Is Your Garden Really Green?
Creating an Eco-Friendly Landscape Design
You may
have the greenest lawn on the block, but is your garden really
"green," meaning ecologically friendly? Often the answer is a
resounding "NO."
Just the
fact that you have a lawn at all can be an indicator that your landscape is not
as green as it could be. Lawns generally need more water and fertilizers than
other plantings. Plus, they need to be mowed approximately once per week in the
summertime, and if you don't have an electric or push mower, you're burning
fossil fuels every time you mow.
What are some ways you can create a garden that is
really green? How can you create an eco-friendly landscape design?
Be Water-Wise
When it
comes to an eco-friendly landscape, being water-wise means not only reducing
the amount of water you use, but also managing stormwater - water that falls
during a rainstorm. It is possible to
capture it, store it, and redistribute it to be used again. For example, direct
the downspout from your rain gutters to a rain barrel and then use the captured
water to irrigate your landscape.
Use Drought-Tolerant Plants
This tip
is related to being water-wise. If you want to create an eco-friendly landscape
design, use drought tolerant plants.
Go Native
Native
plants are well-adapted to live in the area in which you live. Plus, they
typically will provide a food source or some sort of ecological input that
supports local insect and animal species.
Build and Protect the Soil
In most
suburban and urban areas, the soil is terribly depleted of minerals and
nutrients. By amending the soil with organic fertilizers and compost, you can
support an eco-friendly landscape design and help protect the soil structure.
This creates a more nutrient-rich soil in which your plants can grow.
Grow Your Own Food
From
farming methods to transporting food, we rely on fossil fuels to feed everyone
in Canada. You can do your part to reduce the use of fossil fuels, reduce food
miles, and provide nutrient-rich vegetables to your family by growing your own
food. You can grow a surprising amount of food in a small space, and wouldn't
it be nice if you could simply walk out your back door and harvest some lettuce
for dinner?
Get to Know Beneficial Insects
Many
gardeners mistakenly think all insects are bad. If they don't recognize a
particular insect, they go get the sprayer and shoot the insect with a chemical
pesticide until it dies. This is one of the worst things you can do. Why? There
are many insects in the garden that help keep the "bad bugs" in
check.
Have you
ever noticed a rose bush covered in ladybugs? They're probably there because
they're eating the aphids. If you look closely you'll see them. However, if you
see the ladybugs, mistakenly think they are hurting your roses, and decide to
kill them with pesticides, you're actually creating more work for yourself. The
next time the aphids come, and they will, there will not be ladybugs there to
defend your roses. You have just inherited the ladybugs' job. To create an
eco-friendly landscape design, you must understand your ecosystem. That means
getting to know the beneficial insects in your garden and learning how to
support them in their work of defending your garden.
These are
just a few of the many ways in which you can create an eco-friendly landscape
design. The bottom line is that you must work with nature, not against it.
Happy
gardening!
Richard Thyssen,
Broker of Record
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