soft landings and the understory

In the realm of ecological landscaping, the concept of "soft landings" is yet another design principle that highlights transcendence from the traditional focus on visual appeal alone. Consideration of this ecological design principle carries us deep into the intricate layers of a landscape, emphasizing the significance of each contribution that each part makes to the whole. The understory is an often-overlooked layer of a garden or woodland biome, quietly playing a crucial role in fostering biodiversity and maintaining equilibrium.

By definition, any complex native plant arrangement that underpins our statement trees and keystone species, can be thought of as “soft landings”. It’s an endearing term for the buffer of plant material between this canopy species and the good brown earth below. Think of it this way, if you were a caterpillar falling (devastating, I know) from the branch of a tree, would you rather land in a tuft of Carex pennsylvanica, for instance, or directly onto firmly packed earth? I know what I would choose.

Curating these features involves the thoughtful integration of various elements, including selection of canopy level species, understory species, ground cover species, and consideration for seasonal variation. The aim is to create a space that is a sanctuary for wildlife, while creating layers of beauty and interest for observers.

Goat's Beard, or Aruncus dioicus, creates an eye catching display in an understory planting with its soft heads of white flowers.

A soft landing should be as cozy as it sounds. Here, insects can carry out their lifecycle. Birds can forage and find cover. These spaces are the life blood for our larger keystone species such as Oak, Willow, Pine, Poplar and Birch. Curating these plant communities provides necessary infrastructure and healthy co-dependence, or symbiosis.

The Importance of the Understory:

While the canopy of towering trees often takes center stage, the understory plays a pivotal role in the overall health and resilience of a landscape. Recognizing the importance of the understory involves acknowledging the following key aspects:

1. Biodiversity Hub: The understory acts as a haven for diverse plant species, insects, and small animals. It contributes significantly to the overall biodiversity of a landscape, creating a rich tapestry of life that extends from the ground up.

2. Soil Health and Stability: The roots of understory plants play a crucial role in stabilizing soil, preventing erosion, and promoting soil health. This layer acts as a natural mulch, retaining moisture and enriching the soil with organic matter.

3. Wildlife Habitat: Many bird species, insects, and mammals find shelter and food in the understory. Its dense vegetation offers nesting sites, protection from predators, and a source of nourishment, supporting a thriving ecosystem.

4. Microclimate Regulation: The understory helps regulate the microclimate within a landscape. It provides shade, reducing temperature extremes, and creates a more hospitable environment for a variety of plant and animal species.

5. Aesthetic Appeal: Beyond its ecological contributions, the understory adds layers of texture, color, and seasonal interest to the landscape. Thoughtful selection of understory plants enhances the visual appeal of the entire ecosystem.

Soft Landings in Action:

Implementing the concept of soft landings involves intentional design choices and sustainable practices that consider the entire ecosystem. Here are some strategies to achieve soft landings with a focus on the importance of the understory:

1. Native Plant Selection: Choose native understory plants that are well-adapted to the local climate and soil conditions. Native species support local biodiversity and require fewer resources for maintenance.

2. Layered Planting Design: Create a layered planting design that mimics natural ecosystems. Place taller canopy trees, understory shrubs, and ground covers strategically to maximize visual interest and ecological functionality.

3. Sustainable Mulching: Utilize organic mulches in the understory to retain soil moisture, suppress weeds, and enhance soil fertility. Mulching also mimics the natural leaf litter found in forest ecosystems. Even better than mulching, leave no soil exposed by planting a dense arrangement of understory species.

4. Wildlife-Friendly Features: Incorporate elements such as bird baths, nesting boxes, and insect-friendly plants to encourage wildlife activity in the understory. These features contribute to the overall ecological balance of the landscape.

Soft landings, place a keen focus on the importance of the understory, and represent a holistic approach to landscaping. By recognizing the ecological value of every layer, from the ground to the canopy, we can create landscapes that not only please the eye but also contribute to the well-being of the planet. Soft landings invite us to appreciate the interconnectedness of nature, inspiring us to design and maintain landscapes that are gentle and vibrant.

leaf litter in nyc

As of late, Autumn comes not just with pumpkin spice and cinnamon scented paraphernalia but with many reminders to leave your leaves for the health of the ecosystem. But how can that apply to lawn-less New Yorkers?

Leaving the leaves can seem the obvious and even righteous action to take for a homeowner hoping to support the environment and cut down on futile tasks.

The logic of incorporating fallen leaves into the suburban or rural landscape is intuitive and hard to disagree with. A simple peek into a layer of leaf detritus will illustrate the significant contribution to biodiversity that leaves provide. In the insulated space, between the moist soil and a blanket of ochre and yellow leaves, you’ll find habitat for disappearing fireflies and amphibians, nesting areas for our native bees, a safe space for butterfly and moth cocoons, and more.

Furthermore, though raking leaves historically provided a wonderful opportunity for fall aerobics, the modern leafblower is the fossil fuel consuming update to this ancient ritual. Don’t get me started on the black plastic bags that this organic matter is usually shuffled into before making its forever home in an anaerobic landfill where it will finish its life generating methane (this is why we’ve always composted plant material from your gardens)!

To cut down on your unnecessary consumption of fossil fuels swap any of the following actions for leaf blowing and throwing away nutrients.

Don’t let leaves go to waste!

Responsible handling of fall leaves:

1. Rake leaves directly into your garden beds. Don’t be shy about piling them high for winter insulation. You can top planters and raised beds as well.

2. Pile in street tree beds and around trees in the yard. Use chicken wire to enclose the street tree bed if you don’t have a standard tree guard. These leaves will decompose by spring and offer nutrients to our unsung heroes. Improving the soil quality in our street trees helps them to absorb rainwater and elevate the efficacy of this critical green infrastructure. Leaving the leaves at the base of the trees that they fall from is a common sense way to keep the nutrient cycle in motion and reduce needs for fertilization the following year.

3. Make your own mulch. If you have a 2’ x 2’ space to spare you can also use chicken wire to create a leaf mulch pile in any corner of your yard. Once the leaf litter has decomposed to look like mulch, you can apply it to pots, planters and garden beds. This decomposition process delivers a formal looking result.

4. Deliver them to a local community garden. Leaves are an important part of the process of composting food scraps. Many gardens don’t often have enough browns (rich in carbon or carbohydrates) to mix with their greens (rich in nitrogen or protein) and greatly appreciate donated bags of leaves.

5. Use the city compost bins! You can sign up here for Curbside Collection with your very own brown bin and weekly compost pickup. Alternatively, the orange Smart bins installed on street corners throughout Brooklyn collect organics for incineration to power Department of Sanitation Facilities. You can learn more about that compost collection here.