Regarding plants, the classic book is The Secret Life of Plants by Peter Tompkins and Christopher Bird. Definitely worth a read.

I wrote about one important scientist’s work with plants here:

The Secret Life of Plants, and the Revival of Animism — part 1 | by Graham Pemberton | Medium

You might also find this one relevant:

The Secret Life of Plants — part 1 | by Graham Pemberton | Medium

A recent mind-blowing book is scientist Monica Gagliano’s Thus Spoke the Plant: a Remarkable Journey of Groundbreaking Scientific Discoveries and Personal Encounters with Plants.

Regarding dreams, I follow the ideas of Jung, where dreams constitute guidance, messages, comments on the individual’s life, for example showing the planned future direction. It’s interesting that, in the Hindu analysis you mention, dream is described as a state of consciousness, which it is. This doesn’t, however, address individual dreams or their purpose. Swami Sivananda Radha, a western woman initiated into the Hindu tradition, thinks along the same lines as me in Realities of the Dreaming Mind. She has created a “Dream Yoga”, and talks about the “Guru within”.