Suburban Formal Wilderness Garden

About

Started in 2020, this suburban garden is a mix of wild and maintained meadows, leaning into the feeling of magic that the gardener felt exploring wild places in her childhood.

Each of the garden sections aims to capture a feeling of nature’s magic in a range of formal spaces—from structured meadows, to young, flower-drenched woodlands, to hushed, enclosed woodland glades. All of this is contrasted with a surprisingly formal layout for a garden that embraces the prairie-inspired matrix plantings championed by Piet Oudolf.

The gardener uses a blend of native and non-native plants in restrained mixes, embracing the rule of >70% native planting.

While the garden takes up just over a half-acre, it fits in a truly wild meadow, a formally laid out garden with 5 different planting schemes, container gardens, three patios, two water features, and a gravel garden.

The gardener worked in horticulture when she was younger, and now that she is bound to a desk, she ploughs all her passion into her no-till garden.

This garden's estimated size is 3/4 acre.

This Garden Host reports the following Terrain Notes about the garden: Most of the garden paths are grass, with a couple of stepping stones and some loose gravel. 1/3 of a mile walk from parking to garden, ~4 handicapped spaces available

2026 Open Day Date: Sunday, July 19

Open Day Hours: 10am–4pm