Lay of the Landscape: Natural Garden Style

A natural garden reflects its surrounding landscape — Midwestern prairies, New England forests, Texas wildflower fields, or Southwestern deserts. Natural gardens aren't formal; they feature free-form plantings and soft edges. Pathways meander, sitting spots appear unexpectedly, and havens are provided for birds and animals.

Natural landscapes can be easy to maintain — let plants grow as they wish, and weeds may become assets. But they can get out of hand. To reflect rather than surrender to the landscape, some trimming is needed — just far less than formal gardens.

Matthew Cunningham Landscape Design LLC: Side yard filled with grasses, annuals, perennials, and shrubs softens rigid house lines. Gravel path is less formal and more nature-like than brick or flagstone.

RTA Studio Residential Architects: The return of the prairie — coneflowers and black-eyed Susans fill an Ohio yard. Native Midwest perennials blend with other favorites, spread moderately for easy-care color. Bonus: birds, butterflies, and bees all summer.

Shirley Bovshow: Native plants mix with Mediterranean imports in Central California. Both thrive in same conditions — hard to tell which is which. Easy-care, colorful, water-wise. Decomposed granite pathway echoes surrounding trail colors.

Shades Of Green Landscape Architecture: Small yard? No-mow and low-mow grasses clump softly in waves like open grass expanses — described as ocean-like or hair-like. Mow four times yearly, not twice weekly. Generally drought-tolerant. Low maintenance and natural — what's not to love?

At a Colorado mountain garden's edge, penstemons and sedums take center stage. In higher elevations, plants tuck into available soil between rocks and trees rather than dense prairie packing. This landscape follows the same approach — blending into scenery rather than competing.

Tip: Plant formal and nonnative plants near the house, natives on garden edges as transition to the natural landscape beyond.

Rebekah Zaveloff | KitchenLab: Where traditional gardens feature neatly arranged plants by height, this Michigan garden blends an array of plants and grasses in mixed sizes — perfect with a farmhouse-style home.

Jeffrey Gordon Smith Landscape Architecture: Southwestern-style house matched with Southwestern garden. Plants fit house style and gardening conditions. Typical front lawn would be less effective visually and more work.

Jeffrey Gordon Smith Landscape Architecture: More nature than yard in this Wine Country garden. Space takes advantage of views whether relaxing, soaking, or swimming. Set into hillside with stonework matching surroundings — you might not notice it until right on top of it.

Natalie Myers: The High Line, NYC's converted elevated railroad, planted with natives along the walkway. Easy-care space achieved after careful plant placement so plants grow naturally without overrunning beds and walkway.

Tip: Adding a planting bed in front of a potentially dangerous edge (like a fence line) and planting it solidly creates a subtle physical barrier. Same idea works along yard edges, encouraging pathway use over lawn trampling.

Randy Thueme Design Inc.: Mass planting of grasses flanking an unusual walkway fills a long space — reminds of walking to the beach with a far more interesting boardwalk.

Randy Thueme Design Inc.: Gentle path through trees and grasses leads to a sitting spot. Simple yet highly effective.

Gates & Croft Horticultural Design: Water features welcome in any garden. Keep it natural by landscaping edges to replicate what's found outside garden confines. Instead of matched stones at single depth, create a beach at one end, slope sides down (good for pet escape). Large flat stones of varying heights provide seating and keep edges from appearing regimented.

Tip: Build a raised bed or mound to one side of the pond. Water flows to lowest spot, so a small rise makes the pool look meant to be there.

Ron Herman Landscape Architect: A field of wildflowers epitomizes natural gardens. Overpowering next to the house, but for large estates, difficult hillsides, or empty lots in sight lines — sprinkle seeds and see what comes up.

Tip: When planting large numbers of perennials, annuals, or bulbs, scatter seeds in drifts to mimic natural growth.

Matthew Cunningham Landscape Design LLC: If you have room, blend garden with surrounding landscape. This Maine garden renewed native plant community and reduced lawn expanse. Lawn still there but not the focus — perennials, shrubs, and natural grasses take center stage.

Matthew Cunningham Landscape Design LLC: Garden's edge is gradual. Casually but thoughtfully placed shrubs signal boundaries instead of abrupt lawn end.

Matthew Cunningham Landscape Design LLC: Path through meadow allows access without interrupting grass views.