Don't Stop at a "Green" Lawn!

"High-maintenance landscaping is so yesterday. Let's make it easy on the planet today!" – The Green Girl

"High-maintenance landscaping is so yesterday. Let's make it easy on the planet today!" – The Green Girl

A rain garden depression

With all the talk about making our homes as ecological and economical as possible, we may forget how important it is to make our homes' landscapes sing the planet's praises, too. Eco-landscaping works in tandem with an indoor green lifestyle that embraces the organic, natural elements our good earth shares with us. Local landscaping companies are meeting their clients' outdoor needs with an ecological approach that echoes their earth-mindedness indoors.

Timberline Landscapes, LLC, recommends installing rain gardens, vegetative swales or bioretention areas that allow a site to process pollutants naturally through ground filtration, protecting watersheds and waterways. Collecting rain water in rain barrels to irrigate plants is also a green way to preserve storm sewer systems. Rain gardens or miniature wetlands – depressions that hold storm water and naturally filter and release it to the water table – are a hot trend in eco-landscaping. David Johnson, owner of The Outsider Landscape Design, LLC, says, "Most people are trying to conserve water today with rain gardens that feature native plants. They reduce the possibility of flooding and direct water back into the soil instead of moving it along toward your neighbor's yard."

Patrick Bell, lead designer of Timberline Landscapes, LLC, emphasizes the importance of choosing plants that are native to your area. "Native plants are less susceptible to disease, reducing the need for environmentally dangerous herbicides and fertilizers," says Patrick. "They are more adaptable to the climate, soil and water needs of the site, and they limit the use of transport fuel."

Patricia Ross, owner and designer of Landscape Concepts, says native plants do not need chemical fertilizers to give them strength. And believe it or not, cute little ladybugs, as well as praying mantis, help to control problematic insects just as well as harmful chemicals! Patricia says, "Using organic, non-toxic fertilizers is particularly important for the wildlife in our area. Also consider using corn gluten as a pre-emergent, which prevents weeds from developing a root system." Patricia recommends using composts with organic material to improve soil structure and drainage, as well.

Now, with these insightful ideas and the help of local landscaping experts, you can successfully implement an attractive, sustainable landscape design plan that works for you – and keeps your lawn "green"!

Image courtesy of Timberline Landscapes, LLC