Reply
  3193. Liz on

    My Name is Asher Lev is amazing. I had to read it in college and have continually returned to its beautiful, tragic story.

    And of course A Year in Flowers!! I have it sitting in my coffee table to enjoy any and every day ❤️

    Reply
  3194. Katy Kaeding on

    Can I choose a fiction book? A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is my favorite book. Seeing the world from poor little Francie’s point of view has greatly impacted my work as a pediatric nurse.

    Reply
  3195. Robin Bach on

    If I wasn’t a chef, I would have been a librarian. My favorite place to be on a rainy day is in a great bookstore with a cup of tea. I have so many cookbooks I have to weed them out periodically. Thank goodness for Kindle. One of my favorite books is The Book Thief. I Love your book on Dahlias and am looking forward to growing them this summer.

    Reply
  3196. noreen riordan on

    Braiding Sweetgrass opened a door and pushed me through to a new way of recognizing where and how I live. Gratitude has become central to my life, as has fresh recognition of how the first peoples respected and honored our earth. I have made many changes to attempt to do the same thanks to this incredible book.

    Reply
  3197. Sarah Hamilton Lester on

    Not sure I can narrow it down to just one! I am constantly reading and love so many books. I would say whatever I am currently reading is my favorite. That means today my favorite is The Becoming by Nora Roberts.

    Reply
  3198. Melissa Hill on

    The Last Sin Eater by Francine Rivers. Not your typical nook, but captivating none the less. It’s an attention grabber from the start!

    Reply
  3199. Tammy on

    Any book by Eliot Coleman. He has shared so much great advice on organic gardening

    Reply
  3200. Cynthia Willey on

    Seed to Seed: Seed Saving and Growing Techniques…
    by Suzanne Ashworth. This book has inspired me to save my own seeds for future growing and sharing and exchanging with friends. The ability to share new varieties with one another that become favorites has encouraged me save and share more varieties. The neighbors yards have become a buzz with color and pollinators.

    Reply
  3201. Linda on

    My favorite floral book is cool flowers by Lisa Mason Ziegler. And Cut Flower Garden ( not saying it because it’s yours really )My go to books and inspiration to let me know not to be intimated to try new flowers. There is joy found in trial and error. Lol

    Reply
  3202. Brook Hopkins on

    Can’t choose a favorite, but the best book I’ve read recently is How the Word is Passed , by Clint Smith.

    Reply
  3203. Marla on

    My favorite book is The Story Girl by L.M. Montgomery. My older sisters were always encouraging me to read Anne of Green Gables, but I wanted to do my own thing of course. I have read it every year since. Simple, beautiful descriptions of nature and heartbreakingly sweet. When I was little, I would climb a tree and read in perfect solitude.

    Reply
  3204. Joanna Wang on

    Hands down anything by Wendell Berry but if I have to choose just one – it would be Hannah Coulter – the love of small town, community and farming when it’s not glorious or protected by anyone else except your neighbors. I love this book.

    Reply
  3205. Dawn Andrews on

    My most favorite gardening book is The Garden Primer by Barbara Damrosch. My old copy is doggearred, wrinkled from water damage and has pages with soil stains from being carried out to the garden shed and back as I keep it with me during planting season. It has been my trusted companion for years.

    Reply
  3206. Kelli L Janice on

    All time favorite book is “Gathering Blue” by Lois Lowry. I read all of “The Giver” books, twice! Another favorite book that relates more to growing and finding my inspiration is “Create Your Own Florida Food Forest” by David The Good. It was a quick read with valuable information.

    Reply
  3207. Brandy on

    I too am a avid reader and I’m always interested in new resources. Thank you for sharing your favorite ones. I would love to receive some of them to help me through this new process 😊

    Reply
  3208. Jessie on

    Hard to pick one. I love the Bible, all LIW books, Lonesome Dove, Little Women, Pride and Prejudice, My Antonia…hard to pick one!

    Reply
  3209. Donna Roof on

    I do not have a favorite flower book, but am very interested in the Floret books to begin.
    It is hard to pick just one reading book. A couple books right now that are my favorites are: The Nightingale by Kristen Hannah and The Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles.

    Reply
  3210. Sharon Forgan on

    Sarah Ravens a year full of flowers, gardening for all seasons. This was the book that made me fall in love with flowers and find a passion I never knew I had 😊🌺🌸

    Reply
  3211. Sophia on

    My favorite is your Cut Flower Garden because it’s what started my flower obsession!

    Reply
  3212. Erika M. on

    Can’t just pick one. But my favorite book genres are gardening and personal development, so I would love to win any of these😍

    Reply
  3213. Nancy Riley on

    My favorite book in on the Chrysanthemums by Erin. I’ve always love chrysanthemums and grown them for many years and never realized how many unique and vintage mums there were until I saw your book. Now I’m obsessed in trying to find some of the mums to grow in my garden. You have inspired me to bring back and keep the oldies but goodies around.

    Reply
  3214. Liberty on

    Without a doubt the descriptions and imagery and language in Anne of green gables makes it my all time favorite. It’s like reading velvet!
    Love your list-

    Reply
  3215. Eve Sweatman on

    I think as far as (veggie) gardening my favorite book would be Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew. I bought it in the early 80s when I had my first garden and it was a great success. I learned to add beneficial flowers to help prevent insect infestations which lead to my love of flower gardening! I’m a bookoholic, especially gardening books so would be thrilled to win your collection! Good luck to all!!

    Reply
  3216. Kimberly Callaghan on

    It’s too hard to choose just one! I love being surrounded by books, and have read the Outlander books multiple times. The only problem is, I never get any work done when I’m reading!

    Thanks for sharing this amazing list – my library list is going to get even longer now. :)

    Reply
  3217. Meghan Sheradin on

    My favorite book- the book that created the most change in my life was Malcolm Gladwell’s book “Talking to Strangers”. It literally changed how I think and interact with people everyday. It is a powerful book.

    Reply
  3218. Crystal Bailey on

    Shakespeare, he spoke of his garden and the beauty of his flowers and hedges. I love Gardeners World as well, so much knowledge and guidance.

    Reply
  3219. Sue M on

    Your Money or Your Life by Vicky Robin and Joe Dominguez is my favorite book as it has had the most impact on my life. It taught my husband and me to evaluate our spending and align it with our goals, ultimately enabling us to leave our careers early to pursue other interests. It may sound dry but it is an engaging and supportive read with exercises to help readers decide what is important to them.

    Reply
  3220. Kylie Parks on

    My favorite books are yours Erin!!! They have inspired me to flower farm this year on about 2000ish sq/ft! So excited!!!

    Reply
  3221. Janet on

    The Flower Hunter by Lucy Hunter, The Book of Kitchens by deVol, The Land Gardeners Cut Flowers by Bridget Elworthy & Henrietta Courtauld, The Lost Kitchen by Erin French, Life in the Studio by Frances Palmer, just to name a few of my favorite things!

    Reply
  3222. Lynne Dawson on

    How do you pick a favorite? What phase of life? The ugly duckling is likely mine as my father gave that to me to remind me of my beauty .

    Reply
  3223. Theresa Farr on

    Ny family and I started our Little Free Library about a year ago and we are just so proud of it! Literacy is so important! My favorite book is How To Do Nothing because it helps the over productive person learn that it’s ok to sometimes do nothing.

    Reply
  3224. Erin on

    How can you choose just one favorite?!?! One of my favorites is The Curate’s Awakening by George Macdonald. I can read it over and over and still find more inspiration.

    Reply
  3225. Amy Bertke on

    Living Floral by Margot Shaw is one of my favorites. The joy of flowers and entertaining comes through in the stories told and the memories made with different events. I sift through the pages often and pull out one design element to make. On page 106, there’s a bowl of deep red carnations in a silver bowl that looks just right for this season. I’ve never sought out a carnation but I’m on the hunt now.

    Reply
  3226. Brandi on

    Reader’s Digest Illustrated Guide to Gardening was introduced to me and then my husband much later by my grandparents. They used that book frequently and handed it down to us on our 1 year anniversary. We’ve used it almost as much as they did and has been very beneficial to us. But I dearly love books and learning as much as I can. Looking forward to getting acquainted with some of the books on this list. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
  3227. Amanda on

    I just recently read your Cut Flower garden book and Clare Nolan’s In Bloom. Now I have big plans for spring and have already ordered seeds and dahlia tubers. I can’t wait to read and learn more!

    Reply
  3228. Lisa on

    My favorite book is The Hiding Place by Corrie TenBoom. She is a survivor of the Holocaust and writes of her many experiences on how she found her comfort in God during that time. I especially love how she talks about an encounter with a concentration camp guard after the war. She tells us about her inner struggle when he asks her for forgiveness.
    I love your books Erin! Thanks for your favorite books list. I will put them on my wish list!

    Reply
  3229. John Detwiler on

    I have run a vegetable farm for years, and found Ben Hartman’s “The Lean Farmer” to be remarkably stimulating and helpful. Every time I look through it, I am reminded and encouraged to find ways to see clearly what I’m really aiming to do, and to tighten up my business model so it can all be done more elegantly and efficiently.

    Reply
  3230. Caitlyn Brantley on

    My favorite book is honestly The Great Gatsby! Even in high school I had zero issues with reading it. I love imagining the glamour back then and lavishly decorated parties. It just makes my imagination wander!

    Reply
  3231. Janet Selzer on

    It is impossible to narrow down to one book as a favorite, however, a new favorite is “Cultivated” by Christin Geall. Such a pleasure to read, the information is invaluable and the photos are fabulous. Our local library goes out of their way to buy books that we request and they also use the interlibrary loan program without reserve.

    Reply
  3232. dabney rose on

    My favorite book all the way from childhood that i now injoy reading to my granddaughters is ‘The Little Engine That Could’ by Watty Piper, because of its can-do attitude and my favorite flower book that i’ve carried around for more than 30 years is ‘The Fragrant Year’ by Helen Van Pelt and Leonie Bell. Thank you!

    Reply
  3233. Erin on

    How can you choose just one favorite?!?! One of my favorites is The Curate’s Awakening by George Macdonald.

    Reply
  3234. Camille Pare on

    My favorite is Discovering Dahlias. Dahlias are my favorite flowers and I want to
    Learn more . And plant more

    Reply
  3235. Amy Stoddard on

    My favorite go to book is BHG Complete Guide to Gardening. It’s my favorite solely because it was my very first gardening bible. Since then I have purchase many other books however my comfort zone lies with my first.

    Reply
  3236. Kathy Stewart on

    As a general rule, my favorite book is the last one I finished. ☺️ Strength finders 2.0 had a significant impact in the way I think about myself and others. I have always loved being on a team and this book really clarified to me what kind of a team member I was and what kind of team members I would compliment or would compliment me.

    Reply
  3237. Alexandra Mudry on

    Anne of Green Gables… well really the whole series. It was a favorite from childhood and I still revisit it from time to time. Reading the story of a precocious,( at times outspoken ) girl with a flair for the dramatic – who’s willing to take risks and blaze her own path – always cheers me up and gives me strength.

    Reply
  3238. Cathy Berger on

    I am enjoying the book Growing Perennials In Cold Climates by Mike Her and John Whitman, the information and pictures are very helpful as I plan my gardens and what plants will survive in my climate. Thanks for sharing! “Happy Holidays!”

    Reply
  3239. Kimberly Ovitt on

    I too have a book obsession! I recently had to move from a 3000 sq. ft. home to one that is just about 900 sq. ft. It broke my heart to downsize but the books that I did have to give away went to a very good cause. The one book, set of books, that were not up for donation however, was Little Women! This series brought me to the love of books and the joy of reading. I wanted to be just like Joe. What a wonderful character to aspire to!

    Reply
  3240. Christine Meissner on

    I love to learn and books are my jam. Flower gardening is something I’d like to be better at. The only gardening book I have is your, Cut Flower Garden. Can hardly wait for Spring! There is a slight cookbook addiction going on here (cough), love to cook! Also Biographies and autobiographies are on my nightstand.

    Reply
  3241. Melody on

    My favorite flower book is Discovering Dahlias. I love looking at the gorgeous photographs and dream of having my own breeding patch some day.

    Reply
  3242. Luckie Diwa on

    I loved Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay. It gave me the courage to embrace my humanity and my womanhood. Growing up, there’s a lot of things we can take in as women that can be damaging. And as we grow older we try to make positive changes, but that journey can be rife with challenges and complexities. I loved reading the stories and essays of this book because instead of feeling shameful and guilty about my imperfections, I felt confident to embrace those challenges and see the beauty in them on my way to holistic growth and health. For this reason I also loved Jesus Calling. Even though it’s not God’s will it can be easy to judge yourself and be hard on yourself. But this book is great at showing how gentle and loving Christ wants to be to all of us. He’s not sitting in heaven waiting for us to make a mistake so He can beat us up. Instead it’s the exact opposite and I love that this book helps people to see this.

    Reply
  3243. tami on

    My current favorite book is Braiding Sweetgrass.

    Reply
  3244. Jaime on

    I love the illustrations in “Seed Leaf Flower Fruit” by Maryjo Koch!

    Reply
  3245. Michelle Enns on

    I share your love of books and so do my children! I have to watch myself or we end up with new books every time we go shopping! A book that’s changed how I think and become a favorite in the last year is Anne Voscamp’s ‘One Thousand Gifts’.

    Reply
  3246. Rachel on

    I don’t think I’ve ever been asked to pick a favorite. If I had to choose I’d probably pick Pride and Prejudice!

    Reply
  3247. Kate W on

    It’s funny how favorite books evoke such nostalgia and excitement. I’ve always been drawn to the rich characterization of the classics. I can’t choose a favorite but would be amiss to not mention The Secret Garden and Ann of the Green Gables. I feel that different aspects of each book surely embody my own experiences and heart. This is especially true as I renovate, discover, and enjoy the mysteries of the unkempt gardens at my new home.

    Reply
  3248. Lauren Schafer on

    I read Vegetables Love Flowers last year and I reference it quite often when trying to decide what to grow and get what seeds to buy! It’s so clear and concise for a still newbie like me. I look forward to the day when I can sit down and curl up with one of your books, Erin. You are such a beautiful wealth of knowledge!!.

    Reply
  3249. Ashley Mobley on

    Great Garden Companions by Sally Jean Cunningham has been my go-to, always keep it handy garden book. I snagged it from the clearance bin in 2005. It guided me in to the world of raised beds since our land here in Little Rock, AR is full of rocks.

    Reply
  3250. Carla Reynolds on

    As a Pre-K teacher, my love is children’s books! Any book by Eric Carle is a favorite! Not only are the stories wonderful but the illustrations are something students can replicate! We cut, glue, paint and create beautiful collages. Each is special just like the student that created it!

    Reply
  3251. Jane Swingle on

    Besides all the great information your books provide, the pictures are just beautiful. I am currently IN LOVE with dahlias!

    Reply
  3252. Rebekah Pope on

    “Everyday Roses” by Paul Zimmerman is one of my favorite gardening books. I love growing roses, but sometimes they can be intimidating. Paul’s book is full of practical advise that is easy to understand and follow. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that he has a wicked sense of humor that comes thru in his writing.

    Reply
  3253. Heather Provencio on

    I never understood the joy of reading until 2019, when Covid hit. Suddenly I had more time on my hands & I literally read everything. For the first time I was comprehending was I was reading because the gift of time. The permission to slow down & understood the importance of priorities.

    Reply
  3254. Jessica Varner on

    I love reading and have read so many books but my favorite is always Little Women. I have read at least 10 times and usually this time of year and every time just love the feeling I get when I read it.

    Reply
  3255. Elizabeth Correll on

    My favorite book overall is All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. It is so beautifully written and has just a hint of magic. My favorite gardening book thus far is Discovering Dahlias because it gave me the courage to start growing my own dahlias.

    Reply
  3256. Carolyn on

    My favorite book is The Friday Night Knitting Club. I love the message of friendship lifting us up through life’s ups and downs.

    Reply
  3257. Stephanie Roush on

    My favorite flower books are yours! I especially love Cut Flower Garden. If I had to pick an all time favorite book overall though, it would have to be Everybody Always by Bob Goff which is about loving people around you even when they are hard to love. I think it’s a book everyone should read! It will make you laugh and cry but it will ultimately leave you feeling inspired!

    Reply
  3258. Michelle Simpson Pitts on

    Consistently, my favorite garden book is Front Yard Gardens by Liz Primeau. It blew my mind because it was the first time I understood we don’t HAVE to grow lawns! Lawns aren’t native, thats why so many people put chemicals on them to fight pests. Why not grow flowers, veggies and pollinator host plants? Imagine thr change in our local communities if we did this? We could feed everyone on each of our streets!

    Reply
  3259. Gweneth Kovar on

    My favorite book is a history book on Spanish artists. It’s in Spanish so I cannot read it and it was a wedding gift from a long time family friend. They realized my love of art and gifted this beautiful book to me in honor of that.

    Reply
  3260. Julie Tantillo on

    I love Carolyn Roehm’s books – a mix of beautiful floral, fashion and interior design.

    Reply
  3261. Pam McNary on

    I’m one year into retirement and I’m learning all I can about veg and cut flower season extension gardening for my zone 4b NH garden. My favorite books so far are Elliot Coleman’s Winter and Four Season Harvesting classics

    Reply
  3262. Marta Lanier on

    My favorite is the well-tended perennial garden. It’s very informative, great photos, and it was my first gardening book so it holds a special place in my heart.

    Reply
  3263. Alexis Zimba-Kirby on

    My favorite fictional book is Grapes of Wrath. My favorite farming books are those by Wendell Berry.

    Reply
  3264. Stephanie Wilcox on

    I could never pick just one book that I love the most. My library is like yours, I have piles and piles of books everywhere and my shelves are overflowing.
    I keep coming back to Mary Oliver’s Devotions right now, a compilation of many of her poems throughout the years. But have also really delighted in John Muirs writing this year.
    Thanks for these book lists, so many of them made their way onto my list ❤️

    Reply
  3265. Rebecca Orlowski on

    I too am an avid reader and spent many hours at my local library. There is nothing better than walking up and down the stacks at the library and seeing all the beautiful books just waiting to be selected. I am so grateful to my late Aunt Holly for fostering my love of reading and spending lots of time with me at the library or bookstore. Choosing a favorite is so hard but if I had to pick just one, it would be Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier.

    Reply
  3266. Judith @latedazefarm on

    Ewwww choosing my FAVORITE book is so hard! Right now, at 38 😳🤣, I’m learning about investments and reading RICH DAD POOR DAD. For fun, COOL FLOWERS by Lisa Mason Ziegler. 🥰🥰 Reading everyone’s comments.

    Reply
  3267. Griet Vermeiren on

    “Grow and father” from Grace Alexander. I really loved the beautiful pictures with warm coulours and this autumn I red only a few pages each day so I could enjoy of this book as long as possible. While the fire was on, sitting with a warm cup of tea inside in the evening I was already dreaming of a new season of blooms thanks to this book.

    Reply
  3268. Donna Sand on

    My favorite right now is Ruth Stout, No Work Gardening. It is an inspiration to getting out into the garden and start growing, it really doesn’t have to be as hard and overwhelming as we seem to make any new project seem. I love her stories of life and amazing spirit.

    Reply
  3269. Amy on

    Your Cut Flower Garden book is my fav gardening book, though now I have many more to add to my own reading list.
    For books in general, I have a hard time choosing a favorite but one I’m enjoying currently is Every Moment Holy Vol I. For the religiously minded, it provides a reflection on ordinary life, like a liturgy for the Christmas Season, liturgy for the ritual of morning coffee, or a lament upon finishing a beloved book.

    Reply
  3270. Mary Jorgensen on

    Discovering Dahlias has to be my favorite book right now. I want to learn all of the names and expand my knowledge of these beauties. Every year, a little more of our property gets dug for dahlia expansion and I’ve gotten my neighbors hooked now!!

    Reply
  3271. Susan F. on

    I am primarily a reader of fiction, but a want-to-be gardener. My favorite novel is Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel. Historical, the first of a trilogy featuring Thomas Cromwell, captivating.

    Reply
  3272. Autumn Raubuck on

    My favorite book(s) have been and will always be the Anne of Green gables series. Montgomery paints such beautiful images with her words. I reread the series every 5 years or so and I think the time has come! Prince Edward Island is a bucket list destination for me.

    Reply
  3273. Margo Huggins on

    So many amazing ideas. Thank you for this blog post! My husband and I just purged our many random books on our shelves this past weekend. I am ready to start my flower book collection. I hear Christmas is coming up, I’ll be adding some of these to my list!

    Reply
  3274. Loura Linsenmann on

    My library is a lot like yours, books in stacks everywhere. I love them all. It’s hard to pinpoint a favorite but one that has really impacted my life is As I Have Loved You by Kitty de Ruyter

    Reply
  3275. Veronica Otero on

    My favorite gardening book is “Cool Flowers” by Lisa Mason Ziegler. I’ve been a home gardener for many years and live in Zone 6B. I never knew I could grow flowers over the fall, winter and early Spring until this year! My mind was blown after putting her instructions into use in my own garden and seeing immediate results. I was so excited to learn that I could now garden throughout the year versus only the Spring and Summer. I also loved how Lisa followed up her book with a Cool Flowers Podcast and video series which answered many of my questions!

    Reply
  3276. Sue Wezka on

    Life Expectancy by Dean Koontz. I love this story so much that I re-read the book every couple of years and have recommended it to everyone I know!!!

    Reply
  3277. Judith Brown on

    Ewwww choosing my FAVORITE book is so hard! Right now, at 38 😳🤣, I’m learning about investments and reading RICH DAD POOR DAD. For fun, COOL FLOWERS by Lisa Mason Ziegler. 🥰🥰 Reading everyone’s comments.

    Reply
  3278. Donna Howard on

    My favorite book is Charlotte’s Web. Our teacher read a chapter to us each day and I fell in love with Wilbur and Charlotte.

    Reply
  3279. Linda F Bradley on

    Cultivated The Elements of Floral Style by Christin Geall , another book that you have recommended. This book helped me see the connection between growing and design more than any other. As a grower, it inspired me to seek out flowers to grow that would enhance the beauty of our subscription bouquets. Happy Holidays!

    Reply
  3280. kristin on

    In Bloom by Claire Nolan is one of my favorites. I find that I often go back to it for valuable information but also because she so beautifully writes about flowers. I want to grow everything she writes about; very inspiring!

    Reply
  3281. Carrie Evans on

    Thank you for sharing these books! I can’t wait to start looking for these! My favorite is Florets Cut Flower Garden because it’s the first flower book I’ve ever purchased and I refer to it all the time! It has been a wonderful resource for me.

    Reply
  3282. Katie White on

    My favorite book is Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. It sucks you into a place where you can really imagine you are one of the characters and takes me back to a simpler time period.

    Reply
  3283. Sharon Weaver on

    My list of books I want has just gotten so much longer!!!! A year in Flowers is my favorite because it contains so much information that is easy to understand. Plus gorgeous pictures!!!!

    Reply
  3284. Kate C on

    Cut Flower Garden by you! It started my journey into the cut Flower Garden world and opened my eyes to the beauty and joy of flowers!

    Reply
  3285. Caitlin Page on

    Oh I love books! We had a small extra bedroom that I converted into a library and it is my favorite place to be when I can’t be in the garden. My favorite book is either Pride and Prejudice, The Book Thief, or the Court of Thorns and Roses series. It is way too hard to settle on just one, because they are my favorites for different reasons. The first one is a classic, but made the list because it reminds you not to make assumptions about people. It also illustrates how often we get into the way of our own happiness. The second book on the list was one that took me by surprise, so I’m not going to call out why I like it and ruin the experience for others. Finally, I like strong female lead characters, especially those who grow and become strong during the story. This is a fantasy – but who doesn’t need a little magic in their lives?

    Reply
  3286. Kara Braun on

    I LOVE a year in flowers for not only the information but the beautiful photos.

    Reply
  3287. Susan Davis on

    I love design books by Judith Blacklock.

    Reply
  3288. Gwen A on

    My favorite farm related books are “The Lean Farm” and anything by Eliot Coleman. “The Lean Farm” is full of ways that help make my farm more efficient, which is vital. Eliot is just a wealth of knowledge, and everything he shares is something that at some point will be useful in the life of a farmer.

    My favorite non-farm book is “Devil in the White City”. It has documented history and suspense. As a Landscape Architect, the details in the book of the building of the World’s Fair in Chicago was absolutely fascinating.

    Reply
  3289. Terry C on

    My favorite book of all time is Quo Vadis. A Nobel prize winning book written over a hundred years ago, about a time about 2000 years ago, but with timeless themes as relevant today as ever.

    Reply
  3290. Joan Black on

    I have enjoyed using Tracy DiSabato-Aust’s book, titled The Well Tended Perennial Garden Planting & Pruning Techniques, for many years. It’s my first go to source when I am stumped.

    Erin your listing of favorite books is stunning. I will certainly be looking for them in the future. Thanks!

    Reply
  3291. Sabrina S on

    I discovered The Pottery Gardener by Arthur Parkinson and fell in love with his style of container gardening. He just released another book called The Flower Yard that is equally brilliant & beautiful.

    Reply
  3292. Amy Kennedy Slesar on

    My favorite book of all times that isn’t a flower/ garden book is “The Book Thief” it’s a story about love and protection during the Holocaust. It’s incredibly moving. I also recommend “A Man Called Ove” to everyone looking for recommendations, I laughed and cried reading every single page.

    Reply
  3293. Theresa D. on

    My favorite books to ready are with my girls, to watch them get into a picture book story is so exciting to be a part ( cheesy I know) ! Thanks for being so generous!

    Reply
  3294. Josette Tyson on

    My favorite book is an old copy of Jamaica Inn. It’s a good blend of mystery and romance. I hashed had the book for over 30 years.

    Reply
  3295. Jill Rohring on

    I have to agree with your obsession for books. My husband and I both share the”problem” . We have a 10 foot by 20 foot enclosed porch that has bookcases on every wall space. Plus right now it’s full of houseplants that go outside for the summer.
    My favorite book? I would have to say my goto is the AHS encyclopedia of garden plants. I have 2 editions of it in fact. The method of organizing the plants within it works so well. Or should my favorite be the Hostapedia? Same reason… I guess I should stop.

    Reply
  3296. Lezlie Clay on

    I love One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp and Chasing Vines by Beth Moore. 💗

    Reply
  3297. Mitzi Rothman on

    What a wonderful collection. One doesn’t know where to start!

    Reply
  3298. Kate Huelsman on

    I would have to say anything by Neil Gaiman. The stories he xreates are so unique and the way he views the world is so poetic. He uas a way of describing a scene using thoughts that you never would have put together. If I had to pick my favorite it would be Omen.

    Reply
  3299. Lynn Troyer on

    Thank you SO much for sharing these wonderful resources! As an entrepreneur, some of my favorite reads are by Seth Godin – Purple Cow is a great place to start. I began reading his books long before starting my own small business and always found the words encouraged me to think outside the box and to champion myself. Love sharing them with others!
    Thanks again,
    Lynn

    Reply
  3300. Audrey Ganong on

    My favorite book memory as a child is when my father took the time to read a chapter a night to me and my siblings called the sugar creek gang.

    Reply
  3301. Hannah Precup on

    My Favorite book is a Tale of Two Cities. I first read it in highschool and loved it!

    Reply
  3302. Jennifer A Guyor-Jowett on

    As an ELA educator, my favorite book is almost always the one I’m currently reading. So that makes it “A Duet for Home” by Karina Yan Glaser today. It speaks to the importance of expression and voice and highlights the needs children have in a system that values monetary gain over human worth. Your books balance the visual and sensory beauty with informative details that bring a sense of wonder and awe into our lives. Thank you for that and for offering us the chance to win.

    Reply
  3303. Miranda on

    My favorite “inner gardening” book was written for children, but I re-read it often as an adult: “Wild Child” by Monica Furlong. Beautifully written, it is a quick read with a gripping story line and a happy ending.

    Reply
  3304. Sonia on

    I absolutely love ‘In Bloom’ by Clare Nolan 📕. Lots of beautiful visuals, easy to read, very well written for a beginner like myself. I also love the sections of the book ie perennials/spring bulbs etc- it truly is a beginner’s to more advanced guide to floristry!

    Reply
  3305. Andrea S on

    One of my favorite books is To Kill a Mockingbird. I remember having to read it in school and didn’t pay much attention, but then when I read it again later I loved it, as well as the sequel Go Set a Watchmen. I’m looking forward to extra quiet time this winter to read and plan out my little flower garden for the spring!

    Reply
  3306. Jessica Mansur on

    Your Year in flowers book was the book that really got me interested in growing flowers. All the lovely colors and photos of so many flowers I had never even heard of!

    Reply
  3307. Mirte on

    One of the books I read again and again, particularly at this time of year, is A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Not strictly garden-related, but it *is* a book that helps me reflect on the beauty and blessings of life, just like gardening does!

    Reply
  3308. Michelle B on

    What started me off was the cut flower garden. I am not very good at it but I am trying and learning and the more I read the more I learn. I figure if I can’t grow them successfully I can stare at beautiful pictures by people like you who do it well.

    Reply
  3309. Melanie R on

    Monty Don and Gardener’s World is largely responsible for my growing hobby of gardening. Once your documentary came out I was so glad to have another source to learn from! Yet, my knowledge is just a fledgling; I have much to learn yet! Thanks for the list of books to check out! I have a couple on my Christmas list already!

    Reply
  3310. Kim Johnston on

    Fish!: A Proven Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results by Stephen C. Lundin PhD, Harry Paul, and John Christensen. It is an inspirational story about leadership and being passionate about your work. I like the way if frames tips to succeed in an emotional story about the fish market in Seattle. I re- read it every few years.

    Reply
  3311. Hannah on

    “Tasha Tudor’s Garden” is a gorgeous book both in the inspiration for planning and growing a flower garden as well as in simplifying life down to its bare essence. A wonderful read with beautiful photos and prose.

    Reply
  3312. Debby West on

    I love reading gardening books too! One of my favorites that I enjoy re-reading is “Founding Gardeners” by Andrea Wulf. The Revolutionary Generation, Nature, and the Shaping of the American Nature.

    Reply
  3313. Shari Vetter on

    I’ll Push You: A Journey of 500 Miles, Two Best Friends, and One Wheelchair by Patrick Gray and Justin Skeesuck. This book inspires me and encourages me to never give up on my dreams and depicts true friendship and overcoming obstacles.

    Reply
  3314. Lauren Morrissey on

    My favorite book is Journey Into The Whirlwind by Eugenia Ginsburg. It’s a first person account of the atrocities of Stalin’s Gulags which, almost until I read this book, I had had no idea existed. I love this book for its honesty and because it changed my life…I majored in history with a focus of Russian history because of it!

    Reply
  3315. Sally on

    It’s hard to choose – I share your love of libraries and am well-known in my small town’s library. I love all of Elliot Coleman’s books – very practical guides to gardening in the Northeast

    Reply
  3316. Rebecca C on

    I love books full of studies and facts. The first one I read of this was “Real Food For Pregnancy” by Lily Nichols. It changed the way I viewed food even after I had my baby. So insightful! Obviously, that’s why I love your books, too – because they’re so helpful and full of wisdom!

    Reply
  3317. Susan Waller on

    Gardening and reading are my two favorite things …if I am not doing one , I am reading about the other. My local library never closed during the pandemic ( outside pickup ) and are so good about getting the books I need…. but I never want to return the gardening/flower books ! If that makes me a book hoarder so be it !

    Reply
  3318. Kimberly Bloom on

    The Magnificent Obsession a 1929 novel by Lloyd C Douglas. It’s a beautiful reminder how love can turn life around and the importance of giving without acknowledgement. It’s a big book but the ending is truly magnificent. The movie does not do it justice.

    Reply
  3319. Chelsea M on

    Although it is not a gardening how to or full of garden photos, Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer is my favorite book and inspiration for how I approach gardening today: working in harmony with Mother Nature, reciprocity with the plants, animals, and other beings, and the involvement of my children.

    Reply
  3320. Sarah Mathias Brodine on

    This is so fun!
    The first book that comes to mind and I should re-read soon to confirm it’s status is: An Everlasting Meal by Tamar Adler. I read it at a time that I was struggling with my view of food and eating and it was so refreshing – a great perspective and yummy read.

    Reply
  3321. Julianna Lindsay on

    I have a fondness for Crockett’s Victory Garden. It is such a basic book that details vegetables and flowers, but it is such a solid source of information.

    Reply
  3322. Brenda Hemby on

    I love “A Year Full of Flowers” by Sarah Raven. Such inspiration!

    Reply
  3323. Terri Waller on

    The Complete Gardener by Monty Don is also one of my favorite books. I have read it cover to cover twice and have highlighted, and tabbed pages that I refer to often. I have learned so much from this book and I treasure it! I also recently read Monty Don’s book My Garden World and I downloaded the audio version as well. I absolutely loved listening to his voice while reading along with my hard copy.

    Reply
  3324. Monika on

    My favorite flower books? YOURS!
    My favorite fiction series is Harry Potter – they’re the only books I enjoy rereading :)

    Reply
  3325. Clair H on

    I love the War of Art book by the same author of Turning Pro. Totally inspiring for anyone who struggles with creative mental blocks.

    Reply
  3326. Laura Wentz on

    My favorite book of all time is The Time Traveler’s Wife.

    I’ve made a list now of books to look for. Thank you so much for all the great ideas-not only of the books but for flowers, gardening and just how to enjoy life more.

    Reply
  3327. Anli Coertzen on

    My gardening journey started with Jane’s Delicious Garden. She was ahead of her time when it comes to natural mixed with food gardening.

    Reply
  3328. Carrie on

    I have always enjoyed The Secret Garden. It has been a source of inspiration for my desire to make my own personal garden a place of beauty and goodness in my small piece of the world. I also greatly look forward to reading it to each of my girls who are also just as nurturing of our garden (particularly the flower section). This book was a reminder of the healing effect that such a magical place can have on those around us.

    Reply
  3329. Sally Burke on

    My favorite book as a child and still as a 63 year old (as of today!) is the Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. It was so magical and captured the healing of a treasured garden space. Several years ago I developed rheumatoid arthritis and couldn’t garden, and finally was on effective treatment, and referred to my garden as where my soul lived. That was my Secret Garden experience.

    Your reading list is amazing and I have enjoyed several of them! Thanks for a wonderful reference guide!

    Reply
  3330. Sally Pope on

    My favorite book(s) to share is not plant related (although both never fail to inspire me to get out in the garden) I have 2; Traveling Mercies by Anne Lamott and New and Selected Poems by Mary Oliver. Both these books are gifts to me when I need a bit of ‘grounding’.

    Reply
  3331. Paige Vinson on

    One of my absolute favorites has been Cultivated by Christin Geall— she has a really dynamic and poetic style to her writing despite addressing some very specific artistic attributes of floral design. She goes very in-depth with some of the color theory concepts but is also enjoyable and anecdotal to read—a combination I often rarely find. Additionally, the images of the floral designs are gorgeous, often baroque style with a beautiful moodiness even when bright colors are used. A very inspiring and informative read.

    Reply
  3332. Elizabeth Findeis on

    The Essential Rose Garden..it has everything you need to know about how to properly grow and care for these beauties.

    Reply
  3333. Gretchen Daniel on

    I too love to read, and have collected quite the genre over the years. The book that really resonated with me is “Eat, Pray, Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert. Everything about her story is so inspiring and I’ve read it multiple times.

    Reply
  3334. Brooke on

    I just recently started researching cut flower gardens (within the past two months) in anticipation for the coming spring! I haven’t quite had a chance to find a favorite book yet but the first one I would like to try is definitely is The Flower Farmer: An Organic Grower’s Guide to Raising and Selling Cut Flowers, Second Edition. As a brand new flower gardener this book seems to include all of the information that I need to start growing! Thankfully I have been using Floret’s website and blog posts to gain knowledge and I am so excited for my first spring. Thank you Floret for sparking my interest and encouraging me every step of the year through your videos and blog posts!

    Reply
  3335. Melissa Scott on

    🌸 The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. I was gifted this book back in the mid 90’s and I have picked it up many times since then. It had me dig deep to look at my reasons for not only existing but guidance on how to thrive in life and soak it all in while doing so! It’s not a flower related book , but it’s a soul book.

    Reply
  3336. Glenna on

    Crockett’s Flower Garden was passed down from my father and I have referenced it through the years. I’m excited to get A Year In Flowers from my xmas list!

    Reply
  3337. Alina on

    I love all of Eliot Colemans’ books. He is a wealth of knowledge and so generous with sharing it! I have learned so much from this winter growing book and he has definitely made me a better gardener.

    Reply
  3338. Betsy Block on

    My current favorite is The Flower Farmer’s Year by Georgie Newbery. It’s written for British flower farmers, but the recommendations are very similar for my growing zone in Pennsylvania. My favorite section is called the Hedgerow Christmas and it walks you through planning an area of your garden/farm for Christmas greens and other decorative grown elements for holiday decorating.

    Reply
  3339. Olivia Thomas on

    The Jewel Garden by Monty and Sarah Don is the most extraordinary book, about making a garden, but also making and losing a business, depression, the history of a marriage and rebuilding from the ground up. If you haven’t read it, do. Thank you for the recommendations, particularly the non-gardening section!

    Reply
  3340. Maureen Fox on

    Favorite book – are we talking garden book or just books in general? For gardening, I’ve only read a few, but the one I go back to most often is the Vegetable Garden Pest Handbook by Susan Mulvihill. It was super helpful this past year both with getting rid of pests and identifying the good guys!

    Reply
  3341. Debra J. Talarico on

    My feelings are identical to yours regarding books. I love books I love to be surrounded by books. When I moved to the smaller house I donated a bunch of books and I’m so sorry I did that. I have always loved books. I actually have a few of the books that you mentioned. And one of your books is in my Amazon cart right now. But Christmas presents come first. I watched your limited series on discovery plus and I loved it! Thank you for sharing Your feelings.

    Reply
  3342. Charline Swoveland on

    I recently read Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer, and although it is not about florals it’s enjoyable for anyone who loves nature. It’s a beautiful story about the Native Americans ways of protecting the earth.

    Reply
  3343. Laura Welke on

    I have loved reading since I was a little girl. I would bring piles of books home from the library and get lost in their stories. I’m not sure I have an all-time favorite, but I recently read A Man Called Ove and loved it. I laughed, I wept, and I loved this story of a man at odds with his life after facing the loss of his wife and how his neighbors unknowingly bring him into the folds of their lives and show him he has value, dignity and worth even in his loss and grief. A beautiful story and a reminder that life – the good and the hard parts- is meant to be shared.

    Reply
  3344. Austin on

    Discovering Dahlias is a brilliant mix of how-to, encyclopedia, and an art book that I continue to reference both for tips on growing and for inspiration.

    Reply
  3345. Anne on

    Barbara Damrosch’s “Garden Primer” was the first book I ever gave my husband when he started gardening and it is still the book I consult most often–solid advice, such a broad sweep of subjects–it’s the perfect book, and would be my desert-island gardening book forever.

    Reply
  3346. Kaitlin Boyd on

    Cut Flower Garden has to be my favorite because it’s the book that started it all for me! Thanks for everything!

    Reply
  3347. Carolyn on

    I love the book The Almanack by Naval Ravikant. The book breaks down wealth building and happiness in the simplest of terms and is down right inspiring. This book help give me the courage to take some more risks in my life that have paid off.

    Reply
  3348. Dawn Harris on

    Choosing a favorite book is almost like choosing a favorite child! Impossible! But, what comes to mind at the moment is Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White. I received a copy of it for my 10th birthday from my grandfather. I still have it and re-read it once a year. When I was that age, I wanted to be a combination of Fern Avery, Laura Ingalls and Pippi Longstocking. My husband says I was successful. :) I cry every time I read this book not just from nostalgia but because. like all wonderful stories, it speaks to you at all stages of life, just in different ways. I think that is a precious thing. Thank you for the opportunity of winning some more lovely books.

    Reply
  3349. Katrina F Sensenig on

    I’ve only read Floret’s Cut Flower Garden, but I’m dying to get my hands on more of these!

    Reply
  3350. Bri Lovie on

    I recently did a research project on growing cut flowers and can say that your two books provided me with the most knowledge in the most accessible way. My second pick is The Flower Farmer :)

    Reply
  3351. Megan M. on

    One of my favorite books is Norse Mythology, by Neil Gamman. It’s sorry of like a fictional telling of how the Vikings actually viewed Norse mythology. Like a blend of fiction and non fiction! It sparked an interest in history in my husband, and we both finished the book in record time!

    Reply
  3352. Betsy LeVine on

    My absolute favorite book is Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard. Her writing captivates me and reminds me to open my eyes to the details of the natural world. I spent a summer once (before kids) spending 20 minutes or so early in the morning reading just a page or two of this book each day, savoring every single word. It was like a meditation and I look forward to doing that again someday. I love Annie Dillard’s writing in general, and even found the name for my daughter, Lou, in her book The Maytrees.

    Reply
  3353. Christine H on

    The book I find myself constantly revisiting is Dirr’s Hardy Trees and Shrubs by Michael Dirr. It’s such a classic! I must have paged through it hundreds of times by now and still find shrubs and trees I want to try. Why yes, I can certainly shoehorn in another magnolia. Or witch hazel. Or holly with fabulous berries!
    Another great one is Landscaping with Native Trees by Jim Wilson & Guy Sternberg. Good info on actual TREES! You know, those really tall things that provide SHADE when it’s 97 degrees in August!! Not those little weeping cherries and columnar maples. Ok, sorry, I guess you get the point, LOL.
    I know neither of those books are about flowers, but woody structure is so important. The right tree in the right place can make such a difference in a landscape, as well as attracting birds and pollinators.
    I totally agree with you, Erin. Libraries are fabulous. I even visit them on vacation to find books about the local plant life!

    Reply
  3354. Torrie @ Dream Acre Flower Farm on

    Ooo, I have so many books from this that I’ve now added to my wish list!

    I LOVE Frances Palmer’s book, and I’m actually gifting it to both my stepmom and my mother-in-law for Christmas (both of whom are artists). Anytime I need a little pick-me-up, I pick up Life in the Studio, and it always helps to fire me up again.

    And Erin, your books (obviously) are on constant rotation in my house, as well — I pretty much reference at least one of them almost daily, not even kidding. Thank you so much for this list!!

    Reply

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