Resources
Selected Books:
Bringing Nature Home by Douglas Tallamy
Nature’s Best Hope by Douglas Tallamy
The Nature of Oaks by Douglas Tallamy
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
The Gardener’s Guide to Prairie Plants, by Neil Diboll & Hillary Cox
A Northern Gardeners’ Guide to Native Plants and Pollinators by Lorraine Johnson and Sheila Colla
Garden Revolution by Larry Weiner and Thomas Christopher
Landscaping with Native Plants of Michigan by Lynn M. Steiner
Other educators to follow include Heather Holm, Benjamin Vogt, Larry Weaner, Richard Darke, Sam Droege, Neil Diboll & Hilary Cox. Many webinars and other educational resources are available free at wildones.org
Webinars:
Bringing Nature Home: The Importance of Native Plants
Douglas Tallamy’s webinar in which he summarized key points from his landmark book. Eloquent and entertaining explanation of why native plants are essential
Matrix Landscape Design with Benjamin Vogt
Simple, sensible advice on garden design that incorporates layers of foliage and a matrix of grasses.
Designing Native Plant Gardens Webinar with Mike Weis
Michigan native plant designer Mike Weis describes how he got started with native plants and improved garden design over time.
Phone Apps that Identify Plants and Critters:
National & International Resources:
National Wildlife Federation Native Plant Finder (Plant Lists & Keystone Plants)
Plant lists and keystone plants for your area (look at Ecoregions 5 & 8, depending on your location). Lists butterflies and moth host plants by species.
Online retailer with searchable plant database and extensive content on native plants
Douglas Tallamy’s initiative to create a national park comprised of privately owned native plant gardens across the country to form one giant park.
Source of information about native plants, including free webinars. During the winter months we meet at the Petoskey public library, and in the warmer months we gather in garden and conservation settings. Most local meetings are open to the general public, but you may want to join our local seedling chapter, Wild Ones of Northwest Lower Michigan
Organizations that focus on monarch butterfly conservation
Website for naturalistic garden designer Tony Spencer
Xerces Society Monarch Nectar Plant Guide for the Great Lakes Region
Reputable sources of information and resources about insects and other invertebrates
Conservation information and webinars
Planting in a Post-Wild World Synopsis & Author Interview
Includes useful reference photos from the book
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Michigan Resources :
Gardens by the celebrated designer Piet Oudolf right here in Michigan!
Lynn O'Shaughnessy's Circle Garden Facebook page
Lynn O’Shaughnessy’s Circle Garden Homegrown National Park
Cherry Point Farm & Market Lavender Labryrinth
Michigan Audubon’s Native Garden Design Plans & Descriptions
Scroll down on this Michigan Aubudon page for downloadable Native Designs for the Birds booklet
Michigan Natural Features Inventory
Information about native plants and plant communities; historical data
Midwest Invasive Species Information Network
Database of invasive species with detailed information about each
MSU Information on Deer-Resistant Plants
Michigan Wildflower Association
Annual conference and newsletter with information and statewide native plant resources
Native plant growers and designers around Michigan
University of Michigan Herbarium
Database of native plants with information about each species
Local Resources:
Northwest Michigan Invasive Species Network
Serving the Grand Traverse area. Source of information on invasive plants and what to do about them
CAKE stands for Charlevoix, Antrim, Kalkaska, Emmet Counties. This is our area's CISMA (Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area)
Nature preserve in Antrim County
League of Women Voters Self-guided Rain Garden Tour
Self-guided tour of local rain gardens where you can see native plants
Visit local preserves with native plants. Guided walks and educational events
Botanic Gardens at Historic Barns Park
Botanical gardens in Traverse City that include native plants
Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council
Information on using native plants in rain gardens and shoreline plantings
Wild Ones of Northwest Lower Michigan (seedling chapter)
Send an email to wildonesnorthwestlowermichigan@gmail.com and ask to be added to our mailing list.
Local nursery selling native plants at scheduled sales throughout the growing season
Each county has a Conservation District. Check your county Conservation District website for information on native plant sales and other resources. Visit websites for conservation groups and garden clubs to learn about upcoming tours.