This book was fine. It was too short in my opinion for the kind of help that a beginner gardener would be looking for.
There were some helpful parts, but these were quick, lacked detailed and focused on the bigger picture of your garden rather than any specifics I would have been looking for.
I think the reference table at the back of the book is good, it provides you with all of the resources to further your own research but highlights that lack of detail in the main body of text with an extensive list of websites researched. There was not a gardening book in sight on this reference list.
Overall I give this book 2.5⭐️, rounded up.

Gardening For Beginners is your ultimate companion to simplify the journey, offering practical advice that empowers you to create a flourishing garden, no matter your space or experience.


Here's just a glimpse of what you'll discover inside this book:
• BONUS: Includes a downloadable garden planner—yours to print and reuse every season.
• The 5 essential steps to prepare your soil for a bountiful garden.
• Adaptive watering techniques designed to suit every climate, ensuring your plants thrive.
• Natural pest control strategies to protect your garden without harming beneficial insects.
• Smart companion planting tips that help deter pests and enhance plant growth.
• Urban gardening solutions for maximizing even the smallest spaces.
• Tailored climate-specific advice to choose the perfect plants for your region.
• Seasonal planting calendars to ensure you never miss the optimal planting times.
• The secrets to reviving struggling plants and maintaining vibrant health.
• How to identify signs of overwatering and prevent common watering mistakes.
• Eco-friendly fertilization methods that nourish your garden sustainably.
• Budget-friendly gardening hacks to get you started without breaking the bank.
• Helpful plant selection guidance to match your space, climate, and gardening goals.
• Step-by-step guidance with supporting visuals to help you learn with confidence.
• Personal anecdotes and expert tips to connect you with the joy of gardening.

I’m obsessed with this, honestly. It’s a great idea of what to do right. Lily jones obviously takes great care in their writings. I love that there are references on the back and a downloadable PDF for garden planning!!! Obviously I don’t know how that will work for a physical copy, maybe a QR code? Anyways, this was great, I’m new to gardening, it was a good stepping stone for me!!

This is pretty generic information, reads like an essay. Can’t say for sure but could be AI, the author name is just suspect no online presence.

I DNF'd this one about 75% in.

I am new to gardening and this book caught my eye. I had hoped for a great beginner's book, but this book wasn't what I was looking for. There are some good tips, but then no explanation or further details and the writing style felt off to me. The chapters are very short and there just wasn't enough information. And sometimes there might be one very specific example. I was hoping it would get better, but it didn't. I also can't find this book for sale anymore.

Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, the author and NetGalley for a DRC in return for an honest review

I'm glad to see the author is taking readers comments onboard and revising accordingly. I notice quite a few people have been commenting on the difficulty in accessing the digital garden planner. I myself had no such problems - maybe this is one aspect that the author has fixed based on feedback. Personally I would've preferred more photographs. For a visual subject like gardening, text-heavy instructions can be harder to follow.
When I was first starting out gardening, it helped to see photos of what other people had already accomplished and in turn what you could create yourself.

The book doesn't state whether it is aimed at a UK or US audience. Therefore it doesn't delve into region-specific advice, which may limit its applicability for readers seeking guidance tailored to particular climates or local plant species.

If you are a beginner then this book is a really good starting point. It has lots of practical advice and resources to help you create the garden of your dreams. If you've already got greenfingers however, it probably won't add much to your knowledge.

#GreenThumbLife #NetGalley.

This is a fun primer for the absolute most beginner gardener. However, it doesn’t really provide or entice specific action items that would motivate someone to take part in the practice.

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for the copy in exchange for an honest review. Unfortunately, I have to rate this quite low. The photos look off to me, and upon closer look, they look AI (either wholly or in part) generated. The 'soil' photo and the photo near the end with the person watering the pavement especially. I mean, c'mon. I skimmed the book and it has basic information, most of which I look suspiciously at, as that might have been AI-generated too. Who is to say? This is what happens when you break the trust of the reader - they will question the legitimacy of it all. Is it mentioned anywhere that AI was used. If so, it's not clear to me as the audience. Disappointing.

I picked up Gardening For Beginners hoping to start a new hobby bearing in mind I don’t have alot of spare time - and I’m so glad I did. The book is super easy to follow, with simple tips that make gardening feel way less intimidating. It’s great for total newbies like me who just want to grow a few plants without turning it into a full-time job.

I especially liked the advice on low-maintenance plants and small spaces—perfect if you’re short on time or don’t have a big garden. I do wish there were a few more pictures and maybe a troubleshooting section, but overall, it’s a really helpful and encouraging guide.

If you’re curious about gardening but not sure where to start, this book is a great first step!!

I needed this book and it found me at just the right time. This is my 6th year with my own garden but I'm still very much a novice. This book was exactly what I needed and will be purchasing it in hard copy to keep on my shelves for reference.

With vibrant photos, this little book for beginners gives us some awesome tips for starting our very own gardening journey.

Easy to follow steps and tricks; from composting to watering, as a beginner, this book is a good first step in researching the proper techniques and methods. This book is a good starting off point that introduces what we, as gardeners, can expect when we dig deeper into becoming gardeners.

Highly recommend this for those interested in gardening but have not ventured into the wonderful world of home grown just yet.

#NetGalley #GardeningForBeginners

🌱 3-Star Review: Gardening for Beginners by Lily Jones
While Gardening for Beginners by Lily Jones offers some helpful and accessible information, I found myself wishing there was more depth to it. The content felt more like a personal journal entry than a comprehensive guide — charming, yes, but lighter than I expected. I appreciated the snippets of practical advice and encouragement for those just starting out, but it left me wanting more structure, tips, and visuals to really feel supported in my gardening journey. It’s a nice introduction, but not quite the thorough how-to I was hoping for.

#GardeningForBeginners #NetGalley #GardeningBasics #BookReview #ARCReview

This is a great start for beginner gardeners like myself. It provides a broad look over what you need to know to start your garden. I was hoping for some more in depth information about the topics touched on, but for an absolute beginner this is a great place to start. It also provides valuable information on how to learn more on things like your soil ph. This would be a really fun gift for someone who wants to start their own journey but is lost on how to start!

Very informative. The story flowed well and the characters were well developed.  I recommend this book and look forward to more from this author.



****Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review****

A handy, informative little guide for those just getting into gardening. Would've loved to have more images in the book. Its a basic introduction, with lots of helpful tips! The book is meant to contain a downloadable garden planner, but I was unable to get the file to load. Would've been great to have a printable template to map out your garden!

Very basic information, but a great starting point for those just wanting to start out!

I’ve been gardening for years. Flowers, bushes and shrubs, vegetables, seeds, bulbs, etc. I enjoy it and I remember the excitement of putting in my first vegetable garden. I was anxious to preview this book to see what might be important for a new gardener to know.

This is a quick reading, short book that is superficial and I don’t think it answers questions to the extent that a new gardener would want to know. For example, Chapter 1 says that pH is important, without explaining what pH is and then says testing pH is as simple as using vinegar and baking soda. What does that mean to a beginner? Or to me, a chemist, for that matter?

Other chapters make similar statements, assuming that the reader knows what a word means and how to address the issue. Basics of seed starting is a total of 3 paragraphs, whereas total chapters and books are often written for beginners, as well as experienced gardeners.

Another chapter mentions aphids, a common pest. There are no photos and no specific information provided on treating an infestation, or for powdery mildew and leaf spot disease, both of which are mentioned with a general comment on how to address, but I think a beginning gardener will scratch their heads.

I’m sorry that I cannot recommend this book.

A great little book for someone like me who has just taken up a casual gardening hobby. I liked that the information was very digestable but not watered down.

A nice introduction to the subject for the absolute beginner. Many of us want a garden to enjoy but a blank canvas can be a scary thing, especially if you don’t have much background knowledge, so it’s nice to see a book which gives a good overview of the very basics. Many books on gardening can be overwhelming themselves as the subject is so big but this book is very useful to help you get started and the author does a really good job of getting to the point and making it all informative and engaging. It probably won’t help you build an entire garden without more information, but it’s an excellent way to get the essential information you need to consider and I found it very useful.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in return for an honest review.

'Gardening for Beginners' is a simple guide to gardening essentials for someone who has no idea about gardening and plants but wants to create their own garden. The guidelines are simple and to the point, as the author does a good job of not dilly-dallying with what they want to convey. Hence, even though the book is short, it contains lots of information, but all the subjects are only touched upon without going into too many details. But, the author provided some examples, and the book is filled with pretty and colourful pictures.

A great fast read for first time or beginner gardners. This book will take you step by step from soil conditioning, garden planning and how to maintain your plants from pests and diseases. I have a few gardening books and none of them mention watering techniques as well as targets different diseases plants can get. This book has it all including how you can build a community around your garden too. A fast read that will have you feeling more comfortable picking up those garden gloves.