One of the best gardening books that I have laid my hands on recently is William Bryant Logan's The Tool Book. Thumbing through the pages, you could be forgiven for thinking that it was just a catalogue of gardening implements. But, as you start to read Logan's dialogue you get a sense that this book is more than pretty pictures and fluffy content.

The Tool Book is really a history lesson dating back to when mankind began to till the soil and make it useful. He explains each garden tool - yes, even the ones that have you completely baffled as to their use - and muses over how they came to be, how they have been refined and current expressions and ways to use them.

The one thing that struck me was that Logan doesn't just describe a 'hoe' as a 'hoe'. It's either a 'weeding hoe' or 'cultivating hoe' and its specific design has been styled for a unique purpose (not that this would surprise Carol). And, every other tool in the book gets the same treatment.

For gardeners new to their hobby, and even those who have been enjoying this pastime for a while, the Tool Book is sure to open your eyes to some great tools and their purposes. In fact, if I were a brand new gardener this book would be the first thing I read as it will propel your gardening knowledge beyond your current experiences.

Logan's The Tool Book is one of those must-have reads that will probably take pride of place in your gardening collection. Its design is simple and easy to use and you will find yourself coming back to it time and time again to find better ways of doing the same job.