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Booklist and Other Links
"Bringing Nature Home" by Doug Tallamy is probably my favorite gardening book I own. It's the go to book about why natives are so important and why they can't be substituted for other plants. It centers around east coast natives but the information translates to any region. Doug does a great job at presenting the science of plant-insect relationships in a digestible and engaging way. He makes it clear how native plants and the insects that depend on them play a critical role in food web which translates to greater bio diversity.
"Teaming with Microbes" by Jeff Lowenfels and Wayne Lewis is the book I would recommend for a crash course in soil biology. It's very well organized and informative, with something to offer for all levels of gardeners. Starting from the smallest soil lifeforms, the book moves its way up in size to the insects and worms we are all familiar with, explaining their relationships to each other and to a healthy soil. They do a great job at presenting very important details without talking down to the reader or bombarding you with terminology. They keep the conscience and integrity of the knowledge intact while presenting in it in a personable style.
"Attracting Native Pollinators" by the Xerces society is a must own for anyone serious about habitat gardening. This great blend of science and 'how-to' has endless use as a guide to create, manage and enjoy a pollinator garden. They offer plant lists for different insect species, instructions on how to make native bee nests using simple materials you probably already have around, an index of common species you'll encounter in the garden with loads of information about who the players are in the pollinator world and what you can do to make them happy.
"Mycelium running" is the book I get the most feed back on from my clients. Paul Stamets, the rock star mycologist, wrote this book to tempt readers to journey into the wonderful and magical world of fungi. Like Attracting Native Pollinators, it is a mix of practical hands on instruction and fun projects and inspiring science that will blow the readers mind, opening up door to the unseen, still under explored territory of mushrooms.
For those interested in Permaculture, "Gaia's Garden" is a great starting point. Toby Hemenway does a great job at walking you through the twists and turns of this much talked about design method that can very easily become over complicated and out of reach to casual gardeners. I had the pleasure of taking classes from Toby before he passed and got to witness first hand how bright he was. He takes these creative designs that can seem out of reach on a piece of paper and breathes life into them, allowing the reader to use their imagination and dream of the possibilities to turn their yard into an oasis of beauty and life.
Calflora Nursery is my favorite nursery. They specialize in California native plants but have a good selection of unique non natives as well. For those who live in or are visiting the Bay Area, they are a must for any plant lover. Most of their plants they propagate themselves, adding a layer of connection to what they sell that you won't get from most nurseries. This also means that the quality of their plants is much higher since they care for their plants from seed to sale. Their knowledge is second to none and while they are a small nursery, they play a huge part in much of the restoration work that happens in the area. Even if you're not in the area, their website is worth checking out for their plant index and descriptions. I can't say enough about how wonderful they are so check em out for yourself.
Larner seeds is a fantastic source for seeds of all kinds of California natives. Annuals, perennials, grasses, and more, they have a wide selection of seeds they harvest from their own gardens. They also have a great book list on their website that I like to browse from time to time. They have very fair pricing, they ship, and, depending on the seed variety, you can get anything from a tiny packet of seeds to a large bag.
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