The demand for natural landscaping is growing, and that’s great news! We’re thrilled that more and more people are interested in ecologically sound landscaping practices. But the term “natural landscaping” isn’t strictly defined, and there can be some confusion about what it means in practice.

So, we wanted to take a moment to define what natural landscaping means at Our Land Organics.

Our approach to landscape design and land care could be called natural landscaping, ecological landscaping, organic landscaping, or native landscaping. No matter the term, what this means in practice is that we work with natural systems to support environmental and human health. We blend horticultural, ecological, and permaculture principles in every design and installation.

This allows us to accomplish several aims at once, from solving landscaping challenges to building healthy soil life, installing native plants that are well-adapted to local microclimates, creating habitat for beneficial pollinators and wildlife, and establishing connections between different landscape elements to maximize human enjoyment and ecological wellbeing.

Here’s what our concept of natural landscaping looks like in even more detail.

All our landscape designs center native plants.
It’s no secret that at Our Land Organics, we’re passionate about native plants. That’s because native plants are the best tool we have for restoring ecological balance.

Native plants are adapted to the varied growing conditions present in the Cincinnati region. They have co-evolved with pollinators, wildlife, and other plants to sustain biodiversity, minimize erosion, help manage stormwater, and otherwise contribute to the optimal functioning and resilience of the ecosystems on which we all rely.

Whenever we design a landscape or put plants in the ground, we use a native-centric plant palette that’s composed primarily of native plants. We’ll occasionally include non-native (and non-invasive) plants that provide other benefits—for instance, edible plants that support human health.

We apply permaculture principles to every landscape.
Permaculture is based in science and guided by ethics that use nature as a model for decision-making. Permaculture landscaping allows us to meet our human needs—for functional yards, aesthetically pleasing landscapes, drainage solutions, enhanced privacy, relaxing outdoor living spaces, and more—while preserving and enhancing our ecosystems.

We help remove invasive species from our ecosystem.
Before installing native plants, it’s often necessary to remove invasive plants that have taken over native plants’ habitat. For that reason, we offer invasive plant removal services. Because invasives like bush honeysuckle degrade water quality and cause other ecological problems, removing them improves ecosystem health. We use a primarily mechanical removal method so we don’t cause ecological harm during the removal process.

Our Land Care services are 100% organic and aim to boost plant health.
All of our landscape maintenance services uphold the Northeast Organic Farming Association’s Standards for Organic Land Care. These practices prioritize plant health, soil health, pollinator habitat, and water quality. Organic approaches also are safer for the people, pets, and wildlife who spend time in our yards.  

Our land care practices also align with seasonal needs to improve plant health. We deadhead, prune, and complete other tasks at appropriate times to sustain a thriving landscape.

The plants in our Nursery are grown using organic practices.
The Nursery at Our Land Organics offers nearly two dozen species of pollinator-friendly plants native to Ohio and Kentucky. Our goal with the Nursery is to increase the number of high-quality native plants growing throughout our region. All our plants are grown organically and without the use of neonicotinoids, which are harmful to pollinators. We grow a mixture of straight species and native cultivars.

We are always learning.
Just as nature is always evolving, so is the natural landscaping space. The Our Land Organics team sustains ongoing commitments to education and professional development so we remain up to date with ecological best practices. We have multiple decades of combined experience in sustainable landscape design, organic land care, environmental restoration, permaculture, and more.

No matter how the natural landscaping industry grows, Our Land Organics is committed to each of these principles for the long haul. This is how we honor our mission to bring people closer to nature through innovative landscape designs that enhance outdoor relaxation and support native plants, pollinators, and wildlife. Our team envisions a future for the Ohio River Valley where humans and ecological systems flourish together. Thank you for supporting us in this work!