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Another key filter the partners at Phyto use when deciding which species make the cut: a plant’s potential to hold up in a particular place and under its particular pressures.

The relationships between plants and pollinators have become increasingly important in Phyto’s work.

Specifically, the Phyto designers seek to build in maximum diversity — what Ms. West refers to as the “ecological intensification” of a site — by using ecologically high-performance plants that match their aesthetic goals.

A garden is at its most effective — by both biophilic and ecological measures — the Phyto team believes, when it is “immersive.”

As anthropogenic effects on the climate and nature have become more starkly front and center, Phyto’s plant-selection process has also evolved.