In the world of gardening, terms like naturalistic, xeric, and climate-resilient have become buzzwords for a gardening style that uses less water, fosters biodiversity, and adapts to climate change. More than just trendy words, these principles can be the foundation for creating landscapes that are both environmentally friendly and beautiful.
I’m a retired environmental engineer and tend to take a logical, solution-focused approach to problems. So when the neglected bungalow next door came up for sale, I bought the property. I knew this was the only way to prevent developers from swooping in and putting up a looming, three-story “modern farmhouse” with nearly full lot coverage, a trend that has become all too common in my Denver neighborhood. The crumbling house was unlivable and needed to be demolished, and I knew that carpeting the lot with a traditional lawn was not the right answer. After some time and research, the solution that made the most sense was to build an ecologically friendly garden that would be a sanctuary for both people and wildlife. Here are a few more details about how the idea came together.
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| At a Glance | Where: Denver, Colorado Zone: 5b/6 Size: 1/7 acre Age: 5 years Conditions: Full sun; dry to xeric, heavy clay soil |
Features:
1. Fountain feature 2. Crevice garden 3. Kinetic wind sculptures 4. Solitary bee nesting box 5. Parking strip planting |
Learn more:
Naturalistic Garden Design in the Shade
An immersive naturalistic design makes sustainability appealing
I met horticulturist Kevin Philip Williams while volunteering at Denver Botanic Gardens. Working side by side with him in the wildly beautiful Steppe Garden, I began to understand some of the basic principles and logistics of sustainable horticulture. I told Kevin about my nascent ideas for building an eco-friendly garden on the lot I had purchased, and he took on the challenge of developing a planting plan that would transform the property into a lush, immersive space brimming with color and life. As the plan for SummerHome Garden took shape, we knew that it should be open to the public, offering inspiration and information to gardeners and property owners looking to replace their lawns with something truly special.
Kevin’s initial palette featured 45 species of native and climate-adapted plants, all chosen for their resilience and ability to thrive without supplemental watering. In May 2020, over 4,000 plants were installed by teams of volunteers, laying the groundwork for what has become a thriving ecosystem. The winding garden paths were laid out to invite exploration and draw visitors deep into the heart of the garden. Thoughtfully placed benches (photo left) invite people to pause and observe the space from another perspective, and fountains provide both aesthetic and ecological benefits.
Every year, the volunteers and I sow additional seeds to fill gaps and increase plant density. By 2024 the number of species in the garden had grown from 45 to over 125, creating a dynamic, multilayered tapestry that supports pollinators, stabilizes the soil, and discourages weeds. The ever-changing display is also a habitat for wildlife like birds, bees, and butterflies.
A crevice garden takes water-wise planting to A new level. Pockets of soil between large stones showcase a variety of cacti and other xeric delights. In spring to early summer, this section of the garden is awash in the colorful blooms of hybrid prickly pears (Opuntia cvs., Zones 3–11) and striking white spires of yucca flowers (Yucca spp. and cvs., Zones 4–10).
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Naturally occurring moisture is enough. Grasses, perennials, and tough shrubs like this chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa, Zones 3–8) make efficient use of available resources. In nature, adaptable chokeberry is found in habitats ranging from swamps and bogs to dry upland areas and would be an excellent choice to replace thirstier landscape plants. |
A rolling bloom design ensures interest throughout the year, including the quiet months when flowering bulbs take center stage. These early bloomers bring in splashes of color and upright structure when the rest of the garden is just emerging from dormancy.
Planning for resilience teaches flexibility
Gardens are living mosaics shaped by countless interconnected forces. The intentions and actions of people, the behaviors of animals, and the hidden work of fungi and bacteria all converge in unexpected, unpredictable ways. Focusing too closely on any one element can obscure the vibrant dynamics of the whole.
The design of SummerHome Garden embraces this complexity and thrives on fluidity. Instead of rigid rules, the garden was built around guiding principles that encourage adaptability. As a result, the landscape evolves and surprises with every season.
Inspired by the density, arrangements, and compositions found in wild landscapes, the edge-to-edge plantings compete and cooperate in equal measure. Water conservation was another guiding principle, which led to an exploration of regional shrublands for design ideas. Shrublands cover over 30% of the Western North American landscape but are often overlooked as inspiration for naturalistic designs in favor of perennial meadows and grasslands. Yet shrublands offer remarkable resilience to heat, drought, and poor soils, as well as many striking forms and textures. Incorporating these tough plants reflects the ecological heritage of our region while offering a bold new take on naturalistic design.
Community support has created a sense of place
When we first started putting plants in the ground, my urban neighbors were very confused. Few understood why I would replace a potential building site with wild-looking plantings instead of another house or a conventional lawn. Over time, the community’s curiosity turned to appreciation. In 2024 alone, more than 2,000 visitors explored the garden, drawn in by its beauty and sense of serenity. We’ve had everything from memorial services and family photo shoots, to group meditation sessions and children’s games of tag. These moments reflect the garden’s true purpose: to connect people with nature and to each other.
Today, the garden has caused a ripple effect. Naturalistic plantings, started with divisions, seedlings, and seeds from our garden’s plants, have sprung up throughout the area. Volunteers assist with maintenance, and I am now known as “that garden lady,” always happy to lead tours and talk about sustainable gardening.
Every plant used in the garden was chosen based on its availability through local nurseries or online vendors, ensuring that visitors can easily recreate favorite plant combinations at home. Rare or hard-to-grow plants were intentionally left out in favor of species that any gardener—novice or expert—could effortlessly find and grow.
SummerHome Garden demonstrates that lawn replacement can be more than practical; it can be breathtakingly beautiful. By embracing sustainable principles, we have created a space that serves as a model for urban gardening, a haven for wildlife, and a source of inspiration for anyone looking to make a positive environmental impact.
Whether you’re starting with a small backyard or dreaming of a community-scale project, every garden has the potential to transform not only the landscape but also the lives of those who encounter it. It’s up to us to find and tap that potential.
| Design Ideas |
Embrace the beauty of chaos with wild systems emulation
The word “design” conjures images of careful planning and control, but what if a garden’s appeal lay in its unpredictability? A concept known as wild systems emulation flips traditional garden design on its head. It draws inspiration from snapshots of constantly changing systems, either natural or human-made, and uses them as blueprints for vibrant, dynamic plant layouts. Here‘s how designer Kevin Philip Williams used this system to develop the planting plan for SummerHome Garden.
A graffiti-covered utility box served as the spark of inspiration. Layers of spray paint, stickers, and weathering had transformed this urban artifact into a tapestry of human expression and natural decay that no singular being, person, or force could have planned. Amid the chaos, clear patterns emerge—dots, drifts, speckles, and harmonious colors layered with emotion and energy. These elements became the foundation for the garden’s design.
Distinct zones within the graffiti correspond to specific plant groupings. These communities were then planted using a mix of deliberate placement and random seeding, balancing order with spontaneity to create an ever-changing composition (bottom photo). By incorporating flowering bulbs for spring color and layering plants of different heights and textures, the design achieves year-round interest with a sense of wildness.
Wild systems emulation uses nature’s inherent chaos as a design tool. The gardens feel alive and are always in motion, celebrating adaptability and evolution. At first, this method creates striking visual arrangements; over time, it fosters evolving ecosystems where plants grow, compete, and thrive on their own terms. It is a reminder that if we resist the urge to control, nature’s creativity can flourish in a collaboration among plants, gardeners, and the environment.
| Earth-Friendly Tips |
Why replace your lawn?
Swapping out a conventional turf lawn for dense, diverse, climate-adapted plant communities offers significant environmental benefits. Here are a few:
Water conservation: Turfgrass demands high water use, especially in arid regions like Denver. Working with drought-tolerant plants reduces water consumption dramatically compared to thirsty turfgrass.
Biodiversity: Dense plantings support pollinators, birds, and other wildlife, contributing to a healthier ecosystem.
Carbon sequestration: Trees, shrubs, and perennials absorb carbon dioxide, helping
to mitigate climate change.
Reduced maintenance: Once established,
sustainable gardens require far less time, money, and effort to maintain than traditional lawns.
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Lisa Negri is the founder of SummerHome Garden in Denver.
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