Embracing a green lifestyle often involves growing a garden, whether it’s cultivating large plots of vegetables or a collection of potted herbs and flowers. The word “sustainable” pops up among ecologically minded gardeners, but what does it mean? Gardening manuals tend to define it as “a thoughtful balance between resources used and results gained.” You also could call this “stewardship gardening” or “eco-gardening,” but the idea is the same: Use nature’s resources, rather than chemicals, to produce a bountiful garden.

Sustainable gardening is both a process and a goal, and it can be a supremely satisfying journey.

Step 1: Align with nature’s plan

What kind of ecosystem does your property want to be? A forest, a prairie, a desert? Mother Nature constantly nudges things back to their natural state, and you have much to gain by following her plan. To find out what plants thrive in your region, visit a nearby natural area and look for patterns you can copy in your landscape. For inspiration, read Noah's Garden: Restoring the Ecology of Our Own Backyards by Sara B. Stein (Houghton Mifflin, 1995).

Woodland Gardening 101

Think layers, with tall trees as the upper canopy, small trees and shrubs below, and ferns and shade-tolerant woodland wildflowers on the forest floor. Use mulches to help maintain soil moisture, and prune low tree branches to admit more light to lower plants.

Trees: Red maple (Acer rubrum) grows quickly and provides excellent autumn color; ‘Autumn Flame’ features smallish leaves that turn bright red in early fall. Dogwoods (Cornus spp.) have it all: beautiful form, spring flowers and good fall color.

Shrubs: Serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.) bears early spring blossoms followed by blueberry-like fruits. Native azaleas (Rhododendron spp.) provide color and fragrance.

Groundcovers: The glossy leaves of wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens) release a bracing mint fragrance when crushed; red berries persist into winter. Trilliums (Trillium spp.) gradually form dense colonies.

Prairie Gardening 101

Mix native grasses with long-lived perennials that match the site’s available moisture, which might be dry, mesic (moderately moist) or wet. Plant in colonies and remove weeds by hand until plants are well established. Mow mature prairie gardens once a year, in early spring. Below are three good partnerships between flowers and grasses.

Dry Prairie Plants: The bright yellow-orange flowers of black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) look great with a backdrop of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), a tall, vigorous grass that’s kept in check by dry conditions.

Moist Prairie Plants: Team up the purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) with little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), an adaptable native grass that provides food and habitat for birds.