Landscapes can and must be functional and sustainable, as well as beautiful, because development and agriculture have eliminated vast tracts of habitat. Built landscapes can foster nature and serenity by supporting birds, pollinators, butterflies, and other wildlife by using plants native to our region.
Native plants can tolerate sub-zero temperatures, summer heat, drought, and insect predation, all without ever needing to be watered, fertilized, and sprayed and thus are a more sustainable solution for present day landscaping.Creating Sustainable Landscapes uses native plants in our perennial beds that will attract and support butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and other wildlife.
In today's world, with 95% of our land having been plowed, paved, or cut down, the frontlines of nature are now our front and backyards, school gardens, commercial properties, utility easements, parking lots, and road right-of-ways. Our plantings must now not just look good, but also do double duty to provide for pollinators, serve as a genetic reservoir for diversity, and clean our stormwater.
Native plants can tolerate sub-zero temperatures, summer heat, drought, and insect predation, all without ever needing to be watered, fertilized, and sprayed and thus are a more sustainable solution for present day landscaping.Creating Sustainable Landscapes uses native plants in our perennial beds that will attract and support butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and other wildlife.
In today's world, with 95% of our land having been plowed, paved, or cut down, the frontlines of nature are now our front and backyards, school gardens, commercial properties, utility easements, parking lots, and road right-of-ways. Our plantings must now not just look good, but also do double duty to provide for pollinators, serve as a genetic reservoir for diversity, and clean our stormwater.
Services
Established in 2012, Creating Sustainable Landscapes is a design and build firm that works in residential, commercial, and public spaces to design and install sustainable landscaping solutions, the foundation of which features native plants.
Owner Drew Lathin has been playing around with native plants in built landscapes for nearly 20 years.
He is a fierce advocate for the need to re-wild our urban and suburban landscapes using native plants in thoughtful and legible designs to bring biological diversity and beauty to our everyday lives.
Owner Drew Lathin has been playing around with native plants in built landscapes for nearly 20 years.
He is a fierce advocate for the need to re-wild our urban and suburban landscapes using native plants in thoughtful and legible designs to bring biological diversity and beauty to our everyday lives.
We can help with your new or existing garden landscaping project to incorporate native plants.
We have completed projects ranging from a small rain garden or perennial bed to large, whole landscape design and installation around a new construction.
In addition to the numerous residential projects we have completed, we have completed projects for several condominium associations and commercial or public entities.
We serve your sustainable landscaping needs across all of Southeast Michigan, including Oakland, Washtenaw, Wayne, Livingston, Macomb, and Monroe Counties.
We have completed projects ranging from a small rain garden or perennial bed to large, whole landscape design and installation around a new construction.
In addition to the numerous residential projects we have completed, we have completed projects for several condominium associations and commercial or public entities.
We serve your sustainable landscaping needs across all of Southeast Michigan, including Oakland, Washtenaw, Wayne, Livingston, Macomb, and Monroe Counties.
Many projects can be designed on site using rope, spray paint, and flags without the use of drawings.
Larger, more complicated projects, however, often require drawings.
Either way, a good installation requires a good design and we follow the same principles.
Dense plantings with plants generally on 12-18 inch centers to reduce weeding, eliminate mulch, and promote self healing.
A perennial layer of blocks of perennials that flower across the growing season to support pollinators and as eye candy.
Larger, more complicated projects, however, often require drawings.
Either way, a good installation requires a good design and we follow the same principles.
Dense plantings with plants generally on 12-18 inch centers to reduce weeding, eliminate mulch, and promote self healing.
A perennial layer of blocks of perennials that flower across the growing season to support pollinators and as eye candy.
Perennial beds are tried and true and have been a staple of landscapes for 200 years.
Our native perennial beds will attract and support butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and other species of birds.
Our style is different than traditional horticultural plantings in which plants are separated by seas of mulch.
In fact, many traditional plantings have more area covered in mulch than plants, making you wonder if they hate plants for some reason.
Our plantings are dense with plants, generally spaced 12 inches apart, 18 if the budget doesn't allow for so many plants.
Our native perennial beds will attract and support butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and other species of birds.
Our style is different than traditional horticultural plantings in which plants are separated by seas of mulch.
In fact, many traditional plantings have more area covered in mulch than plants, making you wonder if they hate plants for some reason.
Our plantings are dense with plants, generally spaced 12 inches apart, 18 if the budget doesn't allow for so many plants.
Some of our clients are more inclined to adopt less formal designs for parts of or all of their property, particularly in the back where, while beautiful, these designs may not be suited for front yards where neighbors might not understand the benefits of native plants.
These informal plantings can be installed in one of two ways.
Most common, these are installed using seeds after the ground has been prepared to be bare with a minimum of weeds and weed seeds.
Typically, preparation occurs during the growing season and is seeded in fall or winter, allowing the seeds to receive the cold and wet conditions necessary for germination.
These informal plantings can be installed in one of two ways.
Most common, these are installed using seeds after the ground has been prepared to be bare with a minimum of weeds and weed seeds.
Typically, preparation occurs during the growing season and is seeded in fall or winter, allowing the seeds to receive the cold and wet conditions necessary for germination.
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