Gardening books still selling despite hard times

The recession has lead to trouble in many industries, but the book sector has enjoyed a buoyant time when it comes to gardening book sales, according to Publishers Weekly.

It claims the surge in interest is mainly being driven by the popularity of organic and sustainable growing.

With the financial downturn threatening many peoples livelihoods, it seems that some are taking their future into their own hands and preparing themselves in case they are forced to live off the land.

This is the view of Storey publisher Pam Art, who told the publication this trend existed in the 1970s and has now resurfaced in the early 21st century.

"Gardeners in general are usually more aware of the environment, following environmental practices like composting, avoiding synthetic chemicals and pest deterrents," she said, hinting that concerns over climate change may have played a part in the apparent trend.

The online resource goes on to mention a number of popular books and looks at whether gardeners are likely to continue to buy paper copies or to use online resources.

Yesterday, the Pittsburgh Post Gazette pointed out that horticultural forums and websites are changing the way people read and write about the activity.