… for the AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books

By Nancy Lawson

From the author of The Humane Gardener, Wildscape is a first-of-its-kind guide that takes readers on an insightful and personal exploration of the secret lives of animals and plants. This book has just been shortlisted for the 2024 American Association for the Advancement of Science/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books!

About Wildscape

Nature writer and naturalist Nancy Lawson takes readers on a fascinating tour of the vibrant web of nature outside our back door—where animals and plants perceive and communicate using marvelous sensory abilities we are only beginning to understand. Organized into chapters investigating each of five main senses, Lawson’s exploration reveals a remarkable world of interdependent creatures with amazing capabilities.

You’ll learn of ultrasound clicks humans can’t hear and ultraviolet colors humans can’t see. You’ll cross paths with foraging American bumblebees drawn to the scent of wild bergamot, urban sparrows who adapt their mating song in response to human clamor, trees that amp up their growth in response to deer and moose saliva, and a chipmunk behaving like the world’s smallest pole vaulter to nab juicy red berries hanging from the lowest parts of a coral honeysuckle vine.

Synthesizing cutting-edge scientific research, original interviews with animal and plant researchers, and poetic observations made in her own garden, Lawson shows us how to appreciate the natural environment from the sensory perspective of our wild neighbors right outside our door and beyond, and how to respect and nurture the habitats they need to survive.

Read the introduction to Wildscape.

Wildscape Reviews

“In Wildscape, Nancy Lawson guides readers through a sensory wonderland that transcends the usual human inclinations and concerns. … For anyone who relishes a walk in the woods, this book offers fascinating new rabbit holes to hop down. … Even experienced naturalists will find new and exciting facts to ponder.”

—Science Magazine

“Where Lawson really shines is in elucidating how much humans miss in the use of the senses that are less important to us or are obscured by our mechanized approach to life (scent and sound) or by our more ‘civilized’ approach to communing with the natural world (taste and touch). Lawson’s intimate study of caterpillars, slugs, snakes, beetles, and other smaller members of her garden community leads to a deeper understanding of not only their lives but also the rich interconnectedness within even a small ecosystem. Beautifully illustrated with close-up photographs, this is a book to savor and reread.”

—Booklist, Starred Review

“This author’s storytelling ability, along with vast, quality research that’s easy to understand, make this an important addition to public and academic libraries. … It is an essential read for academics, students of the natural sciences, and readers concerned about the environment.”

—Library Journal

“Lawson succeeds in highlighting the wondrous abilities of plants and animals. … Additionally, beautiful photographs illustrating the animals’ abilities nicely complement her explanations. The result is a blissful appreciation of nature.”

—Publishers Weekly

“Through the engaging writings of Nancy Lawson, Wildscape will open your eyes and heart to the ways in which nature works, while the stunning nature photography lures you to read on. … This book would be appreciated by gardeners and nature lovers, and also as bedtime reading to young enthusiasts. The stories are enchanting.”

—American Gardener magazine

“This book had me enthralled from the introduction. … With both scientific rigor and resonant prose, Lawson explores the world through the senses—not solely as humans understand it, but by describing the unique and diverse ways that plants and animals perceive their environments. … Her science is in-depth, but accessible; her tone, almost philosophical. In illuminating how various organisms navigate and communicate using their senses, and how they shape and influence their environments, Lawson not only fosters wonder and curiosity about nature and its vast complexity, but also provides insightful connections to the human experience. … An enchanting read for naturalists of all sorts.”

—Butterfly Gardener magazine

Advance Praise for Wildscape

“Calling all lovers of nature, and anyone who finds themselves awestruck by the many ways nature does what it does. Nancy Lawson’s Wildscape is filled with incredible examples and photos of some of the many fascinating ways our backyard creatures are able to persist in an all-to-often-hostile environment. A treasure trove of delightful reading awaits as you too discover an even deeper appreciation and respect for these marvels of nature.”

—Joe Lamp’l, creator and host of Growing a Greener World and founder of joegardener.com

“By taking us deep into the lives of backyard creatures, Lawson takes us out of our solipsism and grants us the gift of swapping stories with butterflies, chipmunks, and beetles.

As we get to know these other cultures and sense the world through our shared experiences, we travel deeper into our landscapes and squash biases instead of bugs. With incredible tidbits of science and story (boy, is poop useful), this book asks us to live a wilder, more willful life that honors the intricate relationships right beneath our noses.”

 —Benjamin Vogt, author of A New Garden Ethic and Prairie Up

“Wildscape takes us on a fascinating journey, exploring the sensory ecology of other species in our landscapes, while making a compelling case for treating those landscapes as the critical wildlife habitat that they are. Referencing science-based research, Nancy Lawson shares intriguing facts about a wide range of organisms—from moss-gathering Carolina wrens, to bee-mimicking robber flies, to plants that ‘borrow’ chemical defenses from neighboring species. Wildscape is an inspiration for those of us who care about nature and want to learn more and do more.”

—Kim Eierman, Founder, EcoBeneficial LLC and author of The Pollinator Victory Garden: Win the War on Pollinator Decline with Ecological Gardening

“Wildscape is a book that brings us closer to the world around us. Rarely do we find storytellers capable of sharing personal observations alongside cutting-edge research. Nancy Lawson reconnects readers to the wondrous dynamics among plants and animals.”

—Rebecca McMackin, ecological horticulturist and designer

“Wildscape is a wonderful celebration of the complex and intimate actions we can witness in our own backyards and nearby natural areas if we choose to open our senses to them. Nancy Lawson tells compelling tales of the love, life, and death she witnesses in her home habitat. She describes the dance of interdependence between plants and animals, and the strategies each employs to survive and thrive. Lawson also describes some human actions that can interfere with effective plant and animal communication and survival. This accessible book is a must read for anyone who wants to develop a deeper appreciation of the animal and plant species with whom we share our spaces.”

—Mary Anne Borge, author and photographer, The Natural Web; editor, Butterfly Gardener

“A refreshing take on a timely topic, Wildscape provides a new perspective on the role homes and gardens play in nature. Author and naturalist Nancy Lawson serves as an inspiration to all as she describes a new approach to land management that will benefit all creatures, big and small.”

—Brie Arthur (Brie the Plant Lady), author and horticulturalist 

“By exploring how animals, insects, and birds use their five senses to find food or a mate, and to communicate and defend themselves, Lawson eloquently illustrates that we also need to use our five senses to connect with the natural world. And we do not have to go far to experience biodiversity: It’s right outside our front door. What is required is our willingness to unplug, listen, observe, touch, smell, and reconnect with the wonders of nature.”

—Heather Holm, pollinator conservationist and author