Native Urban Garden
Designer: McKenna Heeg
A Garden That Gives...
This residential landscape was designed around one guiding principle: native plants belong in urban gardens. From the backyard design to the rooftop planting, every species was selected to strengthen the local ecosystem while delivering year-round beauty. Layered grasses, ferns, and flowering perennials create seasonal color, movement, and texture, attracting pollinators and providing habitat in the heart of Brooklyn.
The rooftop's tall native grasses also serve as a living privacy screen, blending ecological function with thoughtful design (more on that below). The project included extensive backyard site preparation—from removing existing soil and regrading the space to installing a gravel surface and bluestone pavers—before completing the landscape with thoughtfully selected native plantings.
Before
After
Project Highlights
☑ Entirely native plant focused design to support urban biodiversity.
☑ Rooftop native grasses designed as a living privacy screen and habitat feature.
☑ Backyard preparation, including soil removal, regrading, & gravel installation.
☑ Layered grasses, ferns, and perennials provide texture and seasonal color.
Seasonal Interest Breakdown
Great gardens aren't defined by a single season, they're designed to evolve. This planting palette was carefully selected so every season brings a new highlight, whether it's fresh spring blooms, vibrant summer flowers, colorful fall foliage, or winter structure. Although every plant contributes beyond its peak season, understanding their bloom cycles, foliage changes, and ornamental features is the key to creating a landscape that feels beautiful and intentional all year long.
Highlighted Plants: Phlox subulata (Creeping Phlox), Amelanchier spp. (Serviceberry), Cornus mas (Cornelian Cherry Dogwood), Salix gracilistyla 'Mt. Aso' (Pink Pussy Willow)
Highlighted Plants: Liatris spicata (Blazing Star), Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Milkweed), Rudbeckia fulgida
(Black-eyed Susan)
Highlighted Plants:Muhlenbergia capillaris (Pink Muhly Grass), Amelanchier spp. (Serviceberry) foliage
Highlighted Plants: Juniperus virginiana (Evergreen Juniper), Phlox subulata (Creeping Phlox), Kalmia latifolia (Mountain Laurel), Ilex glabra (Inkberry), Cornus sericea (Red Twig Dogwood)
A Note on Natives
Supporting Pollinators
The Serviceberry trees anchoring the rear planting bed were selected as year-round focal points, offering spring blooms, summer berries for birds, brilliant fall color, and graceful winter structure. As a keystone native species, they support approximately 115 species of native insects and birds, including the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly, an important indicator of biodiversity in the Northeast.
Native perennials such as phlox, pussy willow, echinacea, liatris, black-eyed Susan, and milkweed provide valuable host plants for pollinators, while Appalachian and Pennsylvania sedges support caterpillars and larvae. Together with a diverse mix of evergreens that offer winter shelter, the planting creates habitat and ecological value in every season.
Nature as a Natural Barrier
Native Privacy Screen
Rather than relying on traditional screening, this rooftop uses a layered planting approach to create privacy through nature. Tall native grasses form a dynamic green backdrop, softening the edges of the terrace while adding movement, texture, and seasonal interest.
Beyond their visual impact, these resilient plants support pollinators by providing shelter and nesting sites, therefore contributing to a healthier urban ecosystem. Even the most elevated city spaces can become thriving landscapes!
Please Note: The copper planters and the plants within them are not part of Chelsea Garden Center’s design.
Residential Landscape Services
Interested in transforming your own outdoor space? Explore our Residential Design Services page to see how we can bring your vision to life.
Have questions or need a quote? We’re here to help—reach out anytime and our team will be happy to get you started. For faster service, please include relevant photos and measurements of your garden area(s).
