Recommended Books


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, [with The Nature of Oaks] he turns his advocacy to one of the most important species of the plant kingdom—the mighty oak tree.
excerpt from Homegrown National Park

Heather Holm is a biologist, pollinator conservationist, and award-winning author. She passionately informs and educates audiences nationwide, through her writing and many presentations, about the fascinating world of native pollinators and beneficial insects, and the native plant communities that support them.  excerpt from Pollinators of Native Plants
 "A wonderful book for the gardener interested in natural garden design, native plants, plant communities, ecoregions, plant sociability, and more." --The Real Dirt, Garden Club of America as it appears on Amazon
From the Back Cover: "Everything you need to know about Minnesota’s beautiful native plants and how to include them in your landscapes. Gardeners enjoy Minnesota’s native plants for more than their beauty. They are low maintenance, can survive difficult soil and weather conditions, provide unique landscape options, and celebrate our state’s natural heritage. In Landscaping with Native Plants of Minnesota, you’ll learn how to identify native plants, keep them healthy and thriving, and design and install an attractive home landscape perfect for your lifestyle."
" Naturalist and plantsman Alan Branhagen is director of operations at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and former director of horticulture at Powell Gardens, Kansas City’s botanical garden. He specializes in botany, butterflies, birds, and garden design." as it appears on Amazon
“Beautifully illustrated…[Midwestern Native Shrubs and Trees] demonstrates how native woody plants... not only form the backbone of a functioning habitat but serve as life-giving agents to birds, and a vast array of beneficial insects…As part of our Plants for Birds campaign, we at Audubon urge Midwesterners to secure a copy of [this book] and put its concepts into practice. The survival of our region's birds depends on human creations of gardens, yards, and landscapes resplendent with native herbaceous and woody species.”—Audubon Great Lakes as it appears on Amazon
"This book has it all—sample garden plans, beautiful illustrations and photographs, a comprehensive section profiling native plants and the specific pollinators the plants support, answers to common pollinator gardening questions, and a discussion about the critical link between native plants and pollinators…gardeners will treasure this extremely informative book." -- Heather Holm, Pollinator Conservationist and author of "Bees: An Identification and Native Plant Forage Guide" as it appears on Amazon.
Recommended Books for Children
"A comprehensive and beautifully illustrated reference for all gardeners passionate about native plants and prairie restoration.
The Gardener’s Guide to Prairie Plants is the one-stop compendium for all gardeners aspiring to use native prairie plants in their gardens. Neil Diboll and Hilary Cox—two renowned prairie gardeners—compile more than four decades’ worth of research to offer a wide-ranging and definitive reference for starting and maintaining prairie and meadow gardens and restorations."-  as it appears on Amazon
ALA Top 10 Sustainability-themed Children's Books 2022

"A brother and sister learn that small changes can make a big difference.
When a bird flies into their window by accident, Callum and his sister, Emmy, learn that from the outside, the glass looks just like the sky. They also learn that the United States has lost a lot of birds in recent years―and that there are lots of things their family can do to help. First, they set out feeders and make the windows safe. Then, for the winter, they build a little shelter and put out a heated birdbath. By springtime, all kinds of birds are visiting their yard! But with such a big problem, is there more they can do to make a difference?"-as it appears on Amazon
"In this children’s story full of native plants and wildlife, learn how lonely Bear Cub invited friends to his new home– by creating a Puddle Garden. Bear Cub plants cardinal flower, swamp milkweed, blue flag iris, elderberry, and more. His garden quickly fills with grateful wildlife. His home landscape is no longer lonely! Children and parents alike will be inspired by this story to create homes for butterflies, hummingbirds, turtles, frogs and other wildlife, using native wildflowers and shrubs that provide shelter and sustenance. Written by botanist Jared Rosenbaum, and illustrated by artist Laura Rosenbaum, this book is both a charming story and a template for restoring our home landscapes to natural beauty and abundance. Dr. Doug Tallamy, author of Bringing Nature Home, says of The Puddle "Read the Puddle Garden to your kids, but while you are reading, please hear its vital message yourself!"" -as it appears on Amazon