How to Landscape a Natural Garden

Garden Design, Architecture and Health Benefits from Gardening

© Rod Whitlow

Feb 8, 2008

The health benefits of gardening and simply viewing a beautiful landscape setting is well documented. A controlled comparison study was conducted which evaluated surgery recovery time. Group A recovery rooms looked onto non-greenscape environments, while group B recovery rooms viewed groomed garden settings. It was found that group B recovery times were faster.

Horticulture was in old times a luxury for royalty and aristocrats. Today, gardening is the favorite past-time and hobby in America. If you are designing your landscape, and would like a peaceful retreat - think natural, and reap a wonderful garden harvest.

The following are a few points to ponder:

• If the back yard is small you may want to eliminate or limit the size of lawn. If the distance between the back of the house and fence-line is close, once the patio is in there isn’t much room left. If you try to squeeze in lawn, there may not be enough room for planting space. Whatever the choice, it is important that a balance be achieved in the final outcome. A patio too large, too much lawn, or too little planting space, are all components of a poorly designed garden
• Proper grading is extremely important. Not only will it decide how the landscape will drain during winter storms, but there are aesthetic concerns as well. New homes have the grade set by the builder to allow surface water to shed away from the home. Homeowners often make the mistake of leaving this grade as is, which yields a garden with an unnecessarily deep swale. These low spots should be re-graded, and a drainage system should be installed. Down spouts should be tapped in and inlets cut in at any location where water may stand. Mounds should always be installed in the natural garden, for aesthetic and cultural purposes (most plants will thrive on mounded areas). Also, in most cases non-perforated drainage pipe should be utilized.
• Trees make a garden. Trees that grow in conical habits are best used in groupings, where round-topped ones are best used as single accents. Never say never when it comes to trees and concrete. Roots can travel 35 to 40 feet and bust patios and mow-strips. Even varieties taunted as well rooted, can have roots travel in the upper soil strata, due to watering depth and soil type. With this said, don’t avoid planting trees in the garden, just avoid “root aggressive trees” (like liquidambar, mulberry, and silver maples, etc.).
• Pathways can make the garden a special place. A flagstone or decomposed granite path that disappears into a grove of trees- to end at a relaxing chair and fountain- can be a great escape from the cares of life. Unless the garden is formal the path should meander. Use river cobble, buried one-half way and butted together end to end, along the path edges. This provides a border and barrier to keep shredded wood chips separated from the path. Other pathway choices are slate, brick, crushed rock and paver stones. Also, with some creative plant choices and planning the path can be formed by strategically spotting plants in the planter. As time progresses and the plants grow, space is left between the plants, allowing for foot traffic.

• And finally, don’t forget garden ornaments. Fountains, birdbaths, mirrors set deep into flower beds, garden art-pieces, and lighting are other factors in the landscape that you can use to achieve your own natural and healing garden..

Garden Palapa Tropical Design by Rod Whitlow

Natural Oak Pathway Design by Whitlow

Natural Dry Wash Design by Whitlow

Flutterby Rose and Bloodgood Japanese Maple

Emerging Ostrich Ferns and Red Japanese Maple

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