ABOUT US     IDEAS     DO LESS     USEFUL PLANTS     PROJECTS     VIEWS     RESOURCES     TOPICS RESOURCES —> garden and ecology reference books reading lists:    landscape design    reference    garden essay    field guides video reviews book reviews glossary quiz2 quiz1 lawn thoughts Collected bodies of scientific knowledge, including collected writings. ("more info" links to the book's Amazon page) Alexander, Christopher, et al. A Pattern Language: Towns - Buildings - Construction (ISBN: 0195019199). Eight years in the making, this mind-expanding dictionary of "patterns" shows how people can design spaces—outdoors and indoors, intimate and public—that fill their deepest needs for connection and privacy. Hailed by Architectural Design as "perhaps the most important book on architectural design published this century." more info American Horticultural Society. A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants (ISBN: 0789419432). Nearly 100 horticulture experts and professional photographers contributed to this reference, which profiles over 15,000 garden plants, arranged alphabetically by botanical name, with thousands of color photographs. Entries for each genus address native habitat, cultivation, propagation, and pests and diseases. Separate species and cultivar listings describe form, growth habit, flower, and fruit and show hardiness zone and geographical origin. more info Callenbach, Ernest. Ecology: A Pocket Guide (ISBN: 0520214633). Callenbach's dictionary of ecological concepts covers fire, growth, sulfur, niche, predation, and more. Manages to convey the depth of an ecological perspective with writing clear enough to be easily understood by non-scientists. more info Hightshoe, Gary L. Native Trees, Shrubs, and Vines for Urban and Rural America (ISBN: 0471288799). Hightshoe devotes a two-page spread to each plant, including detailed overview and close-up drawings, a map of the plant's geographic range by county, and a host of useful growth and preference information. Describes form, branching, foliage, flower, and fruit. Gives specifics on preferred habitat such as soil type, moisture, temperature, and associated species. Gauges each plant's tolerance for urban conditions and susceptibility to insects, diseases, and wind. It's a pricey but delectable treat for shrub-lovers, especially those with enough space to try more than a handful of species. Essential for landscape designers who wish to use native species. more info Kellaway, Deborah (editor). The Virago Book of Women Gardeners (ISBN: 1860491537) Pithy and poetic quotations from female gardeners and garden writers over the last two centuries, many excerpted from works that are out-of-print. more info Sternberg, Guy and Wilson, Jim. Landscaping with Native Trees (ISBN: 1881527662) Thinking of planting a tree? This book gives color photos and all-season descriptions of trees native to the eastern half of the U.S., plus where and how to grow them. more info Sternberg and Wilson more recently published Native Trees for North American Landscapes (ISBN: 0881926078), a more comprehensive book covering all of North America. More details from the publisher, Timber Press. more info from Amazon Sutton, Ann and Sutton, Myron. Eastern Forests (ISBN: 0394731263) One of the National Audubon Society Nature Guides, this field guide describes major types of ecosystems found in Eastern North America. It presents detailed physical descriptions, ranges, and common associates for the key plants and animals found in each habitat. Includes a color photo of each key plant and animal. Read more about Field Guides. more info Thanks for visiting http://www.LessLawn.com! All site contents © 2001-2009 Evelyn J. Hadden, except where noted. All rights reserved.