There is no gardener who doesn’t have at least one landscaping or gardening book in the house. Even experienced gardeners need to read a gardening book from time to time in order to clarify some aspects of their occupation, e.g. solar lights for garden design. The way you choose a gardening book says something about your particular interest in this occupation.
A rather complete gardening book is the American Hort. Society’s A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants. The downside of such a publication is the very scientific organization of the content, which means that it will appeal to those with a solid herbalist knowledge. Hence it is a good idea to read some reviews, check the content and leaf the gardening book before buying it.
Get a very easy gardening book if you are just learning the secrets of this occupation, at such a stage it is pointless to go into deep information about soil varieties, plant species and fertilizing. Many amateur gardeners start with a bed or two and do their apprenticeship at a reduced scale. You can make a garden larger the moment you have the skills and the experience to support it. On advanced knowledge levels, you will appreciate a different gardening book format.
Look for those publications with a decent photo coverage because you need details on seeds, roots, flowers and leaves. This is why we need to insist on the importance of previewing a book before purchasing it. This is in fact the problem with online orders, that you can only read reviews and not actually get to check the style of the gardening book yourself. Instead of a very serious book you may just want to get a handbook that can help you put together garden containers.
The gardening sections of bookstores are normally organized on more detailed sections. And online retailers follow the same system. There are some in the basic categories and then, others in specialized classes: garden design, cultivation of perennials and annuals, soil preparation, hydroponics, aeroponics, greenhouse gardening and much more. Check every gardening book for photos and read a few lines here and there to make a general impression. Certain publications are more comprehensive than others covering from 100 plants to 1,500+ species.