RHS Level 2 Reading List (Units 1 & 2): Essential & Recommended Books for Exam Success
Use this list to prioritise your reading for the RHS Level 2 Certificate in the Principles of Plant Growth & Development (Units 1 and 2).
Garden Learners Tutor Note: This RHS Level 2 reading list focuses on the books that most directly support exam success for Units 1 and 2.
Who this list is for:
- RHS Level 2 students
- Resit students
- Career changers moving into horticulture
- Gardeners moving into professional study
Important: You do not need to read every book on this page to pass RHS Level 2.
Core Reading (Essential Books for RHS Level 2)
1) Principles of Horticulture
Author: Charles Adams
Why it’s useful (RHS Level 2):
- A broad foundation text that supports both units.
- Helps link overlapping topics (e.g. soil → water → nutrition → plant health).
- Useful when you want one book that ties ideas together during revision.
2) Horticulture at Level 2: Unit 1
Author: Barnaby Millard
Why it’s useful (RHS Level 2):
- Written specifically for the RHS qualification and closely aligned to Unit 1 topics.
- Helps with revision of plant science basics, including plant structure and function, water and nutrient movement, soils, nutrition, and plant health.
- Best first reference when revising because the style and coverage match the course.
3) Horticulture at Level 2: Unit 2
Author: Barnaby Millard
Why it’s useful (RHS Level 2):
- Helps students get used to RHS phrasing and expectations, which supports exam technique.g
- Directly supports Unit 2 learning around biodiversity, sustainability, plant selection, and horticulture in society.
Recommended Reading
4) RHS Botany for Gardeners
Organisation/Author: Royal Horticultural Society/Geoff Hodge
Why it’s useful (RHS Level 2):
- Clear explanations of plant structure and processes using correct terminology.
- Helps students answer questions confidently on roots, stems, leaves, and core plant science.
- Particularly useful for getting accurate wording in short answers.
5) How Plants Work
Edited by: Stephen Blackmore
Why it’s useful (RHS Level 2):
- Strong support for understanding how plants function rather than memorising facts.
- Helpful for Unit 1 “explain”-style questions about water relations, nutrient uptake, and plant responses to conditions.
6) Essential Soil Science
Authors: Mark R. Ashman & Geeta Puri
Why it’s useful (RHS Level 2):
- Written as an accessible introduction to soil science, making it well-suited to Level 2 study.
- Covers soil texture and structure, organic matter, water movement and drainage, and basic nutrient behaviour at the right depth for RHS exams.
- Easier for students to translate into clear, descriptive and explanatory answers than more advanced soil textbooks.
- Works well alongside the RHS Unit 1 book without overwhelming learners.
7) The Gardeners’ Companion to Pests and Diseases
Author/Organisation: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Why it’s useful (RHS Level 2):
- Practical reference for identifying common pests/diseases and understanding symptoms.
- Supports plant health across both units and helps students link symptom → cause → control.
8) Latin for Gardeners
Author: Lorraine Harrison
Why it’s useful (RHS Level 2):
- Helps decode scientific names and reduces confusion with plant terminology.
- Useful for confidence when reading exam questions and learning plant examples.
9) Companion to Wildlife Gardening
Author/Organisation: Royal Horticultural Society (RHS)
Why it’s useful (RHS Level 2):
- Supports Unit 2 biodiversity and habitat topics.
- Gives practical examples students can use in applied answers.
10) Wild Flowers
Author: Carol Klein
Why it’s useful (RHS Level 2):
- Builds confidence with recognising common wild and garden plants using clear visual cues.
- Supports Unit 2 background understanding of biodiversity and plants in managed and semi-natural settings.
- Useful for general plant familiarity rather than detailed identification required for exams.
11) RHS A–Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants
Author/Organisation: Royal Horticultural Society (RHS)
Why it’s useful (RHS Level 2):
- Excellent plant reference for checking plant names, families, and basic characteristics.
- Helps students build confidence with plant examples for Unit 2 style answers.
- Useful long-term reference for anyone working or studying in horticulture.
- Not exam-essential, but very helpful for building broader plant knowledge.