Chaos gardening is one of the hottest trends and that’s for a reason: this is the most laid-back and low-maintenance approach ever. This is even a step further than a meadow garden or a xeriscape, and if you are interested in the idea, let’s find out more details.
What Is Chaos Gardening?
This is exactly what it’s called: a carefree approach without any special rules and instructions.
What Are Chaos Gardening Advantages?
First of all, it’s a lovely low-key way to enjoy gardening for beginners who don’t know where to start. Second, such gardening saves both time and money but more than that, it’s also low-maintenance! Considering all these points it’s not surprising that chaos gardening is the trend of the year.
Maintenance isn't required for a chaotic garden, sometimes even weeds won't be seen.
The jaw-dropping garden is filled with color and features a variety of textures and heights.
Tall grasses are always a good idea for a chaotic garden, they can grow in harsh conditions. Add flowers for eye-catchiness.
This lovely meadow garden features shrubs and flowers, a skinny tree and it's extremely natural and chic.
Simple and bright bold blooms will turn your garden into bold and catchy meadow easily.
You can create a forest landscape, too! Choose seeds of proper woodland plants and add stumps, wildflowers and rocks.
This garden is something between a classic English garden and a chaotic one. Delicate trees don't prevent blooms from getting enough light.
This lush and relaxed garden features greenery and flowers, potted and planted. The path is made of mulch and a weathered bench finishes off the landscape.
If your chaotic garden isn't a first year one, the landscape can be dense and lush like this one.
The beautiful space is done with greenery, tall bushes and some blooms, it's a unique case when the landscape looks both classic and chaotic.
Here are several layers of planting: tall greenery, lower grasses and flowers.
This grassy garden features a couple of trees and lovely blooms and it resembles a natural landscape.
Grasses will bring texture to your garden, and adding some catchy flowers, you will make the space look cooler.
Ornamental grasses can be used as a backdrop for blooms of all kinds.
The lush and textural garden shows off grasses and greenery and just a bit of very simple blooms for fun.
What Are Chaos Gardening Disadvantages?
You never know what will grow and what not, it’s always a lottery. Such a garden doesn’t look typical, classic or refined, so it won’t add curb appeal to your house.
What Are Chaos Gardening Considerations?
The best spot for a chaos garden is a sunny one as most blooms would prefer at least several hours of sunlight. If you don’t have such a space, just stick to the shade-loving plants. Most seedlings need rich, well-draining soil to sprout and survive, so if the soil isn’t rich enough, add some fresh.
Make sure to invite wildlife providing food and shelter. Beneficial insects like ladybugs and lacewings can help control pests naturally, while birds and butterflies add beauty and charm to your garden.
How To Plant A Chaos Garden?
Choose plants that can live in your climate and gather seeds. Vegetables, herbs, flowers, and annual fruits like melons and ground cherries are all fair game. Find out about companion planting and avoid plants that are considered invasive in your area.
His lush garden looks as a natural part of landscape with greenery, simple blooms and birch trees. The dining space is right in the middle of flowers.
Compose a relaxed meadow planting wildflowers and grasses chaotically.
Purple, violet, pink and orange flowers make the jaw drop and it's hard to believe that it's a low-maintenance chaotic landscape.
This English garden features both classic planting and a topiary and a chaotic part with mix and match grasses and blooms.
You can get a colorful meadow planting chaotically, and if you don't want the whole garden to look like that, choose just one patch.
The combo of extra bright flowers just wows and this is a fantastic result of chaotic planting.
The lush garden feels all-natural and relaxed, with greenery, wildflowers and chaotically growing vines.
Tall shrubs and bushes, greenery and bright flowers make up a bold and unusual combo.
This adorable space is filled with color thanks to lots of various blooms, tall and low ones.
The garden features colorful blooms and tall greenery that compose a cottage-like space.
This chaotic garden features classic flowers like tulips and pansies but they are planted chaotically.
Create a gorgeous bright meadow choosing seeds of bright wildflowers and simple blooms.
This colorful garden shows off a whole variety of colors and textures.
This patch just strikes with its adorable bright colors, it's an outstanding blooming space.
The lovely chaotic garden feels like a cottage one, with some simple blooms and greenery.
Start with your large seeds: sprinkle handfuls of the large seed mixture evenly over the soil. When the large seeds are gone, add anywhere from a half inch to one inch of potting soil or compost over that layer. Next, sprinkle the small seed mixture over the soil. Cover that with one more thin layer of potting soil or compost.
Water your garden or just wait for rain, it’s up to you. The fun part is to see what is popping up in your garden as you never know. I bet you can see a lot of surprises, and even if nothing grows, it’s ok, that’s the point.
How To Maintain A Chaos Garden?
If you want your garden to thrive, a small amount of maintenance is necessary, particularly if it’s your first year. The seeds need to be watered regularly after they are sown to help them sprout. After the seedlings begin growing, you may need to thin them slightly to prevent overcrowding, especially since you never know exactly how many seeds will take at a time. While chaos gardens tend to be less prone to weeds compared to traditional gardens, occasional weeding may still be necessary to keep invasive plants in check. After the garden is established and the plants begin naturally reseeding, you may find yourself doing less and less work as the years go on.
This adorable chaotic garden shows off flowers, greenery and even a pomegranate tree.
This gorgeous meadow garden is a beautiful space that looks super natural.
Keeping chaotic planting inside regular garden beds will make your outdoor space look more elegant. (via bhg).
This extra lush garden is full of blooms and bright trees, there are lots of colors, textures and different heights. (via instagram).
Many chaotic gardens look rustic or cottage and bright and fun. If you love such looks, don't hesitate to try this approach. (via thepioneerwoman).
Wildflowers and greenery, logs make up a cottage garden that pleases the eye. (via hvtuinontwerp).
If you don't feel like rocking chaotic planting all over the garden, choose a single or a couple of patches and try. (via smallandlovely).
Create a line of chaotic planting along the path and you will get a jaw-dropping accent without much maintenance. (via houseandgarden).
If weeds grow densely, you can romanticize them, too, and consider them part of your chaotic garden.
This lush and dense meadow features greenery and extra bold wildflowers all over. This is fantastic!.
Tall blooms in your chaotic garden can be used for privacy, when choosing seeds take this into consideration.
This front yard is tall, lush, bold and so dense and lush that it works as a fence alternative.
Red, orange and white bloom stand out in the green backdrop. This is a cool and catchy garden that doesn't require much maintenance.
Don't limit yourself choosing plants: make sure they will turn into something extra bold and cool when they grow.
Place seeds chaotically in the garden beds you have, so you will get an illusion of a regular garden but with chaotic planting.