Cloud Landscape Design LLC, is a full-service landscape design company, offering custom landscape design, residential landscaping, commercial landscaping, landscape architecture, hardscaping, landscape management consultations, and garden consultations.
Websites of Great Organizations For Your Yard
Taking Care of your Yard (Purdue Extension) - Great general information on yard care.
https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/HO/HO-236-W.pdf
Ohio Department of Natural Resources - Native species lists according to location type (woodland, wet, etc).
The BYGL - Everything you need (or never needed) to know about gardening disease, pests, and plants in Ohio.
Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder - A source you can always trust for good information on plant height, width, light needs etc.
http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/plantfinder/plantfindersearch.aspx
National Wildlife Federation - Creating sustainable gardens for wildlife.
https://www.nwf.org/garden-for-wildlife
Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden Annual Trials - A good local source that is helpful without being overwhelming when you hit the greenhouse.
Books for Reference and Enjoyment
Getting Started
Debra Knapke's books are good beginner books with solid information on plants.
http://www.debrathegardensage.com/books.html
Denny Mckeown has several books on gardening in Ohio. This is his latest. Another solid starter book.
http://bloomingarden.com/gardening-books/
Laara Duggan's book gets into a little more discernment about what you want for the best show in the garden.
https://www.amazon.com/Best-Flowers-Midwest-Gardens-Low-Maintenance/dp/1556522630
Digging Deeper
Michael Dirr has forgotten more about plants than most of us in the green industry remember. These are the detailed encyclopedias of plants, be prepared.
http://www.timberpress.com/author/michael_a_dirr/39
Allan Armitage also has more plant knowledge than most in the industry can ever hope to retain. His books are a bit more approachable than Dirr but also very informative. He also has a fantastic plant app that everyone should use.
The New Sunset Western Garden Book delves into more plants from the west coast but has great information on plants across the country.
http://sunsetwesterngardencollection.com/in-the-garden/article/new-book-the-ultimate-gardening-guide
Planting to Save the World
Planting in A Post Wild World - Designing in a natural world that has changed tremendously. A fantastic book with practical design ideas and gorgeous photos.
https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/planting-post-wild-world
Gaia's Garden - Getting into the nitty gritty of permaculture in a realistic way. A wonderful read.
http://tobyhemenway.com/book/gaias-garden/
Bringing Nature Home - If you are interested in going native this is one of the foundation books to read.
http://www.bringingnaturehome.net/
Last Child in the Woods - With such a large loss of natural space what is the impact on us and our children? This book covers that topic and is a very interesting read that should be on the shelf of every parent, educator and childcare facility.
Fun Garden Reads
The 64$ Tomato - A humorous take on home vegetable gardening when you get a little obsessed.
http://williamalexander.com/64dollartomato/inside.cfm?page=excerpt
Uprooted: A Gardner Reflects on Beginning Again - A personal journey about leaving a garden after decades of time and love. Then beginning again on an entirely different piece of land. This was a lovely, low key read.
https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/49151015-uprooted
Botany of Desire - A wonderful look at how capable and smart plants really are. They are always thinking....