7 best autumn books for gardeners including Monty Don and Raymond Blanc
As the weather starts to get colder, if you've finished raking the leaves, cutting your hedge, and weeding and mulching your borders, put your feet up with these gardening books
As the chill of autumn sets in, it's time to cosy up with a good book after you've finished your gardening chores like raking leaves, trimming hedges, and tending to your flower beds.
Whether you're on the hunt for brilliant planting ideas, delicious recipes using your home-grown veggies, or tips on creating a retro haven, there's a book out there for every green thumb.
Here are some top picks from this season's crop of gardening books that you can enjoy this autumn and beyond.
5 houseplants that 'remove toxins' leaving homes 'fresher and cleaner'
Planting 1 tree in the garden can ensure visits from robins 'all-year round'
1 of 7 The Essential Guide To Bulbs by Jenny Rose Carey
If you're still looking to plant your bulbs this autumn for a vibrant display come springtime, but aren't quite sure where to start, The Essential Guide To Bulbs is just what you need.
Filled with stunning photographs and expert advice, seasoned gardener Carey provides all the guidance you need to select, plant, and care for your bulbs.
She also goes beyond the usual daffodils and tulips, showing how bulbs can provide colour for three seasons without breaking the bank, how they can be used in pots, and how they can be swapped out to create seasonal drama.
(Image:© 2025 PA Media, All Rights Reserved)2 of 7 Down To Earth by Monty Don
Down To Earth: A fresh edition of this timeless favourite from the Gardeners' World presenter, complete with a new introduction penned by the man himself, offers a treasure trove of advice gleaned from 50 years in the garden.
It includes his musings and gardening concepts around nature, seasons, colour, design, pests, flowering shrubs, containers and much more.
You can follow his monthly tasks and gain insights into his garden, some aspects of which aren't caught on camera.
(Image:© 2025 PA Media, All Rights Reserved)3 of 7 What Grows Together: Fail-Safe Plant Combinations for Every Garden by Jamie Butterworth
He's been dubbed Monty Don's protégé, assisted the TV gardener in crafting his dog-friendly garden at this year's RHS Chelsea Flower Show, and even managed to fit in writing a book about plant combinations.
Drawing inspiration from Jamie Oliver's '5 Ingredients', What Grows Together: Fail-Safe Plant Combinations for Every Garden showcases plant combinations throughout the year featuring three plants, perfect for those unsure about how to pair plants, or even for those who find themselves overwhelmed at the garden centre, returning home with wonderful plants, but in mismatched combinations.
(Image:© 2025 PA Media, All Rights Reserved)4 of 7 Simply Raymond Kitchen Garden by Raymond Blanc
Anyone fortunate enough to have visited Raymond Blanc's hotel and restaurant, Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, nestled in the stunning Oxfordshire countryside, and taken a tour of his garden, will understand his passion for seasonal ingredients grown by his own team of gardeners and served in his restaurant.
Simply Raymond Kitchen Garden invites you to enjoy his expansive kitchen garden from the comfort of your own home, with highlights including the potager, the medicinal herb garden, mushroom garden, vast orchard and beehives which provide honey for the hotel guests.
And of course there are his mouthwatering recipes, from an easy Garden Veg Omelette to Beetroot-Marinated Salmon Tartare, but also wise words about sowing and planting, prepping and cooking.
(Image:© 2025 PA Media, All Rights Reserved)
5 of 7 The Secret Gardeners by Victoria Summerley & Hugo Rittson Thomas
If you're one of those green-fingered enthusiasts who likes to sneak a peek at the gardens of the rich and famous, The Secret Gardeners should give you a good look.
Featuring the private gardens of more than 25 well-known figures from British culture – actors, artists, writers and designers – the updated edition includes four new gardens including those of Dame Prue Leith, Jeremy Clarkson and Dominic West, and each chapter looks at what gardening means to them and how their garden reflects their personality.
For more stories like this subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The Weekly Gulp, for a curated roundup of trending stories, poignant interviews, and viral lifestyle picks from The Mirror's Audience U35 team delivered straight to your inbox.
(Image:© 2025 PA Media, All Rights Reserved)6 of 7 The Vintage Farmhouse Garden by Rhonda Kaiser
Vintage is very much in vogue, from fashion to furniture, but it's also making its way into the garden as people scour reclamation yards and charity shops for ephemera to make their garden a little bit unique and retro chic.
Garden and design influencer Kaiser takes it a step further, The Vintage Farmhouse a guide to creating a vintage-inspired farmhouse garden that she believes could suit any outdoor space.
She provides ideas such as a stunning tablescape and a welcoming front porch, as well as tips on how to showcase your collection of seasonal plants and pollinator-friendly choices, and make the most of vintage accessories.
(Image:© 2025 PA Media, All Rights Reserved)7 of 7 Lasting Impressions: A Guide To Dried Floral Design by Tennessee Jane
If you don't have a garden, or if you've been busy cutting flowers over the summer for drying, Lasting Impressions: A Guide To Dried Floral Design gives you the latest trends in floral design might give you some fantastic ideas on how to create modern arrangements using dried florals and other materials.
Say goodbye to shabby chic wreaths and bouquets, and hello to minimalist and striking dried designs. Floral designer Tennessee Jane provides easy-to-follow guides to more than 50 attractive and affordable displays that cater to every budget and style.
Each chapter evokes a different mood, from Calm – featuring the natural colours of dried grasses – to Bold, which experiments with funky forms and vibrant spray-painted pieces.
Help us improve our content by completing the survey below. We'd love to hear from you!
(Image:© 2025 PA Media, All Rights Reserved)