Review
------
“Alan has masterfully infused the spirit of the Midwest into a
practical book on native s for gardeners and naturalists
alike.” —Richard Hawke, Evaluation Manager and Associate
Scientist at Chicago Botanic Garden
“Whether you are a native aficionado or simply looking to
add regionally appropriate s to your landscape, this book
will become a valued addition to your library.” —Edward S. Lyon,
director of Reiman Gardens, Iowa State University
“As more people are incorporating more natives in their
landscapes for their own pleasure, pollinators, and birds, this
book will be used by novice and experienced gardeners alike.”
—Booklist
“The sheer number of beautiful photographs in this volume
provide an excellent way for readers to browse and become
inspired by the beauty of native Midwest s. . . . Gardeners
wishing to learn more about native Midwest s from an
experienced professional will appreciate the blending of growing
recommendations along with the author’s personal experiences
using each .” —Library Journal
“Save time, money, and perhaps the most valuable natural
resource—water—by going native in your green space. Native s
of the Midwest features the best native s in the heartland
and offers clear and concise guidance on how to use them in the
garden. . . . This comprehensive book is perfect for both
enthusiasts and home gardeners looking to reap the benefits of a
native garden.” —Michigan Gardener
“Well designed and richly illustrated, Branhagen’s book will be
of value to landscapers, restoration ecologists, and home
gardeners interested in creating regionally appropriate
landscapes.” —Choice
“Includes stunning images that showcase the leafy and colorful
variations in nature and is ideal for those looking to update
their landscape.” —Green Bay Press-Gazette
“Well-researched but accessible bible.” —The Columbus
Dispatch
“Beautifully illustrated and thoughtfully written guide to the
Midwest’s best native s for home gardens. . . . an excellent
guide to help us choose s that will offer the home gardener
the most success.” —The Gateway Gardener’s
Read more ( javascript:void(0) )
From the Inside Flap
--------------------
Create a garden that reflects the unique beauty of the Midwest.
Native s of the Midwest shows you the best native s
and how to use them in your garden.
This invaluable resource includes* 500 species of trees, shrubs,
vines, perennials, groundcovers, bulbs, and annuals
* s that attract native bees, butterflies, birds, and other
beneficial wildlife
* Practical cultivation tips for adding natives to your garden
Read more ( javascript:void(0) )
From the Back Cover
-------------------
Create a garden that reflects the unique beauty of the Midwest.
Native s of the Midwest shows you the best native s
and how to use them in your garden.
This invaluable resource includes* 500 species of trees, shrubs,
vines, perennials, groundcovers, bulbs, and annuals
* s that attract native bees, butterflies, birds, and other
beneficial wildlife
* Practical cultivation tips for adding natives to your garden
Read more ( javascript:void(0) )
About the Author
----------------
Alan Branhagen is director of operations at the Minnesota
Landscape Arboretum and the former director of horticulture at
Powell Gardens, Kansas City’s botanical garden. He is the author
of Native s of the Midwest and The Gardener’s Butterfly Book
and has written articles for a range of publications, including
Fine Gardening, Missouri Gardener, Missouri Prairie Journal,
Landscape Maintenance, and Restoration and Management Notes. Alan
is a naturalist and sman with a background in garden design
and management; he specializes in botany, butterflies, and birds.
Read more ( javascript:void(0) )
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
--------------------------------------------------------
Introduction
This is a book about the s indigenous or native to the
heartland of North America. No place else on earth has such an
extreme continental climate, yet it is a place filled with s
of every size and in every hue. This book s to inspire readers
to native s while learning how and where to grow them
successfully. There is no perfect so understanding the
strengths and limitations of each species is a critical
component. I also to explain why it is important to utilize
native s in a landscape wherever possible.
Humans have manipulated the landscapes of the Midwest since
arriving in the region. The first English-speaking settlers
described a forest that stretched from the Appalachians to the
Mississippi. The prairies were celebrated as a sea of grass, so
vast it stretched to the horizon in many places. Much of the
forest was portrayed as open woodland, with a parklike appearance
of scrub and gnarly trees interspersed with grass. We like to
think of these early descriptions as depicting a pristine place,
but we know that the bison, elk, and other creatures along with
Native Americans and their use of fire created that landscape.
When settlers arrived, the region was already changing as the
great glacial ice had melted not that long ago (in the big scheme
of things). Northern forest trees were retreating northward and
southern species advancing as the climate changed. Grasslands had
periodically advanced eastward and northward through periods of
heat and drought, the habitat they required maintained by natural
and man-made fires that burned through entire landscapes. s
filled every niche, segregated by their adaptations to all the
various conditions from wet to dry, muck to sand, sun to shade,
and hot to cool microclimates.
Today the Midwest is one of the most human-manipulated
landscapes: the seas of prairies are now a vast expanse of
farmland while the forest has been fragmented into smaller
tracts. Once open woodlands and savannas are now dense forests.
The region’s great ivores, bison and elk, no longer roam,
while wildfires no longer burn. Some native animals like
white-tailed deer and some imported s like bush honeysuckles
and reed canary grass have gone awry, usurping indigenous s
in remnant wildlands. With the forces that shaped the original
landscape now gone, the remaining natural areas must be managed
almost like gardens to protect their inhabitants.
The indigenous s are important because they sustain all of
life in this landscape. Could you live solely off native s?
Many species, mainly insects, through millennia of adaptations
and evolution, are viscerally linked to a specific . Two
butterflies are a good example of these links: zebra swallowtail
can only survive where its host, the pawpaw, grows, the Karner
blue where the wild lupine grows. We know a y environment
for humans includes a diversity of life around us. Aldo Leopold’s
saying still holds true: “The first part of intelligent tinkering
is to save all the parts.” By including native s in our
landscape, we are helping to save this diversity, especially
important in the manipulated and fragmented Midwest.
The typical suburban landscape includes a home, expansive (and
rarely used) lawn, foundation ings, plus token shade and
evergreen trees with various adornments of ornamental ings.
In many cases, the shade trees are native but most of the smaller
trees, shrubs, and groundcovers including turf are not. In 1976
Hal Bruce wrote: “Americans simply do not utilize their
wildflower resources. Yet there is still time to begin.” After
almost 40 years since his book was published, we have be, but
we can do even better.
Read more ( javascript:void(0) )
