After living through climate change, natural disasters, and a pandemic, people are waking up to the fact that being more eco-friendly is necessary for our planet. It is not only a thought on people’s minds or a trend, it is a top priority that is here to stay. Many countries are doing their part to treat Mother Earth in a kinder way and bring her back to health.
This means that we must do our part to make changes and incorporate eco-friendly practices in all aspects of our lives. For homeowners, this includes having a sustainable landscape design that is both eco-friendly and easy to maintain. Here are a few tips on how to make this happen and grow a beautiful garden that will help the environment.
Reduce the size of your garden
The first tip for an eco-friendly landscape design is to reduce the size of your lawn. This is simply because the smaller they are, the less water you need to maintain it and, as we know, water usage is one of the biggest contaminants in the world. Since the space will be smaller, we do suggest using a wide variety of plants to give the space a lot of impact and variance in colors and shapes.
Choose native plants
Choosing native plants will reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions and resources used because the road traveled for it to get to your space will be shorter. Something else to take into account is that these local plants require less maintenance because they are already acclimated to the weather and are already resistant to local pests and diseases. This will ultimately result in a reduction in the use of pesticides, fertilizers and water. Schedule an appointment with one of our team members to choose the right local plants for your space.
Use mulch
Using mulch has many benefits:it regulates the temperature of the soil and retains moisture, helping plants stay vibrant and alive. Also, as mulch breaks down it releases its nutrients into the soil. All of this results in a reduction of up to 50% in water and fertilizer to keep plants healthy. If you don’t want to use mulch you can also use gravel, which will also help regulate the temperature of the soil. Visit our online store for gravel options.
Keep you grass high and compost clippings
When you mow your lawn, try to keep the grass as high as possible, as this will help the soil retain water, resulting in less water usage. At the same time, leave the clippings on the grass. Grass clippings are 75-85% water, which means that the soil will draw water from them, resulting in less water usage. If you are opposed to leaving your clippings on the grass, you can easily throw them in your compost pile for later usage.
Start composting
You may have heard of composting, since it’s a trending topic among sustainability enthusiasts. Composting is no other than collecting and recycling organic materials that would otherwise be waste, and using them to fertilize and condition the soil of your garden. Your compost includes anything that is easily biodegradable, like fruit and vegetable scraps, paper, eggshells and things alike, avoiding animal scraps. This is an effective sustainability practice because it reduces waste and the need for chemical fertilizers.
Harvest rainwater
Harvesting rainwater is a very simple and cost-effective way of making your garden very eco-friendly. Use your stored rainwater to water grass, flowers and vegetable gardens, while reducing water usage.
At Plant the Future we provide personalized landscaping design for homes, hotels, offices, restaurants, retail stores, and many other spaces. We also collaborate with interior designers, architects and developers to bring biophilic design into your space. View our recent landscape design projects for inspiration.
