Helpful native plant resources for real-life gardeners
Books, websites, and people to follow when you want to learn a little more.
You do not need to know everything to get started. But if you’re curious, these are the resources we come back to again and again. Some help you figure out what’s native to your region. Some help you choose plants that support birds, bees, and butterflies. Some are simply here to make you feel more confident when you’re standing in a garden center wondering what on earth to buy.
This page is a growing list.
Just like a garden, it won’t be finished all at once.
Websites We Trust
A go-to for pollinators, beneficial insects, habitat support, and practical conservation guidance. When we want to better understand the insect side of the garden, this is one of the first places we look.
National Wildlife Federation Native Plant Finder
A very useful tool if you want to search by zip code and find native plants that support wildlife where you live. It’s especially handy when you want the “what should I plant here?” version of the conversation.
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
A longtime leader in native plant education, plant databases, and practical inspiration for gardeners who want to grow with ecology in mind.
Audubon Native Plants / Plants for Birds
Especially helpful if you care about bird-friendly yards. Their native plant database helps connect plants, birds, and place in a very usable way.
Practical, Pennsylvania-relevant guidance that helps bridge the gap between good intentions and what actually works in the ground.
One of the best resources for native plant trials, garden inspiration, and plant-by-plant learning. If you like thoughtful recommendations grounded in real growing conditions, this is a very good place to spend time.
Less dreamy, more data-heavy. But when you want to double-check plant names, ranges, and botanical details, it’s useful to have in your back pocket.
A strong state-level resource for understanding native plants in Pennsylvania and why they matter locally.
Pennsylvania Native Plant Society
A great regional resource for people who want to stay close to Pennsylvania native plant knowledge, events, and advocacy.
Big-picture encouragement for turning yards into habitat, one native plant at a time. Very helpful if you need motivation as much as information.
Books We Keep Close
Nature’s Best Hope — Douglas W. Tallamy
A strong starting point if you want the big “why this matters” argument for native plants and backyard habitat.
Bringing Nature Home — Douglas W. Tallamy
A foundational native plant book and still one of the best for understanding the relationship between plants, insects, and the wider food web.
The Nature of Oaks — Douglas W. Tallamy
Part tree love letter, part ecological wake-up call. A great reminder that one good plant choice can do a lot of heavy lifting.
The Living Landscape — Rick Darke and Douglas W. Tallamy
Especially useful for gardeners who want native plants to be beautiful, layered, and intentional, not just “good for wildlife.”
The Northeast Native Plant Primer — Uli Lorimer / Native Plant Trust
A particularly good fit for gardeners in this region who want a more local lens on native plants.
Gardening for Butterflies — The Xerces Society
A practical, optimistic guide for gardeners who want to support butterflies without getting overwhelmed.
Voices We Love
For pollinator facts, insect education, habitat ideas, and strong science without the jargon overload.
For native plant inspiration, trials, seasonal learning, and “oh, that’s what this plant looks like” moments.
For native plant beauty, education, and reminders that ecological gardening can also be gorgeous.
For motivation, habitat-minded planting, and the larger movement behind planting native.
For Pennsylvania-specific native plant updates, local context, and regional enthusiasm.
For practical garden education with a useful Pennsylvania angle.
@audubonsociety or @audubonmidatl
For the bird side of the native plant story, especially if you want to connect what you plant to who shows up.
The Mediocre Gardener is made possible by the incredible work, research, and resources of organizations dedicated to native plants and the nature they support. I take that knowledge and turn it into tools, stories, and guidance that help native plants get noticed, get chosen, and get planted, because the poor things cannot market themselves.