Books
These are a few of the resources we turn to, again and again. Find them at your local library or favorite bookstore, or follow the links below to purchase online at bookshop.org. For out of print titles, a town library or university library may be your best bet.
Note: If you buy something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission, at no cost to you. We recommend only books we genuinely love and use ourselves. Thank you so much.
On Gardening
Garden Revolution by Larry Weaner and Thomas Christopher
An icon in the world of ecological landscape design, Larry Weaner shares his revolutionary approach with home gardeners. Timber Press.
The Living Landscape by Rick Dark and Doug Tallamy
Richly illustrated and informed by both a keen eye for design and an understanding of how healthy ecologies work, The Living Landscape will enable you to create a garden that fulfills both human needs and the needs of wildlife communities. Timber Press, ISBN 978-1-60469-408-6
Landscaping with Native Trees by Guy Sternberg and Jim Wilson
An excellent ideas book with lots of good cultural information on growing native in urban and rural landscapes. Chapters, ISBN 1-881527-66-2
Native Plants for New England Gardens by Mark Richardson and Dan Jaffe
This book provides provides natural history and growing information for 100 native perennial and woody plant species specifically for gardens and landscapes. Globe Pequot, ISBN 978-1-4930-2925-9
Planting the Natural Garden by Piet Oudolf and Henk Gerritsen
For enthusiasts of vibrant landscapes, this is an essential text; for gardeners who love the dreamy moods and colors that Oudolf and Gerritsen celebrate, it's the key to a magic kingdom of garden beauty.
Soil: The Story of a Black Mother’s Garden by Camille Dungy
Poet and scholar Camille T. Dungy recounts the seven-year odyssey to diversify her garden in the predominately white community of Fort Collins, Colorado. In resistance to the homogenous policies that limited the possibility and wonder that grows from the earth, Dungy employs the various plants she grows in her garden as metaphor for how homogeneity threatens the future of our planet.
Wild Plants I Have Known . . . and Eaten by Russ Cohen
Now in its 7th edition, this guidebook focuses on edible plants that can easily be found throughout the Northeast. Includes tips and information related to foraging and recipes.
On Propagation
Brooklyn Botanic Garden Guide Starting from Seed
Excellent small publication on growing plants from seed including a chapter called Native Plants: Seeds and Diversity by Heather McCargo. Brooklyn Botanic Garden, ISBN 1-889538-09-4
Growing and Propagating Wildflowers by William Cullina
This book has extensive propagation and cultivation information and excellent photos on native wildflowers and is a must for aspiring native propagators. Houghton Mifflin Company, ISBN 0-394-96609-4
Growing and Propagating Native Trees, Shrubs and Vines
The woody companion to the above by William Cullina. Houghton Mifflin Company, ISBN 0-618-09858-5
Growing Trees from Seed by Henry Kock
An excellent book by a highly experienced woody plant propagator from the University of Guelph’s Arboretum in Ontario with detailed drawings and information on many species native to Maine. Firefly Books, ISBN 978-1-55407-363-4
On Climate
All We Can Save by Katharine K. Wilkinson (Editor), Ayana Elizabeth Johnson (Editor)
Climate Resilience by Kylie Flanagan
The Intersectional Environmentalist by Leah Thompson
The Quickening by Elizabeth Rush
What If We Get It Right? by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson
On Context
Attracting Native Pollinators by the Xerces Society
An excellent guide on the landscape practices that will create habitat that supports plant pollinators. Story Publishing, ISBN 978-1-60342-695-4
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Bringing Nature Home by Doug Tallamy
Probably the most important book you can read to educate yourself on why native plants are important. Timber Press, ISBN-13 978-0-88192-992-8
Brooklyn Botanic Garden Guide A Native Plant Reader
Chock full of interesting native plant essays by a variety of experts in the field. Brooklyn Botanic Garden, ISBN 978-1-889538-80-8
Dispersals by Jessica J. Lee
Iwígara by Enrique Salmón
Planting in a Post-Wild World by Thomas Rainer and Claudia West
This is both a post-wild manifesto and practical guide that describes how to incorporate and layer plants into plant communities to create an environment that is reflective of natural systems and thrives within our built world. Timber Press.
Nature’s Best Hope by Doug Tallamy
Wildflowers of New England: Timber Press Field Guide by Ted Elliman and Native Plant Trust
Wildflowers of New England is for hikers, naturalists, gardeners, and anyone wishing to learn more about the region’s diverse wildflowers, or just wanting to know the answer to “What’s that plant?”
Wild Seed Project Guides
Of course, we also recommend our guides!
Planting for Climate Resilience in Northeast Landscapes
Native Shrubs for Northeast Landscapes