By Mike Nadeau
All images courtesy of author
So, you want to craft a landscape that reflects your concern for the environment and your personal health—one that is easy to care for, and looks great, too. Is this too much to ask for? Not at all! All you need to do is learn to imitate Nature and you can have it all. When Nature is allowed to guide our thinking, we use the elegant process of natural selection and evolution that has been defining how, where, and why plants grow for eons. This will not only result in a landscape that is safe and pleasant for all its inhabitants, it will also require less human inputs, and will emulate more closely the simple beauty of natural design that is happening spontaneously all around us. We just need to “see” with much more than our eyes, the many interrelationships between different but dependent life forms and what conditions are necessary to foster these relationships. Once we learn to learn from the Master Designer, we can begin to recreate these relationships, no matter how crudely, on the pieces of the earth entrusted to our care. Maybe the best result of landscaping on Nature’s terms is it becomes infectious and begins to spread.
Landscaping with Nature ought to be fun—full of challenges and creative possibilities. It is also solemn, requiring a deep understanding and respect for the life forms we are manipulating. It is imperative to think of plants and soils as living systems, alive like you and I. A tree that is improperly sited cannot move itself to a more suitable location; it must endure or die. What we do or don’t do with a landscape has a positive or negative effect on everything from worms to weasels to weeds. That’s why it is so important to take the time and expend the effort to learn how to collaborate with Nature, to draw inspiration from it, instead of fighting against it. This will insure a more gentle hand on the land we affect. In short, we must learn to learn from Nature.
Spontaneous plant guild planted by Nature
Before we go any further, a discussion about exotic vs. native plants is in order. One of the basic tenets of the organic movement is “Do no harm.” There are exotic invasive plants used commonly in landscaping that are very harmful to the environment. They grow so prolifically that they crowd out native vegetation and wildlife that is dependent upon the native vegetation for their existence. There are many more exotic plants that are well behaved and relatively pest-free, making them an asset to the environment. However, recent studies have shown some “well-behaved” exotics become troublesome after a period of time and can be very difficult and expensive to eradicate. Native plants (plants indigenous to a bioregion present before European settlement) have evolved over the millennia to thrive in their natural habitats. Many of them are as beautiful as the exotics and serve many purposes. Properly used, native plants provide a “sense of place” that unifies a landscape to its bioregion. Just think of a palm tree growing in a New England farm field and you’ll know what I mean. For me, the answer is to stay well informed about the exotic invasive plant issue, plant natives lavishly, and plant well-behaved, appropriate exotics judiciously.
Another issue high on the list of “Do no harm” is pollution. Remember as we design our landscapes that every land use decision we make either enhances or degrades the environment. This will help us prevent creating or allowing pollution to happen. A few simple changes from the way things are done conventionally can go a long way to avoiding pollution. Using porous paving on driveways, such as gravel or pavers with porous grout in the spaces between them, will reduce surface water runoff and allow natural percolation and filtration to take place. Planting a diversity of vegetation with a natural leaf litter works like a forest to slow down the water and allow it to seep in. Directing storm water from gutters and swales to low areas or holding ponds on our sites will allow the water to slowly seep into the ground to recharge the water table. This also creates unique opportunities to use many beautiful and useful plants that prefer a wet or periodically wet spot. Conventional “wisdom” advocates storm water charging off the roof, through the gutters, down the asphalt driveway, over the compacted lawn, into the gutter, into the sewer, and out in a torrent into the local stream, which can not handle the torrent. All this runoff carries with it many pollutants and causes pollution in the form of erosion by sheer velocity. Thoughtful design can eliminate most or all of this form of non-point-source pollution. Of course, natural organic design uses no synthetic materials to create and maintain our landscapes and goes a long way to preventing pollution.
Landscape using native plants as ‘mulch’
Since natural organic design is based on Nature’s terms, it is important to define what they are. In a nutshell, Nature’s terms are the genetic limitations of any life form, which determines its survival. Another literal description is the continual evolution of natural processes and functions of the earth, (and I stress) not necessarily for the sole benefit of humankind. A more down-to-earth definition of Nature’s terms as they relate to landscaping is the environmental conditions that occur on a particular site that affects the ecology of that site. Some of these conditions are things like weather, diseases and insects, cultural problems (us), sun/shade, dry/wet, topography, drainage, and so on. All of these factors and more (many of them unknown or misunderstood) determine how, where and why a certain plant will thrive here, but languish there.
To me, a successful organic landscape has to be conceived and designed to take advantage of the benefits of organic land care and to avoid the limitations. This will ensure that the landscape can be established and maintained organically. This is very simple stuff to do. An example of this might be to simply avoid using a particular wildflower that is plagued with powdery mildew by substituting it with a disease-resistant variety, or choosing another plant altogether. Another benefit of heeding Nature’s wisdom when designing landscapes is that our inspirations can be more easily sustained for the long term, requiring a minimum of inputs, because plants are where they “want” to be. This basic principle of natural organic landscape design (sustainability) is infused throughout this article.
The power of Nature to colonize and stabilize a disturbed area
To truly operate within Nature’s terms takes a certain quality that is probably one of the most misunderstood, and for some, hard to come by. That quality is humility. I use the word here to describe the need to take all of our knowledge, experience, and ego and put it aside so we can “see” an untainted picture of what the land is “showing” us. We all know what we’re doing, but sometimes leave little room for true inspiration. Every walk we have taken in the woods, every stroll through a meadow or a wetland, is a vast store of inspiration that we can use if we develop the quality of “seeing what wants to be there”–what would occur naturally if Nature alone were to design the landscape. Then we take our knowledge and experience and humbly apply it to what we’ve learned from the land, to fashion the landscape into a functional and beautiful environment that will meet the expectations of our clients and ourselves.
Speaking of clients (or ourselves if we are designing our own landscape), it is important to learn what their needs, priorities, and budget requirements are early on. I ask if they have a vision or a dream for the site or part(s) of it. If not, I try to engage them in creative contemplation. I try to transfer the excitement and passion I feel for what I do, not just regurgitate knowledge. It is important to explain the organic approach to landscaping, and why I do it this way. Be careful not to be perceived as a crusader who is out to save the world with the client’s money! They may run to the nearest non-organic landscaper and never leave. Point out the potential for lower maintenance costs by using organic design principles, and a safer environment without using synthetic materials to sustain their landscape, but never tell a client that such a landscape is maintenance-free, because it is not. At this point it is important to learn the client’s level of commitment to my organic approach, even if it will be more costly for them in the short term than conventional landscaping. It is very important that I feel “good” about working with them and the work they want done. An old timer once told me long ago I couldn’t lose my money, my reputation, or my self-respect on a job I turn down. I haven’t always heeded that advice, but I have never forgotten it.
Cedar snag in planted meadow
Once I know what functions need to be designed into the landscape, I concentrate on mingling functionality with natural organic design by learning as much from the landscape as I can. By sitting quietly and observing natural rhythms taking place all around helps me connect with the “spirit of the place.” Notice how the site relates with its surroundings. Locate areas of beauty and interest and take advantage of them. Watch where the chipmunks come and go, feel where breezes come from, note sun and shade patterns, comprehend differences in vegetation and know why they differ, search for wet and dry areas and understand the movement of both surface and sub-surface water and its relationship to flora and fauna. Learn to evaluate the native landscape that abuts your site and dream up ways to mimic its repetitions and oddities. Are there woods or corridors adjacent to the site, and how can they be utilized to invite the animal neighbors back into the landscape? If little or no native landscape exists, try to locate nearby natural areas that match as closely as possible the ecology of your site and use them as inspiration. Plants and soils go hand-in-hand and should be given equal consideration. Learning about the characteristics of the soils on the site is an indispensable tool for selecting the right plant for the right place and is another basic principle of natural organic design.
Natural organic design is much more than just arranging plants informally on the landscape. It is an attempt to create plant communities that function symbiotically by imitating the natural groupings of plants and soils that occur natively in the wild. These communities are self-sustaining because the growth characteristics of each species is complementary to the other. Learn to work with the attributes and limitations of the site, as they exist instead of altering them. With this information it is possible to create a landscape that fulfills the client’s needs for functionality and aesthetics, while respecting the integrity of the natural ecology of the land. It is also a great way to re-invite the wild creatures back into the landscape, because a diversity of plant species create excellent habitat.
My early training in landscape design dictated that a certain amount of space “should” be allowed between plants so they could grow into “specimens.” It was also stressed that the plants should be uniform in appearance, lest you compromise the design! And always, always, plant monocultures (repeatedly use the same plant) to get more bang for your design buck. Needless to say, I have been busy un-learning all that nonsense because when I walk into a woods or through a meadow, I see plants of mixed species growing in community, some growing very close together, others farther apart. I also see plants of uneven age growing together. And heaven forbid, plants that are misshapen–even dead ones! Are these mistakes? Hardly. It just requires a different mindset to understand this—very different. Instead of thinking of plants as individuals, think of groups of them as a collective and self-supporting organism. Instead of judging each individual tree as a “specimen,” imagine the collective organism as the specimen. In other words, the trees that make up a forest are not particularly handsome on their own, but the forest when viewed as a whole, is. So don’t just plant trees, plant ecosystems!
Natures planting in a natural opening in the woods
We can observe and imitate nature literally if we are designing an area that will not be used by humans. But most of my clients want to actually “use” the designed space. (The nerve!) So, how do we select the “right plants for the right place” and integrate all the functions and aesthetic qualities our clients require? We can do it by blending art with ecology. One way of doing this is using groupings of compatible plants that are not only beautiful and functional, but serve an ecological purpose, too. For instance, a privacy screen can be composed of flowering, berrying and evergreen plants that attract, shelter, and feed wildlife. This same screen planting can be strategically placed to connect with an adjacent open space, creating a safe corridor for wildlife to travel in. In areas where less than a formal lawn is needed, the beauty and ease of a “low-mow” lawn or a grass and wildflower meadow is an excellent ecological alternative. Pathways that weave through properly chosen and planted vegetation, that reveal the landscape as you turn the corner, elicit excitement and surprise and can show off special design elements to best advantage.
This article just scratches the surface of natural organic design. I urge you to read up, take classes, question the status quo, take chances, get out and observe. But most of all spread the word! As I said in the opening paragraph, maybe the best result of landscaping on Nature’s terms is it becomes infectious and begins to spread.
About the Author:
Michael Nadeau is one of the leading authorities in the field of sustainable organic and ethical land care strategies in the United States. He is sought after for creating attractive sustainable and restorative environments using organic practices that respect the ecology of the property and reflect the philosophy of the client. Michael’s organic and sustainable holistic land care approach carefully maximizes wildlife habitat with specific plantings and techniques, improving the overall health of land, water, and wildlife.
He is a co-founder of CT NOFA’s Organic Land Care program, which has educated and accredited nearly 4,000 land care professionals since its inception in 2001. To this day, Michael continues to teach courses within the program, lecture throughout the northeast region about organic land care and restorative practices, and offers a variety of organic land care and environmental restoration consulting services. Michael Nadeau has previously been the recipient of the 2008 NOFA Person of the Year Award, 2009 CT Award for Conservation Excellence from New England Wildflower Association, the 2009 Environmental Service Award, the 2010 Hummingbird Environmental Stewardship Award from the Fairfield Organic Farm School, the 2018 NOFA Person of the Year Award, and the 2023 Bill Duesing Living on the Earth Award. Involved in the landscape and tree business since 1968, Michael has continued to remain a pupil of Nature, is a published writer on subjects including ecological, sustainable, and organic land-care topics.
