May 6, 2025
What Is Naturalistic Gardening and Why It Might Change How You Garden Forever
Growing Joy with Plants - Wellness Rooted in Nature, Houseplants, Gardening and Plant CareAbout this episode
How do you create a natural garden? Is that even possible? I want to bring you to the style of garden that’s not only sustainable but also more resilient, and honestly, more fun. In fact, it might even be the future of gardening. Natural or naturalistic garden is an approach that’s all about working with nature instead of trying to control it. To help explain this topic, I brought on my dear friend, Kelly D Norris, a renowned horticulturalist, award-winning plantsman, and the author of Your Natural Garden . In this episode, we learn: [02:40] How did Kelly get started with gardening? [07:46] What is a natural garden? [09:06] What are "native plants" in natural gardening? [13:42] How does ecological landscape design look in different settings? [15:43] Coolibar [17:42] Wind River Chimes [19:30] Ecological landscape designs [22:41] How to measure direct sunlight [29:04] Rewilding and selecting plants [31:18] Dovetail Workwear [33:08] Espoma Organic [34:27] Regional plant palettes and resources [39:12] How does ecological gardening vary across US regions? [40:23] How to create ecosystems for wildlife [44:20] Tips for achieving a natural garden [47:37] "Aesthetics of ecology" and "ecology of aesthetics" [52:01] Where can you find Kelly and his book online? Mentioned in our conversation: " Your Natural Garden ", book by Kelly D Norris " New Naturalism" , book by Kelly D Norris Growing Joy Ep 274: Plant Inspired Vacations with Leslie Halleck and Marcia Castro-Rosenberg Sun Seeker for IOS and Android SunCalc iNaturalist app National Wildlife Federation AHS Garden Network - American Horticultural Society Membership - American Horticultural Society American Public Gardens Association The Bane of Beauty Interested in taking the first steps in creating a natural garden? Check out the full show notes and blog here! Follow Kelly: Website Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Thank you to our episode sponsors: Coolibar Protect your skin with Coolibar and save 25% off your order at coolibar.com with code GROWINGJOY25. Wind River Chimes Visit windriverchimes.com and use code GROWINGJOY to receive free engraving on your chosen wind chimes. Dovetail Workwear Grab a pair today and get 10% off at dovetailworkwear.com/growingjoy . The discount is applied at checkout and promo is limited to one per person. Espoma Organic Visit espoma.com to find your local Espoma dealer or check my Amazon storefront . Follow Maria and Growing Joy: Order my book: Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants) by Maria Failla, Illustrated by Samantha Leung Join the Bloom and Grow Garden Party Community Platform & App AKA the plantiest and kindest corner of the internet! Get your FREE 2-week trial here ! Take the Plant Parent Personality Quiz (Get the perfect plants, projects and educational resources for YOUR Lifestyle) Support Bloom and Grow Radio by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon ! Instagram: @growingjoywithmaria Tiktok: @growingjoywithmaria Subscribe to the Growing Joy Youtube channel! /growingjoywithmaria Website: www.growingjoywithmaria.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.