The Second Garden

We can choose plants that look nice but who's coming for dinner? If we select the right plants, pollinators of all kinds will show up.  This is the second garden. 

Remember that flower heads will provide birds with seed. However, birds have more complex food needs. They rely on insects for a higher protein content, especially as they raise their spring clutch. The proper native vegetation will be a source of insects, that birds forage in to get that key nutrition. Ecological landscapes allow you to create a garden within a garden.

This is why I lean towards planting native, but am not a purist. 

Guiding Principles to Garden Design

Plants don’t singularly love a particular growing condition:  a wet or dry area; a cold or hot climate; full sun or full shade; a specific soil make up, chemistry or pH. Plants exist and often thrive in areas they are adapted for. The bolded list below can be viewed as a series of speciation events. Factors that determine what will grow where. Plants thrive in what they can tolerate in their environment, in which other plants cannot tolerate. It is easy to see this in an environment like a desert. Large, forest trees can’t tolerate that environment but cactus and other water conserving plants can.

​Attractive native plants can be selected for inclusion in a landscape design but we must ensure that the plants selected, are appropriately adapted to the environment where we want to include them.​

​Right species. Right place.
A properly selected plant in the correct location will thrive. If its growing requirements are not met, the plant will become stressed. A stressed plant invites insects and diseases that lead to decline and plant failure. 

You don't plant a forest tree, such as a White Oak, three feet from your house. It will overwhelm your home. It isn't only the speciation event that dictates what will grow where, it is also how we live with these plants. Take a look at American Holly, a fantastic ecological species. However, I would not recommend planting this around your pool patio. Holly and bare feet do not go well together. Sweetgum is a stunning native tree, the fall foliage cannot be rivaled, however, take a look at the fruit it produces. Careful consideration is critical during the design phase of every landscape project.​​

Shade vs Light
​Planting appropriately based on the lighting conditions of the yard is vital to the success of the plant. Monitoring the different sides of your yard and tracking active hours of full sunlight can help you determine your lighting conditions. Typically a full sun area has over 6 hours of full sunshine, while part shade is 4-6 hours and shade is less than 4 hours. 

Soil as a Speciation Event
​In the simplest of terms a speciation event determines what will grow where. Soil is the most overlooked consideration by design professionals. Soil has aspects that pertain to chemistry, make up, and pH. These factors are different in all soil types and directly dictate what will succeed. It is critical to determining which plant will succeed on your property.

"Why can't we just amend the soil in order to plant whatever we want?" Well, think of your soil as an ocean. Now, imagine trying to change a square foot of the ocean that you have artificially selected. The surrounding soil will always work to revert to the properties of the macro environment. For example, Azaleas and Rhododendrons are well adapted for well drained, acidic soils, in the range of 5.5 pH. Many urban soil profiles show a soil pH range between 7- 7.3 and are not suited for this species. 

Monoculture is a Pathway for Failure. Create Biodiversity.
​Monoculture is when there is one plant that is dominating a landscape. There is a danger in favoring a specific species in a landscape. Think of it in terms of five hundred kindergartens and one in the center with influenza, they fall like dominos. It is far better to design with diversity in mind to create resiliency against insects and disease. Your landscape is an ecosystem that needs to be in balance; a monoculture is an ecosystem not in balance. Examples include Boxwoods, Schip Laurel, and Cherry Laurel. 

Managing Saturated Soils
​No tree, plant or shrub on Earth will act as a sponge to dry out a wet area on a lawn. 

---

Visit Local Gardens

The Greater Philadelphia Region is known for being the Garden Capitol of America. These gardens can spark inspiration and wonder, that you can bring back to your own home landscape. Find gardens in the area that you can readily visit!

Find a Garden

---

Check out some of our recent visits to local gardens!

Scott Arboretum: June 2023

Contact Me

​Contact me via email at [email protected]

Find me on Facebook

Find me on Instagram