Garden Variety
Take a no-pressure approach to planting with chaos gardening, a carefree gardening trend
Does the idea of planning, pruning, and weeding put you off when gardening? Then chaos gardening could be for you. This sustainable planting trend is an easy—and enjoyable—technique for anyone who may want to let go of the rules and let nature do its thing. Not only is it low maintenance, but this diverse planting method also encourages biodiversity and wildlife in your outdoor space.
Containing the chaos
You don’t need a sprawling backyard to nurture your green thumb. Get a few containers, fill them with potting soil, sprinkle seeds on top, and place them along your windowsill. Then watch what grows!
So, what is chaos gardening?
“It’s about throwing some seeds left over from last year, or from a new-for-the-season stash, in an area of your garden, and embracing the chaos and process of seeing what ends up growing,” says Russell Taylor, vice president of Live Earth Products, Inc., a family-run business in Utah that mines organic plant material and manufactures it into products, including garden fertilizer.
Recipient of the 2023 Certified Crop Adviser Conservationist of the Year Award and a longtime practitioner of embracing natural conservation practices and improving soil health, Taylor says, “I first tried chaos gardening when several expensive plants died in one of my flower beds, and I was struggling to get anything to grow there. I decided to toss in some leftover salvia and zinnia seeds, and not only did these grow, they thrived and continue to thrive each year.”
Taylor adds that this carefree approach to gardening can be used with any types of seeds, including flowers, fruits, and vegetables. “If you have areas of your garden where you need to fill in the space, consider throwing in something like carrot seeds; they make a nice filler ... and you get fresh carrots, too.”
The trick is to let go of expectations and let nature take the lead. “Inevitably, some plants will thrive while others might not fare as well,” says Taylor.
Select your seeds
The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (planthardiness.ars.usda.gov) is a helpful resource for gardeners to determine which plants are most likely to thrive in any given location.
Benefits of chaos gardening
“The number one benefit is the unexpected—creating a landscape that delivers surprises with each plant that pops up,” says Taylor. “I didn’t anticipate salvia and zinnias were going to work when I tossed out the seeds, and now they come back year after year.”
Saves time and effort
Because you’re allowing plants to grow naturally, there is less need for trimming or weeding. “And if you’re not motivated to learn growth habits of different flowers, planting a mix of local native seeds and waiting to see what grows is easy,” notes Taylor.
Offers fun for all ages
The simplicity of chaos gardening can inspire toddlers to play in the dirt or teens to put down their phones and have some fun with nature. “My five-year-old son has a ball gardening with me. I give him a shovel and a scoop of seeds, and then turn him loose to dig up an area and scatter away,” says Taylor.
Creates healthy habitats
Diverse gardens attract creatures, big and small. “By growing a variety of flowers and plants, chaos gardening promotes biodiversity by attracting different pollinators, insects, birds, and animals, which in turn creates a thriving ecosystem.”
Chaos gardening echoes nature by leaving plants to their devices and creating an untamed medley that nurtures local wildlife and ecosystem.
Chaos gardening checklist
Russell Taylor, vice president of Live Earth Products, Inc., offers the following tips for getting your chaos garden blooming:
- Prep your soil. “Good soil is a recipe for success.” Taylor recommends mixing in an organic fertilizer in planting areas and beds before seeding.
- Select your seeds. “Chaos gardening is a good way to use up leftover seeds. Don’t be afraid to mix and scatter a variety of seeds—flowers, vegetables, and herbs—together.”
- Start small. “Pick one section of your garden to start, then see what grows and what doesn’t, and how you like the look.”
- Plant plants, too. “If you have some smaller, bare areas in your garden, don’t be afraid to fill them with different plants for immediate gratification.”
- Let plants self-seed. “After plants grow, you can let them self-seed or collect [the] to scatter in other areas of your garden next season.”
- Weed selectively. “As plants grow, you may want to weed out unwanted plants and thin out crowded areas to give remaining plants room to grow.”
This article was originally published in the March-April 2025 issue of alive magazine (US edition).
Ashley Linkletter
Andy De Santis, RD, MPH
Dylan Gyles