Naturalizing in gardening involves allowing plants to grow, spread, and reproduce freely, mimicking a natural ecosystem with minimal human interference. This approach moves away from the controlled, manicured look of traditional landscapes toward a self-sustaining habitat. Once established, naturalizing plants multiply by self-seeding or underground runners, returning reliably year after year without being replanted. The goal is to create a dynamic, informal landscape that supports local biodiversity, offering continuous blooms and habitat for pollinators.
The Philosophy of Naturalizing
Naturalizing is about establishing a sustainable, self-perpetuating plant community through stewardship rather than control. This philosophy contrasts sharply with the formal garden, which demands constant maintenance, such as weeding, deadheading, and precise pruning, to maintain an artificial aesthetic. Formal gardens often feature non-native plants arranged in distinct, structured beds and rows, prioritizing a neat appearance.
Naturalized areas are also distinct from true ecological rewilding, which focuses on restoring an environment to its original, pre-human state. While naturalizing uses ecological principles, it acknowledges that a garden is still a planned space within a human-dominated area. The practice is often described as reconciliation ecology, where the gardener intentionally designs and manages a new habitat to support species diversity in a residential setting. This creates a balance between ecological function and an aesthetically pleasing, less-manicured appearance.
Methods for Establishing a Naturalized Area
Establishing a naturalized space begins by creating a planting pattern that looks organic and unplanned. Instead of planting in straight lines or uniform clusters, the technique involves scattering seeds or bulbs over the designated area and planting them exactly where they land. This method, often called drift planting, establishes irregular, sweeping masses of plants.
Initial site preparation should focus on the removal of competitive, invasive weeds that could quickly outcompete young, establishing plants. While native plants do not require rich, heavily amended soil, they do need a period of establishment before they become truly self-sufficient. For the first six to eight weeks, consistent watering is necessary to ensure the development of deep, robust root systems.
Ideal Plant Choices for Naturalization
Successfully naturalizing an area relies on selecting plants with the ability to compete, reproduce, and thrive without assistance. Plant characteristics like a strong self-seeding capacity and regional adaptability are paramount for long-term success. Spring-flowering bulbs are classic choices for naturalization because they multiply both by seed and by forming offsets, or bulbils, underground, ensuring dense coverage over time.
Bulbs
Suitable bulbs that readily naturalize and return reliably each year include:
- Daffodils (Narcissus species)
- Crocus (Crocus tommasinianus)
- Glory-of-the-snow (Chionodoxa)
Perennials and Grasses
Beyond bulbs, suitable perennials and grasses are those native to the local ecoregion, ensuring they are already adapted to the climate and soil conditions. Species of native coneflower (Echinacea), blazing star (Liatris), and various low-growing grasses will establish stable, self-perpetuating populations.
Managing the Naturalized Landscape
A significant appeal of naturalizing is the shift from intensive labor to a more hands-off, seasonal approach to maintenance. Management involves strategic, minimal intervention designed to support the plant community’s natural cycle. For naturalizing bulbs, the foliage must be allowed to yellow and completely die back before being cut or mowed.
The leaves photosynthesize and generate the energy required for the following year’s bloom, a process that can take up to eight weeks after flowering. For the perennial and grass layers, a single annual cutback, typically performed in late winter or early spring before new growth emerges, is often sufficient. Leaving the dormant plant material standing throughout the winter provides habitat, insulation, and a food source in the form of seeds for birds, aligning management with ecological benefit.