4Real Forums: ID recommendations?

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Exploring God's Creation in Nature and Science
4Real Forums : Exploring God's Creation in Nature and Science

Topic: ID recommendations?

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nicole-amdg
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Joined: April 16 2007
Location: Georgia
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Posted: May 16 2007 at 2:05pm \| IP Logged

We're trying to plan a perennial Mary garden for a shady spot, and I'm looking at lists and searching pictures that look familiar but I don't know why, and suddenly I realize that I don't know what we already have in our yard!

What's a good field guide for IDing our plants, landscaping and wild? There's a lot of wooded area around our house, and the lawn is just old enough that nobody remembers what we planted. It was just an assortment of popular landscaping shrubs, some daylilies (that I know, at least), and the one thing I picked--Lenten roses.

I'm not always great with keys--I tried identifying a pine using what looked like a great book about native Georgia trees, but either the needles didn't fit the description or the cones didn't. We did, however, manage to identify a few moths using what I think was an old Golden Press book from the library. What are your favorite field guides, and what do you like about them?

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Marjorie
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Joined: June 15 2006
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Posted: May 16 2007 at 4:03pm \| IP Logged

Hi Nicole,

We are in Georgia too and when we moved into our house 11 years ago I couldn't ID a thing! I didn't dare weed until I saw what bloomed and what didn't. We have enjoyed the National Audubon Field guides (list of guides) for insects, mushrooms, reptile/amphibians, wildflowers and trees. Most of the local libraries carry them so you can try them before puchasing. We like the color photo plates and the detailed info on the white pages in the back. The Peterson First Guides are a good start too, I think you can get a set of these. They are small and easy to put in a nature backpack. If you are in the Atlanta area, the Chattahoochee Nature Center in Roswell has a wonderful selection of local guides as do many of the local state parks such as Red Top Mountain.

I am trying to plant a perennial Mary's Garden at our house too. We live on a woodsy shady site so it is a challenge. Where are you in Ga? (PM me if you prefer :-)

Good luck on your planting!

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Marjorie

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nicole-amdg
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Joined: April 16 2007
Location: Georgia
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Posted: May 17 2007 at 11:40am \| IP Logged

We've tried a Peterson First Guide for caterpillars--I'll look for plant guides as well. And I thought of the Audubon guides, but was hoping to get first-hand information about them and other guides before I run up my hold quota at the library.

My library knows me pretty well. I met a new-to-me librarian yesterday who already knew me by name--she processes holds on books. She says I make such interesting book choices.

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