How to use this book -- History and ecology of the prairie -- Understanding your soil -- Designing, planting, and maintaining prairie gardens -- Prairie species field guide. Monocots ; Dicots ; Grasses and sedges -- Establishing a successful prairie meadow -- Burning your prairie safely (and having fun, too!) -- Propagating prairie plants from seed -- Propagating prairie plants vegetatively -- The prairie food web -- Prairie-seed mixes -- Tables

"With over a thousand photos of prairie plants at key stages of development, this comprehensive guide will provide the novice or experienced gardener or landscaper interested in the world of prairie plants with the means to identify, cultivate, and nurture these incredible plants. From helping bird and butterfly migrations and improving food sources for wildlife to other benefits such as a reduced need for fertilization, water, and pest control, there are many ecological and financial reasons to embrace native prairie plants"--