Every year, the German Garden Book Prize and the European Garden Photo Award honor authors who “convey their green knowledge in a special way and point out that plants, animals, people, garden culture and landscape form an indivisible unit”. The literary works of art that won in the various categories are listed below.
The book “Self-sufficiency: Grow your own vegetables, snuggle with chickens, bite into homemade bread.” by Marie Diederich (Wurzlwerk) was voted first place by the jury as “Best Advisor”. In it, the well-known blogger clearly shows how you can support yourself with vegetable beds, goats and preserving jars.
Time is scarce, as the author of “No time to garden – a flower paradise with little effort knows: With bed plans, professional tips and plant portraits of perennials, grasses and annuals”: The beginner’s guide by Sonja Di Leo was rewarded with first place, because he gives valuable tips on how to run a versatile garden despite a lack of time.
The title “arable plants and crops” (source
“Lost Gardens: Of disappeared and rediscovered gardens” by the garden historian and journalist Antje Peters-Reimann also received the German Garden Book Prize 2023 in the category “Best Book on Garden History”: First place was secured by the reading with historical gardens from 2,500 years – from antiquity to the 20th century.
“Peppermint pesto and lilac couscous: delicacies from the meadow, forest and garden. 90 sophisticated recipes and 30 plant portraits” was awarded the best garden cookbook: Judith Gmür-Stalder, Kathrin Fritz and Maurice K. Grünig once again managed to create a total work of art . Especially nice: All recipes should be easy to cook.
Cynthia Nagel’s reading about “The World in My Garden: Understanding the Fascinating Garden Ecosystem” also won first place as the best book about animals in the garden. It takes a closer look and illustrates the complex ecological relationships between flora and fauna in the garden over 408 pages.
As in the previous year, the German Garden Book Prize for the best garden book for children was awarded in 2023: “The big book from the apple tree” by Holger Haag (author) and Lars Baus (illustrator) for young readers from the age of five took first place . On 56 pages, everything revolves around the long life of an apple tree – and the animals that live around or on it.
The crime novel “Gärten, Gift und tote Mann” by the Germanist and poisonous plant expert Claudia Blasl inspired the jury so much that her book took another first place: The story revolves around two retired amateur gardeners who are on the hunt for mole crickets, one murderers and the man for life are.
“The cherries in the murderer’s garden: an allotment crime thriller” by Inka Stein was awarded the best garden e-book. Why is? In the midst of the typical allotment garden idyll in the well-known allotment garden association “Am Pappelwäldchen”, a likeable heroine goes on a murder hunt after the body of a young woman has been found on the nearby bank of the Rhine.
This year, the book “Orchids: An illustrated botany with works from the Natural History Museum in London” by the author and botanist Sandra Knapp received the European Garden Book Award. It’s all about Germany’s most popular window sill plant, with impressive illustrations from the Natural History Museum in London.
Despite the English title “Gardens of Now”, everything in Rainer Elstermann’s photo book revolves around German private gardens. The photographs clearly made an impression on the jury, so it is hardly surprising why this edition came in first place and was awarded the German Garden Book Prize 2023.
The “Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants – Volume 2: New Plants, Fungi, Bacteria. Application. Cultural History. Botany, Dosage, Cultivation and Effect” by Christian Rätsch and Markus Berger was awarded the Stihl Special Prize this year. It presents over 500 new plants, fungi, lichens and bacteria in more than 140 monographs.
The book “Mein City Obstgarten” (Gräfe und Unzer Verlag) by Elisabeth Mecklenburg was voted the best beginner’s guide. That was decided by a jury of readers from the magazine “Mein schöner Garten” from Burda Verlag. It was published in April 2021 and comprises 160 pages.
Stefan Leppert secured first place in the category “Best Book on Garden History” with his book “Gärten für die Wüste” (Ulmer Verlag). It is about the German landscape architect Richard Bödeker, who succeeded in greening a desert metropolis in Saudi Arabia.
There were three winners in this category: Bärbel Oftring’s book “What are you flying on?” came first. (Kosmos Verlag), Borgit van der Avoorts (Bohem Verlag) secured second place with her book “Insekten und Co.” and third place went to Claudia Rösen’s book “Igel sucht Unterschlupf” (Ulmer Verlag).
Sebastian Kap’s photo book “Das Dessau-Wörlitzer Gartenreich” was chosen as the winner in this category. Closely followed by Ferdinand Graf Luckner, Petra Horn and Ulrich Timm, who took second place with their book “Wilmans Park” (Callwey Verlag). On the other hand, Martin Staffler’s “Gardens from Above” (Ulmer Verlag) came in third.
The “Best Garden Book for Children” was also chosen as part of the German Garden Book Prize 2022: The winner in the category was Bärbel Oftrings with her reading “What lives in the garden?” (Kosmos Verlag) and the runner-up Sanne Duft with her children’s book “Tomato Days with Tinka” (Urchhaus Verlag). Eliz Simon and Inka Vigh came in third with their work “Green thumb – close to nature and sustainable” (Magellan Verlag).
Jürgen Feder’s book “The Blessing of Immigrants” (Gräfe und Unzer Verlag) secured first place in the “Best Plant Portrait” category. The jury awarded second place to Regine Ebert and her book “Beinwell” (AT Verlag) and third place to “Die Hazelnut” (DVG Weimar Verlag) by Brigitte Wachsmuth.
Judith Gmür-Stalder, Kathrin Fritz and Maurice K. Grüning were voted first place by the jury in the category “Best Garden Cookbook” with their work “Dahlienchips und Barberitzenreis” (AT Verlag). Elisabeth Grindmayer and Stephanie Haßelbeck made it to second place with “Farmmade” (Hölker Verlag) and Celia Nentwig came third with “Klein und Koest” (Blooms Verlag).
In the “European Garden Book” category, Hervé Lenain and Barbara de Nicolay were chosen as winners with their book “The Gardens of the Loire Castles” (Ulmer Verlag). Closely followed by Fried Nielsen’s “German-Polish Gardens” (second place) and Mark Lane’s “Royal Gardens” (Prestel Verlag) in third place.
Isabelle van Groeningen won in this category with her literary work “The Seven Seasons” (Insel Verlag). Sabine Platz was able to get second place with her book “Sabine Platz im Garten” (Heyne/Ariston/Ludwig Verlag). On the other hand, Antja Peters-Reimann took third place with her title “Stories from Flora’s Empire” (Hummelshain Verlag).
Katrin Lugerbauer and Joachim Hegmann were able to secure first place in the category “Best Advisor” with their book “Wilde Meadows Design” (Ulmer Verlag). dr Heidi Lorey made it to second place with her work “Gemüse im Blumenbeet” (Ulmer Verlag) and Ulrike Aufderheide came third with her title “Kleiner Garten naturnah” (Pala Verlag).
Source: German Garden Book Prize
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