We all garden to our own aesthetic. For some, green, sterile lawns of shortly mown grass is a beautiful sight. Others see beauty in lush beds of exotic (and often invasive) flowers, shrubs and vines. Increasingly, though, especially since Doug Tallamy’s groundbreaking work (if you haven’t read his book “Bringing Nature Home”, I urge you to do so), people are adding native species to the mix. Some are going so far as to remove all the non-native species and plant only native (and near-native) plants in their yards. They are doing this in an effort to provide food and habitat for the butterflies (and their caterpillars), bees, fireflies and other insects that are so important to a healthy environment.
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But what gardening style is best for native plants? Today I will wax a little philosophical on this topic and offer some commentary on the ways we can garden with native species. There is no right or wrong way to do it – it all boils down to what YOU prefer.
The Formal Approach
At one extreme is what I call the Formal Gardens approach. This is often the direction taken by folks who have gardened for years with non-native species, in a Victorian style of gardening.
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These gardens typically consist of distinct flower beds with low growing plants in the front and tall ones at the back. They are usually well weeded, with a layer of mulch (often wood chips) on the ground. Flowers and grasses are grown in distinct clusters within the beds. The general appearance is that of a “well tended garden” and displays a strict control over nature.
The big advantage to this style of gardening is that you are unlikely to raise the ire of neighbours who know nothing about native plant gardening, and consequently you are unlikely to get a visit from a bylaw officer telling you to mow down the “weeds”.
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In my southwestern Ontario garden, this is definitely the way I started (and to a certain extent, still garden). But my gardens are designed to teach – I have over 300 species of native plants, all clearly labeled so that visitors can see what the plants might look like in their gardens. I leave wide, grassed pathways so that groups can easily wander to observe the plants and easily view the different species. These semi-formal beds make for a park-like setting and, in my opinion, make for a very relaxing back yard experience.
The “Naturalized” Approach
At the other end of the spectrum is the “toss the seeds and let them grow” approach. After all, this is how Mother Nature does it. This method of gardening can seem very messy to the uninitiated and is the method most likely to upset neighbours – especially those who love their short-cropped lawns. However, with the right mix of plants, this natural approach can provide fabulous continuous colour and great year-round structure in the garden, and can potentially create the most habitat for pollinators and other insects. For those who grew up on formal gardens, it can take a while to wrap our heads around the value these “messy” gardens provide.
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(image courtesy Monarch Awards Hamilton)
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(https://lorrainejohnson.ca/blog/all-this-should-go-says-toronto-bylaw-officer)
Something in Between
I confess that as my formal style gardens mature and fill with lots of self-seeded plants, the formal beds increasingly take on the messier look of a naturalized garden. And I’m good with that. Rather than seeing mess (as I once did), I now see habitat. And I also see lots of butterflies, moths, bees, wasps and other beneficial insects. And now, when plants flop over in the bed, I don’t rush in and tie them up. Instead, I’m more apt to just let them flop. I find that as I get older, “lazy” gardening appeals more and more. (Also, with age, I worry less about what my neighbours think!)
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Mass Planting
Whether you choose formal or “natural”, one strategy that can make for an impressive display is to make sure you plant LOTS of each species together. Not only does this increase the impact of the flowers when they’re in bloom, but it also makes it easier for specialist pollinators to collect lots of pollen from their preferred plants.
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It’s Up to You!
Regardless of whether you want to garden with formal beds, with wild and natural, or somewhere between, the key thing is to continue gardening and introducing more native plants into your flower beds. How the plants are arranged is entirely up to you, but our insects, birds and other wildlife depend on us growing native species. (You can read more about this in last month’s article – “Why Native Plants”.)
Happy native plant gardening.
P.S.
If you are concerned about bylaw officers telling you to cut down your “weeds”, then please get involved in a very important movement spearheaded by well-known native plant author Lorraine Johnson, the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects, the Canadian Wildlife Federation, the David Suzuki Foundation and the Ecological Design Lab to get by-laws updated. You can check out the open letter to municipalities, and offer you support via this link.