When we first visited this wooded Wisconsin cabin, we wanted to respect the integrity of the space. Surrounding white pines and river birches guided our design process, as we drew on shade-tolerant evergreens and deciduous shrubs to fill in the cabin's front. We placed pots among the shade planting to provide a subtle burst of color while staying true to the earthy color scheme. We also anchored a dwarf birch to the left of the front door and flanked it with slabs of limestone quarried from northern Minnesota. In a few years time the birch will reach its mature height of eight feet, adding additional shade for the yews angled around it.
As for the woodland garden, we carefully selected several native grasses and plants as our groundcover and seasonal fillers. Next spring, when the garden rises from its dormancy, echinacea will sway among a matrix of prairie dropseed. Scattered among the dropseed are low-growing chokeberries chosen for fertility. Late-summer stems will swell with purple-black berries that birds can source. We also added hazy swaths of calamint to contrast with the white-pine needles that fall at the garden's edge. The effect is a natural perimeter of green that functions as a friendly, slowly decomposing mulch. Overtime, the mulch will fix nutrients into the sandy soil. This is nature at its best.