11 Garden Bloggers and Writers You Should Know
February 1, 2014 2014-02-01 15:2811 Garden Bloggers and Writers You Should Know
11 Garden Bloggers and Writers You Should Know

Learn from, be inspired by and grow with these knowledgeable top-notch scribes of the garden world.
With literally thousands of gardening resources scattered across the Web, trawling cyberspace for a healthy dose of information, education and inspiration can feel like looking for a needle in a haystack.
In no particular order, here are eleven standout bloggers and journalists we think you need to know, follow and read regularly.
P. Allen Smith
Allen, who has solidified his reputation as a world-class gardening expert and horticulture advocate, squeezes blog posts and articles into his demanding schedule—that spans from work and events at Moss Mountain Farm to filming the award-winning public TV shows Garden Home and Garden to Table.
Anne Raver
For more than 20 years through her garden pieces in The New York Times (and more recently WYPR Public Radio and Landscape Architecture Magazine), Anne has covered almost every conceivable gardening, farming and environmental topic, acting as a teacher and attracting millions of readers along the way.
Margaret Roach
A former editorial big wig at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Margaret traded in a high-powered (and high-stress) New York City existence for upstate rural bliss and hasn’t looked back. Her blog, A Way to Garden—named for her first book—chronicles her new life as an independent gardener and writer. Margaret’s books, “And I Shall Have Some Peace There, a dropout memoir” and “The Backyard Parables: Lessons on Gardening, and Life” are must-reads for anyone interested in gardening or reinventing themselves.
Helen Yoest
Through field work as a garden coach, numerous magazine appearances and providing virtual guidance via her blog, Gardening with Confidence, Helen educates gardeners while helping to instill can-do spirit. Most recently, she authored the headline-grabbing book Plants With Benefits: An Uninhibited Guide to the Aphrodisiac Herbs, Fruits, Flowers & Veggies in Your Garden.
Robin Horton
A sought-after creative and forward-thinking design force, Robin’s work takes her from deep within corners of the Web to events across the country. Her green lifestyle and design blog, Urban Gardens, covers gardening trends, eco-friendly products, urban style and cutting-edge design. It’s no wonder she’s drawing Facebook followers at warp speed.
Shawna Coronado
Based in the Chicagoland area, Shawna’s gardening reach extends across the country and globally via ShawnaCoronado.com and social media. Committed to positively impacting individual lives and the greater world as an proponent of sustainable lifestyles, she provides invaluable advice on organic gardening, healthy eating and green living.
Steve Bender
In his role as “The Grumpy Gardener” for Southern Living magazine, Steve informs and entertains gardeners across the southern United States and further afield with curmudgeonly but witty observations wrapped in humor.
Valerie Easton
Longtime “Plant Talk” columnist for The Seattle Times and blogger on gardening, nature and wildlife, Valerie Easton has been growing, harvesting and working with plants for four decades. She has authored five books, including The New Low-Maintenance Garden: How to Have a Beautiful, Productive Garden and the Time to Enjoy It and Petal & Twig: Seasonal Bouquets with Blossoms, Branches, and Grasses from Your Garden.
Pam Penick
A Texas-based blogger (behind the blog, Digging) and author (of “Lawn Gone! Low-Maintenance, Sustainable, Attractive Alternatives for Your Yard”), Pam is an award-winning writer and go-to designer who specializes in gardening and landscaping in hot and humid settings.
Penny Carnathan
A garden writer for the Tampa Bay Times newspaper and periodic blogger who previously wrote “The Dirt,” an award-winning column and blog for The Tampa Tribune, Penny is known for practical, service-driven reporting and actionable tips on gardening in the Sunshine State and beyond.
Niki Jabbour
From her far-flung home in Nova Scotia, Canada, Niki provides readers with insightful dispatches on growing edibles with a predominantly cold-climate gardening focus. She is author of The Year Round Vegetable Gardener and soon-to-be-published Groundbreaking Food Gardens: 73 Plans that Will Change the Way You Grow Your Garden.
For more information about garden writers, speakers and photographers, visit the site of the Garden Writer Association.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
The Top 24 Must-Have Mobile Apps for Gardeners
Slow Flowers | The Best Blooms, From a Plot Near You
In Detroit, Growtown Blooms
vildmarket
February 1, 2014 at 6:14 pmThanks so much for sharing these wonderful writers with us!
Niki
February 1, 2014 at 6:30 pmThank you so much for including me in this wonderful group of writers!
The Editors of Garden Variety
February 1, 2014 at 6:36 pmYou’re quite welcome, Niki. Our readers need to know about your work.
Shawna Coronado
February 1, 2014 at 6:53 pmThank you for including me in this amazing list of garden bloggers. Some are good friends and others I can’t wait to know – all doing an amazing job at making a difference. GO GARDEN POWER!!
The Editors of Garden Variety
February 2, 2014 at 8:59 amNo problem. Indeed Shawna, you all are a credit to gardening and we will continue to follow your wonderful work.
staceyweichert
February 1, 2014 at 9:16 pmWell, I know what I’m doing tomorrow! Thanks for the links.
Stacey
Eliza Waters
February 1, 2014 at 9:51 pmThanks for this list – always good to know more folks in the garden world. I look forward to reading what they have to offer. (I already ordered one of the books!)
Margaret Roach
February 2, 2014 at 7:09 amThanks for the kind mention. Funny twist: Anne Raver began as garden editor at Newsday newspaper on Long Island, where we were colleagues (I covered fashion then), and when she went to the Times, I grabbed her former Newsday garden-editor job!
The Editors of Garden Variety
February 2, 2014 at 8:59 amDon’t mention it, Margaret. Your work inspires people everywhere. Thanks for sharing the tidbit of personal history and ironic twist of fate.
ML
February 2, 2014 at 11:01 amGreat garden writers here! Just curious…who is number 11??!!
The Editors of Garden Variety
February 2, 2014 at 1:18 pmThat would be Pam Penick, who was inadvertently left out when we initially posted. Thanks for your sharp eyes.
Pam/Digging
February 2, 2014 at 3:16 pmThanks so much for including me! I’m honored to be in such good company.
Helen Yoest
February 3, 2014 at 7:28 amThanks for including me. What an honor!
mariegray75
February 15, 2014 at 7:30 pmThank you for visiting, liking and commenting on my post. Also thank you for sharing the gardening writers, which just became my Sunday reading over coffee material!