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Naturalistic planting is about creating a garden that encapsulates the wild look of nature in a confined environment. Instead of making the plants perfect and having a tight structure, you allow the plants to grow freely and mimic their natural growth.
If you haven’t heard of this design trend, you’ll want to give it a try after reading this article.
So how can you incorporate it into your home? Let’s look at the creation of a natural and wild garden.
Contents
What is Naturalistic Planting Design?
Since Nigel Dunnett wrote the book “Naturalistic Planting Design the Essential Guide: How to Design High-impact, Low-input Gardens”, we have changed the way we think about and plan our gardens.
It is about creating a garden that looks and behaves naturally, more in harmony with nature than our modern gardens. Everything must be integrated and mutually beneficial.
Think of naturalistic planting as a classic painting. The elements must be in harmony with their environment and there must be layers.
You are not going to use formal-looking plants in this style of gardening. These sheared boxwoods and upright junipers do best in more formal style gardens.
As you’d expect, you have to think carefully about which plants to include in your garden when using this style, but it pays off in less maintenance and happier wildlife in the end.
How Naturalistic Planting Design Is Different
Compared to traditional planting methods, naturalistic planting design is more intentional in how it impacts the environment and how plants interact with each other. You must consider all the elements of your garden.
Naturalistic design involves using more than 100% of the space you have. Confused? If you think about it, the ground is 2D, but the plants are 3D. You can have a ground cover, a shrub, and a tree in the same footprint.
You start with the main “matrix» plants that take up most of the space. These are usually ground covers and grasses. Then you add your primary plants for visual impact. Then you add secondary plants to vary heights or colors over the seasons.
It’s a bit like gardening in layers rather than in perfect, defined areas.
Often people seek to perfect their garden space to give it a formal and traditional look. But, this naturalistic design method allows for more flexibility and fun in your garden, while being better for wildlife and the environment.
Primary Plant Options for Your Naturalist Garden
Before transforming your garden space, you need to know which plants are suitable for naturalistic planting designs. Much of what you plant will depend on where you live, of course. But here are some classic choices for your primary plants:
1. Bergamot
You can spot Monarda Didyma by its impressive foliage and funky flowers. Bergamot has pink flowers with dark green leaves that look great in any garden.
The flowering season of bergamot is quite long, from early summer to early autumn, so you can enjoy these colorful beauties for several months.
For naturalistic planting designs, bergamots are a top choice for their appearance and broad leaves that cover a lot of space, suppressing weeds.
As long as bergamots have a regular watering schedule and sunlight, you can grow these flowers with no problem. Ideally, you can plant several clusters of bergamot together for better effect.
2. Purple loosestrife
This upward-growing perennial (Loosestrife lythrum) is a great option for naturalistic planting designs as main accents. The branching stems reach 10 feet tall and produce small, narrow leaves. Star-shaped flowers grow on the plant throughout the summer.
3. Pale Purple Echinacea
pale purple echinacea (Echinacea pallida) flower later in the summer and attract native pollinators. They have gorgeous pink flowers with a dark cone in the center.
Choose a spot with moist soil and full sun if you want to grow these flowers in your garden.
4. Hardy Salvia
Do you prefer purple flowers? Then this plant (Salvia nemorosa and Salvia hybrids) will sprinkle soothing colors in your outdoor space.
Not only is the foliage beautiful to look at, but the salvia flowers are fragrant and can reach 40 inches in height. They are drought tolerant so you don’t have to worry too much about the watering schedule and you need full sun.
5. Garden speedwell
Another perennial to add to your growing list is speedwell (Veronica longifolia). They are also tall plants that can reach four feet in height.
Their upright stems and vibrant petals look fantastic in a naturalistic garden. You only need to cut the petals occasionally to keep them healthy during the mid-summer growing season.
purple smoke trees, hostasand spirea are a few other options.
Matrix Factory Options
Your matrix plants are the ones that will make up the bulk of your garden. They are weed suppressants, they retain moisture in the soil and they provide shelter for wildlife.
1. Large-rooted geranium
Large-rooted geranium (Geranium macrorrhizum) is a robust and easy-care ground cover. You can also use the flowers and leaves to make fragrant oil for perfume, potpourri, or herbs.
2. Sedge
Grass-like sedges are a great ground cover option. There are many great Sedge species and cultivars, so you can find one that will work in your space. Some like standing water while others prefer dry soil.
3. Wild strawberry
Wild strawberries (Fragaria vesca) make an excellent ground cover and also provide food. You won’t see those giant berries you find in grocery stores, but the fruits that do sprout are intensely sweet.
4. Wild ginger
If you’re looking for a good option for shady areas, wild ginger (Asarum canadense) is a solid choice. Not only are the huge glossy leaves beautiful, but the plant is edible and has a ginger-like root.
5. Coreopsis
With their daisy-like yellow flowers, coreopsis (Coreopsis spp.) are a cheerful addition to the garden.
6. Water sheet
Water leaves (Hydrophyllum spp.) are a moisture-loving perennial ground cover that can also be eaten. The leaves are a delicious lettuce substitute.
7. Stonecrop
Stonecrop (Sedum spp.) is a classic choice because it is very hardy and can tolerate drought while providing a great colorful display.
8. Violet
Violets, and wild violets in particular (Alto spp.), are great for more shady areas where you want lots of color. They are also edible.
Secondary plant options
What “other” plants you might include in your naturalistic garden is entirely up to your imagination. Trees, especially fruit trees, are always nice to have. Shrubs like cane berries or flowering shrubs also add a nice visual element.
Plus, they attract pollinators, which is always important.
Tips for Creating Naturalistic Garden Designs
When planting, focus on three different types of plants. The bulk should be matrixwith primary and secondary mixed plants. You should choose a mix of upright or vase-shaped, horizontal and round plants.
No matter the size of your garden; the most important thing is to use all three elements and experiment with placement. Don’t worry, the color and visual impact will make up for the lack of space.
If the space is small, focus on using the three items on a smaller scale. If you have a large area, just focus on planting one section at a time.
The last thing to think about is usage. Provide rest areas, perhaps with gravel and rock. You will also need to create paths. This way you can move from one place to another without distributing the plants.
You should also plant densely to create a naturalistic planting design. Do not limit the volume, as long as there is enough space and there is no risk of overcrowding.
Benefits of Naturalistic Garden Design
Following a naturalistic garden design will enrich the biodiversity of the environment and can help provide the soil with nutrients. Another reason to have a naturalistic garden design is that you can have plants for all four seasons.
You can use self-seeded perennials and annuals for spring and summer color, and plant grasses for later in the summer. Use evergreens and plants with colored bark or berries for winter interest.
Maintenance is also relatively low for naturalistic garden designs, so the only chores you need to do are watering, replacing dead plants, and deadheading.
Part of the fun of having a naturalistic approach to your garden is embracing the winter phase of growth. It is not necessary to remove all faded flowers; trimming them and keeping them under control is enough to maintain a neat appearance.
In the wild, plants also die at this time of year, so you can largely leave things to Mother Nature. These leftover seeds are a vital source of nutrients for wildlife, and more wildlife is always a good thing.
Unlike other gardening styles, naturalistic designs are easy to maintain because all you need to focus on is storing and monitoring pests and disease. Otherwise, it’s a simple option that works well in any garden!
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