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There’s a new(ish) trend in landscape design. It is known as Rewilding or creating Naturalistic Landscapes which mimic Mother Nature and appear, to the viewer, as random plantings.  But, in fact, these landscapes are far from random. They are complex, integrated groupings of plants which are designed to grow into communities which support each other as they mature. The movement toward wilder landscapes began in the early 2000’s with Dutch designer Piet Oudolf (Planting the Natural Garden, 2003) and Roy Diblik (The Know Maintenance Perennial Garden, 2008). Both men are renowned landscape designers and authors. Their publications were followed by Rick Darke and Doug Tallalmy’s The Living Landscape (2014) and Thomas Rainer and Claudia West’s Planting in a Post-Wild World (2015). Now, fueled by the awareness of climate change, this “Back to Nature” style of designing is finally being embraced by the public. The Lurie Garden in Chicago is a lovely example of rewilding. The High Line Garden in New York City is another successful landscape which has become a wildly (pun intended) popular public favorite. Not only is rewilding a lovely, loose, casual style of landscape design, but this type of landscape requires about 40% less maintenance and 70% less water than the typical landscape. So, if you can loosen your grip on the manicured lawn and the trimmed hedge, this is a win-win. A win for the homeowner and a win for the climate. 
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A recent article in the Oregonian, by Cynthia Paez Bowman, looked into what value professional landscaping gives a property. The Author interviewed several realters and looked to The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) who “claim professional landscaping can increase a home’s price tag 15% to 20% more at the time of sale.” (With a few caveats).
So, if you are on the fence whether to landscape with a professional or not to landscape with a pro, you might be interested in this article. You can find the entire article here at this link: https://enewsPO.oregonlive.com/data/37818/reader/reader.html?social#!preferred/0/package/37818/pub/62693/page/32/alb/1885250 In March 2023 I wrote an article about one of the loveliest gardens in Portland, the Bishop’s Close Garden at Elk Rock which was on the market for sale. It was a mournful piece, an obituary of sorts, lamenting the loss of this gem to the prospect of development because of its size and desirable location.
Just yesterday it was posted in the local paper, the Oregonian, that the sale had closed on July 28th. And to everyone’s delight, the new owners are the descents of the original owner, the Peter Kerr Family. Although the family had first right of refusal, there was no promise that the Kerr family would buy the property back and as it turns out, several developers had made generous offers above the listed price of $4.5 million. So there was much gnashing of teeth for many months for those in the gardening community and the general public. Hooray!!! Release the Doves!!! The Garden will again be open to the public and you MUST go visit. You can read the Oregonian article by clicking on this link… https://www.oregonlive.com/realestate/2023/07/beloved-bishops-close-garden-at-elk-rock-in-dunthorpe-has-a-new-owner.html This week the NY Times published an article about a pivot some savvy corporations are making away from manicured acres of lawn and to naturalistic landscapes. I think this trend is borne as much out of the business case that lawns are expensive to maintain, water and keep weed free as it is a growing environmental concern for the carbon footprint created to maintain this kind of greenspace.
Interest in naturalistic landscapes began to intrigue landscape architects and designers worldwide about a decade ago. Public acceptance was been a bit slow in the beginning but with the success of the New York City High Line and the Lurie Garden in Chicago this looser imitation of nature in landscapes is finding growing support. You can read the article here and as you do, think about a meadow for your own yard … https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/04/business/corporate-landscaping-native-plants.html As a member of Pacific Horticulture I regularly get their newsletter which is always interesting but this month’s had are article by Joe Seals which is all about creating or enhancing your landscape to support an environment for insects and birdlife. It is well written and extensive and well worth a read. You can find it here…. https://pacifichorticulture.org/articles/feeding-the-birds-au-naturel/
Enjoy! P.S. If you are not already a member of Pacific Horticulture, you might consider joining. It is a very worthwhile organization. If you are a gardener, someone who loves plants and to dig in the dirt, and you don’t know about the Hardy Plant Society of Oregon, “Quell dommage!” (What a pity!). You do not have to be a professional in the landscape field to be a member (although many members are professionals), just someone who loves gardens and to garden.
HPSO is a non-profit 501c (3) run by a few part-time staff and an army of volunteers who created a top-notch organization. Founded in 1984 to serve Oregon and Southwest Washington, the organization now has 2700 members and continues to grow. There are now Hardy Plant groups across the country inspired by this local group. I just renewed my membership for another year and was dumbfounded when reminded that I have been a member of HPSO for 30 years! I keep coming back to the group because 1. The Speaker Programs (even during the pandemic) were and are educational for everyone at all levels. 2. The events HPSO sponsors are great fun (Study Weekends, Garden Travel, After Hours at various nurseries, Plant Nerd Night, Plant Sales, to name a few) 3. The Open Gardens HPSO organizes are a treat because you are invited into private gardens others never have the opportunity to see. 4. As a member you get discounts from nurseries and businesses around the region. And 4. The people are nice and always welcoming (gardeners are some of the kindest, nicest folks I know – there must be something in the dirt…). So now that you know about HPSO, run as fast as you can to the website and join (the cost of membership is a bargain). www.hardyplantsociety.org See you at the next gathering! If you are not familiar with the Garden Conservancy and you are an enthusiastic gardener or a professional in the landscape field you have been deprived. This is a non- profit organization which “works to preserve and restore gardens in many ways, in both short-term and long-term partnerships, employing multiple services.” Namely, “helping to restore, rescue and rehabilitate public gardens, assist gardens by providing a range of preservation services and help private gardens become public gardens.” In short, they good things for gardens in need. But in addition to doing good they have wonderful programs for their members. There are a few silver linings the Pandemic left behind and one of them for me, was introducing me to the Garden Conservancy virtual programs. As many organizations did, the GC went virtual with many of their programs and I went with them. Their virtual (Zoom) presentations have been top notch. But that is not all, the GC organizes Open Gardens all over the United States, north to south and east to west which are only open to members. They support a National Speaking Tour and other lectures.  The Garden Conservancy goes a step farther with Digging Deeper programs. These are hands on workshops which range from Cultivating Edible Mushrooms: A Mushroom Inoculation Workshop to Addressing Drought Through Plant Selection & Hardscape Solutions and beyond. And the best is that an individual membership is only $50 per year. Who knew? Whether you are a seasoned gardener, a nascent gardener or a professional there is always so much more to learn and the Garden Conservancy is a fabulous way to do it. Consider joining, I think you will not regret it.  For many, a lush green lawn is a symbol of status and success. However, maintaining a lawn can be a time-consuming and expensive task, requiring regular mowing, watering, and fertilizing. Additionally, traditional lawns often require the use of pesticides and herbicides, which can be harmful to both humans, pets and the environment. And lawns are mono-culture which offers no diversity to support pollinators and wildlife. Fortunately, there are alternatives to lawns that can be both attractive and sustainable. In this article, we will explore some of the most popular alternatives to lawns.
Say goodbye to chemical herbicides and back-breaking weeding tasks. The Garden Zot is the innovative new tool that promises to revolutionize the way we weed our gardens and outdoor spaces. Developed by Weeds Never Sleep, a Portland-based company that is dedicated to providing organic and sustainable solutions for weed management, the Garden Zot uses a powerful jet of hot water to kill weeds quickly and effectively.
The Garden Zot is a handheld, portable weeding tool that runs on propane. Simply point the nozzle at the offending weed and shoot a blast of hot water to kill it. Because it is completely organic, it can be used safely in parks, playgrounds, sports playing fields, and environmentally sensitive wild areas. The Garden Zot is also lightweight and easy to use, making it ideal for gardeners of all ages and abilities. Weeds Never Sleep is currently working on further developing the Garden Zot, with plans to release it for purchase in 2024. With proper funding and support, this innovative new tool has the potential to become a game-changer in the world of organic gardening and weed management. The Garden Zot offers numerous benefits over traditional weeding methods. Unlike chemical herbicides, it is safe for humans, animals, and the environment. It is also more efficient than manual weeding, allowing gardeners to cover large areas quickly and easily. Additionally, it eliminates the need for expensive and noisy gas-powered weed eaters and trimmers. Overall, the Garden Zot is an exciting new tool that promises to make weeding faster, easier, and more environmentally friendly than ever before. Keep an eye out for its release in 2024 and join the movement towards sustainable and organic gardening practices. Full disclosure: Bonnie Bruce is a partner in Weeds Never Sleep. More information at www.hotzot.biz |