eisenhart ecoscapes

RESources

Below, you will find links to content, videos and avenues to explore to learn more about sustainable landscape design and native gardening.

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Chicago Region Tree Initiative
Chicago Region Trees Initiative logo consisting of an image overlayed with the text, "Chicago Region Trees Initiative" and an artistic rendering of trees, a factory, home and barn. The image is of a lake surrounded by lawns and trees.
  • Information of most relevance to native gardeners can be found in the Homeowner Hub. Topics here cover how to select, plant and care for trees as well as guidance on hiring an arborist. There are also videos explaining how to manage trees on your property.
Chicago Region Trees Initiative logo consisting of an image overlayed with the text, "Chicago Region Trees Initiative" and an artistic rendering of trees, a factory, home and barn. The image is of a lake surrounded by lawns and trees.
Garden Design
Image of the cover to Garden Design magazine. The cover consists of a stone fire pit surrounded by chairs in a forest. A sunbeam shines down on the chairs from the top of the image.
  • This website is chockfull of information on garden design ideas and plants. My only caveat: Proven Winners, a national plant provider, seems to be a major supporter of the website as its plants are frequently featured.
Image of the cover to Garden Design magazine. The cover consists of a stone fire pit surrounded by chairs in a forest. A sunbeam shines down on the chairs from the top of the image.
Horticulture
Image of the cover to Horticulture magazine. The cover consists of a close-up of a flower. Text overlay describe the various stories within the issue of the magazine.
  • The website of this bi-monthly magazine (‘The Art & Science of Smart Gardening’) has a bevy of information for the sustainable gardener. In particular, check out information under these home page tabs: Plants, Smart Gardening, Edible Gardening and Gardens, the latter which focuses on garden design.
Image of the cover to Horticulture magazine. The cover consists of a close-up of a flower. Text overlay describe the various stories within the issue of the magazine.
Illinois Monarch Project
Go to the site’s Resources page and click on the ‘Individuals’ tab to learn about creating monarch habitat, rearing monarchs, Illinois native plant sales and more.

Missouri Botanical Gardens
This botanical garden provides one of the best plant finders I’ve come across. You can search for more than 7,000 plants using a multitude of criteria. Type in a plant name and up pops an in-depth profile on its habitat, size, bloom time, etc. You will also receive detailed guidance on how to best grow and care for the plants.

National Gardening Association
This association’s website includes an extensive plant database with beautiful photos. The database is a collaboration of the website’s 4,000 worldwide members. Other gems available include gardening calculators (to estimate landscape material quantities needed) and an extensive Learning Library.

The Conservation Foundation
Click on the Resources tab to access publications, videos (including recordings of its educational webinars), a calendar of events and even recipes to make the most of your vegetable garden’s harvest.