
Below are additional resources that I thought you might find useful. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. I’m happy to help if I can.
~ Shannon Trimboli
Table of Contents
- My Contact Information
- My Gift to You
- Busy Bee Nursery and Consulting
- Backyard Ecology
- My Books
- Other Useful Free Resources
- Other Books Mentioned
My Contact Information
- My email address: shannon@backyardecology.net
- My Websites:
- Facebook pages:
- Subscribe to my email list to find out about the latest blog articles, podcast episodes, YouTube videos, information about my native plant sales and educational events, or other news
- You choose what types of emails you want to receive
- You can unsubscribe at any time
- Receive a free e-book as my gift to you for subscribing

My Gift to You
Did you know that garden hardiness zones don’t mean anything when it comes to gardening with native plants?
If you’re like most people, then probably not. But when it comes to growing native plants, ecoregions are more important than the more familiar plant hardiness zones.
Learn more in my e-book, An Introduction to Gardening with Native Plants: Hardiness Zones and Ecoregions. It’s my gift to you for subscribing to my email list. (You can unsubscribe at any time, but my goal is to make the information I share so valuable and pertinent to the questions you are asking that you’ll want to keep getting the emails.)

Busy Bee Nursery and Consulting
My husband and I own and operate Busy Bee Nursery and Consulting. At Busy Bee Nursery and Consulting our goal is to help you create your dream pollinator and wildlife habitat in a way that allows you to enjoy your land while caring for the plants and animals that also call your property home. We do this by growing and selling native plants and by providing private, in-person consulting and virtual small group coaching to help you turn your property into a pollinator and wildlife oasis. Visit our website to find out more about the plants we have for sale, the services we offer, and our upcoming events.

Backyard Ecology
Backyard Ecology is our blog, podcast and YouTube channel where we invite you to join us as we ignite our curiosity and natural wonder, explore our yards and communities, and improve our local pollinator and wildlife habitat. More information about Backyard Ecology can be found on the Backyard Ecology website. Below are a few relevant resources that I thought you might enjoy.

Blog
Why Are Some Native Plants Unavailable Early in the Season?
Wildflower vs Native Plant: What’s the Difference?
Understanding a Common Saying When Growing Native Plants
Plant at least 70% of yard in native plants to increase songbird nesting success
Remember the Shoulder Seasons when Planting for Pollinators
Attract Songbirds by Planting Native Trees and Shrubs that Produce Berries
Pollinator Friendly Methods for Mowing Fields
Leave Your Fall Leaves for Pollinators and Wildlife
Everything You Need to Know about the IUCN Listing of the Monarch Butterfly
Plant Multiple Species of Native Milkweeds for Monarch Caterpillars
Podcast
Ecology Based Landscaping with Larry Weaner
Battery Powered Lawn Care Equipment and Ecological Lawn Care
How Can Your State’s Native Plant Society Help You?
Clovers! Native Clover Conservation, Clover Yards, and More
Growing Native Plants, Insect-Plant Interactions, Playing in the Pond, and Much More with Dr. Randi Eckel
Growing Native Plants in Small Yards
Gardening with Native Plants
Are Larger Patch Sizes Better When Planting for Pollinators?
Planting for Pollinators
Factors that Make Pollinator Gardens More Attractive to Pollinators
NRCS Programs for Pollinators and Wildlife
Getting the Community Involved in Creating Pollinator Habitat
Everything You Want to Know About Nesting Birds with NestWatch
Light Pollution and Its Impacts on Birds and Other Wildlife
Why Are Invasive Species Something You Should Care About?
Milkweeds in Urban and Suburban Monarch Waystations with Dr. Adam Baker
Diversity Matters When Gardening for Monarchs
Monarch Butterflies and OE (Ophryocystis elektroscirrha)
Attracting Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds to Your Yard
Videos
My Books
- Plants Honey Bees Use in the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys
- Let me know if you want me to sign it. I’m always happy to do that.
- Attract Pollinators and Wildlife to Your Yard: 15 Free and Easy Ways
- Let me know if you want me to sign it. I’m always happy to do that.

Other Useful Free Resources
- Ecoregional Planting Guides – Pollinator Partnership
- Enter zip code and will be taken to the free guide for your location
- EPA Ecoregions
- Interactive map with links to detailed information about Level III and Level IV ecoregions by state
- Invasive Species Lists
- Mt. Cuba Center’s Carex Report
- This report is focused on the Mid-Atlantic region but many of these species are native to areas outside of the Mid-Atlantic too.
- Native Plants for the Small Yard: Easy, Beautiful Home Gardens that Support Local Ecology
- Free pdf download that has lots of landscaping layouts for common garden spots (around mailbox, near porch, near drain spout, etc.).
- Not all of the species listed in this guide are native to the Southern Appalachian region, but many are and the ones that aren’t can be swapped out for other species.
- To hear a conversation with the author, check out this podcast episode.
- Native Plant Societies
- Wild Ones, SoKY Chapter
- Meets at Lost River Cave
- Lexington’s Plant by Number Designs

Books Mentioned*
