The garden through history and in many cultures has been expressed in many different forms. While continuing to provide “foundation plantings” around buildings, plantings in my practice now commonly include private gardens, naturalized meadows of grasses and wildflowers, wetland mitigation and storm basin plantings, and plantings in public spaces. Plant selection is key to both aesthetics and the ability of selected plants to thrive in their environment. Sun and shade, wet and dry extremes, and compatibility of shapes, sizes textures and colors are all important considerations.