Landscaping with Native Plants of Wisconsin

Here is your essential guide to successful native-plant gardening in Wisconsin. Gardeners use native plants for many reasons. Native plants often require less maintenance, and they are better able to survive and grow in our state's difficult soil and weather conditions. But equally appealing is the joy of connecting with our state's natural heritage--and the satisfaction of creating a true sense of place rather than just another cookie-cutter landscape. "Landscaping with Native Plants of Wisconsin" is the first book designed to help you identify and effectively use our state's native plants and native-plant communities in a typical home landscape. You'll find the basic gardening information you need to successfully grow native plants. You'll learn what level of native-plant landscaping is right for you and get expert advice on the process of designing a natural garden that fits your property, your lifestyle, and your family's needs. The book includes many plant lists. Some deal with common landscape problems and difficult sites, including deer-resistant plants, shade gardens, and water-wise gardens. Other lists tell you what native plants will work well in different garden styles, including water and rock gardens as well as plants to attract hummingbirds and butterflies. The Native Plant Profiles section is an encyclopedia with comprehensive descriptions of 500 Wisconsin native-plant species, varieties, and cultivars of flowers, trees, shrubs, vines, evergreens, grasses, ferns, and groundcovers--including information on planting, maintenance, and landscape uses for each plant. Lynn M. Steiner is a native of Wisconsin and one of the Midwest's best-known garden writers. Her enthusiasm for native plants and gardening stems from a childhood curiosity about all things natural, as well as over 20 years of tending her own extensive home gardens. For 15 years, she was the editor of "Northern Gardener" magazine, which earned numerous awards for "Overall Excellence" under her direction.