What can we do, right now, in our own landscapes, to help solve climate change? Gold Winner, Foreword INDIES Book Awards: Ecology & Environment “Read this book carefully. Everything you need to know to help heal our relationship with planet Earth and empower you to make a much-needed difference is within these pages.”—From the foreword by Doug Tallamy Praise for the first edition: “The volume of information here is impressive, and each action is accompanied by an explanation of why it’s important. . . . Useful whether read cover-to-cover or dipped into for specific topics.”—Booklist “Beautifully designed, the book is user-friendly and attractive. The information is current and science-based, with end-notes that give readers access to further research.”—Virginia Native Plant Society “This fantastic resource is filled with climate-wise solutions for anyone who owns or manages a piece of ground—even if it’s just a few containers on a tiny rooftop garden.”—Claudia West, ASLA, Principal, Phyto Studio LLC “[Reed and Stibolt] articulate a new gardening aesthetic. . . . The result is a positive and hopeful story of how people can use their imagination and ingenuity to help craft more resilient landscapes.”—Dr. Peter Robinson, former CEO, David Suzuki Foundation “Beautiful photos and pleasing graphics illustrate key ideas and actions while informative sidebars and inspiring quotes from climate and landscape experts provide clarity of complex systems and motivation to adapt to a changing future.”—Julie Richburg, Ph.D., ecologist “A book on climate-wise landscaping could not be more timely or more necessary. We are moving into a new and critical era, and this book takes landscape professionals and home gardeners where they need to go.”—Owen Dell, RLA, ASLA, landscape architect, educator, author, Owen Dell & Associates “A very useful guide to designing landscapes for the twenty-first century which clearly respond to our changing climate.”—Darrel Morrison, honorary associate faculty member in landscape architecture, University of Wisconsin-Madison Predictions about future effects of climate change range from mild to dire—but we’re already seeing warmer winters, hotter summers, and more extreme storms. Proposed solutions often seem expensive and complex and can leave us as individuals at a loss, wondering what, if anything, can be done. Sue Reed and Ginny Stibolt offer a rallying cry in response—instead of wringing our hands, let's roll up our sleeves. Based on decades of the authors' experience, this book is packed with simple, practical steps anyone can take to beautify any landscape or garden, while helping protect the planet and the species that call it home. Topics include:  Working actively to shrink our carbon footprint through mindful landscaping and gardening Creating cleaner air and water Maximizing resource efficiency Supporting birds, butterflies, pollinators, and other wildlife.  As climate change continues to intensify around the globe, the information in this second edition of Climate-Wise Landscaping is needed now more than ever. This book is the ideal tool for homeowners, gardeners, and landscape professionals who want to be part of the solution to climate change.

Save money and energy while adding natural beauty to your home.

What can we do, right now, in our own landscapes, to help solve climate change?

An easy-to-follow, step-by-step approach to creating a water-wise gardening environment, no matter where one lives. Photos.

"A timely, accessible guide to responsible landscaping that convincingly explains how and why our home landscapes must participate in local ecosystems."--Douglas Tallamy, coauthor of The Living Landscape: Designing for Beauty and Biodiversity in the Home Garden "By explaining the importance of individual decisions, presenting relevant facts, sharing personal experience, and providing specific strategies, Varlamoff inspires readers to transform their yards into planet-friendly landscapes."--Lucy Bradley, coauthor of Earth-Friendly Desert Gardening "Captures in clear, easy-to-understand language how our gardening choices impact the environment--from water to soil to the creatures that inhabit them."--Linda Nelson, president, National Garden Clubs, Inc. While issues such as climate change, pollution, and water shortages become increasingly difficult to ignore, the movement toward sustainability continues to grow. Even though most gardeners are attuned to nature, some common processes of garden maintenance can take a toll on the environment. Sustainable Gardening for the Southeast is a vividly illustrated guide that offers simple techniques to help conserve water, reduce pollutants, and mitigate climate change while increasing biodiversity and attracting pollinators and wildlife. Gardeners will be inspired and empowered to protect and enhance the local ecology as they cultivate a resilient landscape featuring native plants, colorful flowers and trees, and even organically grown fruits and vegetables. And for those who cherish their emerald lawns, Susan Varlamoff provides tips for keeping it green and environmentally sound. Gardeners in the Southeast--whether amateurs or professional landscapers--who want to implement sustainable strategies will find this book the ultimate resource for cultivating a garden that gives back to the earth.

100 water-wise plants for gardens and landscapes.

"Follow this professional gardening advice to end up with a balanced, attractive, easy-to-maintain Florida native garden. It is a gardening book to cherish."--Roger L. Hammer, author of Attracting Hummingbirds and Butterflies in Tropical Florida "Everything you need to know from just getting started to long-term development and maintenance of the native garden of your dreams."--Troy Springer, owner of Springer Environmental Services, Inc. "A great resource for learning some of the best approaches to gardening with natives."--Steven W. Woodmansee, CEO and biologist for Pro Native Consulting The standard dream home garden--the kind splashed across magazine covers--typically features emerald lawns and manicured flowerbeds. But most gardeners soon discover that those picture-perfect landscapes require hard work, persistent watering and fertilizing, and plenty of pesticides. As more homeowners free themselves from the shackles of regular lawn maintenance, they turn to native plants, which eventually start to look scruffy and scraggly. While there are plenty of guides for establishing a native landscape, there are few comprehensive resources for their maintenance. In this easy-to-read, practical, and honest approach to native plant landscaping, botanist and experienced gardener Ginny Stibolt shares techniques for living with a native landscape and personal lessons learned over the years. Dispelling the myth that native plants require no maintenance, she encourages readers with a simple upkeep schedule that is much more flexible than traditional suburban landscaping. She enumerates the many ecological rewards and covers the basics of gardening before delving into the removal of invasives and other unwanted plants, plant selection, planting methods, propagation, as well as the creation of manageable edges, meadows, groves, and wet sites. This is a must-read for novices and advanced gardeners alike. Stibolt's advice can be applied to small yards or large community properties. With just a little bit of effort and a reimagining of the ideal, gardeners can spend less time watering and weeding and more time enjoying their handiwork. And Mother Nature will thank them, too!

Ideal for city residents, developers, designers, and officials looking for ways to bring urban environments into harmony with the natural world and make cities more sustainable, Urban Ecology for Citizens and Planners offers a wealth of information and examples that will answer fundamental scientific questions, guide green initiatives, and inform environmental policies and decision-making processes. This book provides an overview of the synergistic relationships between humans and nature that shape the ecology of urban green spaces. It also emphasizes the social and cultural value of nature in cities for human health and well-being. Chapters describe the basic science of natural components and ecosystems in urban areas and explore the idea of biophilic urbanism, the philosophy of building nature into the framework of cities. To illustrate these topics, chapters include projects, case studies, expert insights, and successful citizen science programs from urban areas around the world. Authors Gail Hansen and Joseli Macedo argue that citizens have increasingly important roles to play in the environmental future of the cities they live in. A valuable resource for real-world solutions, this volume encourages citizens and planners to actively engage and collaborate in improving their communities and quality of life.

“I can't imagine a designer or avid gardener who wouldn't want this on their bookshelf.” —Garden Design Online Waterwise Plants for Sustainable Gardens is a practical guide to the best 200 plants guaranteed to thrive in low-water gardens. Plant entries provide the common and botanical name, the regions where the plant is best adapted, growth and care information, and notes on pests and disease. This practical and inspiring guide includes a variety of plants, from trees to succulents, perennials to bulbs, all selected for their wide adaptability and ornamental value. Companion plants, creative design ideas, and full color photography make this guide a must-have resource for any sustainable gardener.

Gardening. Environmental Studies. Photographs by Saxon Holt. Illustrations by Richard Pembroke. This lavishly illustrated book celebrates the challenges and opportunities of gardening in Mediterranean climates, with special reference to northern California's San Francisco Bay Region. The core of the book is a catalog of more than 650 plants suited to regions with mild, usually wet winters and dry, often hot summers. These plants thrive with moderate to no summer irrigation when established, require little or no maintenance, and are reasonably available from nurseries, botanic gardens, native plant sales, or specialty seed suppliers. Many of the 542 color photographs show plants in garden settings to suggest attractive and compatible plant combinations. Summary charts provide information on each plant, such as bloom time, needs for water and sun, and preferences for coastal or inland microclimates. Lists suggest plants for special situations, such as hot sites, dryish shade, small gardens, and clay soils. Chapters on landscape design and maintenance inspire readers to make gardens that use little water and no harmful chemicals, with a focus on building healthy soil. Practical steps to successful design are supplemented with ideas for designing with microclimate, attracting wildlife, and fire safety. Sidebars by local experts discuss weather, natural landscapes, design solutions, and gardening with recycled water. "A valuable resource for climate-compatible gardening in the San Franciso Bay Area that will also be of interest to gardeners in other parts of the world with a similar seasonal pattern of winter rain and dry summers. This book will occupy a prominent place in my library for many years to come." Katherine Greenberg, president Mediterranean Garden Society "This book is beautifully designed with abundant photographs of plants, many in garden settings, and it is packed with the kind of information gardeners need for their own special situations. Simply stunning Bravo " Phyllis M. Faber, editor University of California Press"