Naturalistic planting, inspired by meadows, prairies and woodland edges, has transformed garden design over the last few decades. Done well, it is beautiful for most of the year, good for wildlife and less work than a traditional border.
What makes planting naturalistic?
Traditional borders arrange plants in neat blocks by height. Naturalistic planting mixes plants together as they would grow in the wild, with grasses woven through flowering perennials and a few taller plants scattered through the front so you look through them.
The matrix
Many naturalistic schemes start with a matrix: one or two plants, often a grass, repeated through the whole area to knit it together. Good matrix grasses include Sesleria autumnalis, Deschampsia cespitosa, Molinia caerulea and Anemanthele lessoniana. Into this matrix go the flowering perennials, singly or in small drifts.
Plants that work
- Structural perennials: Phlomis russeliana, echinacea, Veronicastrum, eupatorium.
- Airy see-through plants: Verbena bonariensis, sanguisorba, Thalictrum, gaura.
- Grasses: calamagrostis for vertical lines, miscanthus for height, pennisetum for softness.
- Bulbs: alliums and camassias for early-season interest before the grasses grow.
Repetition is everything
What makes naturalistic planting look designed rather than chaotic is repetition. Choose a limited palette, perhaps 10 to 15 plants, and repeat them across the space. The eye picks up the rhythm and the whole scheme feels coherent.
Soil and site
Most prairie and meadow perennials want sun and soil that is not too rich. On fertile London clay they can grow lanky, so choose sturdy varieties and avoid feeding. In shade, the same principles work with woodland plants: ferns, epimediums, geraniums and woodland grasses.
Maintenance
Naturalistic planting needs less maintenance, not none. The main job is one cut-back in late winter, leaving seedheads standing until then. In the first two years, weed carefully until the plants close over. After that, the main task is editing: removing self-seeders where they are not wanted.
This style is at the heart of our atmospheric planting for studios and creative homes.
