apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I answered wild and natural (in a good way) but then realized it depends on what I'm planting. We just landscaped and kept the trees and bushes very orderly and symetrical, but the flowers, grasses and ground cover are planted randomly in large drifts inbetween and around the bushes.

I like that the trees and bushes tie in to the orderly structure of the building with craftsman details, but the smaller plants soften the whole design. We have very detailed patterned brickwork, but opted for a drystacked red flagstone retaining wall and steps to break up and soften the more symetrical details of the architecture.

This has to be a "would I be" since I am currently an apartment dweller (but with lovely landscaping thankfully).
My main goals are to have space for edibles and an area devoted to nature for wildlife--native plants, a little wildness, etc., but I'd have a hard time controlling my urge to plant.
I was just thinking about this recently while walking through my neighborhood admiring the gardens. I think the main challenge in creating a garden is learning how to group plants so that a natural look organically happens--I saw one yard where plants were clumped together but the melding you'd desire was not happening.
Since I am yard-less, I am working on a mental garden. The back is shady and for entertaining and the native plants. The sunny front is a kitchen garden, but screened with ornamentals. Fun!

A formal garden would probably make me relatively happy, because I'm not really all that much of a nature boy. I kind of believe that in MY garden, the plants have to be pretty. If they wilt, they're out. I do not consider them to be fauna; they are flora, and must needs be pretty.

I want a very premeditated-looking version of vaguely natural. I want it to look pretty.

By the way, I think that the picture that's shown with the blue-painted coffee cans IS very pretty, since it is (in its way) formal AND whimsical and semi-natural.

I've recently scattered wildflower seeds haphazardly across my yard. Any spot where the grass wasn't growing, we put some seeds. If I wasn't renting a house, I would convert most of my front lawn into a natural lawn full of indigenous grasses, lichen, moss and flowers.
Low maintenance AND pretty! Plus, they withstand the natural drought of the prairies, so it's win win. Very sustainable.

BUT on the other hand, I've tried to keep my vegetable garden as neat and tidy as possible. I have read about 'postage stamp' gardening where you break your garden into 3' or 4' squares and just scatter the seeds for 1 type of plant in each square... but this year we are trying individual rows in a raised bed. A lot more organized than my front yard landscaping!

Bachelor Garden. Perennial based in large terracotta pots that I can cut down in about 10 minutes in the fall. Lots of daylilies.

A medieval garden, like the one at the Cloisters: brick paths separating the garden neatly into rectangles. But inside the rectangles, anything goes: herbs, flowers, whatever.

I recently moved into my first yarded house and planted my very first seedlings! It has only been a week but I go out to the back yard daily to check if they have popped their little heads out of the soil yet. I planted a mix of Zinnias, pretty haphazardly. It will be interesting to see what comes up as I just dumped all the different seeds in a bowl then planted them...we will see what happens!

I rent part of a house and the landlord lets us garden - wee! I am into the wild look. I like things to look natural and it's much easier to take care of.

I've always liked the look of a rock garden. I realize some plants are involved and that's ok. I was given an orchid over a year ago which is doing amazing considering I've mostly forgotten I still had it. I'm really lazy about taking care of plants, you see, and that's the only one I have so far. I have no run of the yard, so may consider making an indoor rock thing. I was given a bonsai kit about 10 years ago which I was enthusiastic about until the trees failed to grow, and always intended to pick that up again someday with maybe an acorn or a peach (who the hell remembers?). Again, not having a place outdoors to give them whatever seasonal exposure they need, I'm not sure what to do about it.