Architect Chris Parlette’s house in Berkeley, California, is a great example of a home built with environmentally friendly materials — including bamboo and recycled steel, wood, plastic and glass. Parlette, a partner at Wilson Associates Design / Construction (www.dswdesign.com) specializes in “green” house design. Here, some tips for building or furnishing your own “green” home.

You want to dress up your yard, but you’re not sure where — or how — to begin. Selena Souders, proprietor of the Big Red Sun nursery, in Austin, Texas, says the first step is starting a relationship with your local garden center. “Familiarize yourself with what they stock because they are likely to carry plants that thrive in the area,” she says. “Also ask what to expect in the different seasons; ask about the quality of your soil and what nourishments it might need; and ask for printed information pertaining to native and naturalized plants for the area.”

As for next steps, Real Simple asked Souders; Dean Hill, landscape architect and the cohost of the DIY network’s Grounds for Improvement; Robert Pritchard, gardener supervisor at the U.S. Botanic Garden in Washington, D.C.; and Susan Reed, a landscape architect and an instructor at the Conway School of Landscape Design, in Conway, Massachusetts; for the best resources for the do-it-yourself landscaper. Here are their picks.

Books

American Plants for American Gardens (University of Georgia, $30, www.amazon.com), by Edith A. Roberts and Elsa Rehmann, lists plants native to America and where they are typically found.

Native Trees, Shrubs, and Vines for Urban and Rural America (Wiley, John & Sons, $160, www.amazon.com), by Gary L. Hightshoe, lists plant characteristics in great detail.

Howard Garrett’s Texas Organic Gardening (Gulf, $22, www.amazon.com) for plants found in the South.

Sunset Western Garden Book (Sunset, $33, www.amazon.com), by Kathleen Norris Brenzel, for plants found in the West.

Gardens Are for People (University of California, $35, www.amazon.com), by Thomas D. Church, Grace Hall, and Michael Laurie, for design suggestions.

A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction (Oxford, $65, www.amazon.com), by Christopher Alexander, for philosophical advice on how to look at the spaces around you.

The Natural Habitat Garden (Timber, $30, www.amazon.com), by Ken Druse, demonstrates how to garden with nature.