Grow and Know - Book Thoughts - Think Like an Ecosystem by Amelie des Plantes

by Stacey Churchill, May 26, 2026

I have been fascinated by permaculture concepts for a long time, but it has always seemed too big and too challenging to implement in an established garden space. All the same, I keep reading about it, trying to pull out ideas I can put to use. 

In her book Think Like an Ecosystem, Amélie des Plantes lays out a vision for gardens that function like self-sustaining wild spaces. She discusses the need to begin permaculture planning by observing your land over seasons; seeing how water and wind flows and determining soil types throughout your space.  Using this information you can create a space that better utilizes the resources you have available to create a sustainable landscape. 

While permaculture often includes edible crops, the primary ideas could apply by making native plants the backbone of the design.  The book emphasizes "guilds"—groups of plants that help one another. When you use natives, these relationships are already baked in by thousands of years of evolution.

• The Overstory: Instead of a generic fruit tree, start with a Willow Oak or Black Cherry. These are "keystone" species that support hundreds of species of caterpillars—the "fuel" for our local bird population.

• The Understory: Underneath, plant Monarda fistulosa (Wild Bergamot) to attract pollinators and Packera aurea (Golden Groundsel) as a "green mulch" to suppress weeds and keep moisture in the soil, exactly as the book’s water-retention chapters suggest.

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A key permaculture principle is "the problem is the solution." If you have aphid problems, the ecosystem-thinking approach isn't to spray; it's to plant Mountain Mint or Ironweed.. These natives attract predatory wasps and ladybugs that do the pest control for you, creating the balance des Plantes describes.

The book discusses soil as a living organism. Native plants like Baptisia have deep taproots that break up heavy Virginia clay and fix nitrogen in the soil naturally. By using these instead of heavy tilling, you preserve the fungal networks that the book highlights as the "internet" of the forest floor.

Virginia's heavy rains can lead to runoff. Following the book's advice on water systems, you can create a Rain Garden using local stars like Joe Pye Weed and Swamp Milkweed. These plants are designed to drink heavy amounts of water and filter it back into the earth, preventing erosion and keeping your landscape hydrated during dry spells.

The "ecosystem mindset" teaches us that we are part of a web. By choosing native plants for your permaculture design, you aren't just growing a garden—you’re restoring a piece of the Virginia landscape. You’re providing the specific food and shelter that our local bees, birds, and butterflies need to survive.