Consider nature when designing your garden

Rebecca Krans<kransr@msu.edu> and Sarah Rautio<rautio@msu.edu>, Michigan State University Extension - October 18, 2024

Canadian Garden Study Tour brings nature’s design to foreground.

MSU Extension Master Gardeners look closely at native plants growing in the landscape in western Canada. — MSU Extension Master Gardeners Deborah Kinzi (front) from Houghton County and Arleigh Smyrnios (back) from Kalamazoo County get a closer look at nature’s designs before heading to Kelowna, British Columbia, as part of the MSU Extension Master Gardener international trip to Western Canada. Photo by Sarah Rautio, MSU Extension.

As gardeners, we all strive for beautiful gardens. Yet many may see a flowering plant and purchase it just based on its beauty, then a month later it dies due to being planted in the wrong conditions (e.g., improper soil or light conditions). During the Michigan State University Extension Canadian Garden Study Tour, participants explored some of nature’s beauty that can be brought to gardens, such as native plants that thrive in either shady or sunny conditions. By selecting native plants that are matched to site conditions, you can prevent future disappointments. Take some time and observe what occurs naturally in the wild with native plants and ecosystem, and consider using some of nature’s beauty in your yards and gardens.

Ginny snaps a picture of a plant to identify it as native or not. — Ginny Heinritzi gets close as she captures a photo of nature alongside beautiful Lake Louise. Photo by Sarah Rautio, MSU Extension.

In July of 2024, Michigan State University (MSU) Extension hosted a group of 27 MSU Extension Master Gardeners on a Canadian Garden Study Tour to note and record some up-close examples of nature’s design. Here we highlight some of the inspiration and nature-friendly ideas we brought home from this educational trip.

A garden with moss growing in place of traditional grass lawn. — MSU Extension Master Gardener Canada trip participants (background) stroll through the Nitobe Japanese Garden at the University of British Columbia to learn that a moss lawn resembles a turf lawn and may be the better option in shady moist conditions. Photo by Sarah Rautio, MSU Extension.

Shady design options

We often think of moss as something we need to get rid of, especially in our lawns. But moss can be an indicator of what the existing conditions are: moist, shaded, low soil nutrients. These are not the best conditions to grow turf, so why continue to “fight the site?” Consider a shift to enjoy moss with or without some companion plants. Moss will also grow on surfaces. Take, for example, the simplicity and beauty of moss covering a tree branch. Since moss does not have true roots, it will grow on different surfaces in various environments.

A moss-covered tree branch. — Moss covered cherry tree branch framing a view at Nitobe Memorial Garden, University of British Columbia. Photo by Rebecca Krans, MSU Extension.

Another overlooked plant is ferns. Though they lack showy flowers, they can be a smart choice in shady conditions where grass struggles to grow. There are many distinct types, some native to Michigan, to add texture and shades of green to a shade garden. Choosing different types of ferns can add height to the garden, which mosses don’t provide.

Ferns growing beneath several birch trees. — Ferns look great intermixed with the different textures, greens and shapes of other native plants and trees. Tiarella cordifolia, foam flower (white flowers), native to Ontario, Canada, grows amidst ferns in a woodland setting (top). The bark of birch trees (Betula spp.) is a great contrast to the green below it (bottom). Photos by Rebecca Krans and Sarah Rautio, MSU Extension.

MSU Extension Master Gardeners participating on the Canada trip visited Van Dusen Botanical Garden in Vancouver, British Columbia. This garden featured several areas where ferns flourished. The Hart’s Tongue Fern (Asplenium scolopendrium) is a North American native that is rare in Michigan. Another fern, the Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum pedatum), is common in both Canada and Michigan and is easy to find at plant nurseries. Both looked lovely planted in groups under tree canopies.

Maidenhair ferns growing beneath a tree. — Maidenhair fern planted in groups in a shady moist area of Van Dusen Garden. Photo by Sarah Rautio, MSU Extension.

Looking more closely, ferns have very interesting features like sori, their reproductive structures found on the backside of their fronds, and amusing fiddleheads.

Fern sori and fiddleheads. — Fern sori (left) and fiddleheads (right). Photo by Rebecca Krans and Sarah Rautio, MSU Extension.

Red flowers alongside a road with the Canadian rockies in the background. — Indian paintbrush’s (Castilleja coccinea) bright red color (foreground) is striking along a roadway. Photo by Sarah Rautio, MSU Extension

Sunny design options

MSU Extension Master Gardeners visited a site called Meadows in the Sky, which is a subalpine wildflower meadow at the top of Mount Revelstoke. Michigan does not have the magnificent Canadian Rocky Mountain views as a backdrop for flowering plants, but we can still apply “meadow garden” concepts. In Canada and in Michigan, these natural systems work well in both open sunny areas and on roadsides—and native plants are the best choice when creating a meadow.

Native plants have the advantage of being adapted to local conditions and provide specific food and shelter requirements for beneficial insects, pollinators and other animals. At MSU Extension, we are creating more and more resources to show how to create natural ecosystems, such as meadows, in our own backyards. You can learn all about gardening with native plants and habitats at the MSU Extension Native Plants and Ecosystem Services or check out Smart Gardening resources.

Indian Paintbrush red flowers up close. — Indian paintbrush up close. Photo by Sarah Rautio, MSU Extension.

A woman stands and looks at her phone while standing in front of wildflowers in a landscape. — Catherine Stedman from Alpena County reviewing her photos and plant identification while touring Meadows in the Sky at Mount Revelstoke. Photo by Sarah Rautio, MSU Extension.

People taking pictures of wildflowers in the landscape. — Emily and Bill Smith from Kent County taking pictures of the native wildflowers at Meadows in the Sky. Photo by Sarah Rautio, MSU Extension.

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