The goal of landscape design at Wildside Associates is to convey an unmistakable sense of place that seamlessly integrates human use with the natural world through an ecologically sound landscape. A landscape that you live in rather than on.
This is the Ecological Society of America’s definition of ecosystem.
An ecosystem is a community of animals and plants interacting with one another and with their physical environment. Ecosystems include physical and chemical components, such as soils, water, and nutrients that support the organisms living within them. These organisms may range from large animals and plants to microscopic bacteria. Ecosystems include the interactions among all organisms in a given habitat. People are part of ecosystems. The health and well- being of human populations depends upon the services provided by ecosystems and their components – organisms, soil, water, and nutrients.
Ecosystem Services are the processes by which the environment produces resources that we often take for granted such as clean water, timber, and habitat for fisheries, and pollination of native and agricultural plants. Whether we find ourselves in the city or a rural area, the ecosystems in which humans live provide goods and services that are very familiar to us.
We create conditions to meet the needs of people for using land in cooperation with the needs of all of the other members of your ecosystem, for everyone’s benefit.
Why native landscapes?
Native landscapes provide several advantages over traditional landscapes.
- Self-perpetuating. Native plants reproduce naturally! This gives you the option of collecting seeds, thinning out individual plants to transplant elsewhere, (or share with friends!), or leaving them to enhance the design.
- Creation of wildlife habitat. The term “habitat” simply means an area that provides organisms (plants or animals) with suitable conditions (think food, water, shelter) in which to live. While there are many subdivisions and combination for various types of plants and animals, broad categories include forest, grassland, wetland, lake and stream. Using native materials in their natural associations provides food and shelter for native wildlife, creating viewing opportunities for you and your family, friends and clients. The plant associations that you use and the site location relative to migration and travel corridors will determine the kinds of wildlife that may visit or colonize your landscape.
- Preservation of biological diversity. Many native plants and animals are becoming uncommon in the wild. Native landscapes offer one alternative for their preservation and create opportunities for viewing plants that may be difficult or impossible to find growing wild nearby.
- Environmental Education. Native landscapes provide a wonderful opportunity for schools, parks, camps, churches, and other organizations to provide nature on-site, even if that site is not currently in the middle of a natural area.
- Less susceptible to wildlife damage. Most native plants aren’t targeted by deer as severely as are many common ornamental plants like hostas, tulips, and hybrid roses. Native plants co-exist with native wildlife and have developed defenses to insure their survival.
- Reduced Maintenance. While no landscape project is maintenance free, once they have become established most of the plants used in native landscapes are able to thrive in the landscape without additional cultivation, fertilizers, or irrigation. Not only does this save money, but it reduces the amount of chemicals that eventually find their way into our lakes, streams, or ground water, conserves water, and saves you hours of work!
- Improvement of soil conditions. By growing, dying and decaying on the site, a native landscape builds the soil’s structure and micro-flora, preparing the way for plants that require more well-developed soil conditions in order to thrive. The root structure of native grasses and wildflowers tend to be much deeper and well developed than turf grass and plants commonly found at the local nursery.
- Hardiness. The plants used in native landscapes have been selected by nature for the local climate, including extremes in temperature and precipitation, over thousands of years.
- Dynamic. With no maintenance the plant mix will change over time as more aggressive plants out-compete their neighbors. However, by selectively thinning, transplanting or removing plants you can maintain the existing mix or guide the changes to suit your fancy.
If you were asked to make a list of all those things that you love about being surrounded by the Great Lakes and the northwoods your list would probably include the climate (well, most of the time), the scenic vistas, clear lakes and cold streams surrounded by spectacular glacial landforms, and the great variety of native plants and animals that call this region home. Native landscapes let you bring nature right up to your door, allowing you to intimately experience and enjoy the constant parade of nature’s changing seasons.
To learn more contact us. We love to talk about native plants!
