Ecological Garden Design

What does it mean to design an ecological garden ?

When we think of creating our gardens, I think it is easy for most of us to imagine our gardens bursting with ornamental flowers. You may go to the nursery and pick some herbaceous shrubs like hydrangea, peony, delphinium, the list goes on. You might also leave room for a few annuals for a continuous pop of colour throughout the summer season. Then perhaps you pick a few coniferous trees for winter interest and viola you have a somewhat visually pleasing garden design.

Is the garden that I just described ecological? Not really.

I think it is important to ask ourselves… what does my garden ‘do’ ?

Does it provide food for wildlife? Does it provide food for pollinator species? Does it improve local ecosystem services for my neighbourhood?

The first thing I want to encourage into your imagination- what native species can we plant into our landscapes to improve habitat and ecological health of the environment. Careful observation of the physical environmental conditions of your site will help you to determine what habitat or habitats it contains. The major factors that shape the habitat for your landscape include sunlight, soil type, topography, hydrology, and microhabitats. Furthermore, analyzing the presence of wildlife in your area as the key goal of ecological landscapes is to create an attractive environment for humans and wildlife to enjoy.

Thanks for reading my first of many explorations into ecological landscape design.

Next topic… The Dark Side of the Rose: Why we should only buy ‘green’ roses for Valentine’s Day.