Landscape Design

Native Landscape Design

Gardens using mostly native plants require more than an eye for color and form.  A deep understanding of soils, moisture, topography, species, and genetics is also essential for native plantings.  Our designers and architects work exclusively with native plants and are actively involved with our seed collection, plant community research, and plant propagation, so they have a unique understanding of what looks good and how to build it successfully.  Our landscape designs highlight site character through a native plant palette adapted to the living conditions of the site.  We will collaborate with you and will work seamlessly with your local garden center, landscaper, or architect to deliver a cost-effective, successful project using native plants.

Naturalistic Garden Designs

We mimic beautiful real world environments with turn-key naturalistic garden designs.  They are durable, self-sustaining, and attractive. We take full advantage of the natural site conditions on your property to create arrangements that could be observed in nature, selecting a combination of plants that would naturally grow on your property.

Fortunately, there are many native plant choices with which to express your creativity.  The hallmark publication The Plants of Pennsylvania: An Illustrated Manual by Ann Fowler Rhodes identifies over 3000 species!  Design options are plentiful even when working within the constraints of your site conditions.

Formal Landscaping

Traditional landscape designs are completely possible using all native plants.  ”Native” is not a synonym for “messy.”  Achieving a formal quality in a landscape is mostly dependent upon the choice of design principles and elements, rather than the type of plants.  The ”clean” look associated with a formal landscape is most easily achieved with natives that retain a compact quality (e.g. Itea virginica, Virginia Sweetspire or Tiarella cordifolia,  Heartleaved Foamflower).  Periodic maintenance is beneficial for preventing weeds from blemishing any formal garden.  For a native formal garden such maintenance may also involve guiding the natural spread of plantings within a desired location.