With a blank slate of green space in need of landscaping, there had to be a way to create a beautiful garden that required minimal upkeep. Creating a natural landscape was the answer!
As I started to look up prairie plants that were native to our area (zone 3a), I found a broad range of wildflowers and grasses that were beautiful and required little maintenance. I was hooked.
What is a natural landscape?
A natural landscape is a physical space that hasn’t had any human impact, with a healthy ecosystem of plant and animal life. For my area, that means an area full of natural grasses, wildflowers, bushes, and trees.
Different from the garden we created for our son, this was a matter of adopting permaculture techniques to design the space and decide what plants to include that would have the diversity and resilience of a natural ecosystem. It also involved rewilding as a form of ecological restoration with a focus on us stepping back and leaving the area to nature.
5 Benefits of A Natural Landscape
1. Sustainable gardening practices
If you’re looking for a low-maintenance and ecologically friendly garden space, a natural landscape is the way to go. Empty areas of the yard will benefit greatly, as it will reduce mowing efforts, but it’s great for small gardens as well.
Since the plants and grasses are native to the area, there is no use for chemicals such as herbicides or pesticides. With some initial care and watering, the plants will thrive without creating a negative impact on the environment.
It also creates a natural ecosystem, encouraging helpful visitors to your space while deterring others. Birds, butterflies, and other pollinators will thrive, which will also help any other vegetable or flower gardens nearby.
2. Diversified plants
It can be fascinating to find out what plants are native to your area. In my search, flowers that are often deemed as weeds are quite beautiful, and I couldn’t believe the variety of plants that could survive and thrive here.
Between the wild grasses, wildflowers, bushes, and trees, there was a broad variety to accommodate different soil types and sun exposures.
Another appealing aspect is that you can combine them to create a meadow of mixed plants that are beautiful and welcoming.
3. Knowledge of native plants
Researching what plants you can use for natural landscaping will open your eyes to the variation out there.
You’ll also discover many new plants and any healing properties or medicinal uses they can support. For example, yarrow is a beautiful fern-like plant that grows tall stalks with tiny clusters of white flowers, which I ended up harvesting for use in teas and baths to reduce inflammation, and as a balm to help heal cuts and scrapes.
When out for walks, you’ll start to recognize the flowers you come across or have the interest to look them up and see what their properties are.
4. Save money
Buying initial plant starts or seeds can be very cost-effective. They can grow and spread quickly, and with most plants being perennials, you won’t have to buy new ones each year.
There is also minimal watering involved, as the plants are made to grow with your soil and climate. Once your plants take root, nature will take care of them the rest of the way.
You’ll also save money on gas since you won’t have to mow large areas of grass anymore. This saves money and helps the environment.
5. Minimal landscaping
Many of us strive for a minimal lifestyle, and the same can apply to your garden. Having a natural landscape involves minimal maintenance.
While you’ll need to pay attention to watering your plants the first year, once they’re established, they won’t require any special treatment.
The plants will look beautiful and will spread on their own, filling in the gaps and creating that meadow effect. You get to simply enjoy your garden becoming more beautiful each year.
How do I start a natural landscape?
Step 1: Research native grasses, wildflowers, and bushes in your area. It’s amazing how many plants, often dubbed weeds, are beautiful and can create a colorful space.
Step 2: If you have a lot of land, take stock of existing plants and trees around you. In early spring or fall, you can transplant small trees and bushes to new areas, and they will flourish.
Step 3: Look up local greenhouses or nurseries in your area that provide different native plant options. We bought seven plant varieties in started packs of five.
How our garden did
Our transplanted trees were spread out to give them plenty of room to grow, so in the spaces between the trees, we dug out circled plots and planted the starts. We spaced the starts out in each circle, mixing them to create a future meadow. I watered them when I could and every one of them survived. They grew noticeably bigger and taller in that first year as well.
The second year we endured an intense drought, and I never watered them once. They grew much bigger and spread, and I was amazed at how well they did without any maintenance in that second year.
Going forward, we plan to extend those circles we created to allow a better spread. Seeing the success of these plants has also inspired me to plant some around the house since there is currently nothing there.
Wrapping it up
I hope this gets your wheels turning on how you can incorporate a natural landscape into your space.
Overall, I’m very happy with how the plants are growing and spreading. Letting nature do its thing with minimal interference.
Our space is still in somewhat early stages, and in the long run, I want to create a meadow that spreads across and throughout the transplanted trees. With some more planting this year, I think we’ll get there sooner than we think.