Gardening books come in all varieties and are fun to read, even if your thumb isn't as green as you might like. We offer a quick list of 2012's high-profile and/or award-winning gardening books -- not all of them DIY -- but all sure to instruct, impress, and inspire.
Decoding Garden Advice : The Science Behind the 100 Most Common Recommendations by Jeff Gillman and Meleah Maynard
American Grown: How the White House Kitchen Garden Inspires Families, Schools and Communities by Michelle Obama
The Layered Garden: Design Lessons for Year-Round Beauty from Brandywine Cottage by David Culp
How Carrots Won the Trojan War by Rebecca Rupp
The Untamed Garden : A Revealing Look at Our Love Affair With Plants by Sonia Day
The Year-round Vegetable Gardener : How to Grow Your Own Food 365 Days a Year No Matter Where You Live by Niki Jabbour
Small Green Roofs by Nigel Dunnett
The Holistic Orchard : Tree Fruits and Berries the Biological Way by Michael Phillips
Free-range Chicken Gardens : How to Create a Beautiful, Chicken-friendly Yard by Jessi Bloom
The Beginner's Guide to Growing Heirloom Vegetables by Marie Iannotti
