Climate Smart Landscape Designs

If you are adding a new island bed or border or rehabbing an existing planting, try to add vertical layers to your design. A layered landscape is more:

aesthetically pleasing
and it creates more privacy

But there are two much more important benefits to a layered design:

the more plants you can add to a design the more carbon these plants can sequester from the atmosphere
layered landscapes mimic natural ecosystems and provide diverse habitats

We worked with a local artist to create three simple designs utilizing native plants. Each design below lists several trees and shrubs that can be interchanged to favor your personal preferences. This flexibility also provides multiple options when sourcing plants from local garden centers.

Small Tree island or border Design

medium tree island or border design

layered design around existing trees

Understanding the Layers

Soil Layer- the soil supports all the other layers of the forest or your landscape. The soil layer is responsible for ‘recycling’ the nutrients from decomposing leaves, twigs and other organic matter.

Groundcover & Herbaceous Layer - in early spring the forest floor comes to life with spring flowers, ferns, grasses, vines & groundcovers that take advantage of the sunlight that is available before the canopy leaves develop. The herbaceous layer helps hold soil in place and provides food for earthbound wildlife. Plants can be added under trees in your landscape to support this layer. Click Soft Landings to learn more about this essential wildlife layer.

Shrub Layer - the shrub layer consists of woody plants that are less than 20 feet in height at maturity. Shrubs are often multi-stemmed and provide dense cover and nesting sites for birds and other wildlife. There are many wonderful native Ohio shrubs that can be added to your beds and borders that will bring beauty to your landscape while also providing essential habitat for Ohio’s wildlife.

Understory Layer - even though anything growing under the canopy could be considered an understory plant, more typically the term refers to trees that have a mature height of 25 to 35 feet. Some understory trees such as Eastern Redbud, White Flowering Dogwood, Serviceberry, Pawpaw, etc. will never reach heights over 40 ft. However, many oaks, maples, beech and hickory can live in the understory - perhaps for decades waiting for an opening in the canopy to provide them the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Canopy Layer - this layer is comprised of large, mature trees. The canopy performs much of the hard work of cooling our planet through shading and transpiration. Through photosynthesis the canopy absorbs and sequesters carbon dioxide from our atmosphere. The canopy also intercepts rain water and reduces storm water runoff and erosion. Trees planted around your home can reduce energy use, adding additional climate benefits while also stretching your budget.