Michigan State University Libraries

Horticulture and Gardening Research Guide

• 1st Choice Databases
  
  
• • Garden, Landscape and Horticulture Index
    
    The Garden, Landscape and Horticulture Index is a popular and scholarly index to over 300 journals on gardening, horticulture, landscape design, botany, ecology, plant conservation, garden management, and horticultural therapy.
  • CAB Abstracts
    
    CAB covers the subject of agriculture in the broadest sense. It includes: agronomy, biotechnology, crop protection, dairy science, economics, environmental degradation and remediation, forestry, genetics, herbicides, irrigation, leisure, recreation and tourism, microbiology, nutrition, parasitology, rural development, veterinary medicine and much more. Journals, monographs, conferences, books, annual reports and other sources from more than one country are scanned regularly for inclusion in the database.
  • Biological Abstracts
    
    Indexes the biological and medical peer-reviewed journal literature.
  • Web of Science
    
    Includes the Institute for Scientific Information Citation Indexes - Arts and Humanities, Social Science, and Science. It indexes science, social sciences, and arts and humanities information from nearly 9,300 of the most prestigious, high impact research journals in the world.
• 2nd Choice Databases
  
  
• • AGRICOLA
    
    Covers every major agricultural subject, including agricultural engineering and marketing, animal breeding, entomology, environmental pollution, farm management, foods and feeds, pesticides, rural sociology, veterinary medicine, and water resources. Citations consist of journal articles, book chapters, monographs, conference proceedings, serials, technical reports, and other materials on a range of agricultural topics.
  • American Periodical Series (APS) Full-Text
    
    Full-text database of American periodicals published between the 1700's and 1899.
    • Check Catalog
  • • A list and description of the Horticulture titles in this database.
      
      
    • A list and description of the Agriculture titles in this database.
      
      
  • AgBioForum
    
    AgBioForum publishes articles which enhance the on-going dialogue on the economics and management of agricultural biotechnology. The purpose of AgBioForum is to provide unbiased, timely information and new ideas leading to socially responsible and economically efficient decisions in science, public policy and private strategies pertaining to agricultural biotechnology.

SB

• Full Text Online Documents in the Agricultural Sciences (includes Horticulture)
  
  This Research Guide compiles documents that are full text and are freely available over the Internet. This site does not include online books/documents that are subscription based and/or require passwords or payment.
• AgNIC Plant Science
  
  Provides information on all aspects of plant life from anatomy, to taxonomy, to ecology and uses. Includes links to images and keys.
• AgNIC sites pertaining to gardening and horticulture
  
  AgNIC is the Agriculture Network Information Center – a voluntary alliance and partnership of nearly 60 member institutions and organizations working to offer quick and reliable access to quality agricultural information and sources. AgNIC is supported, in part, by the USDA’s National Agricultural Library (NAL) through provision of the AgNIC Secretariat and other program support.
  MSU - Asparagus, Blueberries-Cultivated, Cherries, Elderberries, Maple Syrup, Strawberries, Viticulture
  American Cranberry
  Bees and Pollination
  Carnations and the Floriculture Industry
  Home Gardening
  Sub-tropical Horticulture
  Tree Fruits
  Wildflowers of Kansas
  Winter sowing
  
• Census of Horticultural Specialties - 1998
  
  The 1998 Census of Horticultural Specialties, conducted for the first time by NASS, is the eighth census of horticultural specialties. Previous horticultural specialties censuses were conducted in conjunction with the census of agriculture and were taken in 1889, 1929, 1949, 1959, 1970, 1979, and 1988. The 1998 Census of Horticultural Specialties includes producers of floriculture, nursery, and other specialty crops, such as sod, mushrooms, food crops produced under glass or other protection, transplants for commercial production, and seeds. [Year, Parts and Section guide]
  The primary objective of the horticultural specialties census is to obtain a comprehensive and detailed picture of the horticultural sector of the economy. It is the only source of detailed production and sales data at the National level. The census of horticultural specialties provides detailed statistics to government agencies, academia, nursery and floriculture industries, and others on the size and structure of the horticulture industry for planning, policymaking, research, and market analysis.
• PlantFacts
  
  Horticulture and crop science information from 46 different colleges, universities, and government institutions across the United States and Canada. This searchable site run by the Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, The Ohio State University provides access to over 260,000 pages of Extension fact sheets and bulletins from every land-grant university in the U.S. and several government institutions across Canada. Try this resource even for non-plant research queries as their "plant" filter is porous.
• Herb Society of America
  
  The Herb Society of America is dedicated to promoting the knowledge, use and delight of herbs through educational programs, research, and sharing the experience of its members with the community. Information from this organization includes:
  Herb of the Year as designated by the International Herb Association (IHA)
  Herbal Profiles & Guides
  Family Herb Corner. Whether you are a parent hoping to share your love of herbs and gardening with your children, an educator planning to add herbs to your classroom or a child ready to discover the magic and wonder of herbal plants, we hope the Family Herb Corner will provide you with ideas and inspiration. Portions of this site are in development.
• Landscape Architecture Image Resource (LAIR)
  
  The LAIR Website has been designed to foster active, collaborative learning and encourage community building across a variety of campuses serving landscape architecture education. This shared image bank is a library of digital images that have been collected from a variety of sources. These images are available to anyone who would like to use them for educational purposes (see Copyrights).
• USDA and National Agricultural Library Resources
  
  
• • USDA Agriculture Handbooks
    
    This is a Number/Title/Subject list of the USDA Agriculture Handbook series. Many, but not all, link to the FULL TEXT of the document, in pdf format.
  • USDA Agriculture Information Bulletins
    
    This is a Number/Title/Subject list of the USDA Agriculture Information Bulletins series. Many, but not all, link to the FULL TEXT of the document, in pdf format.
  • USDA Farmers' Bulletins
    
    This is a Number/Title/Subject list of the USDA Farmers' Bulletin series. Many, but not all, link to the FULL TEXT of the document, in pdf format.
  • USDA Home and Garden Bulletin Archive
    
    Searchable archive to the USDA Home and Garden Bulletins, published between 1951-2003. The project is sponsored by the AgNIC consortium, the PDFs are courtesy of the National Agriculture Library, and the online collection is hosted by the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Michigan State University.
  • USDA Miscellaneous Publications
    
    This is a Number/Title/Subject list of the USDA Miscellaneous Publications series. Many, but not all, link to the FULL TEXT of the document, in pdf format.
  • USDA Technical Bulletins
    
    This is a Number/Title/Subject list of the USDA Technical Bulletins series. Many, but not all, link to the FULL TEXT of the document, in pdf format.

• The American Horticultural Society A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants / Christopher Brickell, H. Marc Cathey, editors-in-chief
  
  MSU REFERENCE, 1 EAST, SB403.2 .A45 2004
  
• Encyclopedia of gardens : history and design / editor, Candice A. Shoemaker
  
  MSU REFERENCE, 1 EAST
  SB465 .E63 2001
• Garden literature : an index to periodical articles and book reviews
  
  MSU REFERENCE, 1 EAST
  SB450.9 .G37
• Hortica : color cyclopedia of garden flora in all climates--worldwide--and exotic plants indoors / Alfred Byrd Graf.
  
  MSU REFERENCE, 1 EAST
  SB407 .G732 1992
• The New York Botanical Garden illustrated encyclopedia of horticulture / Thomas H. Everett.
  
  MSU REFERENCE, 1 EAST
  SB317.58 .E94
• Rare Plants on Campus and New Rare Plants on Campus
  
  Reference and general collection, depending on the year - QK73.M5 M5
• Wild flowers of the United States.
  
  MSU REFERENCE, 1 EAST
  QK115 .R5
  Contents: v. 1. The Northeastern States. (2 v.); v. 2. The Southeastern States. (2 v.); v. 3. Texas. (2 v.); v. 4. The Southwestern States. (3 v.); v. 5. The Northwestern States. (2 v.); v. 6. The central mountains and plains. (3 v.)
• • Complete index for the six volumes of Wild flowers of the United States
    
    MSU REFERENCE, 1 EAST
    QK115 .R5 Index

• Acta Horticulturae
  
  Acta Horticulturae (ISSN 0567-7572) is a series of scientific technical publications, mainly the proceedings of International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS) Symposia and the ISHS International Horticultural Congress.
  They are in the online catalog by number and individual title. To easily locate a subject, search as a KEYWORD the terms: Acta Horticulturae .
  Shelf location: MSU Main Library, Basement center, SB13 .A25 [volume number]
  We now have access to the full text of all the proceedings online. To get to the electronic access point, go to E-Resources and search for Acta Hort in the Electronic Journals box (NOT Other E-Resources). Click on the link, Single Journals.
  
• Botanicus
  
  Botanicus is a freely accessible, Web-based encyclopedia of historic botanical literature from the Missouri Botanical Garden Library. Botanicus is made possible through support from the W.M. Keck Foundation and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
• NetLibrary
  
  The MSU Libraries is pleased to announce that we now have access to more than 10,000 electronic books, or eBooks, through our membership in the Michigan Library Consortium. Trade and university press materials, as well as popular materials are included. To use netLibrary go directly to http://www.netlibrary.com for access into the eBook collection.Once you receive your unique login and password, you will be able to access the collection of eBooks from anywhere you have an Internet connection.
• • NetLibrary - First time user's guide
    
    This guide will help you set up your free account to use the NetLibrary resources.

• Subject searching the online catalog for Michigan gardens & gardening
  
  When conducting a SUBJECT SEARCH of the MSU Libraries online catalog of plants specific to Michigan, use the following subject headings:
  • Annuals (Plants) - Michigan
  • Floriculture - Michigan
  • Flowers - Michigan
  • Fruit culture - Michigan
  • Gardening - Michigan
  • Gardens - Michigan
  • Horticulture - Michigan
  • Nurseries (Horticulture) - Michigan
  • Plant conservation - Michigan
  • Perennials - Michigan
  • School Gardens - Michigan
  • Trees in Cities - Michigan
  • Vegetables - Michigan
  • Wild flowers - Michigan
• Historic Publications of the MSU Extension Service
  
  The following are archive copies of MSU Extension publications [do not use for current recommendations; up-to-date information about many topics can be obtained from local Extension offices and the Educational Materials Distribution Center]. Click on the title to take you to a brief description of the bulletin and a link to the full text document.
  • Familiar Trees of Michigan
  • Identifying Trees of Michigan
  • Ornamental Deciduous Trees for Michigan
  • Ornamental Shrubs for Michigan
  • Ornamental Vines for Michigan
  • Selections of Shade and Flowering Trees for Michigan Landscapes
  • Tree Planting in Michigan
  You can also run a "Find" search on the page to locate specific garden, flower, and vegetable publications.
• Beal-Garfield botanic garden Map, 1968
  
  Includes index to plant collections, text, and illustrations.
  MSU MAP LIB LOCKED CABINET 3 WEST, 843-d E-1968 (East Lansing/MSU) Map
• Campus plantings, 1985
  
  Shows the location and description of plantings and plant collections on the MSU campus
  MSU MAP LIB LOCKED CABINET 3 WEST, 843-d E-1985 (East Lansing, MSU) Map
• Clarence E. Lewis Landscape Arboretum
  
  Dedicated on July 10, 1984 as a "Learning Experience in the Making", the Clarence E. Lewis Landscape Arboretum is designed as an instructional arboretum for students interested in landscape development. The site has its beginnings as the old campus nursery and as a result many remaining specimen trees lend a mature appearance to much of the arboretum. The arboretum continues to grow, providing learning opportunities for students, industry professionals, gardeners, and community members.
• Horticultural Demonstration Gardens of MSU
  
  A Living Laboratory -- Where Plants and People Grow Together
• • 4-H Children's Garden
    
    The 4-H Children's Garden is one of the 5 parts of the Horticultural Demonstration Gardens. It is just over 1/2 acre in size. It is a special garden where plants and children and imaginations grow.
• Liberty Hyde Bailey papers, 1855-1958
  
  The Liberty Hyde Bailey, Jr., papers comprise 1.2 cubic feet and consist of correspondence, newspaper and magazine clippings, writings by Bailey, photographs, and an 1888 record of ornamental plants at Michigan Agricultral College.
  Note - Liberty Hyde Bailey (1858-1954) was born in South Haven, Michigan, and graduated from Michigan Agricultural College in 1882. He studied botany at Harvard University, and returned to M.A.C. in 1885 to chair the new Horticulture Department. In 1901, he edited COUNTRY LIFE IN AMERICA, an early broad-page magazine, and became known as the "father" of rural sociology and agricultural journalism. He chaired the presidential Commission on Country Life, which was in part responsible for the passage of the Smith Lever Act in 1914, establishing the Cooperative Extension Service and 4-H Youth Programs. Bailey authored numerous books and papers, primarily on agriculture. A Michigan State University dormitory in the Brody Complex was named in his honor.
  UNIV ARCH & HIST COLL - UA 10.3.1
• MSU Extension
  
  Since its beginning, Michigan Extension has focused on bringing knowledge-based educational programs to the people of the state to improve their lives and communities. Today, county-based staff members, in concert with on-campus faculty members, serve every county with programming focused on agriculture and natural resources; children, youth and families; and community and economic development.
  Today’s problems are very complex. Solutions require the expertise of numerous disciplines and the collaboration of many partners. Operating synergistically with the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station and other Michigan State University units, MSU Extension extends the University’s knowledge resources to all Michigan citizens and assists them in meeting their learning needs through a variety of educational strategies, technologies and collaborative arrangements.
• MSU Herbarium
  
  The Herbarium was founded in 1863 with a donation of the private collection of Dennis Cooley, MD, to Michigan Agricultural College. The collection was said to contain some 20,000 specimens. Seven years later Dr. William James Beal was appointed as lecturer in Botany, and he brought with him a collection of about 2000 specimens. The Herbarium began to grow actively after 1883 when Dr. Beal spent much of his time avidly acquiring specimens through purchases and exchanges. In 1888 the building housing the herbarium was burned, but all the collections, except private collections of C. F. Wheeler, were saved. At the time of Dr. Beal's retirement in 1910, the Herbarium had a total of 106,000 accessioned specimens. Because of their nomenclatural and historic importance, many of the specimens acquired during this period are among the most valuable in the collection.
  Today, the Michigan State University Herbarium represents a worldwide collection of all groups of plants, as well as lichenized and non-lichenized fungi. Current holdings number over 500,000 specimens, with approximately 315,000 specimens of vascular plants, 110,000 lichenized fungi, 35,000 non-lichenized fungi, and 20,000 bryophyte specimens. Over 1,800 type specimens are represented. The herbarium loans several thousand specimens a year to researchers at other institutions.
  The Lichen Database is now on-line. The label data from over 112,000 lichen specimens at the Michigan State University Herbarium (MSC) are now in this searchable, on-line database.
• MSU Horticultural Experiment Stations and Farms
  
  
• MSU Student Horticultural Clubs
  
  Horticulture Club, HOGS, Student Organic Farm, etc.
• Master Gardener Volunteer Program, MSUE
  
  
• Michigan Agricultural Products - Commodity Related Pages
  
  List the primary agricultural commodities of Michigan and links to summaries, organizations, and recipes.
• Rare plants on campus and New rare plants on campus
  
  QK73.M5 M5
• University of Michigan Herbarium
  
  The University of Michigan Herbarium was established in 1921 to bring together various botanical collections that had been developed almost from the time of the University's founding in Ann Arbor in 1837. From a start of some 27,000 cryptogams and 43,000 phanerogams, the Herbarium's collections have grown to include over 1.7 million specimens. The Herbarium is ranked seventh in the U.S. in total holdings and second among state-supported universities. The American Society of Plant Taxonomists has designated the Herbarium a National Resource Collection.
• W. J. Beal Botanical Garden
  
  This garden, established in 1873 by Professor William James Beal, is the oldest continuously operated university botanical garden of its kind in the United States. With consideration for Professor Beal's own words, "Students should themselves become discerning observers and investigators rather than mere reservoirs of previously accumulated knowledge" (Beal 1895, p.55).

• Agriculture Research Guide
• Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics Research Guide
  
• Botany Research Guide
  
• Forestry Research Guide
  
• Full Text Online Documents in the Agricultural Sciences
• Organic, Sustainable, and Alternative Farming Systems
• Biofuels and Bioenergy Resources
  
• Soils and Agronomy Research Guide
• Turfgrass Information Center
  
• Grants for individuals in Agriculture/Forestry/Horticulture
  
• Research guides in Environmental Studies
  
• Research guides in Biological Sciences