My experience has been that native plant enthusiasts tend to despise gardening and landscaping, and that professional landscapers avoid native plants at all costs. However there are a couple of books out there that will help you get started.

Gardening with Native Plants of the PNW by Arthur Kruckeberg is widely available at better independent bookstores and some nurseries, for instance Black Lake Organic Nursery in Olympia. It's a classic.

Then there's Grow Your Own Native Landscape put out by the Thurston County Native Plant Salvage Project. I imagine each county has its own similar organization with its own similar publications. It gives minimal information on how to use native plants in the landscape, but that's more than you'll find most anywhere else.

Those are the two I have. There's also a recent publication, Encyclopedia of Northwest Native Plants for Gardens and Landscapes by Kathleen A. Robson, Alice Richter, and Marianne Filbert, from Timber Press. I've seen it but don't have it, and it looks like a good investment for what you're looking for.

Most native plant resources are not gardening-oriented, but field guides for identifying what you found in the wild. And most garden guides don't do much with native plants. These are what I'd recommend starting with.

Landscaping with just natives usually ends up looking like a vacant lot. It takes a lot of knowledge, skill, and time to make it appear otherwise.

It's not my cup of tea.

Here is a link that might be useful: Fall garden album

Botann, do you ever have garden tours of your garden? It is absolutely beautiful and I would love to see it in person. The colours this autumn are so intense!

The local Garden Club has come through a few times. Other than that, just friends and their friends. I'm located in a rather out of the way place near Maple Valley, Wa.
Anyone is welcome to drop by. I'm retired and home most of the time.

Botann, your arrangements are an inspiration! I'm glad you had sucess growing Jap. Maples from seed. That's my plan. Any advice?

Anyone may apply to take the Certified Professional Horticulturist (CPH) examination whether a member or not. Upon passing the examination and providing proof of the required 2000 hours worked in the industry, the new CPH receives a badge to wear at work and copies of the AssociationÂs monthly magazine, B&B. Those certified express satisfaction with the added recognition that the CPH achievement represents

Here is a link that might be useful: Certification