As January arrives, the garden may be quiet, yet our minds rarely are. Although there is always something to do – sowing early seeds, cleaning tools, or planning changes – this month is often best spent dreaming, imagining and seeking inspiration.

To start the year, we have assembled a selection of recent and classic gardening and design books written by our own EGS alumni and tutors. It is heartening to see so many expert designers sharing their knowledge so generously and so beautifully.

Gardening and Design Books

Jo Thompson: The New Romantic Garden

Published in 2025, this book was listed by The RHS, Gardens Illustrated and The Financial Times as one of the best garden books of the year.

Jo explores thirty exquisitely planted gardens, offering dozens of ideas for adapting traditional garden design elements to today’s more environmentally conscious aesthetic, and for giving each garden its own personality and atmosphere.

Rachel de Thame: A Flower Garden for Pollinators

Published in 2024, this book was listed by The RHS and Gardens Illustrated as one of the best garden books of that year.

Gardeners’ World presenter and regular author for the RHS magazine, Rachel de Thame, has created a practical yet beautiful planting guide focused on how we can sustain and support nature, with a focus on glorious flowers for pollinators. Advice is arranged by season and illustrated with beautiful hand-painted watercolours and photography.

Pollyanna Wilkinson: How to Design a Garden

Also published in 2025, this book was an immediate hit and is a Sunday Times Bestseller.

It provides an array of information on light, focal points, hardscaping, and planting, with guidance on creating mood boards, designing layouts, and selecting paving, furniture, and plant combinations. Once you’ve designed your garden, month-by-month growing guides also help you to nurture it. Pollyanna guides you in understanding how the elements in your garden will work together as one, in the relatable style many of you have come to know from her social media presence.

Manoj Malde: Your Outdoor Room

In addition to appearing on ‘Your Garden Made Perfect’ and designing gardens, Manoj published this book in 2024. It’s an easy-to-follow guide where Manoj shows you how to create a garden you will want to live in. Whether you have a small courtyard, a large garden or a new-build blank canvas, it explains how to get the most out of your garden for you and your family. It features many aspirational examples and real-world designs, including low-maintenance spaces and gardens for plant enthusiasts.

Books from our Tutors

From three of our tutors, we have two more recent offerings and, of course, one classic from Rosemary herself.

Ben Pope: What to Sow Grow and Do

Published in 2022, this book not only offers seasonal advice as its title suggests but also provides inspirational guidance on how to celebrate each season. Trained as a designer, Ben is now a head gardener and tutor and has been a regular contributor to Gardens Illustrated. This book highlights plants to enjoy, wildlife to spot, and changes you can notice in the garden and beyond. It’s both practical and uplifting – a great bedside book.

Nick Bailey: 365 Days of Colour

We are delighted to welcome Nick back as a tutor this coming year. Well known from Gardeners’ World, Nick was a gardener before becoming a designer and shares his wealth of knowledge through writing. Nick’s second book, 365 Days of Colour, an inspirational and instructional guide to planting that sustains interest throughout the seasons, has remained on our reading list since its 2022 publication.

Rosemary Alexander: The Essential Garden Design Workbook

Finally, for those of you who have completed The Essential Garden Design Diploma, this book requires no introduction, as we use it as our core text. Now in its third edition and translated into many languages, this book continues to inspire many along their path to becoming garden designers. As well as being a trained landscape architect, gardening extensively in her own gardens, and judging at Chelsea and other Flower Shows for decades, Rosemary founded this school more than 40 years ago.

In this book, she shares her extensive, expert knowledge in a clear, accessible manner, and it’s no wonder it has become a classic.

A Tribute to Paul Hensey

We close this month with a tribute to Paul Hensey, who taught on The Essential Garden Diploma for several years. Paul’s sudden passing on Monday, December 1st, after a short illness, was a shock to all in the Garden Design industry. He influenced so many designers’ lives, was highly knowledgeable, and always generous with his time.

Paul’s career began in industrial engineering and design. In 2003, his move to garden design brought with him an understanding of the built environment and a forensic view of materials. He taught Construction Design to many students in key landscape colleges and became the go-to authority on SketchUp, appointed by Trimble as a member of their International Professionals Programme.

Paul won several awards for his innovative designs, including RHS Gold medals at Chelsea and Hampton Court, before he focused on construction. From 2011, he worked with designers, landscapers and architects, bringing their ideas and drawn concepts into 3D reality. Paul published several books on construction, with monthly articles appearing in the Garden Design Journal. The formation of HEAP in 2024 will continue to provide an invaluable online resource for students and professionals.

Rosemary’s Plant of the Month

The bright red stems of Cornus sanguinea ‘Midwinter Fire’ brighten up the winter garden, and can be cut and brought into the house.

Rosemary and Tina’s top jobs to do in the garden in January

1. Check for winter damage
   Walk around the garden after frosts or high winds. Firm in any lifted plants, brush off heavy snow from evergreens, and check ties and supports.
2. Mulch borders
   On frost-free days, mulch around perennials, shrubs and fruit trees with compost to help conserve moisture and improve the soil structure for the year ahead.
3. Start propagating and sowing early seeds
   Sweet peas, chillies, broad beans and hardy annuals can be started under cover. Ensure good light levels and avoid overwatering.
4. Prepare vegetable beds
   Add compost to empty beds and cover with membrane or cardboard to warm the soil and suppress weeds.
5. Check stored bulbs and tubers
   Look over dahlias, gladioli and stored produce. Remove anything soft, mouldy or shrivelled.
6. Prune apple and pear trees
   January is an ideal time for shaping trained forms or maintaining established trees. Avoid pruning stone fruits until summer.
7. Clean and sharpen tools
   A simple job that makes a huge difference—clean, oil and sharpen secateurs, shears and hoes.
8. Plan ahead!
   A lovely fireside task: review last year’s successes, sketch new borders, or choose plants to improve seasonal structure.

Upcoming Courses and Visits

We have quite a few things to look forward to this year. Here’s what’s coming up:

Next Open Day at Sandhill Farm House, Rogate

15th February 2026

Our EGS Founder, Rosemary Alexander’s own stunning front and rear garden. The one-acre garden is divided into garden rooms, including a small kitchen garden. The front garden has a spring focus, with a small woodland area. Each year, Rosemary opens her garden to herald the start of spring with a stunning display of snowdrops, set amongst other treasured trees and shrubs.

Book here

Spring Garden Tour, Oxfordshire

24th April 10am – 4.30pm

Join us for an exclusive day exploring two remarkable Oxfordshire gardens: Rousham, the iconic 18th-century landscape by William Kent, and Ham Court, artist Matthew Rice’s imaginative and sensitively restored country garden.

After a guided tour of Rousham, we’ll continue to Ham Court for a seasonal lunch and visit its kitchen gardens, orchard and grounds. The day concludes with tea & cake in Matthew’s beautiful studio.

Book here

Sketchup for Garden Design, Beginners Course

15th & 16th April at The Army Museum, London SW3 4HT

2 in person days with John Brooks, of SketchUp for Garden Design

Day 1: Introduction to SketchUp and what can be achieved using the software, template setup, interface & navigation; drawing basics; 3D modelling, groups/components/tags, 3D Warehouse

Day 2: Working with surveys, extensions and plugins, planting plans, including an introduction to PLANT25, presentations using Layout.

Book here

Gardening for Beginners

22nd – 30th April 2026

The first 3 days of this popular 4 day course take place in the Chelsea Physic Garden lecture room. Your tutor is RHS Master of Horticulture Ben Pope.

Gardening for Beginners covers all you need to know to care for your garden – understanding your soil, choosing and selecting new plants, growing new plants from seed and taking cuttings, common pests and diseases, lawn care, pruning trees, shrubs and climbers, vegetable and fruit growing, control of weeds, mulching and composting are all explained and demonstrated.

The final day spent in 2 private gardens brings everything into context and gives time for questions and personal involvement.

Book here