Description
Book SynopsisThis attractive, practical guide explains how to transform backyard gardens into living ecosystems that are not only enjoyable retreats for humans, but also thriving sanctuaries for wildlife. Beautifully illustrated with full-color photographs, this book provides easy-to-follow recommendations for providing food, cover, and water for birds, bees, butterflies, and other small animals. Emphasizing individual creativity over conventional design, Bauer asks us to consider the intricate relationships between plants and wildlife and our changing role as steward, rather than manipulator, of these relationships. In an engaging narrative that endorses simple and inexpensive methods of wildlife habitat gardening, Nancy Bauer discusses practices such as recycling plant waste on site, using permeable pathways, growing regionally appropriate plants, and avoiding chemical fertilizers and insecticides. She suggests ways of attracting pollinators through planting choices and offers ideas for building water sources and shelters for wildlife. A plant resource guide, tips for propagating plants, seasonal plants for hummingbirds, and host plants for butterflies round out The California Wildlife Habitat Garden, making it an indispensable primer for those about to embark on creating their own biologically diverse, environmentally friendly garden.
Trade Review"A must-have for novice gardeners, and an invaluable resource for more experience gardeners looking to expand or improve their wildlife garden. It is well written, applicable throughout California, easy to understand, and has stunning photographs." -- Carolyn Martus Fremontia "Well-produced, practical, and thorough, this book is a significant contribution to habitat gardening literature," says Brandy Kuhl. She particularly appreciates its "useful plant lists and appendices." Susan Appleget Hurst feels that it is an "outstanding model for other regionally oriented habitat gardening books in terms of level of detail and useful specifics." -- Judges for 2013 Garden Book Award American Horticulture Society "A practical and readable guide for turning backyard gardens into sanctuaries for birds and bees and beneficial insects. Bauer, who has taught classes for the San Francisco Botanical Garden, the master gardeners and other groups, calls on readers to consider the intricate relationship between plans and wildlife, and the role humans can take as steward rather than manipulator, of those relationships." Press Democrat
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments
Why Garden for Wildlife?
CHAPTER 1 Growing a Wildlife Garden
The Adler Garden, Walnut Creek
CHAPTER 2 Bird Habitat: From Quail to Hummingbirds
Quail Hollow, Tujunga
CHAPTER 3 The Pollinator Garden: Butterflies, Bees, and Other Beneficial Insects
Charlotte’s Habitat, Novato
CHAPTER 4 The Wildlife Pond
The Biggses’ Pond, Sebastopol
CHAPTER 5 Front Yard Habitat: Burying the Lawn Aesthetic
The Blackstone Monarch Habitat, San Jose
The Pacheco Wildlife Garden, Fountain Valley
The LaMar-Goerke Wildlife Garden, Mill Valley
APPENDICES Starting a Habitat Garden
APPENDIX A Natural Gardening Guidelines
APPENDIX B Native Plant Communities
APPENDIX C Oaks in the Landscape
APPENDIX D Plants for Hedgerows
APPENDIX E Seasonal Plants for Hummingbirds
APPENDIX F Common California Butterflies and Host Plants
APPENDIX G Top Nectar and Pollen Plant Families
APPENDIX H Invasive Pest Plants
APPENDIX I Sources of California Native Plants
APPENDIX J Books and Resources
Bibliography
Plant Index
