- Author: Constance Harrington
- Published: December 6, 2020
- Last Updated: June 27, 2022
Gardening magazines are a fabulous way to learn more about growing plants and other garden-related topics. They’re also perfect for keeping up with the latest trends in garden products, design, and decor. The best magazines for gardeners include all kinds of information and advice, compiled by genuine gardening experts.
I subscribe to several magazines about gardening as different publications serve different purposes. For example, there are some that are great for providing innovative tips on plant care. Others are best for inspiring you to spice up your garden with exciting design elements while some provide the best practical advice on a variety of gardening techniques.
Regardless of whether you’re a casual gardener or take your gardening very seriously, I recommend that you check out a few of the top garden magazines to find out what they have to offer. I’ve consulted with other members of the Gardenzy.com team, and we’ve put together a list of our favorites.
In no particular order, here are our recommendations for the best gardening magazines you can read right now.
Fine Gardening
- Available: United States (delivery available worldwide)
- Publisher: Taunton Press
- Publishing Frequency: Every two months
- Website: FineGardening.com
“Fine Gardening” magazine is great for beginner gardeners, more experienced ones, and even professionals. This garden magazine has it all and is a great choice if you only want to subscribe to one.
The first issue of Fine Gardening came out in 1988. Any publication that lasts this long clearly has something going for it! I like that it features advice from horticulturalists from all over the world and covers a wide variety of plant types. Some of the tips are really creative and every issue I read inspires me to try something new in my garden.
Birds and Blooms
- Available: United States (delivery available in most countries)
- Publisher: Trusted Media Brands Inc.
- Publishing Frequency: Every two months
- Website: BirdsAndBlooms.com
It won’t surprise you to learn that “Birds and Blooms” magazine is about birds and plants! Combining two popular hobbies has helped it gain a large following among both birdwatchers and gardening enthusiasts. The publication also covers other creatures that some people like to attract to their garden, such as butterflies.
One of the main reasons “Birds and Blooms” makes this list of top gardening magazines is all the reader-submitted articles it publishes. I love to read about the journeys of other gardeners who share my passion and they often teach me some new tricks, too.
The English Garden
- Available: United Kingdom (delivery available worldwide)
- Publisher: The Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd.
- Publishing Frequency: Monthly
- Website: The EnglishGarden.co.uk
“The English Garden” is perhaps the best magazine for gardeners looking for inspiration. It features details of some of the most beautiful and decorative gardens in the world. The photographs of these amazing outdoor spaces should be enough to encourage anyone to improve their own garden.
This magazine also includes plenty of advice on how to create a picturesque garden, from both readers and resident writers. No matter what size garden you have, you’ll get lots of ideas for what to do with it.
Horticulture Magazine
- Available: United States and Canada (digital subscription available internationally)
- Publisher: Active Interest Media
- Publishing Frequency: Every two months
- Website: HortMag.com
Educational and informative articles are the bedrock of “Horticulture” magazine. They are designed to help readers design and develop their gardens and houseplant collections and usually include useful illustrations.
“Horticulture” also covers lots of other topics relating to gardening, including the effects of climate change on plants, tips on controlling pests and diseases, scientific discoveries in horticulture, and the health benefits of plants.
Country Living
- Available: United States and United Kingdom (delivery available to some other countries)
- Publisher: Hearst Communications Inc.
- Publishing Frequency: Monthly
- Website: CountryLiving.com
“Country Living” is a lifestyle magazine that covers gardening rather than a dedicated garden magazine. There’s a lot for gardeners to enjoy, though. Two editions are published each month – one for America and one for the UK. Both editions are focused primarily on the rural lifestyle, but there’s also content for city dwellers.
This is one of the best magazines for gardeners that grow vegetables, herbs, and other edibles. As well as tips for growing your own food, the magazine also provides lots of recipes and advice for cooking with your homegrown produce.
Gardens Illustrated
- Available: United States, Canada, and United Kingdom (digital subscription available internationally)
- Publisher: Immediate Media Co.
- Publishing Frequency: 13 times per year
- Website: GardensIllustrated.com
This British gardening magazine is extremely popular in the United States and Canada. “Gardens Illustrated” is perhaps best known for featuring incredible gardens at manor houses and country estates in the UK. It has way more to offer than just that, though. There are all kinds of advice to help gardeners, including plant recommendations, care tips, design ideas, and more.
“Gardeners Illustrated” runs regular gardening events, including guided tours of some of the most breathtaking gardens you could ever hope to visit. They also have tons of special offers for their readers, such as discounts on garden products and supplies. These alone are worth the price of an annual subscription!
Flower Magazine
- Available: United States, Canada (delivery available to some other countries)
- Publisher: Peony Publishing
- Publishing Frequency: Every two months
- Buy Subscription: FlowerMag.com
It won’t surprise you to learn that “Flower Magazine” is dedicated mostly to all things floral. If you’re looking to grow flowering plants in your home or garden, this is one of the top gardening magazines for you. You’ll find all the advice you need to choose the right flowers, plant them, and care for them.
“Flower Magazine” is also a great publication for anyone interested in flower arranging. There are lots of tips to help you produce floral arrangements that look amazing. Other features include garden design ideas and top public gardens to visit.
Garden Gate
- Available: United States and Canada (digital subscription available internationally)
- Publisher: Active Interest Media
- Publishing Frequency: Every two months
- Website: GardenGateMagazine.com
If you’re looking for a gardening magazine with innovative features, “Garden Gate” could be the publication for you. It’s also one of the few top magazines for gardeners not to contain advertisements.
What I like best about this magazine personally is the regular before and after stories they publish. These show the journey of gardens that readers transform, often from being in a terrible state to being something truly amazing. There are also regular tips and step-by-step guides from experts, landscaping ideas, and plant recommendations.
Better Homes and Gardens
- Available: Worldwide
- Publisher: Dotdash Meredith
- Publishing Frequency: Monthly
- Website: BHG.com
I couldn’t put together a list of the best garden magazines and not include “Better Homes and Gardens”. This multipurpose magazine is the fourth best-selling magazine in the US, partly thanks to the wide variety of topics its covers. Gardening is heavily featured, though, so it’s fully deserving of its place in my list.
“Better Home and Gardens” is a well-named publication. Its aim is to help its readers improve the look, function, and value of their homes and gardens. You’ll find plenty of information and advice to help you create your dream home, complete with an amazing outdoor space.
I could write thousands of words detailing all the different features in this magazine. Instead, I’ll simply suggest that you go and grab a copy for yourself, or purchase a digital subscription.
Summary
These leading garden magazines all have something valuable to offer anyone who’s interested in gardening. I don’t recommend that you subscribe to ALL of them – unless you have a lot of time for reading – but you should definitely consider at least a couple. I’d suggest that you check each one out, figure out which ones you prefer, and take it from there.
Once you’ve looked further into the best gardening magazines, you might be ready for some additional reading. There are thousands of books for gardeners, covering every topic you can imagine, and some are bound to appeal to you. Here are a few suggestions to get you started.
- Rodale’s Basic Organic Gardening – A Beginners Guide to Starting a Healthy Garden
- The Flower Gardeners Bible
- The Complete Houseplant Survival Manual