eNVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY LAWN AND GARDEN CARE
Special Feature

Campbell, Stu. Let it Rot! The Gardener's Guide to Composting, 3rd ed. North Adams, Mass.: Storey Books, 1998.

A detailed, yet clear (and often-humorous), guide to composting for those who would like to turn their household wastes into something that nourishes the soil.

Ellis, Barbara. Organic Gardener's Handbook of Natural Insect and Disease Control: A Complete Problem Solving Guide to Keeping Your Garden and Yard Healthy Without Chemicals, Rev. Ed. Emmaus, Penn.: Rodale Press, 1996.

Detailed illustrations and photographs of a variety of pests and diseases that affect lawns and gardens throughout the U.S. help gardeners discover what they are up against.  Chemical-free solutions to dealing with these problems, once identified, are outlined in an easy-to-use format.

Carr, Anne et al. Rodale's Chemical-Free Yard and Garden: The Ultimate Authority on Successful Organic Gardening. Emmaus, Penn.: Rodale Press, 1995.

This practical title features lots of information on the best natural methods for maintaining healthy vegetables, flowers, fruits, trees, shrubs, and lawns; as well as words of encouragement for even the most hardened lawn-chemist interested in changing to an organic approach.

Rubin, Carole. How to Get Your Lawn and Garden Off Drugs. Madeira Park, British Columbia: Harbour Pub. Co., 2003.

Rubin's guidebook makes clear that the first step in cleaning harmful chemicals from our soils, water supplies, food, and bodies is getting our lawns and gardens off these chemicals.  Includes practical advice on switching from chemicals to organics.

Sandbeck, Ellen. Eat More Dirt: Diverting and Instructive Tips for Growing and Tending an Organic Garden. New York: Broadway Books, 2003.

Ellen Sandbeck reinforces her title of "Queen of Nontoxic Know-how" in this witty and inspirational guidebook to solving gardening problems with simple and effective organic methods.

Great Lakes, Great Lawns: Growing Lawns Without Pesticides. Madison, Wis.: Wisconsin's Environmental Decade Institute, 1996.

The high levels of phosphorus in chemical lawn applications are hazardous to the health of local watersheds and the humans who rely on them.  In this video, concerned citizens learn how they can combat water pollution in their own backyards.  Advice from a variety of lawn-care professionals and homeowners who successfully manage their lawns naturally will aid and inspire those interested in green lawns and clean lakes. 26 min., comes with handbook.

Bradley, Fern and Barbara Ellis. Rodale's All-New Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening: The Indispensable Resource for Every Gardener. Emmaus, Penn.: Rodale Press, 1993.

From its first printing in 1959, this reference tool for beginner through advanced organic gardeners has been the backbone of many collections.  Its broad subject coverage, extensive use of cross-referencing, and inclusion of further reading lists make it the first-stop guide for gardeners everywhere.

Wasowski, A. The Landscaping Revolution: Garden With Mother Nature, Not Against Her. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2002.

The combined environmental and economic approach of this book makes a convincing case for the replacement of lawns with groundcovers or native grasses or perennials.  Practical advice on how to switch is supplemented with an index of native plant organizations in each state and case studies of individuals who have made a difference in their communities by fostering this approach.

Primeau, Liz. Front Yard Gardens: Growing More Than Grass. Richmond Hill, Ont.: Firefly Books, 2003.

Why relegate flower gardens to the back yard when they are more lovely yet less chemically dependent than front yard lawns? Liz Primeau provides support for those with an inclination to garden in spaces formerly designated for lawns with ideas and tips for successful transformations.

Bormann, F. Herbert. Redesigning the American Lawn: A Search for Environmental Harmony, 2nd ed. New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 2001.

Adapted from a graduate seminar at Yale University, this title advocates creating a new aesthetic in our idea of the lawn so we can live in a more environmentally friendly fashion.

Druse, Ken. The Natural Habitat Garden. New York: Timber Press, 2004.

The use of native plants and natural habitats are simple and effective ways to establish and keep a low-maintenance and environmentally sound lawn or garden. Druse's photographs and descriptions of natural habitat gardens will inspire readers to adopt this approach in their own yards!

Jenkins, Virginia Scott. The Lawn: A History of an American Obsession. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1994.

This absorbing history of what many consider to be 20th century America's greatest folly--the lawn--is a wake-up call for readers to stop worrying about the Joneses and start focusing their energy on the state of the environment.

Organic Gardening Magazine. Lawns (Rodale Organic Gardening Basics, Vol. 1). Emmaus, Penn.: Rodale Press, 2000.

The editors of Rodale's Organic Gardening magazine have packed this little guidebook with helpful information about how to create and maintain a "green" lawn.  From choosing grasses and tools to eradicating weeds or parts of the lawn itself, this book contains top-notch advice for gardeners of all skill levels.

Messer, Gretchen. Wisconsin Native Plant Sources. Madison: University of Wisconsin Extension, 2001.

This publication provides a list of Wisconsin nurseries that sell the seeds and plants needed to make your natural landscaping plan a reality.

Stein, Sara. Noah's Garden: Restoring the Ecology of Our Own Backyards. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1993.

Avid gardener Sara Stein describes how she converted from a "conventional" gardener to organic gardener and visionary ecologist. It offers thousands of things to learn about as well as put into practice and is written in a delightful style.

Diekelmann, John and Robert Schuster. Natural Landscaping: Designing with Native Plant Communities. 2nd ed. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 2002.

This work is unique in its focus on plant communities--approaching landscape design as the establishment of natural ecosystems rather than mere planting of specimens. It is filled with great advice, plenty of illustrations, and a thorough discussion of issues.

Yard Care and the Environment

UW Extension provides seven fact sheets in .pdf format to help you care for your lawn and garden while protecting the environment.