Unfortunately, you are very perceptive. (But I have one book that's not full of warmed over stuff. It's about California conifers.)

The oo-lala pretty eye candy is what everyone is reaching for. That and a respected author whos ideas tend to be popular (even if they have been around for a while or printed else where)

My favorite garden books tend to be the one where the author tells the story of their garden over the years. I like when they tell you how big the plant was when they got it fifteen years ago and how big it is now, when they tell you what was supposed to be beautiful but instead was invasive and impossible to pull out, when they tell you about their favorite plants to collect and you learn all about new species and cultivars.

Pam Harper is one such writer that comes to mind but there are many others in my collection.

It depends what you read ...

If you buy all your gardening books at Wallmart then you may be right pinetree30 ... but plant science as it relates to gardening is a rather complex subject ... a bit deeper then "Martha Stewart" TV shows and the like ... I don't believe any one person could really read all there is about gardening ...

So I would have to disagree ... there is still much to learn and be discovered ... and read about.

Good Day ...

By the way Ron ... I have several of your books that prove my point .... LMAO

Good Day ...

Thanks, all, for your input. I'm not really sure how I feel about this business of restating old stuff -- I guess it is not inherently a bad thing, because if nothing else, modes of expression change over the years, and old books often read "old". Also, focus changes. A new book on flora should certainly identify plants that are threatened or endangered, while a few years ago that would not have been an issue. I have to admit also to my biases. Having done a research career I am most comfortable writing about plants I have unique knowledge of, yet I cannot expect that of a writer who is essentially a reporter, not a contributor, of factual information. And I do admire the gifts of a good reporter who can quickly and accurately grasp the essentials of a new topic he/she decides to write about. You can probably make a case that "warming over" is itself a valuable contribution, keeping us all employed, and helping readers to stay up-to-date. As long as it is done well and honestly.

I've found with plants good books go out of print faster then new books arrive ... it's a constant battle to keep things current.

Good Day ...

There are lots of fantastic books out there that aren't the same ol' same 'ol--thank you, garden writers!--but I see two recurring themes that are greatly overdone. One is the book that shows some pictures of great-looking gardens, and then fills in the rest of the book with a plant encyclopedia. The other is the one that show some pictures of great-looking gardens and then fills in the rest of the book with drawings of how to outline and dig a garden bed, how to lay a path, etc.

Due to budget constraints, I buy a lot of used books (cheer up! I buy new ones too!). As I work my way down the shelves, it amazes me how many of the books follow one of the two formats above.

In the books I love most, I think it's because the writer's deep love of the garden comes through. It is like a quiet devotion that has nothing to do with the potential profits of the book and everything to do with passing the joy on to others.

Jennifer

There are "garden books" and then there are "GARDEN BOOKS".
A good garden book is one that teaches the botanical and horticultural senses, then gives new ideas and new comments on how to improve on old ideas. An interesting garden book is one where the writer gives personal comments on his/her experiences with the subject matter.
Coleen

Check out Timber Press. They publish very high quality books, often on very specific subjects that perhaps don't appeal to the majority of mass-market garden consumers.
If I could have a library made entirely of Timber Press books, I would be a very happy girl.

Well what do you expect? How many new discoveries are uncovered in Gardening science that hasn't been tested in thousands of years of agriculture? You can spread manure left to right or right to left, or use the basketball sky-hook toss method (which i don't recommend unless one wears a sturdy wide brimmed hat) but the effect is all the same.

It's all about gimmick unless you can think up a new way to garden. About the only new way to garden i can think up is what i'll call "Natural Gardening". I envision a book with photos of weed filed lawns, overgrown gone wild beds, and hammocks. Lots of pictures of hammocks.

Poppa

Poppa, I recommend a book by Stephen L. Buchmann and Gary Paul Nabhan 'The Forgotten Pollinators'.
There is plenty of fresh knowledge available.My personal gardening philosophy has been altered dramatically since the first pretty flowers planted and the usual initial concerns with property value. Something seemed wrong so I started to search for information and others with similar questions.
Science is backing up this way of gardening you facetiously call 'natural'. With luck the publishing world will recognize this and begin to support this area of garden writing in future.
Thank you for bringing it up... and Thank you Ron for your contributions.