Technology Makes Landscaping Easier Than Ever
Tips For Designing A Sustainable Landscape
Jose Wheeler
Sustainability is the buzzword for so many aspects of your life, from food to cleaning. The earth's resources are limited, so many homeowners want an eco-friendly home. Naturally part of that comes in how you approach your landscaping. Design a sustainable yard that still complements your home.
Plant Drought-Resistant Plants
Sustainable landscaping isn't about keeping your home plant-free. Instead, plant low-water options in your yard. Generally, this means eschewing a full lawn. Instead, the Landscaping Network suggests using native plants, which are those that thrive in your climate. Other options include those you naturally associate with drought resistance – cactuses and succulents. If you like lush plants, consider making a container garden with your selections. These still take a lot less water than those planted in the ground.
Install a Drip Irrigation System
Even a native garden needs some watering. Drip irrigation is ideal for sustainable landscaping. Drip irrigation consists of a system of flexible tubing connected to individual drippers. Called emitters, these drippers deliver a specific amount of water to the root zone of your plantings. You can set up a timer with your drip irrigation system to deliver a slow but steady stream of water to your plants. You can also have your emitters customized to water some parts of your landscape more and some less to accommodate the types of plants you have. As a bonus, you get fewer weeds in between plantings with drip irrigation because the watering is targeted.
Include Permeable Paving
Another aspect of sustainable landscaping is utilizing the water that comes your way. Permeable paving is a method for managing storm water and replenishing the groundwater supply by preventing runoff. Permeable paving starts with a layer of sand topped with filter fabric, gravel and the actual paving material. These materials can include dry-laid brick or other pavers, crushed stone and decorative concrete grids. It's also possible to utilize grasscrete, which is essentially the concrete grids planted with hardy, drought-resistant grass in the spaces. Permeable paving is ideal for any hardscaping in your yard, from driveways to walkways and even planting bed borders.
Add Solar Lights
Water conservation isn't the only method of sustainability available to you. It's also possible to cut down on electricity by installing solar lights. As the name suggests, solar lights are those that gain their power source by collecting the sun's energy during the day. You can install decorative solar lights along your pathway or amidst your landscaping for gentle illumination in the evening.
Cut down on water and energy consumption with sustainable landscaping in your yard. For more information, contact companies like H2O Lawn Sprinklers.
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When I was young, I loved helping my mother in the garden. Our yard was filled with plants and flowers that she kept in immaculate condition. Once I was an adult and bought my first home, I learned that there was much more to landscaping a yard than I ever imagined! After a little trial and error planting a few flowers in my yard that died quickly, I realized the technology that is available to aspiring gardeners makes trial and error a thing of the past. After I found out what my "hardiness zone" was, I realized I was planting flowers made for much cooler climates, and I played around with software that let me design my yard very easily! I learned a lot throughout the experience, so I thought I would share my tips with everyone who needs them. Come back often to check out my new tips!