Best Midwest Region Gardening

Native Plants of the Midwest , by regional plant expert Alan Branhagan, features the best native plants in the heartland and offers clear and concise guidance on how to use them in the garden. “Alan has masterfully infused the spirit of the Midwest into a practical book on native plants for gardeners and naturalists alike.” —Richard Hawke, Plant Evaluation Manager and Associate Scientist at Chicago Botanic Garden “Whether you are a native plant aficionado or simply looking to add regionally appropriate plants to your landscape, this book will become a valued addition to your library.” —Edward S. Lyon, director of Reiman Gardens , Iowa State University. This comprehensive book is perfect for both plant enthusiasts and home gardeners looking to reap the benefits of a native garden.” — Michigan Gardener. “Well designed and richly illustrated, Branhagen’s book will be of value to landscapers, restoration ecologists, and home gardeners interested in creating regionally appropriate landscapes.” — Choice. “Well-researched but accessible plant bible.” — The Columbus Dispatch.

The Midwestern Native Garden offers viable alternatives to both amateurs and professionals, whether they are considering adding a few native plants or intending to go native all the way. This is the only book I know of, for the Midwest, that systematically suggests native plants of similar appearance and growing requirements, to replace nonnatives we might otherwise plant in our landscapes. “For Midwestern gardeners this is an excellent reference book to have on your native plants, and some of them look nicer than their city cousins.”— The National Gardener. “This lovely and inspired book will turn your mind to the future, to gardening, and to creation, of whatever divine, authorial, or arboreal inspiration.

The firm’s long focus on innovative horticulture and particular attention to seasonality put it at the forefront of this now-popular industry-wide focus. In-depth features include projects for which the firm has gained recognition, including McGovern Centennial Gardens in Houston; Daley Plaza in Chicago; the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden; Soldier Field and North Burnham Park in Chicago; the Buckhead shopping district in Atlanta; the University of Chicago’s main quadrangle and Botany Pond; and innovative rooftop gardens for the Gary Comer Youth Center and the Morningstar Corporation in Chicago. After a degree in landscape architecture from Purdue and a decade working with a design/build firm, he took an unorthodox sabbatical in England where he apprenticed with eminent plantsmen and designers including Beth Chatto and John Brookes. Peter Lindsay Schaudt (1959–2015) was born in Illinois and trained first as an architect, receiving a degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and then obtained a Master’s degree in Landscape Architecture from Harvard in 1984.

In response to this natural evolution, the editors of Sunset-the West's most trusted source of gardening information for more than 80 years-have completely redesigned and updated The Western Garden Book in this new 2012 Ninth Edition. The New Western Garden Book features include: A photo gallery shows the West's most innovative gardens, from all-edibles front yards to stylish water-wise and fire-wise gardens to living walls and green roofs-all with ideas you can use. For more than half a century, Sunset has been helping readers remodel their homes and improve their lives.

#4 on Publishers Weekly 's Bestselling Gardening Books list! ...Neil Sperry is the undisputed dean of of Texas gardening....Neil has established himself as Texas' most prominent expert on gardening. One of the more comprehensive nooks containing plants for Pklahoma is Neil Sperry's Complete Guide to Texas Gardening . Serious gardeners pluck Neil Sperry's Complete Guid to Texas Gardening off the shelves at local bookstores almost as soon as the books are put there. If you only have one basic gardening book Neil Sperry's Texas Gardening is the one to have.

With entries for nearly 700 species of native trees, shrubs, vines, ferns, grasses, and wildflowers from the northeastern quarter of the U.S. and eastern Canada, its comprehensive horticultural coverage is unsurpassed by any other single volume. “An important resource for enthusiasts interested in gaining practical insight about gardening with native plants as well as those seeking to restore native plant habitats or enhance biodiversity.” — Library Journal “An encyclopedia of experience.” — The Washington Post. “This is a wonderful book that anyone interested in improving backyards, gardens, and other small stopover areas with native vegitation will want to have handy as an essential reference.” — International Hawkwatcher. “This book will interest readers who, regardless of their educational background, wish to learn about using native plants for gardening.” — Choice. “In addition to the alphabetical categorical listing, appendices list plants grouped according to cultural requirements, giving you a jump start on planning a garden for your particular soil requirements.” — Cleveland Plain Dealer.

An all-new revised and updated edition, The New Southern Living Garden Book is THE definitive source on gardening from the brand Southern gardeners have turned to for nearly 50 years. For nearly 50 years, Southern Living magazine has delivered definitive Southern food, decorating, and gardening ideas to over 15 million readers monthly, making it one of the most trusted lifestyle brands in the country.

The author explores topics ranging from labor in the garden, garden pests of the time, and seed saving practices to contemporary African American gardens. A Rich Spot of Earth lovingly describes the 1000-foot terraced vegetable garden that was restored to its 1812 appearance under the author's able direction. " A Rich Spot of Earth: Thomas Jefferson's Revolutionary Garden at Monticello presents a rarely seen side of the man. Here is Jefferson with mud-splattered boots laying out garden beds and carefully setting seeds with dirty hands: a Founding Father not on a lofty pedestal, but joyfully competing with neighbors in an annual contest to see who could bring the first spring peas to table. And it opens up a new and interesting way of thinking about Jefferson, the Founding Father who remains most relevant and malleable for Americans. "Peter Hatch's vibrant and enthusiastic passion for preserving Thomas Jefferson's farming legacy at Monticello reminds us all of the time-tested continuity and historical root of this kind of agriculture. "In this fascinating book, Peter Hatch wonderfully weaves together his deep understanding of Monticello’s soil with his scholarly knowledge of Jefferson’s legacy as a gardener. A Rich Spot of Earth affords us a clear and compelling view into the revolutionary thinking of Jefferson, illuminating for the reader his approach to food, diversity, democracy, and freedom – making the genius of Jefferson, perhaps, as relevant today as at any other time in American history."—P.

Written at the height of her fame but not published until over a decade after her death, this autobiography of actress and sex symbol Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962) poignantly recounts her childhood as an unwanted orphan, her early adolescence, her rise in the film industry from bit player to celebrity, and her marriage to Joe DiMaggio. After she was mysteriously found dead of a drug overdose at the age of 36, the movie star became a beloved pop icon.

With entries for nearly 700 species of native trees, shrubs, vines, ferns, grasses, and wildflowers from the northeastern quarter of the U.S. and eastern Canada, its comprehensive horticultural coverage is unsurpassed by any other single volume. “An important resource for enthusiasts interested in gaining practical insight about gardening with native plants as well as those seeking to restore native plant habitats or enhance biodiversity.” — Library Journal “An encyclopedia of experience.” — The Washington Post. “This is a wonderful book that anyone interested in improving backyards, gardens, and other small stopover areas with native vegitation will want to have handy as an essential reference.” — International Hawkwatcher. “This book will interest readers who, regardless of their educational background, wish to learn about using native plants for gardening.” — Choice. “In addition to the alphabetical categorical listing, appendices list plants grouped according to cultural requirements, giving you a jump start on planning a garden for your particular soil requirements.” — Cleveland Plain Dealer.