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One thing is certain - a garden is a beautiful thing to stroll through, work in, and enjoy.

What’s more is that you can have a garden that is designed not only for beauty, but for the planet as well. These 7 sustainable gardening books showcase how to garden in a way that encourages beneficial wildlife and pollinators, respects waterways, and implements other climate adaptable gardening techniques.

Here are my top picks for sustainable gardening book to read in 2024:

Best sustainable gardening book for beginners with yards of all sizes:

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How to Create an Eco Garden: The Practical Guide to Sustainable and Greener Gardening a book by John Walker

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Key points:

• offers guidance on how to make compost, harvest rainwater, and maximize photosynthesis
• focuses on organic techniques
• shows how to work with recycled materials
• provides 6 garden layouts

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For beginners wanting to learn sustainable techniques towards self-sufficiency

How to Become a Gardener: Find Empowerment in Creating Your Own Food Security a book by Ashlie Thomas

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Key points:

• focuses on how gardens can be an answer to food insecurity
• offers advice on the whole gardening process - from how to get started with seed starting to how to make the most of the harvest
• shares insight on the mental health benefits of gardening
• very encouraging and empowering read

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An eco friendly gardening guide for the DIY-savvy

Sustainable Garden: Projects, Insights and Advice for the Eco-Conscious Gardener a book by Marian Boswall and Jason Ingram

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Key points:

• fully outlined projects for a more sustainable garden
• highlights how to move over to peat-free compost, save seeds, and create garden spaces from repurposed materials
• provides advice on how to source materials in a way the supports the environment
• explores gardening through the lens of connecting to nature and nourishing the planet

For those looking to transform an existing plot into a more sustainable garden

Resilient Garden: Sustainable Gardening for a Changing Climate a book by Tom Massey

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Key points:

• focuses on building resiliency into your garden so that it can weather an unpredictable climate
• offers advice on how to navigate through droughts, flooding, winds, early and late frosts, and pest infestations
• solutions are research-based and have the spirit of tending to the planet instead of causing more harm
• full of inspiration showcasing how other gardeners have created resiliency in their gardens
• geared towards those who already have a garden but are looking to create shifts with climate change in mind

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Best book for dry climate gardening and water-wise practices

Dry Climate Gardening: Growing Beautiful, Sustainable Gardens in Low-Water Conditions a book by Noelle Johnson

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Key points:

• focus is on building a garden in areas with little rainfall
• covers the scope of xeriscaping, with a full guide on which plants are best for dry areas
• offers advice on landscaping plants, but techniques can be applied to growing food with some extended research

Learn how to create a wildlife paradise in your own yard

The Humane Gardener: Nurturing a Backyard Habitat for Wildlife (How to Create a Sustainable and Ethical Garden That Promotes Native Wildlife a book by Nancy Lawson

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Key points:

• both informational on the benefits of wildlife and practical in the process of attracting wildlife into your yard
• advice is geared towards those who live in the united states, but can be applied anywhere
• provides a different perspective on "pests" in the garden
• advocates for working with nature and letting nature guide your garden decisions

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Learn useful ways to improve and scale your current garden with permaculture principles

The Regenerative Garden: 80 Practical Projects for Creating a Self-Sustaining Garden Ecosystem a book by Stephanie Rose

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Key points:

• outlines the key principles of permaculture in a practical and easy to understand way
• provides ways to be more self-sufficient in how you garden by bringing in less inputs
• offers techniques on how the garden can be resilient throughout the year so that eventually the garden is productive with less work from you
• 80 projects are outlined in this guide through the lens of soil, water, plants, climate, ethics, and community

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Are you a fellow book nerd? Here are some more options for sustainable gardening books:

• learn how to get started with apartment homesteading with these books
• check out these best books for beginner gardeners if you're new to growing food

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