Dove On Sustainable Landscaping

“Sustainable Landscaping with Tony Dove” should have been the title of a book I recently read. The Guide to Creating a Sustainable Landscape Essential Native Trees and Shrubs for the Eastern United States by Tony Dove and Ginger Woolridge is a necessity for the bookshelf. Interested in selecting and growing the right tree or shrub for the Eastern Unites States? This book is a terrific resource to have on hand. I cannot fathom renovating my landscape without utilizing the knowledge and experience found in this book.

THE AUTHORS 

Who is this Tony Dove? A local gentleman inspired to garden at the side of his grandfather. One could say it all started with a seed. The curiosity of how things grow encouraged Tony to further his education. 60 years of growing in the Eastern United States has allowed Tony to create a rewarding career. With his experiences at London Town and Gardens, Tryon Palace, North Carolina and the Clark Botanical Garden in New York, Mr. Dove is currently the Chief Horticulturist at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. He is also a member of The Association of Garden Communicators.

This book would not be complete without the expertise of Ginger Woolridge. With a solid background of many years in the industry, focusing on landscape design and editorial consulting, Ginger’s touch was added to every chapter.

This team of caring, sustainable landscaping inspired individuals created an easy to read and digest toolkit in book form. Focusing on trees and shrubs commonly and not so commonly found in natural settings.

A FEW DETAILS 

Written in a way that most people can understand, the book also has user-friendly sections. The art of understanding site and growing conditions of native trees and shrubs is the first Chapter. This book is written to encourage success in the landscape.

Do you understand the importance of Primary trees and shrubs? Do you know what they are or what their attributes are? If you had this book, I almost guarantee your forest bathing experience would have a different meaning.

THE HELP 

Recently a client shared with me that his Aesculus parviflora (Bottlebrush Buckeye) had yellowing leaves. I was able to share a bit of “Doveness” as I turned to pages 165 – 167.  Information like the attributes in the landscape, seasons of interest, form, color, USDA growing zone, texture, and culture was all there. Pictures of bloom, cultivated varieties and information on companion planting are available to the reader. This helps the reader to identify the tree or shrub.

The team of Tony Dove and Ginger Woolridge make creating a sustainable landscape a delightfully educational experience. This kind of expertise in book form is certainly a gift. When it is curated by a local horticulturist, it is even better.

 

 

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