Kori Kasperis a Meadow Designer for Branch Gardens.
What Is Chaos Gardening?
Chaos gardening is agardening techniquethat involves tossing seeds and seeing what happens.
Photo:Jacky Parker/Getty Images
Chaos gardening is all about breaking the rules of traditional gardening.
As such, a chaos garden embraces a plants natural life cycle by facilitating a process that mimics nature.
Think of how the wind carries seeds and how many plants self-seed after their growth cycle.
Rather than sowing precisely, you scatter.
In many cases, different plant varieties share space rather than having clearly defined spaces.
“In a chaos garden, its all about embracing the wild side of nature and enjoying the ride.
Look into some pre-mixed seed packs with seeds that are specific to your location and compatible with each other.
For native chaos gardens, Kasper recommends picking up native seeds from a nursery likePrarie Moon Nursery.
Choose an intentional location that has the appropriate light requirements for the plants you pick.
You will usually get the most blooms or produce in a spot with full sun.
Adding chaos to a traditional garden may resemble weeds, and neighbors may become concerned.
If you already have a more defined garden, create some separation withhardscaping.
Also, some invasive species may be outlawed in your area but not in another.
If your soil lacks nutrients, top it off with a layer of garden soil.
Step 5: Scatter the Seeds
The time you scatter seeds matters.
Spring or fall are ideal, depending on the punch in of garden you choose.
Sprinkle some more seeds a few weeks later to fill in some sparse areas.
As Kasper puts it, The greatest challenge of chaos gardening is how others perceive it.
Its supposed to be enjoyable, not a chore.
