Wild Books
Garden design is more than just choosing beautiful plants...it’s about shaping living communities that grow, shift, and thrive over time. One of the best ways to deepen your understanding of this approach is through books that connect the dots between ecology, structure, and style.
In this post, I’m sharing some of my favorite books on designed plant communities—what I like to call “wild books.” These titles offer different perspectives on how to design gardens that are layered, resilient, and in conversation with the natural world around them.
Whether you’re just beginning to explore this way of thinking or looking to expand your plant palette, you’ll find something here to spark your next step.
For those who don’t know, we’re thrilled to have an affiliate partnership with Bookshop.org, an online bookstore that supports independent bookstores worldwide (we love this). This partnership allows us to take our passion for books to the next level…and gives you a meaningful way to discover and purchase garden design reads while making a positive impact.
The planting above was found in West Des Moines, Iowa.
How do you design with nature rather than against it?
These books explore the idea of planting in communities...where structure, function, and beauty meet.
Whether you’re curious about matrix planting, inspired by meadows, or just trying to avoid mulch as your main groundcover, these reads offer rich insight into designing living, layered systems that evolve over time.
I’ve loved learning about this beautiful design approach, and I hope you will too. The first book that sparked my interest was Planting in a Post-Wild World by Thomas Rainer and Claudia West…which is a great place to start. But there are so many books that can help fill in the gaps.
I’ve listed a few below, but you don’t have to read them all...just start with one. Enjoy it. Learn from it. Then see if you’d like to expand your perspective with other authors and viewpoints.
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Planting in a Post-Wild World by Thomas Rainer & Claudia West
The gateway book for many designers (including me). Thoughtful, visual, and full of ideas for designing layered plant communities that function like ecosystems but look like gardens.
The Dynamic Landscape by Nigel Dunnett + James Hitchmough
A foundational text for those interested in the science behind naturalistic and ecological planting. Focused on public landscapes, this book blends theory with field-tested practices to show how designed plantings can be beautiful, resilient, and biodiverse. Ideal for designers looking to go deeper into the technical side of planting design.
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Garden Revolution by Larry Weaner & Thomas Christopher
This book flips traditional garden-making on its head. Instead of designing a finished picture, Weaner encourages you to think like an ecologist—working with natural processes, letting plants spread and shift over time. It’s part practical guide, part philosophical shift, and perfect for anyone curious about long-term, self-sustaining landscapes.
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The Know Maintenance Perennial Garden by Roy Diblik
A friendly and accessible guide to designing with long-lived perennials. Roy encourages you to “know” your plants well enough that maintenance becomes intuitive, not exhausting. Great for beginners who want to dive into plant communities with confidence.
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Naturalistic Planting Design: The Essential Guide by Nigel Dunnett
Part how-to, part design philosophy, this comprehensive guide is both practical and inspiring. Dunnett explores how plant communities can be designed to thrive in real-world conditions—without sacrificing beauty.
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New Naturalism by Kelly D. Norris
A vibrant and visually rich book that brings the idea of naturalistic design into the everyday garden. Kelly’s writing is encouraging, poetic, and grounded in Midwestern plant love. A great entry point for gardeners wanting to move beyond mulch beds.
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Planting: A New Perspective by Piet Oudolf & Noel Kingsbury
This one goes deep. For those ready to get serious about naturalistic design, it unpacks plant layering, seasonality, and structure with elegance and detail. Dense, but worth it.
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Prairie Up by Benjamin Vogt
A passionate, poetic guide to creating native plant gardens that are rooted in place. Vogt doesn’t just share how to design a prairie-inspired garden—he challenges you to rethink beauty, embrace messiness, and see your garden as part of a larger ecological story. Especially powerful for designers working in the Midwest or aiming to deepen their connection to native landscapes.
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The Wild Garden by William Robinson
The original disruptor. First published in the 1800s, Robinson challenged the Victorian obsession with formal bedding and helped spark a new way of seeing gardens as part of nature, not apart from it. Still relevant today.
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Your Natural Garden by Kelly D. Norris
A follow-up to New Naturalism with more focus on site-specific thinking…and great for a residential setting. Kelly invites you to observe, listen, and respond to your garden as a living place. A lovely blend of design and personal reflection.
The top image showcases a garden designed by Joel Berlin in San Diego, California, while the bottom image are some books in my collection.
Regional plant books are also a great resource for designed plant communities. By studying naturally-occurring plant communities, you can build a great foundation for your final palette. This book is a great example of that for the US Midwest:
Nature’s Heartland by Bill Boon & Harlan Groe
A regional treasure for Midwestern designers. This book offers plant lists, combos, and inspiration rooted in prairie ecology. It's full of insight if you’re designing with native plant palettes in the Midwest.
Make sure to do some research and find a book that focuses on your area.
The left image is a garden on Martha's Vineyard, while the right image is a design by Jack Pizzo at the Field Museum in Chicago, Illinois.
Books Grow Alongside Us
Every season in the garden teaches us something new...and the same goes for these books. You don’t need to read them all at once. Just choose one that speaks to you, read it slowly, and let the ideas take root in your own design work.
If you’ve already read a few of these, I’d love to hear what stood out for you...or if there’s a favorite of yours I should add to this list, please let me know.
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Happy reading...and happy designing.
