Naturalistic Gardening

  • meadow garden designs
    Design

    Traditional vs. Stylized Meadow Gardens

    Many positive things can be said for planting a meadow garden. These naturalistic designs tend to be a bit wilder thanks to the use of native wildflowers and ornamental grasses,…

  • naturalized garden
    How-To

    Tips for Evolving a Naturalized Garden Quickly

    Adam Woodruff’s garden is undeniably beautiful, but it didn’t get that way by chance. What might take others decades to achieve, Adam accomplished in only a few years. A lot…

  • meadow-style garden in late spring
    Design

    How to Design a Meadow Garden With Multiseason Interest

    Naturalistic, meadow-styles are visually dynamic, always changing, and have long seasonality. They evoke the feeling of being in nature and spotlight natural cycles of growth to decay. Some public gardens…

  • new meadow garden in full bloom
    Design

    A Native Meadow From Seed

    Today’s photos are from James Dillon. I own a small landscaping/gardening company located near Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. We specialize in residential landscape design/installation and small-scale ecologically valuable plantings like…

  • naturalistic garden
    Design

    A Naturalistic Garden Is Better for the Environment and Requires Less Work

    Many gardens elicit a “Geez, how did they do this?” response. It is not because of massive hardscape or Versailles-level precision; rather, it is more of the sense that these…

  • experts on naturalistic gardens
    Design

    Thomas Rainer and Piet Oudolf on Naturalistic Gardens

    Once we understand some of the concepts of naturalistic design, questions of a more practical nature tend to pop up. We reached out to landscape architect Thomas Rainer and garden…

  • layered-style garden
    Design

    Plants for a Layered-Style Garden

    As you design with a layered approach, it helps to have a sense of what your options are. Here are some examples of the types of plants that can create…

  • Matrix-Style Garden
    Design

    Plants for a Matrix-Style Garden

    When you garden with a matrix-style design, different plants can play different roles in the landscape. Here are some ideas to get your designs going. Planting plan details   Matrix…

  • Design

    Creating a Low-Maintenance Garden

    Sustainable approaches decrease chores and increase enjoyment