Natural Gardening in Small Spaces

Many of us struggle with how to emulate natural places in their gardens when space is limited or in an urban setting.  Gardens where plants and wildflowers mingle and wildlife feel like a mini reserve, full of birds, butterflies, moths and dragonflies that are frequent visitors.

A garden is an ecosystem full of complexity and diversity, and nature is the role model in which we gain our inspiration.  Being aware of which plants grow in particular natural habitats can be a very useful guide as to what will flourish in similar conditions in our gardens.  We realize the importance and significance a natural garden that attracts wildlife but we also need a garden that pleases us and fulfills our needs.  Complexity in planting design keeps us interested and engaged and rewards a long sustained look, however, too much complexity may not be a good thing visually, as it may cause confusion and we may loose our design intent and direction.  Try and visualize focal points, such as a vertical element or an area of negative space, for these focal points create coherence, a ‘punctuation mark’ for the eye and the brain.

Small spaces require imagination and creativity to create balance and yet avoid the sameness in plants that are globalized.  What constitutes distinctive regional planting?  Trees are an obvious place to start, and even in small space natural gardening, links can be forged to the wider region through appropriate selection.  In an area where the surroundings feature pines and low evergreen shrubs, a combination of similar plants, including perhaps both native and ornamental non-native species could be used, such as a deciduous Amelanchier grandiflora or a conifer Pinus flexilis ‘Vanderwolf’. 

An awareness of natural habitats and the plants that grow in them can be a useful guide not only ecologically but also aesthetically.  Natural gardening is a very intuitive business and it involves a lot of trial and error, and learning over time.  It is important to trust your own judgment and to do what you feel is right, and not to be swayed by the opinions of others.  You will make mistakes, but so long as you learn from them, little harm will be done, so go and enjoy this journey!