When everything in the garden is a little less than rosy, these glorious books could lift your spirits and inspire your dream green space

Gardening is one of the UK’s most popular hobbies, for a variety of good reasons. The soft rhythm of the natural year offers comfort and soothes tension; the acts of digging, weeding, sowing and mulching provide a fuss-free physical workout; and the beauty of flowers, fruit and vegetables supply satisfaction by the bucket load, literally. But even the most green-fingered of enthusiasts must admit there are times when a combination of low spirits and inclement weather, be it unspeakably cold or fiendishly hot, can make it hard to coax unwilling toes into boots and back outdoors. For those moments, there is an abundance of literature to provide a timely shot of motivation, not the how-to type, but rather in the curl-up-in-an-armchairand-enjoy category. The books that help when the pursuit of perfection is proving too much. The ones that reassure and remind that while the tending and toiling seems like a neverending task, it’s not a thankless one.

Whether the garden is designed or evolves, revels in wild abandon or is kept strictly clipped, is a solo effort or a collaboration, these books serve as a reminder that it is, above all, a place to reconnect and recentre. So, for now, settle down, kick off the wellies, reground yourself and take heart from some of these glorious garden reads. And whenever the right moment arrives, don those boots, slip into those gloves and get back to digging the dream, whatever it may be.