I saw an opportunity to simplify plant selection for home gardeners. Traditional plant guides often overwhelm with Latin names and alphabetical listings. My solution was BEE NATIVE! Flower Power, a Midwest guidebook that prioritizes sun needs and plant height. This user-friendly approach has resonated with gardeners, leading to book signings and an invitation to speak at the prestigious Chicago Flower and Garden Show.
My latest book celebrates the power of 'leaving the leaves.' By encouraging homeowners to forgo raking and allow fallen leaves to naturally mulch their yards, we can protect countless pollinators, birds, and other wildlife.
My second book, for what I hope to be a series someday, is all about planting native flowers and grasses in containers, to guide urban dwellers and small space gardeners to help the pollinators.
My most popular children's book celebrates friendship and acceptance, using the misunderstood milkweed plant as a metaphor. Milkweed is the sole host plant for Monarch butterflies, and its decline has significantly impacted their population. By repopulating areas with milkweed, we can play a crucial role in their conservation
A personal favorite, this book brings to life the inspiring quote, 'bloom where you're planted.' Seeds are nature's ultimate survivors, enduring harsh conditions like fire, wind, floods, and even the unforgiving embrace of concrete. Their unwavering determination to grow and flourish wherever they may fall is a testament to the power of resilience.
