Natural gardens are increasingly more important in developed areas as they provide a wealth of ecological services. Aesthetically, they are relaxing pockets of life that tend to mimic conditions in the region’s wild habitats, so they may look messy to the untrained eye. Of course, as they function as gardens, they may be designed with pathways, an outdoor seating area, storage space, and even a wildlife pond in mind.
Trailing herbs casually creeping over rocky fragments, vines sending their boughs over lower-growing shrubs, trees dropping nuts and berries as their branches are shaken by strong winds, and curious wild animals in search of a nourishing treat or drink are just some components of a thriving natural garden. This type of landscape draws in a wealth of pollinators, which are incredibly crucial to the survival of native plant and animal communities.
To create a natural garden, you’ll have to think about the ecosystems that shape your area. What types of plants dominate these environments and what conditions are usually associated with them? Would they be able to thrive in an enclosed space and what are some of the limitations to their growth and their capacity to populate an area? The tips below should help you strike a balance between creating a seemingly natural scene and a well-designed garden.
1) Be guided by the ambient conditions of your region.
A natural garden in the tropics would look and feel remarkably different compared to one in a northern temperate zone. Seasonal trends in the amount of sunlight, fluctuating temperatures, rainfall levels, and wind strength influence how quickly plants can become established and how far they can spread within a particular region. Moreover, the abiotic components of nature’s landscapes significantly affect which forms of life can dominate.
In rocky alpine regions, for example, a natural garden would be set apart by rough textures and plants that can send out new growths in rocky crevices and the gaps between boulders. In temperate grasslands, a natural garden might be characterized by a wealth of textural grasses, sedges, and a few woodland trees to cast shade onto a corner or two. In zones that were once occupied by swampy ground or marshlands, a rain garden and a wildlife pond may be principal features of a “natural” landscape.
2) Cultivate native species.
A habitat’s community of native plants allows it to function as it should – as a place where life can be sustained without human intervention. Of course, gardens are different in the sense that they can be maintained to meet a particular aesthetic and to mechanically control the growth, spread, and flowering rates of plants. To embrace a natural look, however, these would need to be filled with native species, particularly those with preferences that are compatible with the conditions found in your garden.
Native plants tend to be low-maintenance as they are suited to the local ecology. A small community, even in an urban development, would attract pollinators and wild animals that may have inadvertently ventured away from their natural habitats. These plants produce seeds that can be safely dispersed by wind, rain, and animals. Wherever they sprout, they are unlikely to compete with other species at aggressive rates. With a morphology and cocktail of metabolites that are familiar to most living things in your area, these plants should transform an outdoor space into a safe refuge from harsh elements.
3) Avoid weed-like and invasive plants.
Invasive, non-native species can overgrow natural gardens as they compete with nearby plants for nutrients, sunlight, and space. These are usually equipped with various means of self-propagation, including the capacity to smother neighboring species by spreading vegetatively. If they escape from within the bounds of a garden, they can damage entire ecosystems, becoming the dominant form of living structure within just a short amount of time.
Unfamiliar to local wildlife, invasive plants are less likely to attract butterflies, birds, bees, and herbivores to your garden. Though their root systems can be restricted to within the bounds of containers, aquatic baskets, or pots, their seeds may find themselves in other parts of the garden, or worse – in wild habitats, and germinate there. As a rule of thumb, always look for native alternatives to non-native species.
4) Consider the ecological difference between species richness and abundance.
Many keystone species, which influence the ecology around them, are associated with a group of plants and animals. To fully harness the benefits of cultivating a natural garden, you may attempt to replicate the communities found in nature. For example, a wildflower meadow in California may consist of groups of some of the following representative species: thistle sage (Salvia carduacea), sky lupine (Lupinus nanus), baby blue eyes (Nemophilia menziesii), California mustard (Caulanthus lasiophyllus), and cream cups (Platystemon californicus). By cultivating this selection within a single plot, you may attract the same diverse group of pollinators that visit the state’s wild meadows.
This exemplifies the benefits of species richness, which can be defined as the degree to which several species are present within a single area. In contrast, abundance looks into the scale at which a single species is present. Depending on the finished look that you wish to achieve in your garden, you may adopt a species-rich setting or you may opt to cultivate just a few dominant species. Note that, while a species-rich garden would be more ecologically beneficial, it may be challenging to maintain (but worth the effort!).
5) Start with a small and simple plan.
Natural gardens are seldom set up in one go. It would be highly ambitious to introduce a set of native plants and ensure that they can become well-established within a single week or month. If you intend to naturalize a space, it’s best to carry out your design plans at a manageable pace – that often means starting small and then expanding just a few key areas at a time!
Keep in mind that some of your selected plants may only be available as seeds or as cuttings that require a specific set of conditions (i.e. temperature, light availability, moisture) to generate new shoot and root tissues. Some species germinate only in spring, whereas others may be propagated throughout the year. It certainly helps to have a greenhouse or a cold frame, where you may store cuttings, bulbs, seedlings, and more while waiting for the perfect conditions for transplantation or outplanting.
6) Designate spots for low-growing plants and taller vegetation.
Just as a natural habitat may have hills, rocky outcrops, sloped zones where water may accumulate, and higher ground with typically dry substrates, a garden may have many zones with slightly different abiotic components and physical parameters. When deciding on specific plants and where to place them, think about all of the potential micro-environments in your garden. Keep in mind that the plants that you intend to place in these areas will likewise eventually alter their immediate surroundings. Corners with tall trees, for example, cast shade that may or may not be appreciated by some of your native plants.
Natural gardens can function if they are occupied by plants that are placed in the right locations. In the wild, a shade-loving plant will seldom survive in the sunniest of spots. In fact, it’s highly unlikely that its seeds will germinate in these areas. Additionally, some may thrive in specific exposures, which determines which window of the day and for how long they may have access to light. An east-facing natural garden, which may sustain low-growing plants and tall trees that require morning light, may have a different set of plants compared to a north-facing one.
7) To highlight seasonal changes, plant deciduous and flowering species.
One of the most amazing aspects of a natural garden is its ability to change in appearance through the seasons. More pronounced in temperate zones, these changes are caused by the loss of leaves, rapid new growth, a profusion of simultaneous blooms, or fruit and seed production. Deciduous plants tend to have the most severe changes as they lose their foliage towards the end of the year (or in summer for some heat-dormant species) and greet warming temperatures with renewed growth. Evergreen, flowering species may also dramatically transform gardens during their bloom period.
Annual flowering species, often in the form of wildflowers, are a fantastic addition to natural gardens as they quickly grow to their mature forms, send out swathes of blooms, and can self-seed. These may disappear through cold months, leaving pockets of space that may be occupied by another set of plants or be left bare in fall and winter. Come spring, the seeds that had fallen in the previous year may germinate and quickly develop floral stalks once more.
8) Feel free to add animal-friendly décor.
A bird bath, squirrel feeder, decorative pond spitter, or small fountain may be great additions to natural gardens. Though these won’t, of course, be found in wild habitats, they can attract a wealth of wildlife to your garden. Wild visitors can help maintain grassy stands through their grazing activity, pollinate your flowering species by flitting from one plant to another, and disperse valuable seeds. Inviting animals into the garden can lead to a surprisingly dynamic shift in the arrangement and abundance of plants.
As you’ll want to get a close view of some of the magical workings of your natural garden, you may wish to place a bench or some garden chairs in key areas. An early morning spent outside might just provide you with the chance to observe hummingbirds in search of nectar, rabbits looking for tasty foliage, or endemic butterflies and beetles going about their daily business of searching for egg-laying spots and vibrant blooms.
9) Discuss your ideas with your neighbors.
Natural gardens tend to impact surrounding spaces. As your vines begin to weave their way over the garden’s perimeter, trees increase in height to cast more shade, and berry shrubs attract more birds and herbivores, your garden’s effects may trickle down (such as around restored habitats) into your neighbor’s garden. They may share the same sentiments with you about cultivating native plants and attracting animals. Conversely, they may wish to maintain a well-manicured, structured garden that repels grazers. If the latter applies, you’ll need to reconsider which species to place along a shared fence. Moreover, you may need to trim lianas, border plants, and overhanging branches, reigning them in before they snake into anyone else’s property.
10) Let your garden grow and thrive.
One of the best things you can do for your natural garden is simply let it grow wild. In the right conditions and their native regions, plants have a great way of negotiating space and sharing resources. You’ll find that, as long as they are provided with ample moisture and the right amount of sunlight and protection, they can aid in each other’s establishment and growth. A diversity of thriving native plants can even increase a plot’s overall resistance to pests, diseases, and pollutants. Eventually, you’ll have a natural garden that’s abuzz with all manner of life!
