The magnificence of gardening is that it is so diverse. Recently it has become fashionable for guerrilla and organic gardening (with the aim of self sufficiency). However, trends are ever changing and ideas are always morphing which makes a gardening book very much in danger of being outdated as soon as it hits the shelves.

So what can make a good gardening book? Perhaps by considering aspects of gardening as separate factions rather than lumping them together as one topic. A book trying to cater for all forms of gardening would be a foreboding and impractical tome!

Landscaping is almost considered an art form. A book with clear diagrams and inspiring pictures as well as the technical knowledge of how to build and landscape a garden would be the most appropriate type of book for this. Yet landscaping is based on ideas and innovation and this is ever changing. Surely the internet and other forms of media would facilitate this form of gardening much more effectively than a book?

Over the last decade it has become fashionable again to become self sufficient. The idea of growing your own vegetables and having an allotment has connotations of an organic lifestyle that is beyond our materialistic standard of living. The techniques of simple, practical gardening are ageless and therefore they are perfect content for a book. There is a trend for gardening books combined with recipe books which show you how to grow your own food and cook it. The vivid images and practical advice in these books make them a seducing read.

Some of the most successful gardening books are those which consider gardening seasonally. The winter garden is far removed from summer blooms and books which acknowledge this tend to succeed.

What makes up a good gardening book is completely subjective. The tangibility of a book creates inspiration in itself but some forms of gardening are only suited to the internet. Although some planting techniques are timeless, the excitement of movements such as guerrilla gardening can be facilitated by a blog and photos with regular updates.