Wildscape: Trilling Chipmunks, Beckoning Blooms, Salty Butterflies, and Other Sensory Wonders of Nature

“Exploring in your own backyard can open up your imagination, and in the process, your humanity,” suggests habitat consultant Lawson (The Humane Gardener) in this pleasant paean to the natural world. Encouraging readers to develop a greater appreciation for local wildlife, she delves into the ways that organisms perceive and interact with their environments. Lawson uses her suburban Maryland garden as a jumping-off point and describes the animals and plants with whom she shares her property, including male butterflies that use pheromones to “advertise their virility” and bees drawn to the scent of wild bergamot flowers, which contain a compound that inhibits parasites. She examines the intricate relationships between plants and animals, as when she notes that tree crickets craft “DIY megaphones” out of leaves to amplify their calls and that “about seven thousand plant species from Alaska to Patagonia” depend on hummingbirds for spreading their pollen. Lawson succeeds in highlighting the wondrous abilities of plants and animals, though her focus on “local” wildlife will be most relevant to those who live in ecosystems similar to her Maryland environs. Additionally, beautiful photographs illustrating the animals’ abilities nicely complement her explanations. The result is a blissful appreciation of nature. Photos. (Mar.)