1. Natural landscaping • Advantages of natural landscaping: • Natural landscaping involves the use of native plants to approximate a natural community • Reduces time and expense of mowing • Reduces need for watering • Reduces need for fertilizers and pesticides • Provides habitat for wildlife • Native plants are those naturally growing in the region; well-adapted to local climate • Natural landscaping allows plants to grow and reproduce with minimal interference

2. Natural landscaping • Natural landscapes

3. Natural landscaping • No-mow • Reduces time and expense of mowing • Methods of ‘naturalizing’: • May get many non-native species such as Japanese honeysuckle (escaped from cultivation) • Takes a long time to approach natural community • Planting • Planting species to simulate a natural community • Plants selected based on suitability (to climatic conditions and each other) and then for color, form and texture • Based on model communities

4. Natural landscaping • Site analysis • Construct plan view; identify structures, utility lines, pavement, contours of land • Stages of planning • ‘Habitat’ data such as soil type, soil moisture, exposure to sun or wind, current vegetation

5. Natural landscaping • functional use • Divide area in functional units such as recreation, utility, plantings • Stages of planning • Habitat often dictates possible functional uses

6. Natural landscaping • Aesthetics • Consider color, line and texture of plants throughout seasons • Stages of planning • Planting should look natural; avoid straight lines and plant species in natural distributions (usually clumped) • Incorporate meandering pathways to allow access to planting

7. Natural landscaping • Obtaining plants • Plants should be from local population sources whenever possible (better adapted to site) • Stages of planning • Propagate from seeds or purchase from local nursery; avoid removing plants from natural communities • Natural landscapes may take several years to establish; start small and add over years