right plants, right place approach – Beth Chatto garden design
In the 60s Beth Chatto, a British plants woman, started creating a garden on a vast area of a wasteland in Essex, that she transformed into a world-famous garden and a nursery.
Her success in the creation of this garden is due to a very important principle that she followed when designing the garden: she simply planted plants in the conditions that matched their natural habitats.
At that time, it was an innovative idea, as plants requiring different conditions were often planted together, without any consideration of where they came from and what their natural growing environments are.
Beth Chatto’s Dry garden visited in September 2022
Beth Chatto garden design principle
Beth Chatto introduced the idea “Right plants, right place” into garden design and gardening in general.
This approach has been explained in the many books that she has written, beginning with “ The Dry Garden” book in 1978. Her writing laid important foundation for new, contemporary way of designing gardens and plantings.
Beth Chatto garden design and her right plants, right place principle encourages garden designers and gardeners to look at the conditions of the garden and the site first, and based on that knowledge to select plants in accordance with the characteristics of the place.
This means considering soil type, drainage, sun and shade, wind exposition etc. All of this information will then act as the canvas on which the plants’ considerations should be made.
I am a great believer in this approach as it is a perfect example of an environmentally sustainable garden design.
Right plants, right place in practice
Adopting Beth Chatto’s garden design principle is not that difficult.
First of all, you need to look at your garden and collect the information about the soil, sun, shade, wind.
“We lost too many plants in our impatience to possess them, because we had not achieved the proper growing conditions.”
When selecting the plants you would like to plant in your garden, you need to do a bit of research, specifically looking into where these plants are growing naturally, where they come from (their natural habitats). Is it a sun or shade liking plant? Does it like damp, wet conditions, or does it prefer a sunny and dry situation?
Match the conditions of your garden to the plant selection. When you select a plant in harmony with the conditions it will reward you with healthy and happy growth. It will be a joy to watch and learn from. Moreover, you will create an overall planting that is sustainable, lasting and in tune with its environment.
When designing gardens and plantings for our clients Hastate Design actively promotes the right plants, right place principle.
Get in touch if you would like to create a sustainable garden by having an onsite planting consultation.