Eastern Shore Gardener

I haven’t managed many blog posts in the last year, and I have missed posting about plants and events in my garden. Happily, I have more than a lame excuse for the lapse involving dogs (or parrots) eating my homework.

After months and months of research and writing, plus agonizing photo editing and rounds of review, my book Chesapeake Gardening & Landscaping (CG&L for short) has finally been sent to the printer. It is scheduled for publication March 30, 2015.

Published by The University of North Carolina Press in association with Adkins Arboretum, the book features 293 pages and 317 color photographs. I can’t wait to see it in color. (I have a black-and-white version of the book now.) The cover here is just a tiny taste of what is inside. I hope this book (all sales benefit Adkins Arboretum!)  will become a guide for gardeners throughout our region.

You can pre-order Chesapeake Gardening & Landscaping by clicking the cover image on the right side of this blog. Or, to order from the University of North Carolina Press directly, visit http://uncpress.unc.edu/books/11759.html.

Of course, copies also will be available for sale at Adkins once they come from the printer. In addition, I have started booking talks based on the book, and I will be bringing books to all of these events as well. I will announce dates here once they have been finalized.

To give everyone an idea of what the book covers, here is the Table of Contents:

Introduction: Bay-Friendly Gardens and Landscapes:
PART ONE: Creating Your Chesapeake Landscape

Chapter 1: Gardens & Landscapes that Benefit the Environment 
Reduce Lawn
Build Plant Diversity
Grow Native Plants
Manage Water Runoff
Welcome Wildlife
Garden Wisely
Chapter 2: Creating an Ecological Landscape Design
Plans for Waterfront
Evaluating Your Site
Creating Useable Landscapes
Garden Map-Making 101
Developing a Plan
Layered & Matrix Plantings
Chapter 3: Building Your Chesapeake Landscape
Reading the Landscape
Start with the Soil
Planting Gardens and Landscapes
Managing Invasive Plants

PART TWO: Recommended Plants & Gardens
Chapter 4: Trees, Shrubs, & Vines for Landscaping
Shrubs
•Evergreen Shrubs
•Shrubs for Foundations and Beds
Trees
•Small Ornamental Trees
•Large Trees
•Oaks for the Bay Region
Vines
Chapter 5: Ground Covers for Chesapeake Landscapes
Designing with Ground Covers
Ground Covers for Sun
Ground Covers for Shade
•Moss Gardens for Acid Shade
Chapter 6: Flowers for Chesapeake Gardens
Basic Care for Flowering Perennials
Color from Spring to Fall
•Spring: March to May
•Late Spring to Early Summer: May to June or Early July
•Summer: June to September
•Late Summer to Fall: August to October
Grasses for Gardens
Flowers for Edgings and Rock Gardens
Meadows and Meadow Gardens
Chapter 7: Plants & Gardens for Shade
Creating a Shade Garden
Understory Trees for Shade
Shrubs for Shade
Foliage and Flowers for Shade
Foliage First
Flowers for Shade
Ferns for Shade
Chapter 8: Water, Rain Gardens, & Wet Soil
Rain Gardens
•Rain Gardens 101
•Plants for Rain Gardens
•Installing Your Rain Garden
•Rain Garden Care
Plants on the Roof
Gardens in Wet Soil
•Plants for Wet Soil
Chapter 9: Gardens for Wildlife
Food
Water
Roosting and Nesting
Butterfly Gardens
•Plants for Caterpillars
•Flowers for Butterflies
Suggested Resources