Green landscaping, also known as “eco-landscaping”, is a method used to create and design an ideal landscape that embraces sustainability. The method includes landscaping strategies that reduce air, soil, and water pollution and create a healthier environment for the wildlife. Green landscapes allow you to save time, money, and energy and create a healthier outdoor space.
Start creating a “greener” landscape using these simple and easy tips in landscaping.
1) Install living green walls
Instead of building a fence, try planting a living green wall or hedge for your landscape. Living green walls are panels of plants that are grown vertically using hydroponics. The green walls can be built either free-standing or attached to existent walls.
The green wall can be an asset since it is both functional and visually appealing. They help filter the air by absorbing and cleaning pollutants. They also serve as habitat for wildlife and beneficial insects.
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2) Plant deciduous trees
It’s a known fact that trees help filter the air and provide a cooler environment. However, not all trees are created equal. Deciduous trees (that drop their leaves during the fall) are trees that both have the natural cooling and heating function based on the season.
Aside from providing a cooler atmosphere by blocking sunlight in the summer, they also help increase temperature during winter as they drop their leaves and allow sunlight to warm your home. Some of the deciduous trees are oak, maple, and elm. Plant these deciduous trees on the south and west sides of your home.
3) Choose native plants
If you are longing to paint your landscape with different colors but you want plants that require less maintenance, then choose the ones close to your roots. Native plants give you less hassle in watering and sustaining their glow since they adapt to your area. They also help attract local wildlife and beneficial insects and are more resistant to pests.
Community canoe planted with native plants at Wychwood Barns thanks to @BMO #BMOvolunteerday @atthebarns pic.twitter.com/zCaIm1tksQ
— David Suzuki FDN (@DavidSuzukiFDN) June 7, 2016
4) Invite some friendly bugs
Instead of using harmful pesticides, let the bugs do their duties. Not all insects just buzz around and destruct. Some predator insects like ladybugs, lacewings, and praying mantis eat aphids and slugs that destroy crops. In order to maintain them, plant bright flowers such as marigolds and sunflowers, and create other places where these bugs can lay eggs and naturally dwell.
5) Create a rain garden
Make use of those excess rainwater by having a rain garden. It is a landscaped garden placed in a shallow hole where the runoff from your home’s roof, driveways, or hardscaping is directed. The rainwater irrigates the plants on the surface, which can support habitat for beneficial insects, butterflies, and birds.
You can also make use of your rainwater the easier way by having rain barrels which store water then use them to irrigate your garden. Aside from conserving water, the rain garden also helps reduce water pollution that comes from the stormwater runoff.
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6) Embrace the process of composting
Instead of putting them in the dump, use your organic wastes like fruit and vegetable peels and fallen leaves to return needed nutrients to the soil. When the organic material is broken down in a compost pile, the decomposition process occurs which will give you the best fertilizer.
Using compost in your garden helps reduce the need for chemical fertilizers and still improves soil moisture and increases the nutrient content which is beneficial to your plants’ immune systems.
#Composting! Great way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Learn more at https://t.co/syafCrTaV0. #rdchat pic.twitter.com/U8NvMSIrb9
— Neily on Nutrition (@JenniferNeily) May 31, 2016
7) Refrain from wasting
If you’re not into gardening, you can still make your yard sustainable by utilizing the three significant Rs: reduce, reuse, recycle. Instead of buying new materials for your landscape, you may reuse your old stones, glass, concrete pieces, bricks, and other building materials for decks, fencing, and outdoor decors and furniture.
8) Stop fuel emissions
Emissions from lawn mowers, chain saws, leaf vacuums, and other outdoor power equipment can be sources of pollution and waste of fuel. Instead of using a gas-powered lawn mower, choose modern electric engines. These alternatives allow you to save gas, save costs, and create a cleaner and greener environment.
If you have a smaller lawn, polishing it using manual tools like reel push mowers and hand tools is always a better option.
Author Bio: Carmina Natividad likes the idea of finding a home that matches one’s personality. Her keen interest in real estate and interior design helps her in writing for Thomas Property Real Estate Agents (http://www.thomasproperty.com.au/), a boutique real estate agency based in Australia that aims to improve the consumers’ experiences in leasing, selling, and buying properties.