====== The Learning Center ======

Books, websites, podcasts and more! All of the best sources for learning about r/nolawn topics. If you know of a good source not listed on this page, please message the mods (here) and be sure to explain why you believe it fits here.

===== Resources =====

==== Books ====

  * //The Living Landscape// by Rick Darke and Doug Tallamy (2014)
  * //Nature's Best Hope// by Doug Tallamy (2020)
  * //The Nature of Oaks// by Doug Tallamy (2021)
  * //Prairie Up!// by Benjamin Vogt (2023)
  * //Native Plants of the Midwest// by Allan Branhagen (2016)
  * //Native Plants of the Southeast// by Larry Mellichamp (2014)
  * //Gaia's Garden// by Toby Hemenway (2009)
  * //Eco-Yards:Simple Steps to Earth-Friendly Landscapes// by Laureen Rama (2011)
  * //The Humane Gardener: Nurturing a Backyard Habitat for Wildlife// by Nancy Lawson
  * //A Sand County Almanac// by Aldo Leopold (1949)
  * //The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation// by Michael A. Dirr and Charles W. Heuser Jr.
  * //Tapestry Lawns: Freed from Grass and Full of Flowers// by Lionel Smith (2019)
  * //Perennials for the Southwest: Plants That Flourish in Arid Gardens// by Mary Irish (2006)

==== Online Resources ====

  * [[https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/home/plantProfile?symbol=HEVI4|USDA Plant Database]]
  * [[https://www.nativehabitatproject.com/|Native Habitat Project]]
  * [[https://wildones.org/chapters/|Wild Ones Find a Chapter near you]] to continue your No Lawns journey
  * [[https://natureguys.org/oaks-doug-tallamy/|Doug Tallamy The Nature of Oaks Interview]] - All about Oak Trees
  * [[https://vnrc.org/a-homegrown-national-park-doug-tallamys-call-to-preserve-half-our-planet/|A Home Grown National Park]]
  * [[https://www.humanegardener.com/|The Humane Gardener]]
  * [[https://www.nwf.org/nativeplantfinder/|Native Plant Finder (U.S.)]]
  * [[https://nativegardendesigns.wildones.org/designs/|Wild Ones Garden Designs]] (Includes most US regions)
  * [[https://www.nwf.org/Garden-for-Wildlife/About/Native-Plants/keystone-plants-by-ecoregion|Keystone Plants by Eco Region]] National Wildlife Foundation

==== Social Media ====

TikTok

  * [[https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTdtT6ww8/|Grass Lands Guy]]
  * [[https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTdtTaYg5/|Native Plant Tok]]

Instagram

  * [[https://instagram.com/nativehabitatproject?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=|Native Habitat Project]]
  * [[https://www.instagram.com/adamblackplantnerd/?hl=en|Adam Black]]

YouTube

  * [[https://www.youtube.com/@growitbuildit|Growit Buildit]] for native plant propagation and gardening.
  * [[https://www.youtube.com/@CrimePaysButBotanyDoesnt|Crime Pays But Botany Doesn't]] for botany education.
  * [[https://www.youtube.com/@InDefenseofPlants|In Defense of Plants]] for botany education.
  * [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErMHR6Mc4Bk|A Soil Science Masterclass]] with Dr. Elaine InghamPt 1/4

==== Local Resources ====

Groups

  * Conservation district/society
  * Native Plant Society
    * [[https://ahsgardening.org/gardening-resources/societies-clubs-organizations/native-plant-societies/|US List]]
  * Master Gardener
  * Heritage Gardening Groups
  * [[https://wildones.org/chapters/|Wild Ones Chapter]]
  * Planting Groups

Other

  * Seed Banks or Seed Library
  * Plant Exchanges
  * Gardening Meet Ups
  * Tool Library

===== Native Plant Resources by Country =====

//Please message the mods here if you have any good resources and links for your country//

  * [[https://www.anbg.gov.au/gardens/research/hort.research/zones.html|Australia - Plant Hardiness Zones]]
  * [[https://www.bhg.com.au/australian-native-plants|Australia - Native Plants]]
  * [[https://www.anbg.gov.au/cpbr/databases/|Australia - Botanical Garden Database]]
  * [[http://www.africanplants.senckenberg.de/root/index.php|Africa - Native Plant Database]]
  * [[https://ww2.bgbm.org/EuroPlusMed/query.asp|Europe - Euro+Med Plantbase Project]]
  * [[https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-plants/|New Zealand - Department of Conservation Native Plants List]]
  * [[https://nzflora.landcareresearch.co.nz/|New Zealand - Flora's Native Plant Database]]

==== UK Resources ====

  * [[https://www.plantmaps.com/interactive-united-kingdom-plant-hardiness-zone-map-celsius.php|Plant Hardiness Zones]]
  * [[https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/types/trees/native-tree-shrubs|Royal Horticultural Society's Native Plant Database]]
  * [[https://www.rhs.org.uk/lawns/wildflower-meadow-establishment|Royal Horticultural Society - planting a wildflower meadow guide]]
  * [[https://www.rspb.org.uk/get-involved/activities/nature-on-your-doorstep/garden-activities/create-a-wildflower-meadow/|RSPB - Planting a wildflower meadow guide]]
  * [[https://www.wildflower.co.uk/|Landlife Wildflowers - Native Plant Supplier]]
  * [[https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/how-to-grow-a-better-lawn-for-wildlife.html|Natural History Museum - How to grow a better lawn for wildlife]]
  * [[https://shop.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees|The Woodland Trust - Native trees for wildlife]]
  * [[https://www.realseeds.co.uk/index.html|Real Seeds - Natural and heirloom fruit and vegetable seeds]]

==== United States Native Plant Resources ====

  * [[https://www.reddit.com/r/NoLawns/wiki/meta/resourcesbyusstate|United States - Broken up by State]] w/Additional US Resources and Zone Maps (Reddit link)
  * [[https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/home/plantProfile?symbol=HEVI4|USDA Plants Database]]
  * [[https://xerces.org/pollinator-resource-center| United States & Canada - Pollinator Conservation Resource]]
  * [[http://bonap.org/|BONAP Native Plants Atlas]]
  * [[https://grownative.org/| GrowNative for the Lower Midwest]]
  * [[https://bplant.org/|BP Plant Database Plant Ecology and Identification (for North America)]]

==== Canada Resources ====

  * [[https://www.plantmaps.com/interactive-canada-hardiness-gardening-zone-map.php|Canada - Interactive Plant Hardiness Zones]]
  * [[http://planthardiness.gc.ca/images/PHZ_2014_CFS_Map_30M.pdf|Canada - Plant Hardiness Zones]]
  * [[http://planthardiness.gc.ca/?m=1|Canada's Plant Hardiness Site]]
  * [[https://treecanada.ca/resources/tree-planting-guide/|Tree Planting Guide Tree Canada]]
  * [[https://pollinator.org/guides-canada|Eco Regional Planting Guide]]
  * [[https://canadainvasives.ca/|Canadian Council on Invasive Species]]

===== Other Online Guides and Beginner Information =====

  * [[https://www.reddit.com/r/GardenWild/comments/ic8yk3/i_have_a_piece_of_my_yard_that_is_like_3ft_by/|Prepping for wildflowers]] via r/gardenwild (reddit link)
  * [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXL9n2KNm1E|Mulches: The Good, The Bad, and The Really, Really Ugly]]
  * [[https://youtu.be/bjBLVSo0zeY|Sheet Mulching, Grass to Garden]] Video
  * [[https://open.oregonstate.education/permaculture/|Intro to Permaculture]] Book
  * [[https://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/how-to-make-a-bee-friendly-garden/|How to Make a Bee Friendly Garden]]
  * [[https://www.cityofames.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=49586|Native Turf: A New Lawn Guide ]]from the city of Ames, Iowa
  * [[https://growitbuildit.com/illustrated-guide-to-winter-sowing-with-pictures/|The Ultimate Winter Sowing Guide]]
  * [[https://www.calscape.org/|California -Cal Scape]] Video
  * [[https://dengarden.com/gardening/Clover-Lawns|How to: Clover Lawn]]
  * [[https://www.rewildingmag.com/rewilding-your-lawn-or-garden-first-get-to-know-it/|Rewilding your lawn or garden? First, get to know it]] - Rewilding Mag

===== How to Begin =====

**Please note:** We're overhauling this section and creating a beginners guide, it just takes a lot of time and research. Please message the mods if you have anything you'd love to add!

  - **Research!** - Learn everything you can, use the resources below and ask questions.
  - **Plan it** - What is your goal, what do you want to see?

  * Talk to your local conservation/native plants society/master gardener etc. to get more information.
  * Check out [[https://nativegardendesigns.wildones.org/designs/|Wild Ones Garden Designs]] or any other garden designer to help you plan
  * Do more research on plants for your yard, pick natives avoid invasive, make sure they'll work in your space

  - **Start small** - You don't have to do the entire yard, start with one garden bed and learn from your mistakes.
  - **Remove what you don't need** - Remove anything that isn't staying, grass, weeds, invasive species etc.
  - **Get to planting!** - Talk to your local conservation/native plants society/master gardener or nursery to figure out the best time to plant, and the best way to plant each type of plant in your space
  - **Maintenance** - Follow the advice for your plants to maintain them through their first year. If they're native, you'll generally have less maintenance over time.
  - **Enjoy!** - Seriously, you did it, it's beautiful, enjoy it before you decide to take on another project.
  - **Share your experience** - Help others learn from you, did you make a mistake? Share it so other people can avoid it. Did you learn something really cool? Let us know, make a post. Share some before and afters and let us know how long it took and what steps you took.