3 ways a Montana landscaping company celebrates nature

Updated Nov 2, 2023
man and woman enjoying outdoor living area
The beautiful natural surroundings of Southwest Montana make working with nature important in landscape design.
Blanchford Landscape Group

Nothing quite compares to nature's beauty. Landscapers are often called to enhance outdoor areas and when they work with nature, it can make a world of difference.

That's exactly what Blanchford Landscape Group in Bozeman, Montana is committed to doing. Being located in beautiful Southwest Montana, where people often move or buy second homes in order to be able to enjoy nature, the company knows that landscaping with nature in mind is important.

Here are three of the ways that they celebrate nature in their landscape designs.

Incorporating meadows

Wildflower meadows are naturally occurring throughout Southwest Montana. But they also make a great intentional landscape addition, says Mason Shaffer Garden Designer with the company. Meadow flowers typically attract an abundance of birds and butterflies which also allow Blanchford clients to feel immersed in nature. 

Shaffer says that wildflower meadows are a beautiful way to "naturalize the perimeter," which is something that he aims to achieve in natural landscape designs. The goal is to blend local nature with the new landscape in a seamless way. 

Of course, this can also present some challenges.

When a planned wildflower meadow is on the border of the natural landscape, it is more prone to become overrun with weeds. Shaffer says that ongoing meadow maintenance is an important service.

"As beautiful as nature can be, it can also be chaotic and messy," Shaffer says. "Part of wildflower meadow maintenance includes knocking back invasive weeds and keeping the meadow from becoming overgrown." 

Landscaping with native plants

Another way that Blanchfod Landscape Group is intentional about celebrating nature in its landscape designs is by using a lot of native plant material. Native plants, which have already been a part of the local region for hundreds or even thousands of years, also happen to be a low-maintenance choice because they are adapted to the region.

"Native plants are helpful in minimizing water waste," Shaffer adds. "Plus, because they do not need a lot of care, they are mostly self-sustaining."

Shaffer says that using native plants also helps in that effort to create a naturalized setting that blends with what's already there. This is a great way to work with nature as opposed to trying to work against it.

Working with local wildlife

A final way that Blanchford Landscape Group celebrates nature in its landscape designs is by considering the abundant wildlife of the region when creating a new landscape. The region has elk, moose, many different types of birds, mule deer, and so much more. People that buy homes in Montana love being in close proximity to the abundant wildlife, but they don't want their landscapes ruined.

For that reason, wildlife-friendly landscaping is important, says Shaffer. The company is constantly considering creative ways to design a beautiful landscape that will not get damaged by wildlife. 

"We are also creating wildlife-friendly designs, meaning we want to be sure that these new landscapes are not harmful to animals in any way," Shaffer says. "That means taking into account what plant material could be toxic or harmful to the local wildlife." 

Shaffer says many clients also request plants that will attract pollinators to their property. 

"We take landscaping with nature seriously," sums up Shaffer. "We put a lot of effort into creating designs that help celebrate the natural beauty of our area."

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