How important is good landscape design to your enjoyment of a garden?

The definition of “good design” for now can just be what that means to you. The “garden” is defined as one that is created by human intervention and does not include the natural landscape which many will still consider a garden in the broader sense.

My new garden is in its infancy and I am torn between how natural I want to leave it and how much structure I want to impose. There are tons of desirable native plants on the site that I like and want to use, I just want them more organized as I plant a new garden and add more species.

I wonder too as I wander this mountain will I ever really be able to impose the order of good design? If I can make the design, will just letting a layer of the natural chaos wander about at will, which in this case is wildflowers of all kinds, be enough of the natural aspect I still enjoy?

I think the balance between “manipulation” and “acquesence”  is certainly a careful play that needs constant attention and requires constant reflection and re-examination.

As I move beyond the “conventional” sense of gardening, i am constantly realizing that nature does almost all the work, and if i pay enough attention, i can better understand the appropriate places to “plug in” to her cycle, instead of merely forcing and/or bumbling through with close-minded determination.

Its like conducting a symphony, or… well, a lot of things…

Its like conducting a symphony, or… well, a lot of things…

Or like a work in progress that is never completed. “A garden is never finished, it is merely abandoned by its owner.”

Watching nature, paying attention, makes for less maintenance and fewer failures certainly. In this beginning phase there is bound to be some destruction of the natural, that is what gives me pause. This is a no budget, DIY thing so it will all be done by hand, a more gentle form of destruction.

a more gentle form of destruction.

How about a gentle form of therapy? Allowing the land to return to a state of abundance for us to enjoy is hardly “destruction”. I tend to feel the land has been badly abused, and needs to be severely manipulated at times to help it heal better. Like an improperly-tended broken bone.

It is always important to determine what the real purpose of the garden is going to be ....

If you are careful and thoughtful you can do so many things including limited food production, creating scenic pathways to enjoy the surroundings, you can also improve the area in terms of habitat for many species of wildlife ...

I have started to add a variety of berry bushes to the fringes of the woods at my place ... I have added some heirloom bulbs which I will split in the next couple of years to make sure many of the older flowers have a chance to survive for future generations ... If you are concerned about clearing natural habitat you can always have planter gardens close to the house that are part of the yard and of course easier to water if need be .... there are a great number of heirloom tomatoes that are fun to grow and offer interesting option ... I had french salad mix growing for most of the season in long pots .... it is always great to consider specialty bird houses and bat houses ...

I think you can also restructure larger areas as long as you try and offset the changes by replanting species you removed or destroyed nearby on the property as well as adding more wildlife habitat ...

Camillia Sinensis is a fun addition that has some success in this area. And it will provide you with green tee.

One change is certain with or without my help. There is a large grove of dying 80 foot tall Hemlocks. About 60% dead now. That is going to open a whole new swath of sunlight. I’d like to replant eventually with Silverbell, Halesia tetraptera and Sourwood, Oxydendrum arboreum as a start.

Christopher C NC - 26 January 2009 12:57 AM

One change is certain with or without my help. There is a large grove of dying 80 foot tall Hemlocks. About 60% dead now. That is going to open a whole new swath of sunlight. I’d like to replant eventually with Silverbell, Halesia tetraptera and Sourwood, Oxydendrum arboreum as a start.

I want to add some of those Japanese/American Chestnutt hybrids to my place….

tatuaje, my sole client has a couple of those Chesnuts in his landscape. They are pretty trees….until you stab yourself on the major sharp spiny husk surrounding the nuts. Ouch!

i bet that’s why tatuaje wants em…

the best offense is a good defense

I hope every plant or tree you are planting is a native food producing species ....

i hate to think this forum thread isnt permaculture driven