This is a fantastic gardening book that features essays and stunning photos about all different garden topics from gardening with kids to off grid homesteading to community gardens to flower gardening and much more. Every woman featured has an inspiring story and the photos of the women, their families and their gardens are wonderful. Well recommended.

I read a temporary digital loan of this book for review.

Through first-person narratives and arresting photography, this unique gardening book profiles women who demonstrate how a gardening practice has the power to heal, empower, educate, and connect. Thirty-one compelling personal stories about creating backyard, flower, and vegetable gardens, participating in community gardens, and gardening with kids are included. Sidebars offer advice on composting, pest control, must-have tools, greenhouse gardens, and more.

In a beautiful, chunky package that can be read cover to cover or displayed on a coffee table, Black Girls Gardening makes a lovely gift for aspiring and practicing Black women gardeners, first-time homeowners, parents who garden with their kids, and women of all ages who enjoy sinking their hands into the soil.

GARDENING AS EMPOWERMENT: With stories on starting a garden from seed, building your own vegetable and flower beds, growing your own food, connecting with a community, and showing your kids the power and joy that come from these experiences, this uplifting book demonstrates how gardening empowers women and green thumbs of all ages and levels.

HEALTH BENEFITS: Gardening is good for you, and it’s a lifelong hobby! Spending time outside is an excellent way to relieve stress and anxiety, and gardening is an accessible and increasingly common pastime that provides respite from our indoor, online, sedentary lives. This book celebrates gardens as a sanctuary, a source of solace and joy, and a place for self-discovery and connection.

CELEBRATES DIVERSITY: This uniquely inspiring nature and gardening book highlights stories from Black, biracial, and multiracial women, an underrepresented audience in mainstream gardening, nature, and outdoor media.

Perfect for:
Self-care gift or self-purchase for Black women, ages 18 - 50+
Gift-giving for Mother’s Day, birthday, housewarming, or retirement
Women gardeners and aspiring green thumbs
Garden admirers and nature enthusiasts
First-time homeowners who want to plant a garden
Followers of @BlackGirlsGardening
Fans of Nature Swagger, Wild at Home, My Beautiful Black Hair, She Explores

I adored this book! It has inspired me to take up gardening, and I intend to showcase it on my coffee table rather than tucking it away on a bookshelf.

Black Girls Gardening is an absolute gem! This book is a visual and emotional celebration of Black women and their incredible gardens. It’s filled with beautiful, striking photography and heartfelt personal stories that showcase the healing power of gardening. Each of the thirty-one women featured shares their journey, from creating backyard sanctuaries to working in community gardens, and even gardening with their kids. The stories are empowering, showing how gardening can heal, connect, and empower.

What I love most about this book is how it highlights not just the beauty of plants, but the deep connection these women have with the earth and with each other. Whether it’s learning to compost, tackling pests, or growing your own food, there’s plenty of practical advice sprinkled throughout. The sidebars with gardening tips are super helpful for anyone looking to dig in and get their hands dirty, and the book’s design is absolutely gorgeous. It’s one you’ll want to leave out on your coffee table to inspire everyone who sees it.

This book is a must-have for anyone passionate about gardening, particularly Black women who may not always see themselves represented in the mainstream gardening world. It’s uplifting, informative, and a beautiful reminder of the joy and empowerment that gardening can bring. Plus, it makes a perfect gift for both seasoned gardeners and newcomers alike!