Ever catch yourself talking to your plants or wondering if they might be listening?

A fresh crop of books on plant science and progressive gardening has been sprouting up lately—fun reads that deepen our understanding of one of our favorite pastimes. 

As gifting season approaches, here are a few entertaining and eye-opening titles that might just change the way you see your garden or make the perfect present for the plant lover on your Christmas list.

 The Light Eaters: How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth

By Zoe Schlanger

This book blew my mind wide open. Schlanger, a journalist, explores the reemerging field of plant behavior through the lens of neurobiology and neurobotany. 

Years ago, I read “The Secret Life of Plants” by Peter Tompkins and Christopher Bird, only to later learn that much of it was based on pseudoscience and unreplicated experiments. (The authors claimed scientists failed to connect personally with the plants, which was why the plants didn’t respond.) After that fallout, serious research into plant behavior stalled for nearly 30 years. 

But thanks to technological advances, biotechnology and renewed curiosity about how plants respond to stimuli, the field is thriving again. Schlanger builds her case through rigorous scientific research and interviews with the people conducting the studies. Her chapter on plant communication makes me think twice about what I say in the garden. 

The book’s core examines how plants use electrical impulses to produce alkaloids and phenols that protect and heal them. It’s easily the best book I’ve read this year—and as a bonus, it’s available as an audiobook through the library.

Click here to purchase "The Light Eaters" on Amazon

 The Regenerative Grower’s Guide to Garden Amendments: Using Locally Sourced Materials to Make Mineral and Biological Extracts and Ferments

By Nigel Palmer

This is the book I’ve been waiting for most of my career. I’ve taught classes on many of the practices Palmer outlines, and it’s a relief to see them all compiled in one place. 

He begins with strategies for growing healthy crops, then moves through composting, foliar sprays and nutrient extraction, finishing with Korean natural farming recipes for cultivating beneficial bacteria and fungi. There’s even a section on using a refractometer and soil tests to track soil health. A must-have for biologically minded gardeners and anyone eager to make their own plant foods using local, inexpensive resources.

Click here to purchase "The Regenerative Garden" on Amazon

 The Lost Language of Plants

By Stephen Harrod Buhner

This fun and easy read connects the dots between environmental concerns, pharmaceutical shortcomings and the healing potential of plants for both people and the planet. 

While the early chapters can feel a bit heavy, Buhner’s exploration of herbology and our ability to “read” the landscape for medicinal plants is fascinating. The book includes sensory exercises to help deepen your connection with the natural world—plus 27 pages of footnotes and a robust bibliography to back up the insights and exercises inside. Anyone who enjoys crafting their own herbal remedies will love this one.

Click here to purcase "The Lost Language of Plants" on Amazon

 In Search of the Perfect Peach: Why Flavour Holds the Answer to Fixing Our Food System

By Franco Fubini

Fubini takes aim at a food system driven by yield, durability and unrealistic “Barbie doll” produce standards that have stripped produce of taste and nutrition. He argues that growing for flavor not only improves our meals but reconnects us with the farmers, the seasons and the soil. It’s a shorter read and filled with optimism about how to eat better in an industrial world.

Click here to purchase "In Search of the Perfect Peach" on Amazon

 Botanical Bar Craft: A Guide to the Art of Apothecary Cocktails and Herbal Tonics Elixirs 

By Cassandra Elizabeth Sears 

For those who love being in the kitchen—or hosting—this book blends herbalism, mixology and garden craft. 

Sears shares recipes for botanical cocktails and mocktails infused with herbal tinctures, teas and tonics, along with notes on herbal properties, chemistry and energetics. It’s both educational and indulgent—a perfect conversation starter for any gathering. After all, who wouldn’t want to cure what ails them with a jazzy cocktail?  

Click here to purchase " Botanical Bar Craft" On Amazon

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