In this eloquent plea for compassion and respect for all species, journalist and gardener Nancy Lawson describes why and how to welcome wildlife to our backyards. Through engaging anecdotes and inspired advice, profiles of home gardeners throughout the country, and interviews with scientists and horticulturalists, Lawson applies the broader lessons of ecology to our own outdoor spaces. Detailed chapters address planting for wildlife by choosing native species; providing habitats that shelter baby animals, as well as birds, bees, and butterflies; creating safe zones in the garden; cohabiting with creatures often regarded as pests; letting nature be your garden designer; and encouraging natural processes and evolution in the garden. The Humane Gardener fills a unique niche in describing simple principles for both attracting wildlife and peacefully resolving conflicts with all the creatures that share our world.

With stunning colors and phenomenal flying abilities, dragonflies are extraordinarily beautiful, and vital to the ecosystem. Britain s leading dragonfly expert offers tips on how to attract these amazing insects to your garden. From creating a pond and choosing the right plants, to long-term pond care, and help with identifying dragonfly species, this book is buzzing with ideas for how to make your garden a sanctuary for both you and dragonflies to enjoy."

The vibrant, opinionated, and totally engaging voice of 85-year-old Emily Whaley transforms a guided tour of one of the most visited private gardens in America into a magical adventure, alive with tidbits of advice and deeply moving reflections. Illustrations.

This book is an engaging introduction to dragonflies for a general reader, incorporating facts, conservation information, illustrations, and the author's personal stories.

"It's up to every single one of us to do our bit for wildlife, however small our gardens, and The Butterfly Brothers know just how that can be achieved." Alan Titchmarsh Join the rewilding movement and share your outdoor space with nature. We all have the potential to make the world a little greener. Wild Your Garden, written by Jim and Joel Ashton (aka "The Butterfly Brothers"), shows you how to create a garden that can help boost local biodiversity. Transform a paved-over yard into a lush oasis, create refuges to welcome and support native species, or turn a high-maintenance lawn into a nectar-rich mini-meadow to attract bees and butterflies. You don't need specialist knowledge or acres of land. If you have any outdoor space, you can make a difference to local wildlife, and reduce your carbon footprint, too. "Wildlife gardening is one of the most important things you can do as an individual for increasing biodiversity and mitigating the effects of climate change. From digging a pond to planting a native hedge, the Butterfly Brothers can help you every step of the way." Kate Bradbury

Explains how to create a nature-friendly garden that attracts and meets the needs of the same insects and creatures many people try to rid their garden of, including rabbits, toads, insects, squirrels, and even deer.

If you yearn to watch blackbirds feeding their young, and butterflies flitting amongst the flowers but you don't have the space for a meadow or want to give your whole garden over to nature, don't despair: with just a few clever tricks you can bring the countryside and its residents to your garden, even in the most urban of locations. Encouraging a little wildlife into your garden can bring a lot of benefits for the gardener. Having a wildlife-friendly garden isn't just about letting nature do its thing so that you can enjoy watching it from your window or the patio, it has a far more important contribution to make. Let nature do the hard work of gardening for you: ladybirds and blue tits will make short work of aphids, while birds, bats and hedgehogs will feast on larger insects. It's biological control at its best; leaving you more time to sit in your deck chair and listen to the dawn chorus of the birds, the croaking of frogs, and the nighttime grunting of visiting hedgehogs. If the natural look of a wildlife garden isn't your thing, you'll be pleased to know that even the most modern, minimalist garden can include features which will bring in wildlife without cramping your style. In this book, the team at Gardeners' World Magazine bring you tips and advice on simple ways in which you can create a haven for wildlife - whatever your garden style.

Learning about fruits and vegetables becomes fun in What's in the Garden? This book serves as a garden tool for kids and doubles as a healthy cookbook, with tons of kid-friendly recipes for you to cook with your child. Children at home this summer will be inspired learn about the world around us! Good food doesn't begin on a store shelf with a box, it comes from a garden bursting with life, color, sounds, smells, sunshine, moisture, birds, and bees! Healthy food becomes much more interesting when children know where they come from. So what's in the garden? Kids will find a variety of fruits and vegetables, from carrots to broccoli, apples to onions. For each vegetable comes a tasty, kid-friendly recipe making this book not only the perfect gardening book for kids, but also a healthy cookbook for kids from 4-8. Author Marianne Berkes consulted with nutritionists and personally made every recipe in the book, to be sure they are both tasty and kid-friendly. Recipes include: Applesauce Carrot Muffins Tomato Sauce French Onion Soup Blueberry Pie Backmatter Includes: Further information about the foods in the book A glossary to help with food preparation Facts about gardening and plant anatomy

So begins this lyrical tribute to the bugs, bees, and birds that make the garden such a busy place. With each turned page, more visitors appear, and all the while the “surprise”—a chrysalis—changes unnoticed until, on the last page, a butterfly emerges and flies away across the garden’s well-tended borders. Back-of-book notes about the natural histories of the garden’s denizens complete this lovely and lively portrait of backyard nature, which is also a gentle meditation on the rewards of paying attention. A chipmunk hides on every page to divert and engage young readers.Fountas & Pinnell Level O This is my busy green garden. There’s a surprise In clever disguise, That hangs in my busy green garden. This is a ladybug dawdling so, Near the surprise, in clever disguise, That hangs in my busy green garden. This is a honeybee buzzing below The red spotted ladybug dawdling so, Near the surprise, in clever disguise, That hangs in my busy green garden.

“With the twinned calamities of climate change and mass extinction weighing heavier and heavier on my nature-besotted soul, here were concrete, affordable actions that I could take, that anyone could take, to help our wild neighbors thrive in the built human environment. And it all starts with nothing more than a seed. Bringing Nature Home is a miracle: a book that summons butterflies." —Margaret Renkl, The Washington Post As development and habitat destruction accelerate, there are increasing pressures on wildlife populations. In his groundbreaking book Bringing Nature Home, Douglas W. Tallamy reveals the unbreakable link between native plant species and native wildlife—native insects cannot, or will not, eat alien plants. When native plants disappear, the insects disappear, impoverishing the food source for birds and other animals. Luckily, there is an important and simple step we can all take to help reverse this alarming trend: everyone with access to a patch of earth can make a significant contribution toward sustaining biodiversity by simply choosing native plants. By acting on Douglas Tallamy's practical and achievable recommendations, we can all make a difference.