Enjoyable Abundance

Thirty years ago, when my family and I first moved into our home, the gardens that surrounded it were like some sort of slow-motion floral symphony. As the snow melted into the ground, first the tulips and daffodils would poke their heads out of the soil. Just as they lost their petals, the fat peonies would burst forth, heavy and plump in shades of white and pink. Some invisible conductor then called forth the roses on their thorny branches, climbing the trellises that clung to the brick of the house. 

The delphinium soon joined the chorus. Most gorgeous of all were the enormous, periwinkle hydrangea that dried into a dusty blue. And throughout it all, the hostas — in more shades of green than I thought possible — filled in the gaps, some with oversized leaves that might have looked more at home in a rainforest. 

My thumb, however, isn’t any shade of green at all. It took only a few years (and a couple of generations of family dogs) to render the formerly glorious garden unrecognizable. 

But the utter demolition of a lovely and tidy English garden provided the opportunity to rethink the space. I prefer a low-maintenance, dog-friendly version — one that doesn’t require me to alter the acidity of the soil, to prune, to water, or even to weed. I don’t want to fight with bugs. I wanted flowers, for sure, but ones that grew as easily along country roads as in my backyard. 

Gardenista: The Low-Impact Garden (available on Amazon and Thriftbooks) is for people like me, a truly gorgeous guidebook to “creating sustainable outdoor spaces.” The goal, the editors say, is to address a growing desire for “a new kind of garden … more enjoyably abundant and imperfect, looked after by a person rather than a cleanup crew.” 

But “native gardens” have suffered from some bad PR:  boring, muted, messy. Which is why the Gardenista folks are doing God’s work. What they showcase in their book (and on their site) are gardens that are lush and lovely. That blend into the larger landscape. That don’t fight with the soil, the weather, the wildlife, and insects. 

And Gardenista is your go-to for more than just the garden itself. It also offers advice on the best insect repellent, attractive recycled outdoor furniture, composting, biochar, and so much more.

Definitely get the book (if only to indulge in the beautiful photos). To whet your palate, let me share some of my favorite surprising advice for creating a garden of ease:

• Extend No-Mow May until mid-July: Lawns, the Gardenista editors tell us, aren’t all bad. In fact, some of our favorite birds love to hunt and hop about on them (another reason to eschew chemicals). Ensure your lawn isn’t a make-work project by keeping grass longish (set your mower to about 3.5-4 inches/9-10 cm). Less watering, less erosion, and more habitat for critters. If your family wants a traditional lawn for sports or play, just mow the pertinent area, leaving the rest to grow. (p.187)
• “If your lawn wants to be moss, let it be moss”: Edwina von Gal, whose Long Island moss-covered yard is featured in Gardenista, encourages a less rigid idea of lawn. (pg. 192) 
• Plant an oak, a “keystone” tree: “Trees communicate with each other and with organisms above- and below-ground. Instead of planting the occasional pretty tree, plant keystone trees that benefit as many animals as possible. … Species of Quercus (oak) around the world are vital for supporting moths and butterflies. Across the United States, more than 940 types of caterpillars feed on oaks.” (p. 197)
• Rethink mulch: “There are much better (and free) ways of covering bare soil. An ecologically functional garden will provide its own mulching materials when allowed: Leaf litter under trees and shrubs breaks down into delicious leaf mold, dragged by worms into the ground.” (p. 221)
• Water deeply: “Deep watering around a garden encourages long roots, which make all plants, including grass, more resilient to drought. Watering little and often invites fungal disease, weeds, and the insects that you don’t want, including ticks and mosquitoes.” (p. 227)
• Make stepping stones out of a dead trunk: Edwina von Gal gets slices of a trunk from a fallen tree and uses them as stepping stones. (p. 275)
• Promote solitary bees and bumblebees: “Solitary bees are actually more effective at pollinating flowers than honeybees. … The solitaries are the ones to focus on in gardens by allowing plants you might not love, like dandelions, to provide essential early nectar.” (p. 276)
• Tell people about it: “If you get one person thinking, you have done a good thing. It’s not always obvious when a hell strip is planted with natives, or when a householder is participating in a ‘Lights Out for the Birds’ program. Put a sign out and someone might copy you.” (p. 207)