Holistic Gardening Creates a Space That Supports Wildlife
Learn the basics of holistic gardening
What is your ideal garden? Perhaps you're thinking of beautiful flowers, inviting paths and insects eating the plants. Yes, you read that right.
While it sounds odd, insects are integral to holistic gardening, a gardening method that uses native plants to enhance our local ecosystems. As natives become more popular, gardeners are digging deeper into how these plants help their local ecosystems.
What is holistic gardening?
For a clear answer to this question, I spoke to Mark Konlock, Director of Horticulture at Green Bay Botanical Gardens. He’s done extensive work using holistic gardening to help gardeners see the benefits.
“As we think about garden design, we often start with the color palette, amount of sunlight and the soil conditions,” he says. “The holistic approach takes those concepts and adds another layer to provide value for insects and other parts of the ecosystem.” This begins with choosing plants that have evolved in your local conditions.
“With natives, you’re able to reduce the amount of maintenance and have plants that withstand extreme conditions, like drought or wet soils,” he explains. “Once those plants are established, you don’t have to water, fertilize or spray them with pesticides."
Looking at the big picture, those benefits overflow into the environment. An example is plants that like wet soil; they can be added to a rain garden to filter the groundwater and reduce runoff. And when you don't use pesticides in the garden, you can focus on letting insects thrive.
The value of insects
Of course, tolerating all kinds of insects takes some effort.
“We’re used to avoiding insect damage in our gardens, so it takes a bit of retraining our minds to help us see the value of letting those insects eat the plants,” Mark says. Chewing insects serve as prey for other members of the ecosystem, such as birds, and in many species, those that survive the larval stage develop into pollinators that we like to see.
As pollinators continue losing habitat, it becomes more vital to assist them, as they’re responsible for one-third of our food supply. The horticulture industry is working to understand which plants provide the most benefits to pollinators. A study at Penn State is helping researchers know which native plants attract the most insects.
To judge the impact of each flowering plant, the study examined not just the number of insects visiting each species, but also the diversity of the insects. Flower size and arrangement proved key in attracting pollinators. Here's a spoiler: Plants with a large cluster of small flowers hosted the most insect diversity. A few plants that stood out include rattlesnake master (Eryngium yuccifolium), dwarf blazing star (Liatris cylindracea) and clustered mountain mint (Pycnanthemum muticum).
The university offers more plant suggestions and insect-friendly garden advice at pollinators.psu.edu.
Native plants for your garden
Of course, choosing native species for your garden will depend on your goals. Space is often a limiting factor, especially if your landscape is full of other plants.
“You can look for natives that work with your existing design and sprinkle them into the landscape,” Marks suggests. "Many natives have ornamental qualities that fit in and allow you to stagger blooms throughout the season. And if you have limited space, consider five species you could add to feed insects throughout the growing season."
For a long time, natives suffered a reputation for being weedy; for some species, that can be true if they’re planted in the wrong spot. Before adding any plant, be sure to really understand your site and goals and gauge how that plant may respond.
For instance, if you're planting a large, fairly open area, consider adding some aggressive species. But if you're incorporating natives into a more formal, established bed, choose species that will complement the existing plants.
While certain species are more vigorous than others, other factors can influence if or how much they will spread. One example is soil. Drier soils can limit the spread of certain plants, while moist soil gives them more vigor.
Don't be afraid to add a few shrubs and perennials that add year-round structure, too. For Mark, one group of plants that stands out is grasses.
"There are so many native grasses, and they come in a wide range of sizes and texture, making them easy to fit in most gardens. Some will thrive in dry soils, while others can handle more moisture,” he points out. “You can also enjoy their structure and flowerheads when the garden is dormant. For birds and wildlife, they're a great source of food and shelter, especially in winter.”
Getting started with holistic gardening
If you're adding new garden beds, consider the amount of natives versus non-natives in the garden.
“Some of the research I’ve read shows you need up to 70 percent of native biomass in a space to support certain birds and insects,” Mark shares. Those numbers vary based on location and the type of species involved, but there is a clear need for natives. Whether you're looking to dig a small bed or create a large prairie, your local botanic garden is an excellent place for inspiration.
“At the Green Bay gardens, we’ve added interpretive signs about why natives are important and how gardeners use them in their landscapes," says Mark. You can also talk to your local extension office or garden center for ideas on using native plants in your area, plus specific recommendations. The right plants for your native garden will be endemic to your ecoregion and to a habitat that matches your site conditions.
Your local resources can also help you understand how to care for the plants so they’re most beneficial to insects. As mentioned earlier, well-chosen natives require less maintenance during the growing season, including fall, and they may continue to contribute to the ecosystem even when dormant.
“We’re seeing research that shows 90 percent of caterpillars, moths and butterflies overwinter in fallen leaves and the bottom 12 inches of perennial stems," Mark notes. “In our gardens, we’re leaving up the perennials in fall, then cutting the stems into pieces during the spring and leaving over a foot of stem at the base for those insects.”
As you prepare for winter, consider leaving some of those leaves in place for pollinators, even if it’s just certain areas. While plants play a crucial role, you can add other elements, like bee houses or hummingbird feeders, to keep adding life to the garden. In summer, a source of water such as a bird bath or small pond is always a welcome sight to wildlife.
When you plant natives, you're helping insects and the whole food chain that depends on each other to sustain the natural world.
