Hmmm .. very interesting and cool idea ...

I'm not sure what level your at now and perhaps you could narrow down a bit more exactly what your interested in ...

A good book that deals with ecology and tree biology ... in fact one of the major books that forms the basis for an entire movement in urban horticulture / gardening is :

"Modern Tree Biology" by Alex Shigo ...

A very informative book and a must read ..

Good Day ...

Stephanie:
I find it difficult myself to distinguish between gardening and horticulture! I think more than ever the two are verging now.
Ken Druse "Making More Plants" looks at basic horticulture for the gardener, basically as it says, how and why people make more of what they have.
Allen Armitage is one of the foremost professors in the country who teaches ornamental horiculture at the University of Georgia. He has written several books, all of which are wonderful and also written with the perspective of a gardener (since he is one). To get a taste of his writing, and his woody horticultural contemporary Michael Dirr, check back issues of Horticulture magazine as they often write the articles for the Southeast.
Do you have anything in your community like we have, called Trees Atlanta? The people involved in that cause are very into the planting trees for the ecology of the city, to create more green space as we increase vehicle and human volume. Someone like that would probably be a great contact,

GGG