Good topic.
There are sooooo many books out that are nearly identical. I think that every aspect has been tapped, and the only difference between some books (by different authors) is in the photos. And even there, they sometimes share stock photos from the same source.

The general how-to garden book market is saturated. Not only are there scores of basic garden/landscape books, but every specialized sub-category too. Now you see lots of books devoted to "how to design a front entry" books, "back yard ideas," "outdoor rooms," and "small spaces." I have found at least 2 dozen books on water gardening, and they all cover the same ground (or water) because, well, how many ways can you re-word basic principles? And how many more sub-topics can you make books about?

If garden books are to be revived in the market, I suspect that they need to address two existing, more-or-less permanent markets: the diehard gardener (and passionate newcomer), and the affluent homeowner who wants a lovely landscape and will hire others to create it...but wants ideas first.

For the former, you'll need books that uncover new insights that haven't been revealed before. This may mean going in the direction of a more storytelling format, or journal-like, in which the author recounts his or her personal gardening tale, with plenty of practical lessons that the novice or even experienced gardener can extract from the stories.

That would appeal to the gardener-reader who is thoughtful.

For the latter the affluent "consumer gardener" I'd go with lots and lots of eye candy, accompanied by intelligent but minimal text. No deep lessons, just lots of original new photos of great gardens and landscapes to offer inspiration. Although this sounds like a coffee table book, it shouldn't be.

I was reading an analysis of the DIY gardening/landscaping market, earlier this year, and it pointed out a trend away from DIY and more toward hiring out or using outdoor space in ways other than gardening. This would corroborate the drop in the garden book market, and I suspect it's all part of the same trend. To revive the market, you'll have to find new niches. And probably the number of books will have to be far fewer -- and of more targeted content.

Hi Amy,

I am sorry to hear that gardening books are on the decline. I am not surprised though. I am a frequent library patron and not too long ago, I found myself thinking along those lines when visiting the gardening section. It just amazes me how just about any gardening subject under the sun, seems to have been covered already and often in multiple books on the subject.

Even the children's book department was a surprise to me. When my kids were little, we did a lot of reading together and there were few gardening books in the children's department at that point. I hadn't been in the children's department in years and had an opportunity to a few weeks ago, and again, I was amazed at how many books on gardening have been written for children since my kids were little.

I can't imagine there is a decline in gardening. Could it be the market has been saturated?

Thanks Cady & Prairiemoon for such thoughtful answers. Sadly it may just be that the market is saturated, but I think of all the other genres that are just as saturated out there and yet are selling much more briskly. Cady, we ironically publish two authors, one into each of the categories you mention. I suppose as an avid gardener, and collector of all books gardening (or all books in general if truth be told!), I'd hoped there would be more demand if only for familiar subjects presented in a new and interesting way. I agree that niches could be the way to go, but unfortunately they'd be too small to take on at my company. You've both given me lots to think about, and I welcome more responses! The prevailing theory seems to be that boomers have already planted their gardens, learned the basics, become 'experts', and that therefore the market ends with them. I don't believe this to be true; I know many people in their 20/30s who are interested but overwhelmed by the idea of gardening, as well as passionate long term gardeners that still can't resist a beautifully done (and well researched/knowledgable) garden book. Or perhaps this is wishful thinking? Same goes for home decorating books. Business is slooooow. (Same theory--those with disposable income have already decorated; new homeowners lack the $$). Thoughts on this?

Well, I don't know if this will be helpful but I was recently at Barnes & Noble looking for books on some of the following subjects:

Combining small/understory trees/shrubs with perennials in a bed/border. Or how to use small trees and shrubs as the bones of a garden bed.

How to combine leaf textures and leaf colors of perennials after they've flowered so that you still have a pleasing combination. Or even just, how to combine perennials, period. (On a side note, why is it when you google a perennial, all you usually get is a picture of its flower, and not a picture of its leaves, or a good, clear pic of what the thing looks like overall? Although even a good, clear pic is no substitute for actually standing in front of the real thing and getting a good eyeful).

What to do with the dead space left behind when early spring bulbs die back.

A really up-to-date book on the hottest trends in perennials. I realize this is difficult given the long lead time between writing and publication, what's hot when the book is being written is probably old hat once the book comes out. But still, all I could find on perennials was the usual compendium type books (which still only had pictures of the flowers).

Maybe what I was looking for was really more suited to a magazine article or a lecture than a book, but anyway, I didn't find anything.

Alison

Allison - For a book to combine leaf textures of perennials, you could check out:

The Harmonious Garden By Catherine Ziegler

This is a Timber Press book. Check if your library has it first (or intralibrary loan?). Timber Press is running a special on this book (web only special, half off).

HeirloomAmy (many already mentioned above):
-I haven't been buying as many books as I don't want to keep them around or store them. For the last few years I have been using the library more. I only buy books that I find myself checking out frequently or referring to often.
-Many gardening books are thin on content. Once you read it, you have no reason to go back to it.
-I do find that I like books by Timber Press. They publish more scholarly, detailed gardening books with many titles covering just one genus. In fact I just ordered the Gardener's Guide to Growing Cannas from Timber Press.
-I am interested in books on tropical plants in northern gardens and containers. This seems to be a trend here the last few years that I have just tried this year. There are few good books on this topic.

Here is a link that might be useful: Timber Press Web Specials

Sedum 37 is right that many gardening books are thin on content. They seem angled toward the middle road, while Timber Press knows that its market is the avid hort/gardener persona and regularly plumbs new angles of the garden and horticultural field.

Also, I think that you have hit a key issue regarding younger adults being overwhelmed. I believe that every generation will have its gardeners and potential gardeners, as long as human beings can own or live on at least a small piece of land that can be planted. But lifestyles and economics are different now than they were 30 years ago.

There are newbies who would like to try gardening, but they don't have time. Today's families often are overburdened. Both parents work at jobs, the kids need chauffering to activities, etc. and the home needs to be kept up in livable condition. There's just no time or money to devote to gardening. They don't even have time to read for pleasure, which is a large part of what gardening books are for.

Maybe the trick here is to come up with books for newbies who want to garden, but have no time and limited budgets. That might make an interesting perspective: Gardening on next to no time.

What I'd really, really like and would buy in a heartbeat:

Part 1, Botany for Dummies
Part 2, How Hybridization Works
Annual Listing of Patented Plants
Nomenclature 201
Propogation 201
Backyard Business Gardening

In other words, my shelves are crammed with the great art of gardening, but not the science.

Thanks for asking!

Martie

I buy lots of gardening books, and usually seek out ones by authors that I've read before. The more I read, the more I know which writers are likely to provide real insight and information. Nothing is more annoying than buying a book that turns out to be an extended version of a Better Homes and Gardens type magazine article - ie, thin on content and lots of pictures (generally not well labelled, either).

And, why so many books have 25% of their pages devoted to the "gallery of plants" section is beyond me. Obviously, if you are buying a book, like one I recently re-read, "Shady Retreats," the plant section is not going to be anywhere near complete - why waste the space on a sketchy list of plants with (as Dawiff mentioned) pictures of their flowers? Anyone looking for an in-depth discussion of shady retreats is going to have at least one, and probably lots more, encyclopedia type books. This little problem is the result of non-gardeners running publishing companies, I think.

Some authors are worth reading just from an historical perspective. Hobhouse, Verey, Lloyd (and many others) are worth reading even if you are not looking for answers to specific questions - it's the literature of the field, and interesting just by definition. Then there are some authors I like so much that I'll buy anything they write. I feel this way about Ken Druse, Helen Dillon, Ethne Clarke, and recently, to some extent, Gordon Hayward.

If there's a decline in sales of garden books, it's not my fault - there's nothing I like better, except maybe plants.
DtD

I'd like to see books with basic landscaping/gardening techniques for small/regular sized yards. Every landscaping book I have picked up is way too elaborate for any house in my neighborhood or anyone on my budget.

Ooo. Digging the Dirt hit on one of my pet peeves with gardening books -- the inevitable chunk of space dedicated to "plant galleries" (the listing of a very general selection of garden plants and their cultural needs). I'd rather have the book devote those pages to actual content, and provide a bibliography of garden plant references.

This brings up another subject: How about specialized garden plant references, broken down by region, that offer more info than the standard "plant galleries" available at the moment? There many new species and cultivars on the market, and most references do not include them. It's frustrating to have a big plant reference that only cites one or two species of Filipendula, for example, when my garden center sells four.

About half the books in my garden library have those redundant galleries, and they are a waste of space and content.

Thanks so much everyone; your feedback is truly helpful! It's no surprise that as seasoned gardeners, you're looking for niche titles--those that refer to specific types of plants or situations. This is heartening as the first book I'm working on here is somewhat of a reading book based on the premise that the more you know about plants, the more you want to know; the book includes the history, science, utilization throughout history, etc. of plants, focusing on a few specific types. I've been urging inclusion of somewhat more practical information pertaining to these topics, so that the book may be a little more practical (which it sounds like you all are looking for).
As for the "plant galleries" issue: I think this is a matter of trying to be all things to all readers;i.e. newbie gardeners need/want those plant listings, as they're not yet familiar with the various cultivars. I'd hate to lose these since doing so may mean the book won't appeal to new gardeners, which may mean less people try their hand at it which means... However, I think the idea I'm getting is we also need to include more info for you--the more experienced gardeners. The issue of not listing all cultivars is a good one, but I can't imagine how long a book might be if it listed them all. Adding newly introduced or even rare cultivars is a great idea, and one I'll follow up on. Any more ideas of what you'd like to see in this type of section? From the publisher's perspective, these "gallery" type sections should provide an added value, making the book a real reference tool rather than a pretty picture book. Sounds like we're missing our mark a bit. I'd love more ideas on what ancillary info you'd like.

Thanks again and I welcome as much feedback as you'd like to share!
A

Like dtd if I am not buying plants I am out buying books about plants so the slowing market place comes as a shock to me. I will try my best to improve the situation by visiting my local book store this afternoon.
I think if you spend any amount of time observing on line Landscape Design sites it becomes very evident that the average home owner interested in gardening is not represented well in the garden book world. Yes there are a number of small home/garden books but they are all pictorially portraying the antique home with quite a lot of architectural detail and mature gardens. Where are the books with homes and gardens I can relate to?? I would love a book that deals with contemporary landscape problems such as "How to screen your neighbor without hiding your home." or a major problem for many homeowners today "What to do with the white plastic fence in a very formal design that your neighbor installed in a very informal suburban neighborhood?" Another book I would love to see would be one on gardening with new introductions on a different site I recently posted the following question in an attempt to give thought to the changing market place in all plant types.
"I am now beginning to think that perhaps the massively marketed (at least in my neck of the woods) introduction of ÂEndless Summer Hydrangea that I had long awaited was not everything I had hoped for after all. One of itÂs many attributes is that it continues to produce new flowers throughout the fall and what I discovered standing amongst the fallen leaves last October was the bright blue blossoms clashed with the earth tones of fall. I was so proud of myself when I came up with the solution to add another bright colored new introduction (very late ÂSandra Elizabeth day-lily) until I began to think that certainly just two of these bold summer colors would not be enough to successfully weave through the rust, gold, burgundy, and muted fall tones I would need more new introductions. Suddenly the big picture of trying to replace one seasonÂs palette with another seemed as wrong as a Christmas tree in July. As the nurseries are flooded with new and not always improved introductions I wonder if the colors we associate with different seasons will become a thing of the past?" kt

sedum37, Thanks so much for the recommendation of the book from Timber Press, and the link to their site! That seems to be just what I'm looking for. There were several other books there as well that I'd love to have, I could spend a small fortune.

Martie, I just bought a book from The American Horticultural Society called Plant Propagation. I'm not sure what level gardener you are, but I consider myself still a novice, even though I've been gardening for about 7 years. It was the perfect level for me.

Alison

Well, if the garden book trade is declining, it's not my fault. I took a quick count of my books on gardening and garden related subjects and came up with 71 titles!

I see a lot of my own opinions already listed For example, I'm with Martie on more of the science. I'd love to become a Master Gardener, but the courses here are all held during the day which conflicts with my "real" job. I'd love to have a pronunciation dictionary-I'd buy it today if I could find a good one.

The books that I spend huge money on, usually at Christmas using gift cards that I request from family members, are very special to me and I reference them oftem. The last 3 were 'Japanese Maples', by J.D. Vertrees, 'The Color Encylopedia of Hostas' by Grenfell and Schadrack and 'A-Z Encylopedia of Garden Plants' by the AHS. The first 2 cost $50 each and the last was $80. The price was worth it for the amount of use these 3 books get.

My collection range from plant collections and specific plants, to garden structures and how to build them, woodland gardens, water gardens, greenhouse growing, orchard and berry growing, container growing, houseplants, bonsai-you name it. Maybe I'm not really obsessed aobut gardening, but rather book collecting :)

I do believe the "consumer gardener" market is the main thing that is cooling off. Serious gardeners, including beginners right to the experts, will always value good books that address their needs and interests.

Maybe the focus of the publishing industry should then be finding out what those needs and interests are, and pursuing the serious gardener market. This may be a market that is smaller than the mass consumer one, but smaller volumes of more expensive, quality books can be the aim. Many of us are willing to spend a bit more on a really good book that's a "keeper," and it may be more practical for the industry now, rather than cranking out large volumes of cheaper books that don't sell.

I buy a lot of the latter kind of book strictly for its eye-candy use (low-level content but great photos for ideas), in the rock-bottom remainder bins of discount bookstores and even discount retailers like T.J. Maxx and Marshall's. I wouldn't pay full price for them at a bookstore. I pay 3 bucks for them at Marshall's! But I would pay $30, $40 or more for an informative, insightful book that breaks new ground, or provides new perspectives on old ground. I will read it over and over, and make notes in the margins, thus making back my original investment pretty fast.

I'm with Alison that the Amer Hort Soc book is a great one! There are also some excellent books out on grafting, seed starting, cuttings, all types of propogation and it is good stuff to know.

What I don't have (and maybe I'll look for a good course at the local community college) is how it all works. I know how to do it, but not why.

Not sure what level I am; probably depends on the kind of plant and condition at the moment :-)

Martie

20 years ago, upon buying a 'pre-owned' home, I wished Russell Morash would produce "This Old Garden." How to evaluate what one has, be bold enough to make changes rather than just maintain it.

20 years later, I'm still dealing with many of the same issues. That's a book I'd buy.

Authority more impotant than author to me. i.e., I still consult my Taylor guides, but haven't cracked an eye-candy in years. Prefer a single topic focus.

That's the how-to stuff. As DtD said, any compelling writer with a gardening theme gets my attention.

I just got back from the Cape to see this thread on my favorite topic. I am grieved to hear that garden book sales are not doing well. My own belief is that way too many crummy garden books by non-gardeners glutted the market and turned people off.

I am also grieved to tell you that Timber Press was recently sold to a company that many are afraid is not up to the challenge of keeping Timber Press what it was. The general advice is, if you want one of their books but have been holding off because of the $, don't hold off any longer.

I haven't even unpacked the car yet and have way too much to say on this topic so will quit while I'm ahead.

Ginny,
That is bad news, indeed, about Timber Press. And I was going to submit a book proposal to them at the recommendation of an editor of garden books from another publisher. What awful timing.

Even the small special interest publishers are falling prey to huge conglomerates with an eye only to the bottom line and middle of the road. And they just got a new executive publisher/editor (from Horticulture Magazine) too.

Well, Cady, I'd prepare that book proposal anyway. You never know. Maybe the Timber Press sale won't be as disappointing as people are expecting.

I'd do a little research on Google tho, just to get a sense of the new owners' intentions. Timber Press had been the dream of a man who did it more for love than money, and unfortunately there are not many of those around. But good luck. And let us know--I will buy your book!

Amy -- An idea for your boss ... since we all write (obviously), all garden (obviously), all have different fields of specialty (obviously), why doesn't the New England Garden Forum write "The" book? We could each take a chapter ...

Timber Press, having gone the way of Ben and Jerry's, Yankee Candle, and other "with a heart" businesses, will survive. Kinda like Garden Web ... :-) Any business owner knows what their customers like and will do what they can to stick with the basic theme. Without that, they'll lose money. $$ may be the bottom line, but WE dictate how much that bottom line can be :-)

Martie

I have read many "how to" books and they have become old for me. I now love books about the author's personal experiences with their gardens and specific plants. If they add some humor to it all the better.

I would be interested in more regional books. Living in a cold climate is challenging for a gardener and I would love a book with little tips and tricks to try for overwintering plants and extending the growing season. It occurs to me now that I love GW for just that reason. Why spend hours in the bookstore hoping for a book that covers the info you want when you can come here and get very specific answers?

Again, thank you all for the feedback. Martie--I love your idea of a forum book! And Cady, I'd love to hear about your book proposal. I'm knee deep in editing a garden book now, and am taking all of your requests into consideration.
I'm so glad to hear you all are still buying books (though that really comes as no surprise!); I too am an avid collector, and am always happiest when I find a great old book in a dusty pile at some book shop or flea market.
I'd love to recommend some of the books by my company that I think are exactly what some of you are looking for, but I don't want to cross that line. I'm hoping one of you will hit upon it and then I can cheer from afar! A

That's a good insight, Martie. You're right - it is the consumer who ultimately dictates content by "voting with their wallets." Savvy companies make their profits providing what the consumer wants and/or needs. And, Garden Web is a n apt example as you point out.

The opposite approach, of course, is for corporations to use aggressive marketing and advertising to try and convince consumers that they need a product that may not be needed. I prefer the former version.
HeirloomAmy, thank you for your interest in my book proposal. Tell me how to contact you, and I'll give you some info.

seems like Amy Stewart over at Garden Rants blog is talking about this very issue. I'd attach a link but that is completely beyond my technical capabilities! I found it via Garden Voices. A

Martie, I don't think I can agree with your point that the market fully dictates what is produced and sold. There is a lot of truth in that but certainly in publishing, there are other forces at work. One example is the federal tax on publishers' backlists, a catastrophe for book lovers. Publishers can no longer afford to keep a lengthy list of books in the warehouse. Books disappear very fast. Publishers can't afford to wait for a book to find its audience and so won't take a chance on a niche book.

Gardening became hugely popular in the 1980s. There was money to be made in publishing garden books. A lot of really terrible books appeared, just to make a quick buck. Put a gorgeous photo on the cover, and maybe some inside, hire a hack to churn out some words and presto, you have a garden book.

But people aren't stupid. They bought some of those books, found them worthless, and got burned on the idea of buying any others. The garden book venture turned into a bubble, sort of like the tech bubble where people were throwing money at IPOs, tho not on such a large scale of course.

Now, not many publishers want to publish many garden books. They say they don't make money but a big part of the problem was the lack of content during the bubble. It was a self-fulfilling prophecy.

The glory of Timber Press was that they published meaty, substantive books by people who had devoted their lives to some particular genus or other plant category. But the books were expensive to produce--tho I can guarantee you that not many authors or even publishers make much on a book. Publishing is just plain expensive, especially when color photography is involved.

Timber Press did not address many topics of garden interest, such as landscape design. For that we have to scan the lists of quality publishers like Abrams. But there is so much more out there that has never seen the light of day.

And it must be said that many people have turned away from gardening as they have aged or gotten tired of the labor involved in all kinds of weather conditions.

I apologize for the length of this post. Believe me, I have lots more to say but will zip my lip. I love garden books, have collected them for many years and have at least 1200 in my collection. This subject pressed my buttons--sorry.

> Is author important?

Sometimes.. If it is Tracey DiSabato or Michael Dirr or a particular known and respected author, I will consider a new publication solely based on author.

> What topics most interest you?

Plants plants and plants.

> Is there a new way to talk about plants/gardening ...

I would like more pros/cons and less sugar coating and pretty pictures. That's what makes Tracy's Well-Tended Perennial Garden so appealing to me. Tracy spells out the good, the bad and the ugly and it all comes from personal experience. I would like a similar book for trees, shrubs, annuals & bulbs. (book title I would buy: Trees: The good, the bad and the ugly!) I want to know what NOT to buy and why or where NOT to put something and why. It has to be very comprehensive in zone and plant listings to be worthwhile. I prefer encylopedia style, reference books. Sadly, I never have time to read for enjoyment anymore... its all about the plants!

I also think regional considerations are very important in most garden writing.

Ginny12,
Don't you dare "zip your lip." :0) I sense some very deep and experience-driven knowledge in you. Why don't you start a different thread and carry the discussion there? I'd like to continue the dialogue.

And, for what it's worth, no writer gets rich writing for Timber Press. It's really a labor of love sort of publishing company. I have heard this from more than one author who has done projects for Timber. It just seems to be the natural rule that such enterprises can't continue forever in a changing economy. They are destined to be bought out, absorbed, merged, or forced out of business by the costs and limited market for their goods. Sad, but reality.

Amy, perhaps you can answer a question for me. Why are most garden books so huge!? I would give anything to find a well-written garden book that is small enough to carry with me.
I love garden books of all kinds (as long as the writing is good) but I rarely buy them because my only time for reading is on the train and most of my gardening books are too big so I typically read gardening magazines instead.

As for a content suggestion, How about something different? Horticulture recently did a tribute to Christoper Lloyd by re-running several articles. I would be interested in a book that was a collection of articles like that by a variety of famous gardeners. They could be from different times or different regions or some other theme.

Ginny, I agree; please keep talking! Perhaps you've started another thread and I haven't found it? Wendy, I agree that the good, bad and ugly from personal experience is best, and as for the question as to why the books are so large, there are quite a few reasons, not the least of which being these books are very expensive to produce, so the publisher wants to include enough information to justify the consumer paying the cover price (which they have to charge to cover production costs). Another reason, of course, is that it's hard to be comprehensive--when you take into consideration zones, all the new and different cultivars being introduced, the heirlooms being resurrected, etc.--in a shorter book. Also, there's the problem of a "short" book being too magazine-like, which begs the question: would someone pay XYZ$$ for a book when they could get similar information/scope/format in a $5.99 magazine....

I find the blurry border between gardening magazines and books (published by the magazine publisher) interesting. It's no wonder that in the magazine trade, mags are referred to as "books."

Publishers such as the Taunton Press regularly produce specialized magazines -- books, really, in terms of their content and shelf life -- that focus on one subject, such as container gardening. They use already-existing info, articles and photographs from their subscription magazine (Fine Gardening) to create the "book." Similarly, Sunset (the West Coast lifestyle magazine) and Southern Living create hardcover conpendiums of their magazine content for special interest subjects. Southern Living, particularly, has this down to a science and an art, publishing hardcover annuals that are made up of selections of all their magazine issues from the previous year.

I suspect that these publications are much cheaper to produce than start-from-scratch books that need a fresh author and new words/photos. All they need is an editor to draw from stuff that has already been written and photographed, and package it neatly into an informative and attractive piece.

Cady, the short end of that stick goes to the author. When you write for Fine Gardening, for example, you give up all rights. There is a one-time fee and then they own your work. So the books cost them nothing additional. It's a total rip-off for writers and photographers but there are always people eager to see their work in print--who doesn't?--so they sign this grossly unfair contract.

Not too many years ago, the New York Times conglomerate, which includes the Boston Globe, announced that all free-lance writers and photographers had to sign over all rights as well. There was a lengthy court battle. The writers lost, but so did readers as many writers will no longer write for the NYT company.

In the past, a typical contract between writer and magazine/newspaper included first North American rights, ie, the right to publish the piece the first time. Then rights reverted to the author who could collect his/her pieces in a book, re-sell in another market or wallpaper the bathroom with them.

I once heard Pamela Harper say that she estimated only about ten people in the country made a living from garden writing/photography. I'm sure it's more now but it's still a very tiny number. Unless one is Stephen King, one had better have another income to support one's writing habit!

Should add that I like Fine Gardening, subscribe to it and find it helpful.

I would like to see some books on local garden tours..houses and yards in neighborhoods like the ones we all live in.Gardening books dedicated to a specific region. Simple easy to follow instructions to ammend your soil,that doesn't end up costing a lot.Perennial gardens for small yards, and the most important thing for me anyway, how to improve the landscape by removing old overgrown , tired shrubs and replacing them with what? Basically, I want to see lots of photographs for ideas on how to improve the " curb appeal" of you home.

Ginny,
As a former freelance illustrator, I am all to aware of the meaning of "work for hire." First thing I did was join the Graphic Artists Guild. :) Unless there is a specific royalty clause in the contract, once your work is in the editor's hands, it belongs to the publication. At least in the case of artwork, the artist can retain rights to the original (I have all of my original illustrations from work I've done), but for writers, it's a lost property.

I also followed the change in policy at the Globe, and recall the time when many respected columnists left because they refused to give up rights to their writings. Many had planned to compile their columns into books, and the new rules would forbid that. I think that Carol Stocker's recent garden book was a sop thrown by the Times, since Carol is such a popular garden writer (who, of course, was forced into early retirement by the Globe due to their changing market focus. Goodbye, gardening columns... and Confidential Chat, and anything else that was "smalltown" and personal.%0

Meant to say...
I agree that only a relative handful of writers and photographers (and illustrators) make a real living from their work. The rest have day jobs. ;) But this is true in any creative field, as actors, musicians and dancers will aver.

>But people aren't stupid. They bought some of those books, found them worthless, and got burned on the idea of buying any others.

Aha! Why doesn't my brain work this way? I've bought lots of bad books, but it hasn't dampened my enthusiasm. Maybe some of us just really ARE stupid.

Great conversation, anyway. I'm heading over to the timber press site to see what's available. Maybe I'll look for Amy's garden rant, too, it sounds like quite a coincidence that both the OP's moniker and the blog she mentioned include the name Amy...

Ah, DTD, you are not stupid--or alone. A true book-lover just can't stop buying books. Or would even want to. Shudder.

A treasured moment in my life was the chance to sit down and talk with Adelma Simmons shortly before her death. The conversation was wide ranging and, of course, included the phenomenon of gardening as a hobby in the 80's.

As Mrs. Simmons is undoubtedly the author who brought herbs out of the closet and into the mainstream, her comments suprised me. Though she encouraged anyone with a pen to give it a shot, her concern was that the garden book world would be overrun with "fluff" and little substance.

This prophecy seems to have come full circle. There are just so many "how to design a border" books that one can read and gain from. Publishers took full advantage of the surge in interest and flooded the market for a quick buck.

I really think that this is why there is a decline. Those of us who are serious gardeners (serious enough to "talk" about it on a daily basis with webfriends) will always buy anything that's there of interest. But the backyard hobbiest only wants one or two coffee table books, not anything of substance.

So, while book sales may be declining, it could be that there's not a lot out there to buy that hasn't been rehashed many times before. You're right, Ginny, everyone wants to see their name in print and publishers take full advantage to make a quick buck despite the quality.

I admit that I have stopped buying gardening books en masse. I don't have the room, nor the time, to read 10 or 15 new books at a clip. Substance seems to be what's missing. "How To's" have given way to "look how lovely this is." The "lovely" books rarely mention the financial part of designing and implementing a full-blown garden worthy of publication.

So, IMHO, while I feel for the writers whose rights are contracted away, and I feel for those of us with this plant passion who can't get enough, I give Amy all the credit in the world for doing an ad hoc "market survey" and not putting out pages for the sake of putting out pages.

And, I truly still believe, that the masses sway the market. The decline in sales is a perfect example of this. People still have money, people still have interest, and now the publishers need to catch up.

Martie

ah--it's merely a coincidence, believe me, that Amy Stewart and I share the same first name! I discovered her with her first book, and enjoy her blog and rants to this day; I'm a garden book fan, and lately editor, but certainly not a writer of her ilk! I've yet to get my hands on a copy of her worm book, which I definitely need after last Spring's Woodbury swap when I was the beneficiary of many lovely little worms (who, amazingly, are thriving!). Am looking forward to this fall's swap; I believe some of you attend?

Well-said all around, Martie.
If you want to see a garden publishing market that has been so saturated as to be washed away in a flood of repetitive garden books, look at the UK. As we know, gardening is in the blood of Great Britain, and they have centuries of wisdom gained from practice and handed-down know-how.

Their publishers churned out enormous (and I mean encyclopedic) volumes in the 1980s and '90s that covered the how-tos from seed sowing and propagation to design, coppicing and making garden structures. Each book tried to cram everything in, and each author (many of whom were tv personalities with garden shows) felt he had to put his own personal mark on the same topics. I have a half-dozen such books, most of which I bought for $12.99 or less (original prices were upwards of $40) at Marshall's. There is nothing original from one book to the next, and several draw from the same stock photo library, too. That they were in the remainders bin at a discounter shop is evidence that even the Brits, our gardening seniors and ancestors, are all "garden-booked out."

But like a dope, I had to buy them, of course, because I'm a Serious Gardener and am always in search of that next book that may have a tidbit of knowledge or an insight I'd missed and could gain from.

So, Amy, I think that if you do put out books with substance, you'll have our market, at least. I do believe that in the long run, it is better to produce books with a substantial content, at a higher price and a lower sales volume, than to crank out big but vacuous eye candy books that no longer are being snapped up by that backyard casual hobbiest that Martie mentioned. And, I agree, too, that it's great that you are making the effort to survey your market, even if informally. I hope that your company is supportive of your recommendations based on your findings.

P.S. Hope some of us do get to the swap. I hope to -- have phlox, iris, violets, groundcover bamboos and hostas to offer.

DtD-not stupid, just an eternal optimist always believing that you will find that gem buried in the next book.

Ginny-1200 books! Wow, I'm impressed. You must have a large library space. I have to limit myself to 48 linear feet of built in bookshelves unless I want to store books in boxes somewhere.

Don't want to get OT but the word "books" is irresistible to me. The 1200+ garden book figure doesn't include the rest of my books on other topics, or my husband's. We did add on a room as a library some years ago, thinking the problem was fixed but there is no end to it. I just keep trying to be creative about putting shelves everywhere. And yes, I use the public library a lot. I try to read a book first before I buy it, in an attempt to control the bibliographic population explosion. A lot of books, I find I can live without. But alas, I lot I can't.

Cady, Im not sure what the source was for the information that Carol Stocker was "forced out" of the Globe during the buy out but I am 99% sure that is not true.
She would have to speak for herself to be 100% sure of how she felt or what motivated her decision but I do know that it was her choice to take the buyout (she was not asked). Also, if I remember correctly the decision to discontinue the Life at Home section did not come (or was not made known to the staff) until after the deadline for taking the buyout.
I miss her regular columns too but I just wanted to set the record straight.

Gfult,
You could well be right. And I don't presume to speak for her, since I don't know her. I do, however, remember reading an article in which the subject was broached. My recollection is that she was vague (perhaps being PC), but indicated that it was "strongly suggested to her" (my words, not hers) by the Globe that she phase out her columns. I don't recall any statements in which Stocker declares that, by her own initiative and choice, she was leaving the Globe.

While my middle-aged memory gets fuzzy, I got the sense that it wasn't her idea to leave. She didn't seem at all happy about it, but accepting.

I sense that it was all part of the changing focus and target audience of the Globe, mimicking its parent corporation in its attention to the affluent younger reader. As a result, a number of longtime, popular specialty writers and columnists were "invited" to take early retirement. Some wrote columns about it, while others just said farewell in their final piece. But the overall atmosphere was one of clean-sweeping at the Globe, with the administrators treading the delicate line of letting well-loved writers go without upsetting readers too much.

Not that there's anything wrong with that. Times change. Newspapers are threatened and are struggling for survival. I could see how the NY Times/Globe would encourage Stocker and other columnists to step aside so a "new era" could begin. And, I could see how, in attempts to make a fair severance package, the Globe would work out a deal to help Stocker promote her new book, and other such things.

If anyone is interested, Greater Boston TV show did a story on the Globe buyout (I posted this previously in another thread awhile ago). The link is below. You can read the blurb there or even watch the original clip where they talked about the buyout.

Here is a link that might be useful: Globe Buyout