Wildcraft Landscapes

Wildcraft Landscapes is a landscape design and installation company based in Robesonia, Pennsylvania, working with homeowners, institutions and community organizations throughout Berks County and surrounding counties. The business was founded in 2021 by Nate Tietbohl and concentrates on native plant gardens, habitat creation and stormwater management rather than conventional ornamental landscaping. Projects range from a single garden bed retrofitted into an existing yard to full property plans that address drainage, circulation, food production and wildlife habitat together.

Approach and Philosophy

The company's work begins with two parallel assessments: a conversation with the client about their goals, budget and conservation values, and a study of the property itself, including soil conditions, light, drainage patterns, existing vegetation and how water moves across the site. Designs are then developed from natural plant communities that would occur in the region, adapted to the constraints of a residential or institutional property. The intent is for a garden to mature into a functioning habitat rather than a static planting that requires constant intervention to stay in place.

That philosophy shapes the maintenance side of the business as well. Wildcraft Landscapes distinguishes its stewardship work from the standard seasonal mulch-and-trim cycle, operating on the principle that a well planted native bed should close in on itself by its second year and no longer need mulch to suppress weeds or hold moisture. Management after that point focuses on editing: thinning and dividing plants that have spread, pulling invasive and weedy species, pruning young trees and shrubs for structure, applying deer repellent where browsing pressure is heavy and adding plants to fill gaps.

Design Services

Design work is scalable. A full site plan covers an entire property, while smaller engagements address a single area such as a front yard, a slope or a problem drainage zone. For homeowners who intend to do the planting themselves, design only packages are available, providing a plan and plant list without installation. On the other end, clients who do not need a formal drawing can contract installation on an estimate and proposal basis, which keeps costs down on straightforward projects where the design decisions are clear from the outset.

Installation and Lawn Conversion

Full service installation covers native plantings selected for pollinator support and four season interest, meaning the beds are planned for spring and summer bloom, fall color and seed, and winter structure. New plantings are typically set up with temporary drip irrigation to carry them through establishment, and installation practices are adapted to the particular needs of native species, which often differ from the handling that nursery ornamentals receive.

Lawn replacement is a significant portion of the work. Turf removal and conversion to native meadows and garden beds reduces mowing, fertilizer and irrigation demand while adding habitat. On one project in Reading, the company removed more than 1,400 square feet of lawn and replaced it with plantings that, according to National Wildlife Federation host plant data, support 302 native butterfly and moth species and 239 native bee species.

Rain Gardens and Stormwater Work

Stormwater management is treated as a design element rather than an afterthought. Services include rain gardens, planted dry creek beds, downspout redirection, erosion control plantings and rainwater cisterns, all aimed at slowing runoff, letting water infiltrate on site and keeping sediment out of local streams. The scale of this work can be substantial on even a modest lot: one property of roughly 0.44 acres received ten rain gardens along with two cisterns holding a combined 130 gallons of stored rainwater.

Hardscaping, Masonry and Outdoor Rooms

Wildcraft Landscapes also builds the structural elements that make a landscape usable. This includes dry stack stone and timber retaining walls, patios, steps, and paths built from salvaged or reclaimed brick and pavers. Where possible, boulders and stone already present on the property are incorporated, which reduces material costs and keeps the finished work visually consistent with the site. Hardscape projects often serve a practical purpose beyond appearance, stabilizing slopes, improving access on uneven ground and making garden areas walkable in wet weather.

Patios and gathering spaces are designed as places from which to watch the surrounding landscape, with seating and sightlines oriented toward plantings, water features or bird activity.

Edible Landscapes and Invasive Species Removal

Vegetable and permaculture gardens are a further area of work, with edible plantings designed using permaculture principles and integrated into the broader landscape rather than isolated in a separate plot. Invasive species management is offered as both a one time clearing and an ongoing service, removing plants such as burning bush and other non-native shrubs and replacing them with native wildflowers, trees and shrubs.

Coaching, Teaching and Community Projects

For homeowners who want to handle their own maintenance, the company provides assessments, garden coaching and on site walkthroughs that explain what is growing, what should stay, what should go and how to manage the space through the seasons. Tietbohl also teaches workshops on permaculture and landscaping with native plants in partnership with organizations including Berks Nature and the Eco-Institute at Pickards Mountain.

Community and institutional projects have included the GoggleWorks Center for the Arts gardens at Lauer's Park Elementary School in Reading. That installation, carried out in fall 2022 with community volunteers and funded by a Wyomissing Foundation grant, placed more than 500 plants representing over 53 native species on the school grounds.

Background and Credentials

Nate Tietbohl holds a B.S. in Environmental Studies from Elon University, a Permaculture Design Certificate and an advanced permaculture design certificate through Oregon State University. In 2024 he completed Longwood Gardens' Certificate of Merit in Landscape Design. His earlier experience includes installing rainwater catchment systems and edible landscapes, which informs the stormwater and food production side of the current business.

Service Area and Getting Started

Operating from Robesonia, Wildcraft Landscapes serves Berks County and the surrounding counties. Clients typically begin with a site visit and consultation, after which the scope is matched to the property and budget: a design to execute independently, a proposal for installation work, a stewardship contract for an existing garden, or a combination that unfolds in phases over several seasons.