Resources
In addition to making garden worthy native plants readily available to homeowners, American Beauties™ wants to provide as much additional information as you might need to create beautiful gardens and successful wildlife habitats.
Please click on any of the links below for more information about that topic.
Articles and News
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A Store Within a Store - Successful Merchandising Strategies from Nancy Bell, Perennials and America |
Books, Associations, Internet Links and More
Books about native plants, habitat gardens and other natural landscapes
100 Easy-to-Grow Native Plants for American Gardeners in Temperate Zones
100 Easy-to-Grow Native Plants for American Gardeners in Temperate Zones by Lorraine Johnson Published by: Firefly Books. A guide to 100 beautiful and low-maintenance northern native plants, including botanical name, height, sun/shade preference, soil requirements, moisture needed, habitat, description, propagation, companions, related species, and photographs.
American Azaleas
American Azaleas by Clarence L. Towe Published by: Timber Press. Other than a few Asiatic and one European species, North America is home to all the deciduous azaleas, members of the genus Rhododendron. There are native American azaleas suitable for a wide variety of garden environments.
Armitage's Native Plants for North American Gardens
Armitage’s Native Plants for North American Gardens by Allan M. Armitage Published by: Timber Press. The popularity of native North American plants has soared in recent years, for many good reasons. Whatever draws you to native plants, you'll find no better or more authoritative guide than Allan Armitage. Widely acknowledged as one of the world's foremost horticulturists, Armitage describes more than 630 species and cultivars of perennials, biennials, and annuals that are native to the United States, bringing to each plant a wealth of practical knowledge and the full weight of his experience and expertise.
Bringing Nature Home: How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife in Our Gardens
http://bringingnaturehome.net/
Bringing Nature Home: How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife in Our Gardens by Douglas W. Tallamy Published by: Timber Press. As development and subsequent habitat destruction accelerate, there are increasing pressures on wildlife populations. But there is an important and simple step toward reversing this alarming trend: Everyone with access to a patch of earth can make a significant contribution toward sustaining biodiversity.
Gardening with Native Wild Flowers
Gardening with Native Wild Flowers by Leonard E. Foote and Samuel B. Jones, Jr. Published by: Timber Press. These two authors bring different points of view to the subject of native gardening, making this book useful to those wishing to create a natural meadow/woodlands landscape as well as to those in favor of a more traditionally controlled garden. It includes information on developing and maintaining a native wildflower garden, and on propagation, as well as sources for acquiring plants and a discussion of the meadow concept. Helpful both for identification and for gardening.
Intermountain West - Natural by Design: Beauty and Balance in Southwest Gardens
Natural by Design: Beauty and Balance in Southwest Gardens by Judith Phillips Published by: Museum of New Mexico Press. Plant grower and landscape designer Phillips takes her readers on an illustrated tour of native gardens in a variety of southwestern ecosystems: upland forests, desert grasslands, riparian oases, arid city plots. Anyone interested in gardening and the environment in the dry regions of the intermountain West can appreciate Phillips' insights and advice on how to design a beautiful, low-maintenance garden of native and adaptive, water-conservative plants.
Intermountain West - Plants for Natural Gardens
Plants for Natural Gardens by Judith Phillips Published by: Museum of New Mexico Press. A companion book to "Natural by Design," this book features over 200 photographs and profiles of plants native and adaptive to the southwestern U.S. Phillips includes an especially helpful section on effective plant combinations.
Intermountain West - Plants of the Rocky Mountains
Plants of the Rocky Mountains by Linda J. Kershaw, Jim Pojar, Paul Alaback Published by: Lone Pine Publishing. An excellent and durable guidebook to all kinds of plants native to the Rocky Mountain chain, this book includes general plant descriptions and specific information on the leaves, flowers, fruits, and range of each plant. The colorful photos are clear and helpful.
Intermountain West - Native Landscaping from El Paso to L.A.
Native Landscaping from El Paso to L.A. by Sally Wasowski with Andy Wasowski Published by: McGraw-Hill/Contemporary. Selected by the American Horticulural Society as one of the top 75 gardening books of all time, this is a great resource for those interested in gardening in the dry regions of western Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, southern Nevada, or southern California. The book discusses how to approach native gardening and landscape design in these regions, and provides detailed descriptions and full-color pictures of a number of plants, as well as indigenous plant charts and a regional zone map.
Intermountain West - Native Plants for Southwestern Landscape
Native Plants for Southwestern Landscapes by Judy Mielke Published by: University of Texas Press. In simple enough language for the beginning gardner, with helpful information for the professional landscaper, Judy Mielke describes over 300 plants (trees, shrubs, vines, groundcovers, cacti, wildflowers, you name it) native to the desert regions of the southwestern U.S. Plant descriptions include soil, water, light, temperature, and pruning requirements, landscape design use, and color photographs.
National Wildlife Federation
As one of America's leading conservation organizations, the National Wildlife Federation® works on wildlife protection issues at the global, national and regional level. Founded in 1936, NWF is a non-profit wildlife conservation organization with millions of members.
Native Alternatives to Invasive Plants
Native Alternatives to Invasive Plants by Colston C. Burrell Published by: Brooklyn Botanic Garden. The biggest enemy of any garden is not a pest, disease, or poison—it’s any plant with tougher survival skills than the plants it competes with. The best way to weed out the invaders is with this fiendishly clever guide to native plants that can seek and destroy the top 100 most unwelcome perennials, grasses, vines, shrubs, and trees. While replacing the invaders, the beautiful, hardy native plants described here also attract native birds and butterflies, while turning away their own enemy invaders.
Native Ferns, Moss, and Grasses: From Emerald Carpet to Amber Wave, Serene and Sensuous Plants for the Garden
Native Ferns, Moss, and Grasses: From Emerald Carpet to Amber Wave, Serene and Sensuous Plants for the Garden By William Cullina Published by: Houghton Mifflin. Cullina compares a garden made up of nothing but bright flowers to the detergent shelves in a supermarket, where every package screams for attention. What makes a true garden out of a collection of flowering plants are the ferns, moss, and grasses that are the verdant canvas on which nature paints its portraits -- dark green, medium green, forest green, light green, lime green, yellow-green, blue-green, gray-green, chartreuse, emerald, teal, puce, and every shade of green in between.
Northeast and Mid-Atlantic - National Audubon Society Field Guide to New England
National Audubon Society Field Guide to New England by Peter Alden Published by: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Similar to the Mid-Atlantic guide, this is an easy-to-use guide that provides illustrated descriptions of plants native to Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. This versatile guide also provides illustrated description of birds, mammals and other local wildlife native to the local plant communities. Over 1300 quality phographs and a listing of parks, preserves and sanctuaries where you might find native plants.
Northeast and Mid-Atlantic - National Audubon Society Field Guide to the Mid-Atlantic States
National Audubon Society Field Guide to the Mid-Atlantic States by Peter Alden Published by: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. An easy-to-use guide that provides illustrated descriptions of plants native to New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia, and Virginia. This versatile guide also provides illustrated description of birds, mammals and other local wildlife native to the local plant communities. Over 1300 quality photographs and a listing of parks, preserves and sanctuaries where you might find native plants.
Northeast and Mid-Atlantic - Native Plants of the Northeast: A Guide for Gardening and Conservation
Native Plants of the Northeast: A Guide for Gardening and Conservation by Donald J. Leopold Published by: Timber Press. If you've always wanted to garden with native plants, this book is for you. 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.
Northeast and Mid-Atlantic - Wildflowers in the Field and Forest: A Field Guide to the Northeastern United States
Wildflowers in the Field and Forest: A Field Guide to the Northeastern United States by Steven Clemants and Carol Gracie Published by: Oxford University Press. Many of us have stopped to pick bunches of wildflowers or have admired them as they flourished in fields, hiking trails, and roads. Always appreciated but not always recognized, now these beauties can easily be identified with Wildflowers in the Field and Forest, the most inclusive field guide available to the wildflowers of the northeastern United States.
Northeast and Mid-Atlantic - New England Wild Flower Society Guide to Growing and Propagating Wildflowers of the United States and Canad
New England Wild Flower Society Guide to Growing and Propagating Wildflowers of the United States and Canada by William Cullina Published by: Houghton Mifflin. Cullina, nursery manager and propagator at the Garden in the Woods of the New England Wild Flower Society, profiles more than a thousand species of flowers: their native habitats, cultural requirements, propagation methods, and design considerations, all in a tone that is technical but light and easy to read. Color photographs illustrate his descriptions. The book also discusses ecological gardening and provides lists of plants ideal for a variety of special situations.
Pacific West - National Audubon Society Field Guide to the Pacific Northwes
National Audubon Society Field Guide to the Pacific Northwest by Peter Alden Published by: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. An easy-to-use guide that provides illustrated descriptions of plants native to Oregon and Washington. This versatile guide also provides illustrated description of birds, mammals and other local wildlife native to the local plant communities. Over 1300 quality phographs and a listing of parks, preserves and sanctuaries where you might find native plants.
Pacific West - Trees and Shrubs of California
Trees and Shrubs of California by John D. Stuart and John O. Sawyer Published by: University of California Press. A comprehensive field guide to the woody plants of California's wildlands. Includes detailed drawings of most plants listed; maps illustrating their native ranges; a description and the habitat, range, and other details of each plant; and vivid color photo plates.
Pacific West - Landscaping for Wildlife in the Pacific Northwes
Landscaping for Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest by Russell Link Published By: University of Washington Press. Written by a wildlife biologist, this is a book that homeowners, property owners, professional wildlife managers, landscape architects, and garden designers will all find invaluable. It is a great source of information on: wildlife habitat and landscaping basics; birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and insects likely to be attracted to your property; specialty gardens for butterflies and hummingbirds; how to plant and maintain woodlands, grasslands, wetlands, and waterways; feeders and nest boxes, ponds and birdbaths; potential problems; wildlife viewing tips; extensive plant lists.
Pacific West - National Audubon Society Field Guide to California
Pacific West - National Audubon Society Field Guide to California by Peter Alden Published by: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. An easy-to-use guide that provides illustrated descriptions of plants native to California. This versatile guide also provides illustrated description of birds, mammals and other local wildlife native to the local plant communities. Over 1300 quality phographs and a listing of parks, preserves and sanctuaries where you might find native plants.
Plains States - Gardening With Prairie Plant
Gardening With Prairie Plants By Sally Wasowski, with Andy Wasowski Published by: University of Minnesota Press. Intended for beginning and advanced gardeners alike, this book explains the benefits and how-to of gardening with native prairie plants. The book includes an easy-to-understand discussion of long-grass vs. short-grass prairies; information on the design, installation and maintenance of prairie gardens; and 241 large color photographs accompanying plant profiles and floral distribution maps.
Plains States - Prairie Lands Gardener's Guide
Prairie Lands Gardener's Guide by Cathy Wilkinson-Barash Published by: Cool Springs Press. Cathy Wilkinson Barash is a leading gardening expert in the Prairie Lands region, this proven format has helped gardeners experience more success and enjoyment from their gardens. Edited for the states of Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota.
Plains States - Prairie in Your Pocket
Prairie in Your Pocket by Mark Muller Published by: University of Iowa Press. This easy-to-use, compact identification guide is laminated for durability and can fit into a pocket or glove compartment. It includes color pictures and information on 114 plants of the tallgrass prairie.
Plains States - Woodland in Your Pocket
Woodland in Your Pocket by Mark Muller Published by: University of Iowa Press. Written and designed in the same small, durable, easy-to-use style as Prairie in Your Pocket, this identification guide by artist and botanist Mark Muller includes color illustrations and information on 59 native species of the remnants of native woodlands that exist across the midwest.
Southeast - National Audubon Society Field Guide to the Southeastern State
National Audubon Society Field Guide to the Southeastern States by Peter Alden Published by: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. An easy-to-use guide that provides illustrated descriptions of plants native to Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. This versatile guide also provides illustrated description of birds, mammals and other local wildlife native to the local plant communities. Over 1300 quality phographs and a listing of parks, preserves and sanctuaries where you might find native plants.
Southeast - Native Shrubs and Woody Vines of the Southeast: Landscaping Uses and Identification
Native Shrubs and Woody Vines of the Southeast: Landscaping Uses and Identification by Leonard E. Foote and Samuel B. Jones, Jr. Published by: Timber Press. This helpful identification guide presents complete plant descriptions for 550 species and 79 plant families, with simple but effective keys and many photographs.
Southeast - The Wildlife Garden
The Wildlife Garden by Charlotte Seidenberg with Jean Seidenberg Published by: University of Mississippi Press. A resource for any gardener of the lower southeastern U.S. wishing to create a garden that appeals to a variety of wildlife, this book provides step-by-step instructions for doing just that: from selecting a balance of native plants, to plant placement, to soil-prep, to maintainance. In her rambling style, Seiderberg conveys a wealth of information about southern ecosystems and wildlife.
Southeast - Gardening With Native Plants of the Sout
Gardening With Native Plants of the South by Sally Wasowski and Andy Wasowski (contributor) Published by: Taylor Publications. Explore the many possibilities and advantages of going native as Wasowski discusses how to create a wildlife habitat in your backyard. This book includes specific information on over 200 familiar, easy-to-find native plants, over 250 color photographs, nine sample garden plans, and more.
The American Woodland Garden, Capturing the Spirit of the Deciduous Forest
The American Woodland Garden, Capturing the Spirit of the Deciduous Forest by Rick Dark Published by: Timber Press. In his unique, and often thought-provoking new book, award-winning author Darke promotes and stunningly illustrates a garden aesthetic based on the strengths and opportunities of the woodland, including play of light, sound, and scent; seasonal drama; and the architectural interest of woody plants.
The Encyclopedia of Grasses for Livable Landscapes
The Encyclopedia of Grasses for Livable Landscapes by Rick Dark Published by: Timber Press. This book provides a huge range of grasses in encyclopedic form as well as covering botanical characteristics and how grasses can be used for garden design, and ecological and cultural landscapes. He is one of the world's great botanical photographers and in the 484 pages, there are over 1000 brilliant images of individual plants and hundreds of gardens and landscapes in which grasses play a prominent part.
The Landscaping Revolution
The Landscaping Revolution by Andy Wasowski and Sally Wasowski (contributor) Published by: McGraw-Hill/Contemporary Books. Two award-winning gardening experts use humor and common sense to make their case against traditional "good landscaping" practices. They also share advice on gardening with native plants, using natural alternatives to man-made chemicals, and making easy-to-maintain landscape designs. The book includes pictures and descriptions of native plants from around the US and a comprehensive list of native plant societies. A good coffee table book and an entertaining and informative read.
The Native Plant Primer
The Native Plant Primer by Carole Ottesen Published by: New York: Harmony Books. Ottesen offers gardeners a comprehensive, region-by-region guide to selecting and gardening with exceptionally beautiful, easy-to-care-for, ecologically beneficial native North American plants--the new focus of the gardening world. Over 500 full-color photos.
The Natural Habitat Garden
The Natural Habitat Garden by Ken Druse Published by: Clarkson Potter. Homeowners, landscape professionals, or any gardener who is interested in the environment can benefit from this book about recreating natural habitat. Incorporating 500 color photos into his text, Druse surveys 35 native plant gardens from across the US, discusses how to recreate wildlife habitats, and provides planting advice, a source guide, and a suggested reading list.
The Secret Life of Wildflowers: A Delightful Feast of Little Known Facts, Folklore, and History
The Secret Life of Wildflowers: A Delightful Feast of Little Known Facts, Folklore, and History by Jack Sanders Published by: The Lyons Press. Jack Sanders's colorful tribute to wildflowers is bursting with odd facts, ingenious uses, and bizarre superstition about some of North America's most beautiful and common plants. There are more than 10,000 varieties of wildflowers in North America, some rare, some so plentiful that they are designated as invasive weeds. Each has a unique story.
The Wild Lawn Handbook
The Wild Lawn Handbook by Stevie Daniels Published by: Hungry Minds, Inc. Daniels presents the how and the why of replacing a turfgrass lawn with other plants. Her instructions on designing and maintaining prairie and native grass lawns, wildflower yards, meadows, moss lawns, woodlands, and front yard gardens are illustrated with inspiring photographs.
Trilliums
Trilliums by Frederick W. and Roberta B. Case Published by: Timber Press. Both field guide and gardener's handbook, this book covers all 45 species of trilliums worldwide. The authors trekked all over North America to photograph the 38 American species in the wild.
Woodland Gardens: Shade Gets Chic
Woodland Gardens: Shade Gets Chic by Colston C. Burrell Published by: Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Shade has often been the bane of gardeners, but it sure doesn't have to be! Learn how to select and grow the best plants for lush, lovely gardens in every region and all kinds of shade—from cool woodland retreats to shaded urban lots. Covers scores of wonderful woodland plants for every region.
