It is important to the mission of Sleeping Lady that we adapt our activities to what the earth provides for us and do not attempt to superimpose the unnatural within the natural. As a result, native plants, except vegetables and fruits, have been used for all landscaping. Because native plants are better adapted to tolerate the dry Eastern Washington climate, we conserve irrigation water. Landscaping that is natural is also honest.

When the project began in April, 1994, we participated in a Native American ceremony of ground breaking during which time we asked the earth's forgiveness for the disturbance that we were about to impose on the land. We recognized that the land was going to change, but wanted to acknowledge our appreciation for what the earth had provided. During the ceremony, we pledged our intent to be compassionate in bringing about the desired changes.

We are still learning how to work with a natural landscape, determining how many weeds are all right and what density of weeds is unacceptable. We reluctantly installed an irrigation system recognizing that even natural landscaping needs more water to establish itself. We try to minimize the watering needed so as not to create an unnatural stand of trees and vegetation.

Two classes from the University of Washington use the grounds of Sleeping Lady as a "living laboratory. " They return each year to make observations and record data that will be useful to them as students and also helpful to us as we learn and share information with others concerning natural landscaping.

We have minimal interaction with mosquitoes, which is likely due to the fact that we have already established some balance with the natural. Our population of birds is impressive and we appreciate their dining on mosquitoes, weed seeds and other natural plants that are available to them.

We work with professional arborists to help maintain a healthy and safe stand of trees. When a tree dies, we generally top the tree and leave 30-40 feet of the trunk as a habitat tree for birds and bugs. We try to leave the top of the tree where it falls to provide nourishment for new vegetation. The top of the remaining trunk is sculptured to give it a more natural look as if it actually broke off.

Two artificial ponds were created on the site to introduce some riparian landscape features and bring in wildlife associated with wetlands. Water for these ponds and other water features originates from the irrigation canal and is then used in a second or third stage for irrigating our organic garden or meadow.

The natural landscape also provides a natural and honest approach in dealing with run off from rain and snow. The land is graded and contoured to allow the ground to absorb runoff eliminating the need to collect and dispose of it through some treatment system.