Few sights are as charming as a hummingbird hovering over cardinal flowers in your backyard or a butterfly lighting on the black-eyed Susans potted on your balcony. Yet pollinators do more than beguile us: they are key to a healthy environment. With many pollinators threatened and their habitats disappearing, gardeners can make a real difference by planting native species that support these amazing creatures. The trick is knowing what species to plant and how to help them thrive. If you're a gardener (or aspiring gardener) in the Northeast, Upper Midwest, or Great Lakes region, this beautiful 4-colour guide will become your go-to reference to the most beneficial plants in your area. It includes profiles of more than 300 native plants, featuring lovely illustrations and photos, information on blooming periods, exposure, soil moisture, and good plant companions, as well as how each species supports specific pollinators. You'll learn more about common plants you thought you knew and be introduced to species you may have never encountered before. Blooming flowers, native grasses, trees, shrubs, vines, and plants for rain and pond gardens are all included. White Baneberry, Woodland Strawberry, Boneset, Virginia Mountain Mint, Smooth Aster, and many others may find their way from these pages to your soil. While understanding specific plants is key, so too are growing strategies. Here you'll learn how to prepare your site and find sample garden designs, whether your growing space is an apartment balcony, a residential yard, or a community garden. Throughout, you'll discover the power of plants to not only enrich your personal environment but to support the pollinators necessary for a thriving planet.
Lorraine Johnson has been researching and writing about environmental issues for three decades. Johnson is the author or editor of fourteen books, including 100 Easy-to-Grow Native Plants for American Gardens in Temperate Zones and Grow Wild! Sheila Colla is a Conservation Scientist working to conserve wildlife including native pollinators. She is part of York University's Bee Research Organization BeeC, which aims to address pollinator health and sustainable agriculture from an interdisciplinary perspective. Ann Sanderson has an undergraduate degree in zoology and biology from the University of Toronto and attended the Science Illustration program at the University of California in Santa Cruz. She is now a freelance illustrator in Toronto, ON.
"A glorious manifesto... Profusely illustrated, it highlights dozens of pollinator-worthy flowering plants for home and community gardens. An encyclopedic but highly accessible book that belongs with every gardener and naturalist."--Stephen Buchmann, author of "What a Bee Knows" and "The Reason for Flowers" "Seldom is there a reference that is so delightful to peruse. It gives even a beginning naturalist a sense of hope, a feeling that even a simple gardener can do something both meaningful and beautiful for their gardens, for their garden's pollinators, and ultimately, for their whole community."--Olivia Messinger Carril, co-author of "The Bees in Your Backyard" "This book has it all--sample garden plans, beautiful illustrations and photographs, a comprehensive section profiling native plants and the specific pollinators the plants support, answers to common pollinator gardening questions, and a discussion about the critical link between native plants and pollinators...gardeners will treasure this extremely informative book."--Heather Holm, Pollinator Conservationist and author of "Bees: An Identification and Native Plant Forage Guide" "What a valuable, comprehensive, timely, and beautiful resource! Lorraine Johnson and Sheila Colla provide the rationale, urgency, and detailed know-how for restoring essential pollinator habitats. Just a fantastic contribution!" --Douglas Tallamy, author of "Bringing Nature Home"
