Landscaping with Native Plants of Michigan

This is the book that I see everyone carting around at my local native plant supplier. I can't imagine there's a better book on Michigan's native plants out there.We took it out from the library so many times that we finally just decided to buy our own copy. (Hopefully it never goes out of print; I imagine our copy will one day be so dirty that it's no longer readable.)The book covers lots of ground, so to speak, and is a joy to flip through, with loads of full color photos. It covers landscaping, common problems (like the neighbors who don't "get" the native plant thing), which non-natives might look nice with the natives, etc.One note: Some plants are listed that we haven't been able to get from our local native plant place. So, before you fall too in love with the idea of a certain plant, make sure you can get it in the nursery trade. For instance, we loved the idea of Michigan lilies, but weren't able to get them. It's hard to be disappointed for long, though, when there are so many other lovely natives.I will try to update this review with some photos of natives in our yard that we purchased after reading the book.You can find some of the info in this book on the 'net, but honestly, it's so worth it to have it all in one place and nicely organized, as it is in this book. If you want to plant some Michigan natives, just get the book. (Or take it out from the library... but eventually you'll want your own copy!)

This is one of two books I work from all planting season. As we are gradually re landscaping our yard to in a way that we think is beautiful with worries about chemical runoff and easy to maintain. As I draw my plans I work between two books. This one is always at the ready. I'm on my deck watching butterflies in my yard as I write. The more I follow this book the less work my flower beds require. Working with nature instead of against it, the plants mostly take care of themselves.

Unfortunately the pictures are dull and hazy in the paperback. Since I have a fair history of using/knowing some native plants, I didn't find this volume added much to what I already knew as the plants reviewed are the most widely known ones. Of more importance to me is that the author spends considerable time reviewing the various cultivars. If a native plant if hybridized to a degree that the result is no longer recognized by native species of pollinators and critters, then it no longer a native plant. I use cultivars sometimes but not to drastically change it's appearance and I watch the plants to see how native fauna are using them. It is unfortunate that the author did not provide the pros and cons of native plants vs. cultivars and what to watch out for so you don't take the "native" out of the plant with so-called improvements.

I am buying a house that has virtually no landscaping, so I am starting completely from scratch. This is a great, thorough guide to choosing, planting, and maintaining native plants appropriate to one's soil conditions and geography -- it's nice to have the information I need to get started in one book so I don't have to sift through information piecemeal online.

Like the overall book. The only drawback in my opinion is it doesn't always tell us if the plant seeds and if the birds will partake of the seed.

I am an Advanced Master Gardener and have loaned this book to many friends who have all ultimately bought the book. The trend is now to plant more native species and this is an excellent reference book. If you want to plant a raingarden or just incorporate more hardy native perennials into your existing landscape this is the book for you. People think native plants are just a bunch of weeds, but this book shows you that isn't true.

An excellent book with lots of practical advice for home gardeners and landscapers living in Michigan. Gives the color, bloom time, height and growth patterns of many different plants - flowers, trees - and so on. I like looking at the pictures and getting a better understanding of how the plants will look when in bloom.

I have previously purchased a book by Pamela Crawford that gave wonderful advise about planting with NATIVE plants for Florida.Now that I will be in Michigan I looked for a similar book. This book is a big dissapointment. I have been un-able to find any useful advise as to what will grow with a lot of success. Just a lot of cautions as to the conditions, and insects that I would need to be aware of in order to have success.Perhaps I have missed something, but my understanding is that when planting with "Native Plants" to the area, the plants should be hardy enough to with stand the local conditions without insect and fertilization problems.I would love to find something as helpful as Pamela Crawford for the Michigan area.So there for I do not recommend this book. Sorry.

An excellent book for anyone wanting to incorporate native plants into your gardens. It has loads of ideas on which species to use, and why. It covers all the basics from soil types to climate zones. One very strong element is the chapters describing each of the vegetation zones - pine barrens, southern deciduous forests, grasslands, etc. - with descriptions of what grows in each and why.Rare in native plant gardening books, this one even discusses how to go "part native" by including non-aggressive non-natives to round out your planting, or to make your gardens more acceptable with the neighbours. The end of the book is good, clear descriptions of many native flowers, grasses, shrubs and trees that includes information on its native habitat, a description of the plant, suggested landscape uses, site and culture info, and even a section on cultivars (for the non-purists).I have a growing collection of books on native plants and gardening and this one is a valued addition. My only complaint (and the reason it only got 4 stars) is the very poor quality images. Many are not clear, small, and because it is printed on low quality paper, it further blurs the images. You cannot rely on this book's pictures to know what many of the plants look like. When combined with a good field guide, though, this book is very good.