Presents profiles of 650 species and varieties and over five hundred cultivars, with text and photographs of flowers and fruit, native and adaptive range, culture, problems, and best seasonal features.
Praised by Doug Tallamy as "an important new tool to our native plant libraries," this go-to guide is perfect for gardeners of all skill levels looking to add sustainable native flora to any horticultural project east of the Mississippi River Valley. The digital edition of Essential Native Trees and Shrubs has been updated and revised and now has zoom capability and is completely searchable. Gleaned from the authors' 75 years of landscaping experience, this user-friendly reference offers suggestions on species selection based on a plant's performance, aesthetic appeal, and wide range of adaptability. Expert authors Tony Dove and Ginger Woolridge's valuable resource is organized for fast and confident tree and shrub selections for specific landscape applications, and is full of vivid four-color photographs, graphs, and practical tips. A sound and giftable volume for gardeners and landscapers from New England through the Carolinas, from the east coast to the Mississippi River, including Georgia and into northern Florida. "This is an authoritative catalog, organized by a range of categories: those that have attractive bark or are evergreen, those that have showy flowers or are wind, salt or drought tolerant." —New York Times Summer Reading List for The Great Outdoors "An important new tool to our native plant libraries. . . Beautifully illustrated, even the well-informed gardener will find this a valuable reference." —Doug Tallamy, author of Bringing Nature Home, co-author of The Living Landscape, and Chair and Professor of the department of entomology and wildlife ecology at the University of Delaware "Few books give such well-researched detail...This book should be a required reference for nurserymen and landscape designers." —Mark Weathington, Director, JC Raulston Arboretum at NC State University "FINALLY! In a thoughtful, organized and simple format, this book illustrates how to build better landscapes, gardens, and environmentally sensitive ecologies. This is a long overdue book and it has my absolute endorsement." —Eric D. Groft, Principal/Vice President, Oehme van Sweden, Landscape Architecture “Essential Native Trees and Shrubs for the Eastern United States makes a great addition to the library of every serious gardener, landscape designer/architect, land manager and other plant-related professional.” —Margaret Shillingford, Education Programs Specialist, Mt. Cuba Center
Native Trees -- Species that Grew in North America before the arrival of Europeans -- were once overlooked in favor of rare and unusual varieties from afar. This book, the first of its kind, focuses exclusively on the cultivation and preservation of hardy, beautiful native species.
"A valuable resource for both student and practitioner. The text and photos are clear, concise, and informative. A valuable addition to any library, the general public as well."--Kenneth S. Nakaba, FASLA, Professor, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona "This is the treed landscape knowledge source, and the design and management tool we have all been hoping to see for decades. Bridging horticulture and design, it spans without judgment native specifics, introduced "near-native," and "not-so-near-native" trees. It provides the much asked-for design settings as well as the species characteristics in all their delight and imagery. This exhaustive treatise on California trees even sets the context for the big issues of climate, geomorphic, topographic and hydrologic effects, and how we design with trees so as to be true partners in the best future for California."--Joe Brown, Principal, EDAW, Inc. "I find the concept for Chuck's book quite exciting and envision it will be used both by those involved with urban landscapes as well as those involved with restoration of native habitats. It is a well-researched compendium that will aid anyone who is interested in trees and their use in a wide variety of situations. The photographs in the book are an excellent aid in tree identifications and the single volume will reduce the need carry around multiple references for identification of both native as well as non-native trees. It is my hope that Chuck's book will stimulate greater use of California's drought tolerant native trees in landscape plantings because of their reduced water requirements and ecological compatibility with other native plants and animals."--Monty Knudsen, Assistant Project Leader, USDI Fish & Wildlife Service "Trees of the California Landscape is a masterful combination of those native and non-Californian species that have importance in wildlands or the designed landscape or both. Each of the 468-plus pages is devoted to a single species, with photographs of the tree, the bark, and leafy branches accompanied by an amazingly efficient text that summarizes the natural distribution, key identification traits, tree architecture, longevity, and suitable habitats for planting, all in a very readable style. Charles Hatch has created an excellent reference for forest ecologists, landscape designers, horticulturalists, and restoration specialists--not only in California, but throughout the United States."--Michael G. Barbour, Professor of Plant Ecology, University of California, Davis "This richly illustrated book provides a much needed resource for students, educators and practitioners."--Margarita M. Hill, Head, Landscape Architecture Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Native plants are drought tolerant, disease resistant, wildlife friendly, and environmentally sound. Experts increasingly encourage gardeners to use natives exclusively. This handy and practical guide focuses on 100 great native flowers, ground covers, shrubs, ferns, and grasses that will thrive in New England gardens. The presentation is aimed at gardeners, who want concise, practical information. It will also include material on the importance and desirability of using native plants. The heart of this book is 100 two-page spreads, one for each species. The spreads will include facts about the plant of use to a gardener (not a botanist)—where it grows best, when it blooms, the soil conditions in which it thrives, its appeal to wildlife, sunlight requirements, how high it grows, how to propagate it, and how to avoid any problems particular to the species. Each spread will also feature two color photos.
AHS Book Award winner This lushly-photographed reference is an important moment in horticulture that will be embraced by anyone looking for a better, smarter way to garden. Larry Weaner is an icon in the world of ecological landscape design, and now his revolutionary approach is available to all gardeners. Garden Revolution shows how an ecological approach to planting can lead to beautiful gardens that buck much of conventional gardening’s counter-productive, time-consuming practices. Instead of picking the wrong plant and then constantly tilling, weeding, irrigating, and fertilizing, Weaner advocates for choosing plants that are adapted to the soil and climate of a specific site and letting them naturally evolve over time. Allowing the plants to find their own niches, to spread their seed around until they find the microclimate and spot that suits them best, creates a landscape that is vibrant, dynamic, and gorgeous year after year.
“A timely and much needed call to plant, protect, and delight in these diverse, life-giving giants.” —David George Haskell, author of The Forest Unseen and The Songs of Trees With Bringing Nature Home, Doug Tallamy changed the conversation about gardening in America. His second book, the New York Times bestseller Nature’s Best Hope, urged homeowners to take conservation into their own hands. Now, he is turning his advocacy to one of the most important species of the plant kingdom—the mighty oak tree. Oaks sustain a complex and fascinating web of wildlife. The Nature of Oaks reveals what is going on in oak trees month by month, highlighting the seasonal cycles of life, death, and renewal. From woodpeckers who collect and store hundreds of acorns for sustenance to the beauty of jewel caterpillars, Tallamy illuminates and celebrates the wonders that occur right in our own backyards. He also shares practical advice about how to plant and care for an oak, along with information about the best oak species for your area. The Nature of Oaks will inspire you to treasure these trees and to act to nurture and protect them.
The splendor of New York’s most famous green space comes alive in this essential companion for nature lovers and travelers to New York. In more than 900 color images, a leading nature writer and a long-time Central Park naturalist detail the park’s tree species and their place in the park’s iconic landscapes. They show how to identify trees by their needles and leaves as well as by their flowers, fruits, and bark. Historical maps illustrate Manhattan’s changing vegetation and depict the various stages of the park’s construction. Beautiful photographs of the park’s most outstanding trees and landscapes accompanied by historical vignettes conjure the people and events that brought the trees to the park and helped create this urban oasis. More than a botanical guide, this book cultivates an appreciation of the park as both a natural triumph and an embodiment of the city’s varied spirit.
“Tallamy lays out all you need to know to participate in one of the great conservation projects of our time. Read it and get started!” —Elizabeth Kolbert, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Sixth Extinction Douglas W. Tallamy’s first book, Bringing Nature Home, awakened thousands of readers to an urgent situation: wildlife populations are in decline because the native plants they depend on are fast disappearing. His solution? Plant more natives. In this new book, Tallamy takes the next step and outlines his vision for a grassroots approach to conservation. Nature’s Best Hope shows how homeowners everywhere can turn their yards into conservation corridors that provide wildlife habitats. Because this approach relies on the initiatives of private individuals, it is immune from the whims of government policy. Even more important, it’s practical, effective, and easy—you will walk away with specific suggestions you can incorporate into your own yard. If you’re concerned about doing something good for the environment, Nature’s Best Hope is the blueprint you need. By acting now, you can help preserve our precious wildlife—and the planet—for future generations.