The Art and Science of Sustainable Landscaping

When working to achieve a sustainable lifestyle, it is important to examine every element of the way you live, including how you shape your landscaping design.

Creating a sustainable lifestyle is a combination of high-tech and simple, low-tech strategies that can maximize the return on your investment when combined. Elements like using your home's orientation combined with advanced glazing techniques can reduce utility usage and reduce your home's system load. Installing water-saving plumbing will not only conserve water but will reduce your living expenses and increase sustainability. Combine these high-tech approaches with xeriscaping featuring native, drought-resistant plants, and your cost savings can be significant.

In this post, we're going to take a look at sustainable landscaping strategies that can offer you a return on investment that includes cost savings, increased curb appeal, upgraded style, and increased property value. All while reducing your carbon footprint and helping the environment.

Sustainable Landscaping Strategies

Building toward sustainability means looking at every element of your landscaping. Even something as small as the seed mix you use for embankments can impact your projects' carbon footprint as well as your ROI. Using materials like low or no-mow plants that are salt and drought resistant reduces water use, maintenance costs, and can last longer. Native plantings typically require less maintenance and are naturally inclined to thrive in the local environment. Plus, they usually don't need a lot of water.

This is just part of a comprehensive strategy. Overall, you want to take a sustainable approach from the earliest stages. Planning is the key, and the earlier you begin planning for sustainability, the greater your return. If you work sustainability into the project's timeline and budget early and operate in an integrated and organized way, you'll be reducing environmental impact while improving your bottom line.

Elements of Sustainable Landscaping

When planning your approach, you need to consider a number of elements as you work to build sustainably. There are many layers of sustainable landscaping design that you need to monitor and address. Here are some considerations.

Landscaping Materials and Plants

Whenever possible, utilize locally sourced green materials like reclaimed, chemical-free wood, inert metals designed to last for decades, and sustainably harvested lumber. Stick with organic soils and untreated mulch. Source plants locally and uses organic practices after planting.

Maintenance and Methods

Ongoing maintenance should include keeping with organic gardening principals using only approved soil amendments. Avoid using chemical pesticides and fertilizers, and stick with natural products.

Waste and Composting

Whenever possible, include a composting element in your landscape. Making your own compost is easy, and can keep your garden healthy. Reduce waste and, whenever possible, reduce, reuse, and recycle materials.

Water Use and Retention

Water use is another way to improve sustainability. Consider installing a super=-efficient drip irrigation system. When drip irrigation is combined with a rainwater retention system, you can significantly lower your reliance on outside water needs.

Xeriscaping

Xeriscaping, in its simplest form, is a method of gardening that focuses on selecting plants that can thrive in your landscape environment with as little supplemental watering as possible. This method relies on choosing a variety of locally sourced native plants and other non-invasive, well-adapted species. Xeriscaping is all about low-water landscaping, but its just one way to improve your sustainability and reduce your footprint on the planet.

Xeriscaping is a growing trend as more regions are restricting water use on landscaping. Choosing xeric plants is a great way to maintain a beautiful landscape while using significantly less water. In fact, xeriscaping is an effective way of saving both time and money in your landscape.

Beyond plant selection, there are other ways to conserve water in your landscape. Replacing lawns with patios, additional xeric plantings, or eco-friendly synthetic turf can cut your water use by over 80%. Another way to improve resource efficiency is through the practice of grading and soil contouring. Using this landscaping method, you can guide any available moisture and rainfall to a place in your landscape where it can be used, for example, like a rain garden.

It's important to remember that while xeric plants require less water, they will still need some, especially during the first two summers. During this time, thorough watering will allow plants to grow the deep root systems needed to ensure healthy growth.

Xeriscaping Values In Conculsion

Creating a sustainable landscape can provide numerous benefits. From lowering your costs and reducing water use to reducing the time spent maintaining your landscape, taking a sustainable approach early in the planning process can provide you with an excellent return on your investment. With a little work, you can grow a low-water landscape that is every bit as beautiful and satisfying as any traditional landscape.

With In Green Living, Joni Keefe shares nature-based design choices for buildings, urban greenspaces, and Interior Design. Her interests follow Real Estate & housing sustainable agriculture, eco-friendly building products, and the latest trends in green design. She is a published writer with horticultural design work featured in national publications.