Real Gardens Grow Natives: Design, Plant & Enjoy a Healthy Northwest Garden

by Eileen M. Stark

For many people, the most tangible and beneficial impact they can have on the environment is right in their own yard. Aimed at beginning and veteran gardeners alike, Real Gardens Grow Natives is a stunningly photographed guide that helps readers plan, implement, and sustain a retreat at home that reflects the natural world. Gardening with native plants that naturally belong and thrive in the Pacific Northwest’s climate and soil not only nurtures biodiversity, but provides a quintessential Northwest character and beauty to yard and neighborhood!

For gardeners and conservationists who lack the time to read through lengthy design books and plant lists or can’t afford a landscape designer, Real Gardens Grow Natives is accessible yet comprehensive and provides the inspiration and clear instruction needed to create and sustain beautiful, functional, and undemanding gardens. With expert knowledge from professional landscape designer Eileen M. Stark, Real Gardens Grow Natives includes:

* Detailed profiles of 100 select native plants for the Pacific Northwest west of the Cascades, plus related species, helping make plant choice and placement.

* Straightfoward methods to enhance or restore habitat and increase biodiversity

* Landscape design guidance for various-sized yards, including sample plans

* Ways to integrate natives, edibles, and nonnative ornamentals within your garden

* Specific planting procedures and secrets to healthy soil

* Techniques for propagating your own native plants

* Advice for easy, maintenance using organic methods

Genres: Gardening, Nonfiction, Nature, Environment, Reference

632 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2014

About the author

Eileen M. Stark is a Portland-based landscape designer and consultant who specializes in wildlife habitat gardens in the Pacific Northwest. Her botanical experience is backed by a B.S in biology, as well as studies in ecology, wildlife conservation, and design. Using permaculture and restoration ecology principles, her unique designs harmonize with the surrounding ecosystem and transform underused spaces into vibrant and functional landscapes that conserve resources, increase biodiversity, and meet clients' needs. She's also a freelance photographer and writer whose articles have appeared in both regional and national publications. In addition to being an advocate for native species protection and restoration, she volunteers for various environmental and humane organizations. She previously worked in the animal protection field.

Reviews

[Melissa Jeanette · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading that songbird babies can't survive without native bugs, which in turn need native plants, I've been wanting to grow more native plants in my yard to help all the critters above and below the ecological chain, butterflies and bees included.

But where to begin? How do you find native plants without ripping them out of an established ecosystem (which would harmful to those ecosystems)? And if you find a native plant nursery, how do you know the plants were harvested ethically and responsibly? What plants do well in urban habitats? If you get rid of plants, which should go first? How do you create a mini ecosystem in your yard? This book answers all those questions and more.

I found this book immensely helpful and I don't feel even a little bit overwhelmed, which I expected to be since I'm a gardening newbie. The book is written in an approachable way and I'm excited to get out there and plant some native plants! I know what part of my yard I'm beginning with and what I'll be planting there. I even found a native plant store in my city.

This book is a great introductory guide to growing native plants. The first few chapters would be helpful to any gardener, even those outside the Pacific Northwest. I highly recommend it.

[Wendy Wagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nice intro to Pacific NW native plants. The photos are quite pleasing, and the explanations on the value of incorporating native plants into your yard are well done. Go plant something for the critters!

[Sarah Guldenbrein · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been taking out gardening books from the library, looking for ones that I want to purchase for keeps, and I think this is one of them. A very nice reference book.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5* I read this mostly for the plant recommendations, and appreciated the level of detail that the author provided there (although there are a few plants that my experience with differed from her description -- for example yarrow she says spreads slowly whereas in my yard it spread extremely aggressively both seeding and spreading by rhizomes -- but I think everyone's experience with plants will differ a bit). The design info was pretty basic, I would have appreciated some more specific design considerations for designing with native plants.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I use this book all the time! Like others have said, I wish it had some more specific design strategies for using native plants in home gardens, but I appreciate the guide's simplicity. The one thing I approached with caution is that the author's section on cleaning bird feeders differs from other sources like the Audubon Society. But as far as the plant glossary goes, I love it!

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book for a beginning gardener. I appreciated the detail the author spent on the basics of building a garden. Only reason I didn't give it a 5 is that it was a bit too basic for me personally. Well written

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book for learning more about gardening/growing with PNW native plants.

[Claire Hardwick · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5- 4 stars

A very nice reference book on natives, heavily focused on Oregon & Washington State natives.

Some interesting insights for bringing in pollinators to the landscapes, Specific design strategies for using native plants would have been a plus but sometimes simplicity is best for for everyone reading it can take something beneficial out of the book.

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful photos.

Information for the area is extensive, which can make it a little overwhelming, but probably if you pick a few of the recommended plants, then see the listed companions, you can progress from there.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chock-full of down-to-earth (slight pun intended), straightforward, beautifully presented information, plus a mini-encyclopedia of native plants. Wonderful reference work - am considering buying for my gardening resource library.

[Heather Ruderian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rated this a 5 initially but on reading more about native gardening I think there could be more discussion on when non-natives make sense. Urban environments can be tough for some natives and a non-invasive non-native can be the only realistic choice for providing for wildlife in some situations.

I also would have liked to see more detail in the 100 plants section on the actual range of the plants rather than just a general description of their habitat (forest, meadow, etc). For example some, while in general PNW natives, are not native north of parts of Oregon while others are not native south of Washington. Others are only found east or west of the Cascades.