Our Bookshelf
As a program, we make a commitment to continued learning. Listed are a few resources we recommend and several reads we have found particularly inspiring.
Native Plant Information & Guides
Plant Selection Guide: Heritage Gardens of the Columbia Basin
Donna Lucas & Heather Wendt
The Columbia Basin Chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society and Benton Conservation District partnered to publish this guide. This beautiful full color, 164 page, spiral bound book contains descriptions of over 100 native and low water-use plants. In addition to plant profiles, the book provides information on the cultural and natural heritage of the plants along with stunning photos.
Waterwise: Native Plants for Intermountain Landscapes
Wendy Mee, Jared Barnes, Roger Kjelgren, Richard Sutton, Teresa Cerny, Craig Johnson
A wonderful guide co-written by Wendy Mee of our Heritage Garden team! Emphasis on gardening with plants native plants of the intermountain west.
Wildflowers of the Pacific Northwest
Mark Turner & Phyllis Gustafson
Excellent wildflower guide for the whole of Washington State. Great for visual learners with photos of flowers broken down by color and petal count.
Sagebrush Country: A Wildflower Sanctuary
Ronald J. Taylor
Excellent Plant ID reference for the shrub-steppe. Friendly for those new to plant ID with helpful pictures and introduction to soils of our region.
Native Plant Landscaping Movement
Garden Revolution
Larry Weaner & Thomas Christopher
Excellent read on building resilience in our yards and gardens.
Planting in a Post-Wild World: Designing Plant Communities for Resilient Landscapes
Thomas Rainer & Claudia West
How wild and cultivated spaces can work together for a more resilient future.
Plant-Driven Design: Creating Gardens That Honor Plants, Place, and Spirit
Scott Ogden &Lauren Springer Ogden
Design with the plants in mind. Ogden shares how plants in their native habitats influence his designs and philosophizes about what a garden is. Lovely photos include many shrub-steppe inspired designs.
Southwestern Landscaping with Native Plants
Judith Phelps
Excellent overview of the design process, how to grow your own native plants and species descriptions. Many Southwest natives overlap with our local flora.
General Reading
Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants
Robin Wall Kimmerer
Nature's Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in Your Yard
Doug Tallamy
Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest
Suzanne Simard
Gardening with Less Water
David A Bainbridge