Home & Garden

The outstanding public garden of dry gardening pioneer Ruth Bancroft, planted in the early 1970s and located on eight acres in Walnut Creek, is a stunning place to visit. But those who cannot make it there will find much to learn, and be inspired by, in The Bold Dry Garden. Bancroft is a fearless planter, and her landscape designs are packed with breathtaking colors, textures, and shapes. If you need a nudge toward being a more adventurous and water-wise gardener, this should do the trick. —S.B.

Herbarium is a book about plants. Or is it a book about food? History? Health? Art? No matter how you categorize it, Herbarium is terrific. With a beautiful block-print style and an overview of 100 different herbs—including tips on growing, uses for cooking, and ideas for beauty and health—Herbarium would make a winning gift for any herb lover or a great addition to your own library. —Megan

Another excellent title in the 1001 series, this book covers all of my planting dreams. It has information on everything from classic flowers to new hybrids, revitalized heirlooms to the downright odd. Logically organized, with beautiful photos and in-depth advice, 1001 Plants works as both a reference book and as coffee-table eye candy.  —Rachel

Ariella Chezar, an acclaimed florist, shares her approach to arranging flowers in this gorgeous book. Emphasizing the use of seasonal and locally sourced blooms, branches, and fruit, she composes simple, organic arrangements that would brighten any home or special occasion. I already love arranging flowers, but found much inspiration in Chezar’s breathtaking bouquets, wreaths, garlands, and table décor. The Flower Workshop made me swoon.  —S.B.

I loved Wendy’s first installment of these unique knitting stitches (Up, Down, All Around). The patterns are written for either flat or in-the-round, making it easy to design a new hat, scarf, or sweater around your new favorite stitch pattern. Remember, knitting isn’t just for winter; break out the cotton and linen and get your lace on for a fancy warm-weather tee!  —Megan

Get ready to meet your new best friends: charismatic and talented brothers Jonathan and Drew Scott. If you haven’t seen their popular home redesign show on HGTV, this book will be the perfect introduction to their magical world of designing a dream home on a budget. The Property Brothers, drawing on their years of experience, include tips and tricks for room design as well as advice about how to save money on the things you need to turn your house into your dream home. Consider this your new homeowner’s handbook.  —Megan

Ever think to yourself, “Man, I’d really like my garden to be low maintenance yet cater to the needs and desires of thousands of tiny friends, but where do I start?” Look no further than this super book! Complete with fun facts on bee-havior, instructions on building a beautiful bee condo that doubles as a garden sculpture, and of course, suggestions about which plants to choose for your new bee-topia garden, this book is fun and informative and will make you say, “Bring on the bees!” —Megan

Aromatherapist Kathi Keville explains how fragrant plants, from the sweetly scented lemon verbena to pungent, peppery basil, can be as therapeutic as they are intoxicating, and how easy it is to add this element to gardens large and small. This beautiful guide, filled with lovely photographs and recipes for oils, liniments, and tonics, is perfect for anyone interested in medicinal herbs, aromatherapy, or aromatic gardening.  —S.B.

Katie Jackson’s book is filled with outdoor projects that are modern, attractive, and (best of all) actually easy enough for woodworking beginners. Like the sweet red chair on the cover, Jackson’s designs are clean and simple and require only basic tools to make. It is totally refreshing to find an easy woodworking book with projects that match my aesthetic. I am all about the midcentury modern slat bench and pipe leg potting table, and can’t wait to make them for our garden.  —S.B.

It is nearly impossible for me to give up anything once I attach importance to it. I was super skeptical anything could help. This book, however, helped me get rid of a lot, but discarding is not really the point. It's more about surrounding yourself with things you love. This book seriously changed me (and I was certainly resistant to change!). –Ivy