Book Review: The Gardener’s Guide to Native Plants of the Southern Great Lakes Region

This is the book I’ve been waiting for. As someone keen to learn about our native plants so I can create locally appropriate gardens and shorelines, finding information has been something of a treasure hunt – a rummage through a mishmash of books, articles and websites to piece together a picture of what grows here in Haliburton County. This book goes a long way towards solving that problem – in a beautiful, useful format.

The Gardener’s Guide to Native Plants of the Southern Great Lakes Region, by Rick Gray and Shaun Booth, is a beautifully produced, full-colour guide to more than 150 native plants. The region includes southern, central and eastern Ontario (plus most of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Michigan.)

Beautiful and useful presentation

Each double page spread features a different plant, with plenty of pictures, plus clear information (in text and symbol) about the plant. It includes morphology and the usual characteristics (exposure, moisture, size, bloom period, bloom colour, etc) as well as its benefit to wildlife, and a paragraph about its role in the garden. This part is particularly useful, as it gives a more subjective, more colourful feel for how the plant can be used horticulturally.

Information is also given about propagation, and tables at the back of the book summarize (in a rather small font) the information provided, together with information about seed collection and preparation. The latter is particularly valuable, as in my experience a lot of these species aren’t available for purchase, even from specialist native plant growers. I hope this information will encourage more of us to responsibly harvest seed, and perhaps for growers to expand their selection of species.

Range map

The authors have included a map showing the plant’s native range. They recognize – quite understandably – that range information should be taken with a grain of salt: sources differ as to range, and there are always pockets that will fall outside the range the authors plumped for. With that in mind, the map is still a useful guide.

I would have liked more information about root structure and about the plant’s competitive nature. This extra data is helpful when creating a plant community that will thrive.

The book includes only flowering perennials; there are no grasses, sedges, or shrubs. I know that the authors were forced to make hard choices as to what to include, but at the same time, their exclusion means the book tells only part of the story and reinforces the idea among some people that the only plants that matter are those with flowers. I do like, however, that shade-loving plants are celebrated in this book. I found several that were new to me.

This is a gorgeous book. I found myself engrossed for an hour as I flicked through its pages. It’s a joy to have this information in paper form, rather than scrolling and clicking through screens. It will become my go-to book as I put together the best plant palette I can for Haliburton County.

I hear there might be more volumes on the way. I’ll be there for them.

The Gardener’s Guide to Native Plants of the Southern Great Lakes Region, by Rick Gray and Shaun Booth is published by Firefly for $45. It was published in April 2024.