My All-time Favorite Regenerative Land, Love and Earth Books
Put them at the top of your reading list!
These gems will inspire you, expand your knowledge, bring you hope, open your heart and provide a compass for where and how to begin creating a better world for us all.
Call of the Reed Warbler by Charles Massy is a visionary and factual book about our ecological illiteracy and how it has degraded our land and once abundant ecosystems. He shares encouraging stories about the power of regenerative agriculture and its inherent ability to transform our soil, the future of our planet and human health. This beautifully written book connects all the dots between how healing the land leads to healing ourselves.
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer digs deep into the core of our beings and our relationship to nature. Most of you have probably read this book but if you haven’t, you don’t know what you’re missing! It is timeless and full of passion. Kimmerer combines her indigenous knowledge and her scientific expertise into an ecological, human and spiritual tapestry unlike anything I’ve ever read. Her words are like honey to the soul and will raise your awareness and connection to the natural world.
Pastoral Song by James Rebanks is an international bestseller and was the Sunday Times ‘Nature Book of the Year’. It’s a true story about three generations of family farming and the heartbreaking journey from a thriving farming system into one of broken disillusionment. This book creates a sense of urgency and hope. It will tug at the heart and pull you into the heroic and courageous lives of farmers working in tune with nature to reshape our future.
Nature’s Best Hope by Douglas W. Tallamy is a New York Times Bestseller and should be required reading for the masses. Nature’s Best Hope is a template for land and habitat conservation and the birth of the Homegrown National Park movement taking root all across America. This empowering book walks you through the ways you can take action into your own hands to improve environmental health and restoration beginning in your own back yard. You’ll learn about the importance of native plants, key species, and food webs. Once you get started, you won’t want to stop!
Silent Spring by Rachel Carson is a classic that changed history and sparked environmental awareness. She uncovered inconvenient truths about the chemical industry and its negative impacts on our environment. This book covers the implications of toxic agricultural chemical use and the harmful effects it has left on our land, water, air, food, animals, insects, and our own health. Carson leaves no stone unturned as she unveils the dark side of humanity and the future of possibility.
Gardening in a Changing World by Darryl Moore is a must read for every gardener, landscape designer, or anyone who wants to be “part of the solution to the future of life on Earth”. I didn’t know what to expect when I started this book and by the time I finished I had underlined half of it. Whoa! It discusses our disconnect to nature and how we can redirect our trajectory as intentional caretakers of our landscapes. This book covers every corner of ecological gardening and design and how to implement responsible practices.
Lawns Into Meadows by Owen Wormser was one of the first books I read about regenerative landscaping and removing lawns. It still sits at the top of my pile. Wormser’s book simply and directly explains how America's obsession with lawns is destroying our natural ecosystems and why it’s more important than ever to protect habitats starting in our own yards. He explains the importance of native meadow and pollinator landscapes and provides a list of native plant species and straightforward methods to implement in your own native garden.
Soil by Matthew Evans is one of the best books I’ve read about explaining soil health in simple terms. Soil is everything and without it, we have nothing. If you want to understand the role soil plays on our planet's health, food health, and human health, you’ll want to read this book. Evans clearly examines everything from soil erosion to soil science and the critical role it plays in agriculture. It’s not a dry, scientific read. It’s incredibly interesting and easy to follow. This book helps us all understand that soil is so much more than just dirt. It’s our survival!
Honeywood Garden Design helps you create and build regenerative landscapes.
