Plant This, Not That: Over 200 Native Plant Swaps for a More Sustainable, Pollinator-Friendly Garden

by Elise Howard

A comprehensive guide to creating a native plant garden anywhere in the contiguous United States, with an easy-to-follow, "this, not that" format. "A timely, ever-so-useful guide" —Douglas W. Tallamy, author of Nature’s Best Hope These days, home gardeners know that many traditional, non-native garden plants—like English ivy, barberry, and burning bush—don't support our bees, butterflies, birds, and other creatures. And that native plants are more likely to thrive, because they evolved as part of the local ecology, so they often require less fussy maintenance and don’t depend on pesticides and fertilizers. But gardeners ready to make the switch may Where do I begin? And how do I find the best native plants for my landscape? Plant This, Not That considers some of the most common non-native (and often, invasive) plants in North American gardens and suggests substitutions for more beneficial and equally beautiful natives. Each native plant listing includes a full-color photo, along with sun, water, and soil requirements; ornamental features (including bloom time and color and whether the plant has berries, fruit, and/or fall color); and the pollinators known to depend on and support that plant. Accompanying maps show every plant's locally native range, down to the county level. The book also features an overview of how native plants contribute to our local ecosystems, where to shop for them, advice on maintaining a mostly native garden, and resources to learn more about native planting.

Genres: Gardening, Nonfiction, Plants, Nature

249 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 3, 2026

Reviews

[Rachael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Considering this is a book that is offering advice for gardeners all over the country (which is a very broad scope), I thought it was a solid, beginner friendly book. It has a very simple concept: you have this common garden plant; here are several native alternatives that work in place of that plant. Generally it will show native options from several regions of the country, so no matter where you live, you have a native option. It doesn't go deep in depth on the plants, but it gives enough info to get one started in a non-overwhelming way. The pictures are vibrant, and it's organized in a way that's friendly toward traditional gardeners - plants are organized by location (foundation, borders, hell strip, ground covers, etc.). I'd definitely recommend it for anyone just getting started in adding native plants to their gardens (and then once one is comfortable, move on to The Gardener's Guide to Prairie Plants by Neil Diboll and Hilary Cox for much more in depth native plant interactions).

[Mary Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good basic introduction on the topic. Not a lot here new for very experienced gardeners but I liked the simple format and organization.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Plant This, Not That by Elise Howard

Over 200 Native Plant Swaps for a More Sustainable, Pollinator-Friendly Garden

Plant This, Not That: Over 200 Native Plant Swaps for a More Sustainable, Pollinator-Friendly Garden

A comprehensive guide to creating a native plant garden anywhere in the contiguous United States, with an easy-to-follow, "this, not that" format. "A timely, ever-so-useful guide" —Douglas W. Tallamy, author of Nature’s Best Hope These days, home gardeners know that many traditional, non-native garden plants—like English ivy, barberry, and burning bush—don't support our bees, butterflies, birds, and other creatures. And that native plants are more likely to thrive, because they evolved as part of the local ecology, so they often require less fussy maintenance and don’t depend on pesticides and fertilizers. But gardeners ready to make the switch may ask: Where do I begin? And how do I find the best native plants for my landscape? Plant This, Not That considers some of the most common non-native (and often, invasive) plants in North American gardens and suggests substitutions for more beneficial and equally beautiful natives. Each native plant listing includes a full-color photo, along with sun, water, and soil requirements; ornamental features (including bloom time and color and whether the plant has berries, fruit, and/or fall color); and the pollinators known to depend on and support that plant. Accompanying maps show every plant's locally native range, down to the county level. The book also features an overview of how native plants contribute to our local ecosystems, where to shop for them, advice on maintaining a mostly native garden, and resources to learn more about native planting.
Lots of good information.
Wonderful pictures.
I recommend this book.
Plant This, Not That by Elise Howard is a 5-star book.
I am looking forward to reading more books by Elise Howard.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions shared here in this review are my own.

[Alicia Bayer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am an avid native gardener and have helped my grown kids plant native gardens at their homes too. I love the idea of this book, which suggests native swaps for common non-native (and sometimes invasive) plants. That said, I found it frustrating in some ways. For one thing, I couldn’t find zone information for the suggested plants, only for the bad ones. Each one had a complicated color coded map instead, showing all levels of the plant’s native range (one shade of green for native there and present, another for native and no longer present, one shade of yellow for native to the United States but not that area and present and so on). I wasn’t sure if she was saying to only plant the ones historically in my state, which wasn’t many of the recommendations. There was also only one photo for each plant but it tended to be a close up so you couldn’t really tell how the plant would look in an actual garden or what the plant’s general shape was. Many of the plants were not really much like the plants they were replacing too, other than perhaps size or general type.

It is still an extensive book with lots of information, but I personally get much more helpful information from my favorite native plant supplier website (for me in Minnesota, that’s Morning Sky Greenery, where I can sort by color, size, soil type, who it’s especially beneficial for like butterflies and birds, bloom time, etc. and they only sell native plants, are very affordable, and package sustainably). I do consider this an important book, just didn’t find it particularly helpful for me personally.

I read a temporary digital loan of this book for review.

[Pam · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am a strong believer in the value of native plants and grow many of them. Elise Howard has highlighted many great native plants which all of us should consider growing. But she and her publisher obviously got fixated on the title "Plant This, Not That" and that format while unique, did not work well. I wish she had focused on: Native plants that make good hedges. Native plants that work well as foundation plantings. Native plants that give autumn color. Instead she chose obvious non natives and tried to match them with alternatives and many times this did not work well. An example she cites is don't plant zinnias, plant golden rod. Well golden rod is a incredible plant, great for color, great for insects and birds. But it doesn't replace zinnias, which have a bold array of colors, and that bloom for months on end especially if you cut them. Many of her matches are the wrong size, and fit in different micro climates (wet vs dry locations). But one of the main deterrents to planting natives is that many of these plants are very very difficult to source and Elise Howard totally skipped this huge issue.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having a garden and large yard requires years of experimentation. The author has a wide-ranging list of suggestions to plant native flowers, shrubs, and trees with a beneficial list of states to grow them. There are two main drawbacks to planting native plants. They are more difficult to find in local garden centers and nurseries, and they do not have as beautiful showy colors as the newer hybrids and popular varieties.

On the other hand, if they are native to your state or local area, plants and trees will likely live for many years when they are manicured and attended to. Very important is their sustainability to birds, insects, butterflies, and bees. Today, I am traveling to a garden center a hundred miles from my house to find a black chokeberry or red chokeberry tree or bush. My husband is a Master Gardener in southwest Indiana, and we try to plant species that are mostly native to our state.

We disagree with one suggestion of mountain mint. It is by far the most invasive plant in our yard. Also, we’ve never had trouble with the burning bush being invasive in our yard.

[Maxine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a fan of many types of native wildflowers and love creating garden plots featuring these beauties. I am a very amateur gardener though. Naturally, I was so excited to see Plant This, Not That in NetGalley’s library and thrilled when they gave me a copy! This book is a great overview and resource for anyone who wants to incorporate native plants into their garden. It included many types of non-native plants I never really gave a second thought to and a list of native options to use instead. Lilacs, zinnias, day lilies- I’ve always taken for granted that they’re a basic garden flower. I didn’t realize they’re not native here and there are plenty of beautiful options I could plant instead. I was introduced to many beautiful and exotic looking plants they are actually native through this book. While I’m not about to root up my lilac or day lilies, I’m excited to add many of the plants I learned about from this book into my flower garden.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is so much information in this book on things to Plant.
I loved that not only did they should the Plant you might want to plant but explained all about it and why in some locations you don't want to plant it because it's invasive or whatever the problem is with it. Then you are given 2-4 and sometimes more options (with so much description of each) of what to plant in it's place. You are also shown a US map of where it's safe to plant each plant. I thought that was great.
While it's an easy book to read, you will want to put time aside as there is so much detail you won't want to be rushed to read it. All this detail will help to make your decision easier on what you want to plant in it's place.
I enjoy the look of the Burning Bush but in this book was told to be careful because in some places it could be invasive. I had no idea.
I will for sure keep this book handy as I go forward on planting my gardens.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Plant This, Not That is a genuinely helpful resource for gardeners who want to move toward more native, pollinator-friendly planting but feel overwhelmed by conflicting information. I’m eager to plant more native species on my own property, and this book offered clarity by directly pairing common non-native plants with well-suited native alternatives.

What makes this book especially useful is how actionable it is. Instead of vague encouragement, it provides concrete swaps along with growing conditions, regional maps, and ecological benefits. This felt like a trustworthy, practical guide for making better planting choices without starting from scratch.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book for review.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm finding Plant This, Not That SO helpful! The praise from knowledgeable gardeners says it best: whatever your starting point, this book "will get you where you want to be" and it "takes the guesswork out of plant selection" and of course it's "timely and ever-so-useful." Regarding another reader's comment about zones, I'm grateful that this book is shifting the focus from old-fashioned USDA zones to looking at a plant's native region. And it's so great that each recommended plant is illustrated with a full color photo! Highly recommend!

[A.S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a nice guide for native plantings, I enjoyed the suggestions she had, and also all the resources listed in the back. I was pleased with the fact that she empathized eco regions, and not just "native to North America", as that is very important for success!
I do wish there were more plants suggested, and the maps smaller to make room for more suggestions, but I would still recommend this and think it is a valuable asset to any native gardeners library, though the plant this instead of that was a little off and I wouldn't use it for that.

[Lisa Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was so helpful and the photos are gorgeous. First it explains why it's important to use native plants and there are helpful maps throughout to make the areas clear. Then there is information about the plants themselves and how to plant and arrange, such as by using different areas of the property in practical ways. This would be wonderful for someone new to gardening or a seasoned gardener wanting ideas.

[Amy Neill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to be a very practical guide to using native plants in my landscape. Lots of great detail into the How and the Why. By making good choices we are both helping local ecosystems and reducing our workload.
This book presents information in a helpful, easy to use manner. Photographs and maps are clear and vibrant. Suggestions are easy to follow and doable.
I would definitely keep a printed copy handy, and it will get lots of use!
Thanks to NetGalley for the Advance Read.

[Jo-Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

In spite of my master's degree in Plant Ecology, I have made loads of mistakes in the 30+ years we've been stewarding our woods in eastern Maaschusetts. This book is so helpful for suggesting replacements for the plants we want to remove. Very readable, and loaded with good ideas. I really appreciate the author's use of genus and species, and indications where to look for native replacement material.

[Suzanne Sayers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I waited months to receive it from my library and I'm glad to see so much interest. Lots of pictures so that's helpful for beginner gardeners. The BONAP maps are helpful too but maybe a lot of information for newer gardeners. I think this is a great resource book. I wish she included more common invasive plants that people tend to grow. She included a lot of non-native plants, that are not invasive, but I wish there were some more listed that are still regularly sold.

[Lisaberkowergmail.com · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whether you're redesigning an entire landscape or simply replacing a few problem plants, this book offers a clear path forward. It's an essential tool for anyone who wants their garden to be a haven for local wildlife while still looking absolutely lovely. Highly recommended for gardeners at any experience level who care about making a positive environmental impact right in their own backyard.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this to be a very good introduction to native plants. The "plant this, not that" format with supporting visuals and information was especially helpful + resources for further learning. Now I might be ready to tackle Nature's Best Hope by Doug Tallamy, who was extensively quoted.

[Diane Rembert · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book advises on what plants can thrive in different environments. As much as we would love to plant everything, the reality is…some won’t grow in certain regions.

[Lori Palen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really informative, practical, and well-designed!

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really good idea for a gardening book: offer native plant options that one could use instead of the usual ornamental suspects, based on what you are trying to achieve (pops of varying colors; specific plant heights or shapes; bloom times; scents). The challenge with a book like this is that not all native plants are native to the same areas, so it can be tough to present options for everyone, everywhere. This requires the reader to do a bit more research on their specific location, but not a heavy lift.