LEFT: This Japanese black pine—over 100 years old—has
been skillfully pruned to maintain its relatively small size and
the powerful living architecture of its branching. Over time,
it remains a focal point in balance with other plants and
garden elements. (Photo by Seattle Parks and Recreation)
THIS PAGE TOP: Willows are short-lived trees, and this is
the last one remaining of five or six originally planted in the
Seattle Japanese Garden. Pruned annually and supported
by a wooden post, it will live for a few more years, provid-
ing distinctive structure over the seasons and contrasting
with the rounded forms of evergreen shrubs. (Photo by
Aurora Santiago)
BOTTOM: Creating structure and interest throughout
the seasons in the Japanese Garden, this weeping Japanese
maple has been pruned to emphasize its brilliantly colored
spring and autumn foliage and its elegant branching struc-
ture, prominently displayed in winter. (Photo by Aurora
Santiago)
environment, adapt to changing conditions,
and—if possible—have a long season of interest.
Be observant and prepared to respond effectively
if your garden is evolving in unanticipated ways.
To create a sustainable planting plan, it’s
important to consider the types of plants you’ll
be using—trees, shrubs, perennials and ground-
covers—and how they develop and interact over
time. (Even if you don’t intend to plant any trees,
there may be neighboring ones that will eventu-
ally affect your space!) The trick is to shape the
various layers of your garden to create a plant
community that will be long-lived. A good place to
look for ideas is in a forest setting, where natural
plant dynamics play out over long time spans.
Learning from Natural Succession
Patience and Preparedness
In the U.S., we tend to be impatient about our
gardens, expecting them to look attractive as
soon as they’re installed. Is it any wonder that we
overplant them, and they look overgrown in just
a few years? Despite our wishes, plants continue
to grow, and gardens are processes rather than
results. We begin to lose control as soon as we
finish planting. Plants grow taller and wider than
expected, all too quickly crowding other plants,
paths and patios. The sunny garden becomes
shady. Some plants are too vigorous and take
over, while others die or fail to thrive. Views,
open space and plant diversity are lost.
As you begin the design process for your
garden, consider the longevity and competi-
tiveness of the plants you’re selecting and the
maintenance and interventions they’ll require.
Choose plants that will grow well in your
In nature, plants relate to one another in a given
space over time through the ecological process
of succession. Different waves of colonization,
establishment and extinction lead to successive
changes in the complexity of the plant commu-
nity. Initially, short-lived “pioneer” plants begin
growing on bare ground. Often annuals and
biennials that germinate from seed and thrive in
sunny conditions, these plants grow quickly but
are not persistent. Gradually, they are outcom-
peted by more slow-growing but longer-lived
plants such as herbaceous perennials and
grasses. Eventually, many of the perennials are
replaced by a more stable “climax” community
dominated by woody plants. Each stage facili-
tates the next, and a disturbance (such as a tree
falling down) can restart the process over again.
Though a certain amount of natural succes-
sion takes place in most gardens—as the plants
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