Planning a Woodland Garden
Emily Ellis
Do you have a grove of trees, or even acres of forest, on your property? Chances are, they are crowded with invasive species. Pesky plants such as garlic mustard, multiflora rose, and stilt grass run rampant in many forested areas of Virginia, and even for organizations with teams of conservationists and volunteers at hand, managing these species can feel akin to pushing a boulder uphill.
One method of invasive control for homeowners to consider is planting a woodland garden: a community of native plants that can compete with the unwanted weeds for space and nutrients. While getting a woodland garden established requires quite a bit of work and patience, you’ll be rewarded with a low-maintenance, peaceful oasis that supports local wildlife and showcases some of your region’s most stunning native plants.
We recently planted our first woodland garden and Oak Spring, and are excited to share what we learned about the process. Visit Facebook to see a video about how we created our new woodland garden, and scroll down to read several tips for starting one of your own.
Choosing a site.
OSGF’s new woodland garden highlights a stream and several old growth trees - one of the special places on our property.
The simplest way to choose a site for your woodland garden is to work around the native plants that are already in place. A woodland plant community comes in layers, with trees providing the backbone, so you’ll want to take a “top down” approach to planning your garden, starting with whatever the tree situation is on your property.
Older, larger trees in particular not only provide the shade and protection necessary for many woodland plants, but create habitat for many of the beneficial insects and native wildlife you’ll want around to keep your ecosystem in balance – oak trees, for example, can support nearly 300 insect species. Much of Oak Spring’s woodland garden is planned near the bases of several old white oaks and other trees that line one of our walking trails.
Don’t have trees on your property? No problem. You can still grow many beautiful understory plants in the light shade of an east or north-facing side of a building.
Preparing your site.
Mulch covering part of OSGF’s new woodland garden.
If the site you’ve chosen for your woodland garden is relatively clear of invasive species, you’re in luck: since the aim of a woodland garden is to create an environment that is relatively undisturbed, you shouldn’t have to do anything to your soil. Clear away heavy debris, such as fallen branches and built-up leaf litter, so that you have space to plant. Mulching can also be a helpful way to maximize moisture retention and discourage the growth of weeds until a natural leaf-litter can build up.
The pile of debris and invasive species cleared from OSGF’s woodland garden site.
If you’re using your woodland garden as a means of invasive species control, you first have to clear out those species in order to give your native plants a fighting chance. For most invasive species, pulling or digging them up by the roots is the best way to prevent a reappearance – just keep in mind that you may have to repeat the process several times before they are truly out of your hair, and your new woodland plants have a chance to establish themselves. The Virginia Department of Recreation has several handy factsheets that can help you identify the invasive species on your property and help you figure out the best way to tackle them.
Choosing your plants.
Now comes the fun part. Planting a diverse array of plants will not only strengthen your plant community against invasive species, pests, and disease, but will help support a variety of local pollinators and wildlife.
There are woodland species of plants that do well in multiple different types of soil and moisture conditions, so taking a stroll around a nearby park or nature reserve is a good way to get an idea of what kind of species would do well in your own woodland garden. Plant NoVA Natives has a free, detailed guide on the native plant communities found in Northern Virginia, along with their shade, moisture, and soil requirements, as well as the native wildlife they support. Woodland gardens come in levels, with trees at the top, followed by shrubs (such as spice bush and mountain laurel) and a ground layer (ferns, perennials, and wild grasses,) so you’ll want to keep that structure in mind when you place an order at your local nursery.
An important thing to remember when planning your garden is that not all woodland plants do well in every area, which is why the best approach is to mimic nature. For instance, while you may be tempted to put in a carpet of velvety green moss in your woodland garden, moss is particularly finicky about where it likes to grow: if you don’t already have some growing naturally on your property, chances are that attempting to plant some will result in disappointment.
Supporting native wildlife.
Native wildlife like this box turtle will thank you for your support (photo by Sarah Causey)
One of the best things about a woodland garden is wildlife it will bring to your property: even if you live in a suburban area, you’ll be able to create a little corner of wilderness in your backyard. Aside from selecting plants that are favorites of your local native species – such as scarlet bee balm, which attracts native bees and hummingbirds, and spice bush, which is a larval host for both the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail and the Spicebush Swallowtail – installing shelter and water sources can help attract even more beneficial critters to your garden. Nestwatch.org can help you choose which bird species to cater to, and what sort of nesting boxes they prefer. Making a bee hotel can also help bring in solitary bees (just make sure to hang it in a sunny spot,) and building a log shelter can bring pest-eating critters, such as toads and frogs, to your garden.
Want to learn more about using native plants in your landscape? Check out our blogpost from 2019 on a lecture from landscape designer Larry Weaner. And if you’re interesting in learning more about Oak Spring’s landscape, we’re still accepting applications for our fall 2020 Reading the Landscape course with ecologist Michael Gaige.
Special thanks to Head of Project Management and Planning TJ Sherman for his help with this blogpost!