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Native Plant Synoptic Garden
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Aftercare and Management
“The performance of plants in the landscape depends on how well the species are adapted
to the specific environment in which they are to grow, the quality of the planting stock,
preparation of the site, planting methods, and later care” (Harris, 2004). One of the most
important of these is the aftercare because aftercare is such a long-term portion, and long-term
maintenance is almost always required to help plants strive and survive within their new home.
The goal of tree care and landscape management is healthy and safe plants. When trees and other
plants are growing vigorously and possess good structure, they are attractive, safe, and function
appropriately. Healthy and structurally sound plants are better able to resist environmental stress,
noninfectious disorders, diseases, insects, and pests, as well as unwise cultural practices. “Such
plants provide a high level of environmental function with minimal costs” (Harris, 2004).
Maintenance is an essential ingredient in conserving the integrity of the design and the vitality of
the plantings. Without a consistent schedule of care, a garden/site can become overgrown and
sometimes unsalvageable and will require greater effort and more time to maintain (Varsi, 1994).
Maintenance can be defined as the routine, week-to-week operations involved in the
upkeep of a garden, such as weeding and pruning (Varsi, 1994). Management is concerned with
the long-term planning and policies regarding the organization of staff and equipment to achieve
efficient maintenance. Too often, the emphasis in a garden is on the design or installation without
adequate consideration for continuing maintenance (Varsi, 1994); even though the maintenance
will continue as long as the garden exists. As Gael Varsi detailed in the 1994 paper about the
Joseph Witt Winter Garden, there are nine key steps in a maintenance/management plan: “staff
participation, an inventory of resources to be maintained, a list of tasks, a description of the tasks,
the determination of standards, a setting of task frequencies, the scheduling of tasks, the
implementing of the program, and monitoring of the work and schedules”. These key ideas
should also be followed when determining a management plan for the Native Plant Synoptic
Garden once the garden has been finalized. It is very important that the aftercare and
maintenance practices are monitored daily to ensure that they are being implemented properly
and with detailed care to keep the synoptic garden healthy and aesthetically pleasing.
“Types of maintenance required in a garden are relative to the mission or intent of the
garden” (Varsi, 1994). The proposed synoptic garden would and should require low levels of
maintenance as it aims to be self-sustaining. This is because all of the plants recommended for
the proposed synoptic garden have been selected for the specific environmental conditions of
each area, including the cultivars; the plants are predominantly native species of Western
Washington forests, therefore in a general sense they should be better adapted for self-