Georgetown Peabody Library

Planting in a post-wild world, designing plant communities for resilient landscapes, Thomas Rainer and Claudia West

eng

Includes bibliographical references (page 258) and index

illustrations

index present

non fiction

Planting in a post-wild world

bibliography

910073224

Thomas Rainer and Claudia West

designing plant communities for resilient landscapes

An "alternative to traditional horticulture: designed plantings that function like naturally occurring plant communities. Thomas Rainer and Claudia West, two leading voices in ecological landscape design, reveal how plants fit together in nature and how to use this knowledge to create landscapes that are resilient, beautiful, and diverse."--Page 4 of cover

Principles of designed plant communities -- The inspiration of the wild -- The design process -- Creating and managing a plant communityIntroduction: Nature as it was, nature as it could be. A new optimism : the future of planting design ; Bridging the gap between nature and our gardens ; The inspiration of naturally occurring plant communities ; Connecting with our memory of nature -- Principles of designed plant communities. Developing an understanding ; What makes a designed plant community different? ; The role of native species ; Essential principles -- The inspiration of the wild. Our wild hearts ; Landscape archetypes ; Grasslands ; Woodlands and shrublands ; Forests ; Edges -- The design process. Honoring the three essential relationships ; Relating plants to place ; Relating plants to people ; Relating plants to other plants -- Creating and managing a plant community. Site preparation : the design process continues ; Installation : using a plant's natural growth cycle to your advantage ; Efficient and successful planting ; Creative management : keeping designs legible and functional -- Conclusion. A meditation on three gardens ; Why designed plant communities? Why now?