Overview

As recent years have seen alarming declines of insect and bird populations in many states, more gardeners have discovered the importance of including native plants in order to nurture these pollinators and sustain local ecosystems. But when so many popular landscaping designs involve exotic cultivars and invasive plant species, how can you create a garden that is both aesthetically pleasing and ecologically responsible? In this fully revised second edition of the classic guide Designing Gardens with Flora of the American East, gardening expert Carolyn Summers draws upon the most recent research on sustainable landscaping. She is joined in this edition by her daughter, landscape designer Kate Brittenham, offering an intergenerational dialogue about the importance of using indigenous plants that preserve insect and bird habitats. The practical information they provide is equally useful for home gardeners and professionals, including detailed descriptions of keystone trees, shrubs, perennials, vines, and grasses that are native to the Eastern United States. Accompanied by entirely new illustrations and updated plant lists, they offer chic yet eco-friendly landscape designs fully customized for different settings, from suburban yards to corporate office parks.

Full Product Details

Author:   Carolyn Summers ,  Kate Brittenham
Publisher:   Rutgers University Press
Imprint:   Rutgers University Press
Edition:   Revised and Expanded, now with more color
Dimensions:   Width: 17.80cm , Height: 2.30cm , Length: 22.90cm
Weight:   0.853kg
ISBN:  

9781978833647

ISBN 10:   1978833644
Pages:   318
Publication Date:   16 February 2024
Recommended Age:   From 16 to 99 years
Audience:   General/trade ,  College/higher education ,  Professional and scholarly ,  General ,  Tertiary & Higher Education
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
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Table of Contents

Preface xi Abbreviations xv Chapter 1 Why Should We Garden with Indigenous Plants? 1 Chapter 2 Wildlife in Field, Forest, and Garden 15 Hosting Butterflies and Moths 16 Feeding Bees 22 Attracting Pollinators 25 Bringing Up Birds 30 Links between Aquatic and Terrestrial Food Webs 37 Maintaining Wildlife in Your Garden 39 Uninvited Guests 42 The Wild Flora Sanctuary 46 Chapter 3 “Safe Sex” in the Garden 51 Understanding Scientific Names 52 Plant Reproduction 53 Science for Educated Plant Consumers 63 Principles of “Safe Sex” in the Garden 69 Chapter 4 Replacing Common Invasive Plants with Keystone Plants 81 Trees 82 Shrubs 97 Vines 112 Ground Covers 118 Perennials and Grasses 122 Invasive, Nonindigenous Plants You Will Not Find in a Nursery 126 Chapter 5 American Horticulture and Indigenous Plants: A Brief History 129 Americans Abroad 129 Americans at Home 132 “Paradise” Lost 139 Chapter 6 Ecological Landscape Design with Keystone Plants 145 Basic Design Principles 146 Foundation Gardens 153 Trees in the Landscape 156 Perennial Borders 158 Screening and Hedges 161 The New (Reduced) Lawn 162 Habitat Elements 167 The Suburban Home 168 The Townhouse 175 The Subdivision 182 The Corporate Campus 182 Chapter 7 Design Ideas Drawn from Indigenous Plant Communities 195 Habitats or Plant Communities 196 Forest Fragments and Woodland Edge 197 Successional Plant Communities 200 Freshwater Streams, Ponds, and Other Wetlands 224 The Seashore 233 Afterword 239 Appendix A: Keystone Plants 241 Appendix B: Circumboreal Plants 249 Appendix C: Perennials for Season-long Bloom 251 Appendix D: Berries for Birds 253 Appendix E: Dioecious Plants 255 Appendix F: Indigenous Annuals and Biennials 257 Appendix G: Indigenous Heirlooms 261 Appendix H: Street Trees 265 Appendix I: Indigenous Plants Suited for Formal Gardens 267 Appendix J: Indigenous Plants Suited for Asian Designs 269 Appendix K: Fragrant and Aromatic Plants 273 Acknowledgments 277 Bibliography 279 Index 289

Reviews

""Designing Gardens with Flora of the American East is the most complete publication on the practical challenges associated with native plant gardening and fills this need very well for eastern gardeners. What Carolyn Summers tells us about indigenous plants and wildlife is critical to our sustainable future."" -- Douglas Tallamy * author of Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants * “This has been among my go-to books since its first publication for its trustworthy information. Carolyn Summers is an authority on native plants of the east and shares her extensive knowledge to enlighten us about the benefits of these critical species. Now she is joined by her daughter, Kate Brittenham, reaching a new generation with exciting graphics that bring fresh insight into sustainable gardening.” -- Carol Capobianco * Director, The Native Plant Center * ""This book is a must-have for anyone interested in the natural history of eastern native plants and their use in gardens. The author combines thorough research with a clear, thoughtful viewpoint gleaned from her own personal experience. Very well written, it is an enjoyable read as well as a valuable tool for garden designers.""   -- Darrin Duling * Former Director, The Native Plant Center * ""Beautifully illustrated, Designing Gardens with Flora of the American East approaches landscape design from an ecological perspective, encouraging professional designers and backyard enthusiasts alike to intensify their use of indigenous or native plants. Emphasizing the importance of indigenous plant gardening and landscape design, Summers provides guidelines for beginning gardeners as well as experienced designers."" * New York Flora Association Newsletter * ""Chock full of interesting facts and figures, Summers approaches design through the lens of ecology making the book unique in its approach and very relevant to anyone creating native gardens for a living."" * Ecological Landscaping Association Newsletter *

"""Chock full of interesting facts and figures, Summers approaches design through the lens of ecology making the book unique in its approach and very relevant to anyone creating native gardens for a living.""-- ""Ecological Landscaping Association Newsletter"" (1/15/2011 12:00:00 AM) ""Designing Gardens with Flora of the American East is the most complete publication on the practical challenges associated with native plant gardening and fills this need very well for eastern gardeners. What Carolyn Summers tells us about indigenous plants and wildlife is critical to our sustainable future.""--Douglas Tallamy ""author of Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants"" ""Beautifully illustrated, Designing Gardens with Flora of the American East approaches landscape design from an ecological perspective, encouraging professional designers and backyard enthusiasts alike to intensify their use of indigenous or native plants. Emphasizing the importance of indigenous plant gardening and landscape design, Summers provides guidelines for beginning gardeners as well as experienced designers.""-- ""New York Flora Association Newsletter"" (4/1/2010 12:00:00 AM) ""This book is a must-have for anyone interested in the natural history of eastern native plants and their use in gardens. The author combines thorough research with a clear, thoughtful viewpoint gleaned from her own personal experience. Very well written, it is an enjoyable read as well as a valuable tool for garden designers."" --Darrin Duling ""director, the Native Plant Center"""

"""This has been among my go-to books since its first publication for its trustworthy information. Carolyn Summers is an authority on native plants of the east and shares her extensive knowledge to enlighten us about the benefits of these critical species. Now she is joined by her daughter, Kate Brittenham, reaching a new generation with exciting graphics that bring fresh insight into sustainable gardening.""--Carol Capobianco ""Director, The Native Plant Center"" ""Chock full of interesting facts and figures, Summers approaches design through the lens of ecology making the book unique in its approach and very relevant to anyone creating native gardens for a living.""-- ""Ecological Landscaping Association Newsletter"" (1/15/2011 12:00:00 AM) ""This book is a must-have for anyone interested in the natural history of eastern native plants and their use in gardens. The author combines thorough research with a clear, thoughtful viewpoint gleaned from her own personal experience. Very well written, it is an enjoyable read as well as a valuable tool for garden designers."" --Darrin Duling ""Former Director, The Native Plant Center"" ""Designing Gardens with Flora of the American East is the most complete publication on the practical challenges associated with native plant gardening and fills this need very well for eastern gardeners. What Carolyn Summers tells us about indigenous plants and wildlife is critical to our sustainable future.""--Douglas Tallamy ""author of Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants"" ""Beautifully illustrated, Designing Gardens with Flora of the American East approaches landscape design from an ecological perspective, encouraging professional designers and backyard enthusiasts alike to intensify their use of indigenous or native plants. Emphasizing the importance of indigenous plant gardening and landscape design, Summers provides guidelines for beginning gardeners as well as experienced designers.""-- ""New York Flora Association Newsletter"" (4/1/2010 12:00:00 AM)"

Author Information

CAROLYN SUMMERS is an adjunct professor for continuing education at Westchester Community College in Valhalla, New York, where she provides technical assistance to the Native Plant Center. She created and maintains the nonprofit Flying Trillium Gardens and Preserve and has over thirty years of experience in the environmental and landscape design field.   KATE BRITTENHAM is the founder of Front Stoop Gardens, LLC, an ecological landscape design and gardening company in Troy, New York. A graduate of Skidmore College, she has worked with the Native Plant Trust and the New York Botanical Garden.  

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