How Plants Work by Linda Chalker-Scott was a deviation from my normal type of reading. For starters, it read more like a text book than the others (similar to the second half of Tallamy’s Bringing Nature Home). Secondly, it was oriented towards the gardener, not the ecologist. However, neither one of these changes was a problem for this quick and informative read. While the text-book like atmosphere may sound dull, it was not, and sometimes it takes lengthy explanations to convey complex science, which was the main point of the book and the main reason I read it. Aspects of plant physiology sometimes get left behind in explanations of ecosystems. Some books will explain what the behavior is, but not how it comes to be. Thus, I like to read the chemistry behind the actions and the author accomplished that well.

Regarding the fact that the book was tailored for gardeners was something I was skeptical of, but found appreciation in because restoration ecology often involves many aspects Dr. Chalker-Scott covered in the book. Whether testing soil for a variety of nutrients or to root behavior in different seasons, there is much to learn before attempting ecological restoration. One of my favorite facts was learning about arsenic used as an orchard pesticide in the early-mid 20th century, which can still cause toxic conditions today.

There was one minor problem with the book and that was when the author brushed off the importance of native species and actually recommended planting non-invasive non-natives. One tree (Japanese maple) that she loves to write about in her yard is actually a new invasive, demonstrating that just because something has not yet become invasive does not mean it won’t. She also claims the biodiversity created by the extra non-natives will help the ecosystem, but that is factually incorrect. The non-natives support far fewer insects and animals than the natives do. So I found this one half-page comment frustrating, but over all, the book was very informative while managing to be an easy read, which is a challenging task.