Bob's Curated List
My Favorite Resources & Sites
These are the people, organizations, and tools that have shaped how I think about native habitats, ecological design, and the living world. I return to all of them regularly. Every link here is a genuine recommendation — not a list, but a library.
Five Seasons: The Gardens of Piet Oudolf
Piet Oudolf · High Line · Lurie Garden · Hauser & Wirth Somerset
If you want to understand what a living landscape truly means — not just intellectually, but in your bones — watch this film. Thomas Piper follows Piet across five seasons and somehow captures something that most garden writing never does: the feeling of a place that is fully, quietly alive.
I've watched it more times than I can count. It keeps getting better. Every time I return to it, I notice something I missed — a gesture in the planting, a quality of light, a moment where Piet says something that reframes everything. It is, without question, one of the most beautiful films ever made about what a garden can be.
Order at fiveseasonsmovie.comThe People Who Shaped the Vision
These are the designers, scientists, and thinkers whose work runs through every WBDS habitat. Not influences in the abstract — influences in the literal sense. Their ideas are in the ground.
HomeGrown National Park
Doug Tallamy · University of Delaware
The grassroots movement co-founded by Doug Tallamy that is turning private yards into a connected network of native habitat. Every property that converts from turf to native plantings becomes a node in the largest wildlife corridor in America. This is the science behind everything WBDS does.
Adam Woodruff LLC
Plant-Driven Landscape Design · St. Louis, MO
Adam works the way WBDS thinks — from the plant outward. His landscapes don't impose a design on a site; they listen to it. Every planting is atmosphere-focused, site-responsive, and built to evolve. When I look at his work, I see what a layered living system looks like when it's also deeply beautiful.
Oudolf Field at Hauser & Wirth
Piet Oudolf · Bruton, Somerset, England
A 1.5-acre perennial meadow designed by Piet Oudolf on the grounds of a former Somerset farmstead. It is one of the most quietly extraordinary places in the world — a living demonstration that a landscape can be both a work of art and a functioning ecosystem. If you ever find yourself in England, go.
Piet Oudolf — Lurie Garden
Millennium Park · Chicago, IL
Five acres of native and naturalistic perennial plantings in the heart of Chicago. The Lurie Garden is proof that the New Perennial Movement isn't just for private estates — it belongs in cities, in public spaces, in the places where the most people can encounter it. Oudolf's masterwork in America.
Organizations & Practitioners Doing the Work
The people and organizations on the ground — protecting land, documenting wildlife, and building the tools that connect homeowners to the native landscape.
Willistown Conservation Trust
Chester County, PA · #WCTrust
The conservation organization doing some of the most important land protection work on the Western Main Line. WBDS is proud to partner with WCT on educational events and habitat initiatives. Their work on farmland preservation and watershed health is the foundation that makes everything else possible.
Tim Laman
Wildlife Photojournalist · National Geographic
A field biologist turned National Geographic photographer whose images of birds — especially his decade-long documentation of Birds-of-Paradise in Papua New Guinea — are among the most extraordinary wildlife photographs ever made. His work reminds you why we fight to protect habitat.
Backyard Birds Revealed
YouTube Playlist · Bird Identification & Behavior
An excellent YouTube series for anyone who wants to understand the birds visiting their yard — identification, behavior, habitat needs, and the plants that support them. This is the kind of accessible, practical education that turns casual observers into committed habitat stewards.
Choose Native Plants
Native Plant Database & Finder
A clean, searchable database of native plants organized by region, habitat type, and wildlife value. When homeowners ask me where to start, this is one of the first tools I send them to. Simple, visual, and genuinely useful.
Resources Bob Sends People To
When someone asks where to start learning, these are the resources I point them toward. Rigorous, accessible, and genuinely useful — whether you're a first-time homeowner or a professional ecologist.
Audubon — Grow These Plants for Wild Birds
National Audubon Society · Native Plant Database
Enter your zip code and Audubon's database returns the native plants that support the most bird species in your specific region. It's one of the most practical tools available for homeowners who want to make evidence-based planting decisions. Use this before you buy a single plant.
Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Cornell University · eBird · Merlin · All About Birds
The world's leading source of information about birds — from the Merlin ID app to eBird's global sighting database to All About Birds' species accounts. If you want to know what a bird needs to survive, Cornell has the answer. This is the science that informs every WBDS habitat design.
Rebecca McMackin
Ecological Horticulture · Design & Education
An ecologically obsessed horticulturist and garden designer who manages landscapes for both people and wildlife. Rebecca's writing and lectures bridge the gap between rigorous ecology and practical garden management in a way that very few people can. Her work on the Brooklyn Bridge Park gardens is exceptional.
Young Forest Project
Early Successional Habitat · Wildlife Conservation
A science-based initiative promoting early successional habitat — young forest and shrubland — for the wildlife species that depend on it: American Woodcock, New England Cottontail, Golden-winged Warbler, and dozens more. A critical and often overlooked layer in the full ecological picture.
Where to Find Native Plants Near You
These are the nurseries and plant sales I trust and recommend to homeowners throughout the Western Main Line and Chester County. Buying locally grown native plants means better adaptation to our specific soils, climate, and wildlife. Support these growers — they are doing important work.
Jenkins Arboretum Plant Sale Weekend
631 Berwyn Baptist Rd, Devon, PA 19333
An expanded selection of trees, perennials, and shrubs — including many rare and hard-to-find native species. Jenkins is one of the best plant sales in the region. Tickets are available online. Get there early; the best plants go fast.
Redbud Native Plant Nursery
904 N. Providence Road, Media, PA 19063
A dedicated native plant nursery specializing in plants native to the Mid-Atlantic region. One of the best sources for locally grown, ecologically appropriate species.
Gardner's Landscape & Nursery
535 East Uwchlan Ave, Chester Springs, PA 19425
A full-service nursery in Chester Springs carrying a strong selection of trees, shrubs, perennials, and native plants for the Western Main Line and Chester County.
Spring Run Farm
620 Telegraph Road, Coatesville, PA 19320
A wholesale nursery in Coatesville carrying a broad selection of containerized shrubs, ornamental grasses, and perennials. Primarily B2B — check availability for landscape professionals.
Sauder's Nursery
357 Paoli Pike, Malvern, PA 19355
Three convenient locations including Malvern. A reliable local source for quality containerized plants, with a good selection of natives and ornamental grasses.
Edge of the Woods Native Plant Nursery
2415 PA-100, Orefield, PA 18069
Specializing in plants native to the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast ecosystems since 2003. If you're serious about ecological planting, this nursery is worth the drive.
The Garden Shoppe at Braxton's
616 W Lancaster Ave, Strafford, PA 19087
A beloved local garden center next door to Braxton's Animal Works on Lancaster Avenue. Family-owned and serving the Main Line community since 1985 — annuals, perennials, herbs, and a wonderful selection of garden accessories.
Main Line Gardens
376 Paoli Pike, Malvern, PA 19355
A full-service garden center and nursery right on Paoli Pike in Malvern. Carries annuals, perennials, trees, shrubs, and a solid selection of bird products. A reliable local resource for the Western Main Line.
Valley Forge Flowers
503 W Lancaster Ave, Wayne, PA 19087
Much more than a flower shop — it's an experience. Owner Barb and her talented team, including Kilsoon and Christopher, bring an extraordinary level of artistry and botanical knowledge to everything they create. A true inspiration destination on the Main Line.
Community Gathering Spots
Before or After Your Birding Walk
Every great birding outing deserves a great cup of coffee. These two local spots are woven into the WBDS community — and both are connected to the conservation work that makes this all possible.
Gryphon Café & Coffee Roaster
105 W Lancaster Ave, Wayne, PA 19087
Richard's place is the unofficial basecamp for the WBDS community. An independent, award-winning coffee roaster and café right on Lancaster Avenue in Wayne — always bustling, always welcoming. The perfect spot to gather before a morning birding walk or decompress after a day in the garden. Small-batch roasting, local art on the walls, and the kind of energy that makes you want to stay.
Gryphon roasts a Bird Friendly® certified coffee line in partnership with Willistown Conservation Trust — available at Kimberton Whole Foods locations.
Mon – Sun · 6:45 AM – 5:00 PM
Kimberton Whole Foods
Multiple locations · Chester County & Main Line, PA
Kimberton Whole Foods carries the Gryphon Coffee Bird Friendly® line — Smithsonian-certified, shade-grown coffee roasted locally by Gryphon in partnership with Willistown Conservation Trust. The Blackburnian Warbler Roast is the standout. Every bag supports the overwintering habitat of migratory songbirds. If you’re already shopping at Kimberton, pick up a bag — it’s the easiest conservation action you’ll take all week.
Learn about the WCTrust Bird Friendly Coffee CoalitionCraftsmanship & Design
Accoya Wood Garden Elements
Bob designs custom garden elements that go beyond the landscape itself — planters, boxes, and built features that become living parts of the habitat. These pieces are expertly crafted by local master woodworker Dave Thal, owner of The Wood Shop in Malvern, PA — from Accoya wood, a sustainably sourced, FSC-certified timber that weathers naturally to a beautiful silver-gray without staining or treatment. More durable than teak, more sustainable than cedar, Accoya is the right material for pieces meant to last decades in the field.
Custom Accoya wood window planter — designed by Bob Barrett, handcrafted by Dave Thal, The Wood Shop, Malvern PA
Video walkthrough of the finished planter
Why Accoya Wood?
Accoya is a modified timber — acetylated to make it dimensionally stable, rot-resistant, and inhospitable to insects, without the use of toxic chemicals. Left untreated, it weathers to a soft, natural gray that complements any garden. It carries FSC certification and is widely regarded as one of the most environmentally responsible hardwood alternatives available. For outdoor garden elements that live in the landscape year-round, it is simply the right choice.
Design Collaborators
Professionals I Respect & Refer
Great habitat design rarely happens in isolation. These are landscape architects and designers whose work I admire — practitioners who share a commitment to ecological integrity, craftsmanship, and the idea that a well-designed landscape should give back to the living world around it.
Danilo Maffei
Maffei Landscape Design, LLC
Kennett Square, PA · CPLD, PCH Emeritus, FAPLD
Danilo brings over fifteen years of experience designing residential, corporate, and public landscapes across the Philadelphia region and Main Line. His work is rooted in a deep knowledge of horticulture and a respect for the character of each site — landscapes that feel considered, not imposed. A civic leader and educator as well as a practitioner, Danilo is the kind of designer who elevates every collaboration he is part of.
maffeilandscapedesign.comJessica Wolff
Lupine Site Design
Malvern, PA · Registered Landscape Architect (PLA)
Jessica is a registered Landscape Architect based right here on the Main Line in Malvern. Her practice, Lupine Site Design, is built around the idea that beauty and ecological function belong together — designing outdoor spaces that are visually engaging, environmentally meaningful, and genuinely livable. Her focus on biodiverse, resilient planting design aligns closely with the WBDS approach to native habitat creation.
lupinesitedesign.comThese listings reflect personal professional respect — not paid placement or formal partnership agreements.
"The resources above are not a comprehensive list — they are the ones I actually use, return to, and recommend without hesitation. If you find something here that changes how you see your own yard, that's exactly the point."
— Bob Barrett, Wild Bird DesignScapes