Book Review: RHS Complete Gardener’s Manual

Without doubt, the RHS Complete Gardener’s Manual is one of the best bargains I’ve picked up in TK Maxx. There, I said it. I shop in TK Maxx occasionally. Glad I do too as this really is a bargain book I found for only £5.

It covers all the basics of gardening in a lovely clear manner, with lots of colourful images and photos. From design inspiration and mulching, to growing veg. It’s all in here.

There is even a nice plant selector at the back with clear photos of the flowers and plants to help chose what to buy.

While studying RHS Level 2, I found this book particularly helpful for the fruit and vegetable information and the steps required to match the exams requirements. It’s the book I found most closely matched the Level 2 learning outcomes. In particular, the clear pruning diagrams demystified something I was really struggling with.

Summary: Complete Gardener’s Manual

If you’re a beginner to the world of gardening, this is a great book to start. Quite jam packed with ideas, you’ll be itching to get outside and dig. The only thing I can mark it down on, is that it’s a victim of its own format, good at everything, master at none. You’ll quickly progress to more specific design or dedicated plant books. Its advice is slightly out of date now (perhaps why it was in TK Maxx), but only a little bit – growing techniques don’t really change that much. Find it for a fiver though, and you can’t go wrong. I like it.

4/5