At Forest Flora
we make a clear distinction between ecological restoration and amenity
horticulture. The reason for this is that amenity horticulture
and gardening has a strong emphasis on aesthetics. Plants are
chosen for their appearance, ground is prepared, perhaps drained or the
soil is enriched. Plants are established with careful consideration for
their size and growth requirements. Plants are maintained but are
eventually replaced with something more fashionable.
The ecological restoration approach focuses on
natural patterns and processes. We look to restoring natural processes
like pollination, seed production and dispersal, competition and
succession to manage a resilient ecosystem. The two advantages of
ecological restoration are that it restores an important part of the
natural world, at a time when wilderness is becoming a rare commodity,
and it also makes it possible to re-vegetate large areas with minimal
maintenance.
