This book is about the author’s personal laboratory for ecological studies, which he created by replacing the Bermuda grass in his suburban Arizona lawn with gravel, cacti, and fairy dusters. He seeded his property with flowers to entice certain insects and even added a few cowpies to attract termites. His observations of life in his own front yard provided him with the fieldnotes for this unusual book .

The book draws readers into the strange and fascinating world of plants and animals native to Arizona’s Sonoran Desert. As Alcock studies the plants in his yard, he shares thoughts on planting, weeding, and pruning that any gardener will appreciate. And when commenting on the mating rituals of spiders and beetles or marveling at the camouflage of grasshoppers and caterpillars, he uses humor and insight to detail the lives of the insects that live in his patch of desert. Celebrating the virtues of even aphids and mosquitoes, Alcock draws the reader into the intricacies of desert life to reveal the complex interactions found in this unique ecosystem .

This book is about the role of insects in garden ecology and how they can be beneficial to the garden ecosystem. Grissell suggests that it might be time to declare a truce with insects in the garden. He explains the vital role insects play in every garden ecosystem and writes about the various orders of insects, describing how the insects grow, feed, and reproduce. With a sound basis in science and a practical grounding in gardening experience, Grissell seeks to introduce the reader to insect biology and the role of insects in garden ecology. He describes the various orders of insects the gardener is likely to encounter, and writes knowledgeably about how insects grow, feed, and reproduce.

This book provides a comprehensive guide to identifying and understanding the plants that are changing the North American landscape forever.

The book features full-color photos and descriptions of more than 250 alien species, both terrestrial and aquatic, that are in some cases changing the landscape to an almost unimaginable degree. Accompanying text describes the plant’s environmental and economic impacts as well as management techniques used to control it.

The book is divided into several sections, including “The Aliens Landed Long Ago and Keep Arriving,” “Invasives Changing Wild America,” “Managing the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly,” “A Quick Key to Identifying Major Species of Invasive Plant Groups,” “A Field Guide to Individual Species,” and “More Information”.

Inviting Pollinators and Other Wildlife Into Your Garden is not only a how-to on building natural habitats for native wildlife, but is also a complete guide. Readers new to native landscaping can accomplish their goal of creating a space for all native species to enjoy and to thrive.

This book is a definitive guide to landscaping in the Southwest, featuring exotic plants of tremendous potential seldom used in Southwest landscapes.

The book contains full-color photos and descriptions of more than 250 alien species, both terrestrial and aquatic, that are in some cases changing the landscape to an almost unimaginable degree. Accompanying text describes the plant’s environmental and economic impacts as well as management techniques used to control it.

In this comprehensive, richly illustrated guide, author George Oxford Miller provides the “how-to,” “when-to,” and “what-to” for gardeners, landscapers, and homeowners throughout Texas. Have you ever planted a beautiful—and expensive—shrub in your yard and watched it slowly die because it was in the wrong location? Insufficient sunlight, too much water, improper soil, or too hot an exposure can turn the nursery-perfect specimen into an eyesore. This all-in-one DIY guide helps you beautify your yard using low-maintenance native plants specifically adapted to your local growing conditions.

Whether as foundation hedges, mass plantings, or accent shrubs, Texas’ vast offering of native species can bring year-round beauty to any lawn space. Covering wildflowers, shrubs, trees, vines, cacti, and groundcovers, this book selects the species that combine ornamental qualities, growth habit, adaptability, and year-round beauty for the highest landscape value.

Chapters include photos, maps, charts, and design samples to provide guidelines for species selection and planting, ongoing maintenance, landscape design, and water and energy conservation. Plant descriptions provide detailed habitat requirements for hundreds of native plants, and photos illustrate how each plant looks in the landscape. In Landscaping with Native Plants of Texas, new and experienced gardeners alike will find the facts and advice needed to choose the plants best adapted for their particular landscape. The ornamental beauty of Texas’ native species and the economic advantages of using plants adapted to the local climate demonstrate that the best for our landscapes often comes from our own backyards. And perhaps most importantly, using native plants encourages the repair and preservation of natural plant communities and the wildlife they shelter.

In this work, Louv highlights the declining exposure of children to nature in American society, coining the term “nature-deficit disorder.” He delves into how this lack of connection with the natural world adversely affects children and society as a whole. Some of the key points from the book include:

1. Nature-Deficit Disorder: Louv argues that children today spend less time outdoors due to various factors such as parental fears, structured schedules, and limited access to natural spaces. This deficit has significant implications for physical, psychological, and spiritual well-being.
2. Health Implications: The book explores how nature can serve as therapy for conditions like depression, obesity, and attention deficit disorder. Environment-based education not only improves test scores but also fosters critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
3. Alternative Future: Louv presents an alternative vision where parents actively encourage their children to engage with nature. By doing so, families can find joy, connectedness, and creativity through outdoor experiences.

In this book, Penick explores innovative ways to transform traditional lawns into more eco-friendly, low-maintenance landscapes. Here are the key points from the book:

1. Lawn Alternatives: The book covers a variety of time-saving options for replacing lawns. These include:
   • Alternative Grasses: Grasses that require little or no mowing.
   • Ground Cover Plants: Low-maintenance plants that can cover large areas.
   • Artificial Turf: Realistic-looking turf that doesn’t need mowing.
   • Hardscaping: Using non-plant materials like stones, pavers, or gravel.
   • Mulch: A practical and attractive ground cover.
2. Step-by-Step Guidance: The book provides detailed instructions on removing existing lawns and implementing these alternatives. It also addresses challenges such as dealing with neighbors and homeowner associations.
3. Regional Recommendations: Penick offers plant recommendations suitable for different parts of the country, considering climate and soil conditions.

Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a beginner, Lawn Gone! empowers you to create a beautiful, sustainable yard that requires less effort and resources.

This book is a comprehensive guide to the vascular plants of Texas. It includes detailed descriptions and illustrations of over 5,000 species of plants, as well as information on their distribution, ecology, and economic importance.

Veteran botanist and educator Roy L. Lehman describes Texas marine plants in four major sections: common shoreline plants, seagrasses, mangroves, and marine algae (red, brown, and green seaweeds.) Each section begins with an introduction that gives an overview of the plant group and includes information on the important traits and terminology used for identification.

This book is a comprehensive exploration of Matagorda Island, one of the barrier islands along the Texas coastline. The book sheds light on the island’s natural wealth and ecological fragility. Here are the key takeaways:

Matagorda Island stands as a pristine example of an undisturbed barrier island. Unlike many others affected by human development, it remains a haven for sand dunes, sea grasses, waterbirds, and beach creatures. The authors delve into the island’s geology, history, and ecological systems. From vegetation to mammals, birds, herptiles, fish, and invertebrates, every component plays a vital role in maintaining the island’s delicate balance.

Beyond its natural wonders, Matagorda Island has a rich human history. From Karankawa Indians to European explorers, Civil War-era settlers, lighthouse keepers, and even the U.S. Air Force (which used it as a bombing range), the island’s past is woven into its landscape.The book emphasizes the island’s potential future—a place where humans can coexist with nature, appreciating the intricate web of relationships that connect land and living creatures.

In summary, this book invites readers to explore this unique ecosystem, appreciate its past, and envision a sustainable future.

This Grow Green guide was created to help you select plants that are native to and adapted for the Austin area. These plants tend to be drought tolerant, most need little, if any supplemental fertilizer, are resistant to most diseases and pests, and many provide habitat and food sources for local wildlife. The less watering, fertilizing and chemical usage required in your yard, the more you contribute to the conservation and protection of our precious water resources – our streams, lakes and aquifers.

Note that the purchase button links to a free PDF eBook.

This user-friendly, heavily illustrated field guide describes 101 native larval host plants in Texas. Each plant species includes descriptive information on the plant, a distribution map, and photos of both the caterpillars and adult butterflies that frequent them.

Like butterflies, moths require native plant species in order to lay their eggs and feed the caterpillar stage. This user-friendly follow-up to Lynne and Jim Weber’s Native Host Plants for Texas Butterflies describes over 100 native, larval host plants for moths in Texas. More than 150 moth species are illustrated in the book, both larval and adult phases, with one to two species for each of the described host plants.

You’ll learn how with native plants it’s possible to achieve a beautiful yard without the need to overhaul your entire landscaping, sacrifice your aesthetic, or remove all your grass. You can make a difference, one native plant at a time.

In this insightful guide, the focus is on the unique flora of Trans-Pecos Texas, an arid and rugged region known for its challenging climate. The authors delve into the remarkable adaptations of native plants that thrive in this environment, emphasizing their cold-hardiness and ability to withstand extreme temperatures. These species have evolved to make the most of limited water availability, making them ideal candidates for sustainable landscaping.

The book not only serves as a practical guide for gardeners and landscapers but also encourages a deeper appreciation for the native flora. By incorporating these plants into our outdoor spaces, we can create gardens that harmonize with the rugged beauty of Trans-Pecos Texas while conserving water and supporting local ecosystems.

This middle grade edition of the groundbreaking bestseller by Doug Tallamy will inspire kids to use their backyard to help save the planet.

This book shows us how our landscape style of neat yards and gardens has devastated suburban ecology, wiping out entire communities of plants and animals by stripping bare their habitats and destroying their food supplies. When Stein realized what her intensive efforts at making a traditional garden had done, she set out to “ungarden.” Her book interweaves an account of her efforts with an explanation of the ecology of gardens. Noah’s Garden has become the bible of the new environmental gardening movement, and the author is one of its most popular spokespersons.

This book provides information on accurate identification and effective control of the 33 nonnative plants and groups that are currently invading the forests of the 13 Southern States, showing both growing and dormant season traits. It lists other nonnative plants of growing concern, control strategies, and selective herbicide application procedures. Recommendations for preventing and managing invasions on a specific site include maintaining forest vigor with minimal disturbance, constant surveillance and treatment of new unwanted arrivals, and finally rehabilitation following eradication.