Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Though mulching crops and plants have been implemented in gardening and agriculture for centuries, it wasn't until the 1980s and 1990s when landscape professionals began advocating for the mulched tree circle, which we often see in its various forms through people's yards and landscapes. This is for good reason, as mulch can provide extra moisture retention, temperature regulation, weed suppression, improved soil structure, and additional protection from mower blades and string trimmers.
That being said, a new wave of landscaping is upon us—one that advocates for the tiny creatures, like insects and small birds and mammals. It is now becoming more and more popular to plant what some ecologists called "soft landings," under trees, which are low groundcover perennials that insects in particular can fall onto and pupate over the summer, fall and winter months. This also adds protection from weather extremes, excess predation, and provides a food source for the insects as they emerge. Some may exclaim, "gardening for insects! That's insane!" But considering that the vast majority of our songbirds rely on insects for their food and to raise their broods, we can begin to realize how important it can be to implement techniques like "soft landings" into our landscape plans.
Though mulching crops and plants have been implemented in gardening and agriculture for centuries, it wasn't until the 1980s and 1990s when landscape professionals began advocating for the mulched tree circle, which we often see in its various forms through people's yards and landscapes. This is for good reason, as mulch can provide extra moisture retention, temperature regulation, weed suppression, improved soil structure, and additional protection from mower blades and string trimmers.
That being said, a new wave of landscaping is upon us—one that advocates for the tiny creatures, like insects and small birds and mammals. It is now becoming more and more popular to plant what some ecologists called "soft landings," under trees, which are low groundcover perennials that insects in particular can fall onto and pupate over the summer, fall and winter months. This also adds protection from weather extremes, excess predation, and provides a food source for the insects as they emerge. Some may exclaim, "gardening for insects! That's insane!" But considering that the vast majority of our songbirds rely on insects for their food and to raise their broods, we can begin to realize how important it can be to implement techniques like "soft landings" into our landscape plans.
