Go Wildscaping

On our quest, we need a destination. Where are we going, and how will we get there? Let’s begin by defining the term wildscaping.

I didn’t invent the term, but at its simplest, it means to landscape in a way that benefits wildlife.

To break that down further, landscaping is the process of enhancing the appearance and function of land by adding, removing, or changing living elements (like trees, shrubs, or flowers) and/or non-living elements (like a stone walkway or a water feature). But it’s certainly possible to landscape in ways that seriously harm wildlife. Endless turfgrass is just one example.

Wildscaping means making the land more beautiful and functional to us while also supporting the natural world around us. You could also use the term naturescaping or ecoscaping. Nothing wrong with those terms. Personally, wildscaping just sound more exciting and awesome, so I’m going with it.

But here’s an interesting part about our adventure. A good team of heroes has members with different abilities and personalities. The key is that they’re stronger together (not unlike a mini ecosystem). Your wildscape might look different from mine, even if we’re in the same region, or even in the same neighborhood.

Some prefer a formal and manicured landscape; some prefer a more natural look. Wildscaping can accommodate different tastes, as we’ll explore. Some prefer nature for the plants; some prefer nature for the animals. Some are incredibly knowledgeable and skilled gardeners (and we hope to learn from you!); some are… learning! Some have huge tracts of land; some have room only for a shrubbery^*. And lots of us are somewhere in the middle, but we’re all on the same team. I’m looking forward to exploring, experimenting, and documenting what I learn in the weeks ahead, and having a lot of fun in the process.

^*Just wanted to see if you were still paying attention. 😉