Prairie Up (the book)

 

Why would a Georgia blog review a book about prairies? The heart of this book is in the subtitle: “An Introduction to Natural Garden Design,” and its ability to educate and inform on that is the reason I am reviewing it. I am also familiar with the author, Benjamin Vogt, from my early blogging days, and he is booked to be the keynote speaker at an upcoming virtual conference with the Georgia Native Plant Society and Georgia Audubon. One of his early catch phrases was ‘rethink pretty’ and it has always resonated with me.

This is not a big book but it is packed with information, good photos, helpful illustrations, and resources. One of my favorite features is at the end: A Candid Q&A that helps answer some tough questions that you might have or which others might ask you.

Here are some of the reasons why I think this book is useful to people in Georgia. In the beginning he offers some powerful statements about “gardening from a prairie perspective” but they are just as meaningful to say “gardening from a native plant perspective.” 

He showcases a few southeastern photos on pages 6-7 as he talks about grasslands (yes, we have some), and there is useful information in that section about grasses in general such as how they sequester carbon and support soil health and growth.

Understanding the role that native plants provide in plant communities is covered thoroughly in Chapter 2. He finally pulls out that phrase I love – rethink pretty – which is to say the gardener learns to value ‘ecosystem function as much as aesthetics.’ He then covers in detail some of the ecosystem services that we should appreciate. This chapter includes a plug for plant diversity and includes some examples of plants from functional groups: cool-season grass, warm-season grass, nitrogen-fixing legumes, plants that bloom in different seasons.

Most of the plants listed happen to be southeastern natives but don’t feel limited to those; use them to find others (for example, there are other native species of Lespedeza and Liatris plus there are many other grasses). Focus on the idea of what function the plant is providing. If you need suggestions on Georgia plants that bloom in different seasons, check out the charts I’ve created in the past:

Spring Bloomers

Summer Bloomers

Fall Bloomers

The dive into understanding plant communities is a good and the quote by John Weaver on page 43 is a great one about how plants work together “by sharing the soil at different levels, by obtaining light at different heights, and by making maximum demands for water, nutrients, and light at different seasons of the year.” Vogt’s subsequent sections on plant layers, layers of seasonality, and layers of succession help explain this further.

Ready to get started? Chapter 3 provides guidance on planning, installing and maintaining. This chapter includes tips on working with HOAs and – for those who need it – a full page on ‘how to pass a weed inspection’ (something he has personal experience with!).

Not many books cover starting landscapes from seed but this one includes it as part of Chapter 4. It also covers using plants and plugs and has a number of illustrated layouts to help inspire and guide. For those of in the southeast, find equivalent plant swaps for the Midwestern plants, choosing southeastern species suitable for your ecoregion.

In summary, I think this is a book with well-explained concepts and ideas that are useful for Georgia gardeners. Our journey to using more native plants in our landscapes requires many steps and resources and this book can be part of your path.

On January 24^th, the publisher is sponsoring a Virtual Book Launch at 12 pm Central Time. The link to register is below if you’re interested. On Facebook, follow him on the community page called MILK the WEED.

Prairie Up Virtual Book Launch: Getting Started with a Lawn to Meadow Conversion with Benjamin Vogt