NZ gardening guides to grow your kai from soil to table
Looking for good books about planting and gardening in NZ?
From raising fruits and vegetables to nurturing the soil beneath your feet, these guides celebrate the connection between people, land and kai. Our librarians – many of them keen gardeners themselves – have gathered NZ-centred books that work for Auckland’s climate and beyond, so you can grow with confidence.
Librarian favourite gardening books
1. Homegrown happiness: a Kiwi guide to living off the suburban land by Elien Lewis
Part growing guide, part recipe book, this beautiful hardback is perfect for both gardeners and cooks alike. Learn what to plant and when, in different climates across NZ – gain a palatable beginners’ overview of how to forage, harvest, compost and keep pests at bay.
This thoughtful guide also includes healthy homegrown recipes the whole whānau will love! Elien shares her favourite seasonal recipes that draw on the 'root to tip' philosophy, resulting in a low carbon footprint and minimal waste.
2. The edible backyard by Kath Irvine
If you’re looking to dig a little deeper, this practical step-by-step guide has everything you need to know to grow organic vegetables, fruit and herbs in your own garden.
Its expert insights cover all the essentials: garden design, tools and equipment, seasonal planting advice, soil fertility and seed-saving basics. It also looks at managing pests and diseases and shows how to incorporate organic and permaculture gardening methods into any home garden.
3. Pātaka Kai: Growing kai sovereignty by Jessica Hutchings and Jo Smith
A refreshing alternative to mainstream gardening guides, this empowering and hopeful book encourages a return to Indigenous values and practices as pathways to ecological, cultural and socio-economic sustainability in Aotearoa.
Alongside big-picture ideas, it offers readers practical insights into kai sovereignty and traditional growing knowledge that can be applied in today’s home gardens.
4. Jo McCarroll’s vege patch from scratch by Jo McCarroll
An accessible gardening guide for new and less experienced gardeners who want to get growing by starting small. As longtime editor of NZ Gardener, Jo McCarroll brings a wealth of personal tips and encouragement to experiment, learn and establish your own kitchen garden. With this guide, you’ll carry a new confidence from choosing seeds to caring for your first crops.
5. The home orchard: essential NZ guide to growing fruit by Bill Brett
Whether you’re planting in shady courtyard pots or on a lifestyle block, this guide shows how to grow fruit to harvest every month of the year. With advice on variety selection, pruning and disease resistance, Bill Brett makes it simple to achieve reliable yields, great taste and healthy plants – while also helping you save money on your food bill.
Find more staff-picked gardening guides
There’s still time to plant, so dig into these books and more! Browse the full list of staff-picked NZ gardening guides to get your garden thriving.
Want to get hands-on?
Check out our library events for free gardening and nature activities in your community, from seed swaps and family planting sessions to composting workshops and practical growing tips. Events may vary from month to month.
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