As a gardener, I was so excited for this book, and The Essential Guide to Bulbs did not disappoint! Over the past five years, my little garden has really evolved, and bulbs have become such a big part of the joy I find in gardening. There’s just something magical about growing plants from bulbs — from tulips to hyacinths — but especially tulips, since they’re my absolute favorite! Last spring, I planted about 400 bulbs, and it gave me the most colorful, beautiful spring I’ve ever had.

This book was exactly what I hoped it would be — stunning photography, a great layout, and so much helpful information. I loved that Jenny Rose Carey shares the history of bulbs first, then dives into different groups of bulbs (using the Latin names, which I really appreciate because flower names can vary so much). There’s also a wonderful chapter on maintenance and caring for your bulbs, plus one of my favorites — a section on planting bulbs in containers (I love container gardening!). And I was so happy to find a chapter all about designing with bulbs, giving real ideas you can use.

As a reader, I also really enjoyed Jenny Rose’s engaging writing style — it’s warm, knowledgeable, and made the whole book a joy to read from beginning to end. Whether you’re just starting out or have been gardening for years, this book is a must-have. You can easily read it cover to cover, like I did, or jump into the chapters you need. If you love growing bulbs — or simply love beautiful gardening books — you’ll definitely want this one on your shelf. It’s a true gem!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC and the opportunity to read this book.

What a wonderful celebration of bulbs! As a somewhat amateur gardener, this not only gave me so many ideas for new plants for the garden, but also reassured me that I should not be disheartened by the bulbs that just don’t seem to have worked in my garden. I had begun to lose faith, also not certain if I had enough. I now know how to manage staggered displays and have a list of no fewer than 20 new plants to try. I also have a perfect birthday gift idea for several friends and family members who share my love for all things horticultural. If you want your garden to bloom, then I would urge you to buy this book!

This book is a great resource for gardeners from beginners to experienced gardeners. Is there anything as simple as planting a bulb? Well, maybe not exactly so simple, but with a little guidance, it is pretty easy. And it can be very complex when you're planting a garden design, or planting for year 'round flowers, or trying to defeat hungry critters.

The book is well organized and easy to follow. I was happy with the alphabetical listing of bulbs with growing conditions, height of plant, seasonal interest (spring, early summer, etc.) and photos. The sections on "About These Bulbs, "Planting and Maintenance," "Design Ideas" and "Species and Cultivars" provide useful information. It would be so helpful to have this book to consult as you're going through those catalogs that show up in your mailbox. Some of the types of bulbs are common to almost anyone and some are more unusual. All may have a place in your garden.

Chapter 3 covers personalizing your garden. Finding places to plant bulbs, do you want something informal or is your style more formal? What season do you need more color? What color themes do you like? Do you want bulbs in a woodland setting, or do you want a lawn of bulbs?

Chapter 4 is for planning and planting a bulb container garden. Chapter 5 describes how to plant and tend to your bulb garden. One of the areas the author covers is "congestion" when bulbs multiply underground. I was the lucky recipient of some gorgeous daffodils when my neighbor had 2 patches that had quintupled the number of bulbs. I dug them up for her, replanted, and redistributed.

So if you're looking for guidance, inspiration, help, and general knowledge, this book is a wonderful addition to your bookshelf.