Designing Native Plant Landscapes with Art and Ecology

Landscaping for both beauty and nature will be the focus of a talk by Nancy Aten and Dan Collins, owners of the firm Landscapes of Place. They will discuss how they apply the principles of famed Danish-American landscape architect Jens Jensen (1860–1951) to create inviting yards and landscapes that also benefit wildlife and the environment. Jensen’s landscapes, with their diversity of tree, plant and animal life, are known for combining subtle beauty, history and nature. His work includes native landscapes in Chicago parks, the estates of Edsel and Henry Ford and his masterpiece at The Clearing in northeastern Wisconsin. Locally, Aten and Collins have worked with the Keweenaw Land Trust to develop a plan to naturalize the shoreline at its Marsin Nature Retreat, located in Stanton Township on Portage Lake. They are also working with land trusts to preserve their own property. “Dan and Nancy have worked with us and a Wisconsin land trust to permanently conserve lands they own and manage for habitat value,” said Pat Toczydlowski, project specialist for the Keweenaw Land Trust. “Walking their land with them is a wonderful natural history lesson and an inspiration to be a more active land steward.” With offices in Milwaukee and Sturgeon Bay, Wis., Landscapes of Place provides landscape architecture, landscape restoration planning and design, ecological restoration and land stewardship services throughout the Upper Midwest. Clients include land trusts, educational institutions and private landowners, typically on properties of five to 500 acres. Their presentation is free and open to the public, and refreshments will be served. Sponsors are the Keweenaw Seedling chapter of Wild Ones, the Keweenaw Land Trust and the Keweenaw Garden Club. This event is organized with the help of an MSU Extension Master Gardener and approved for one educational hour for the Michigan Extension Master Gardener Program.