Wouldn’t it be great if your sustainable landscape had no maintenance? Let’s admit it, who has extra time for the trivial stuff like maintenance, right? Did you know that native plants that are suited to your area need less maintenance? The reason for that is that they are genetically in tune with the weather, rainfall, and seasons in your area. That makes them stronger than any exotic plant you may wish to grow in your sustainable landscape. Native plants, when matched with the right soil type, and light conditions, can be drought tolerant, and that means less watering. You can also reduce your maintenance by using ground covers, dense foliage, and self-seeders.

Sustainable Landscape Ground-covers

Ground-covers can be used in your sustainable landscape as a living mulch. Because of their low-growing form they can be strategically placed in garden beds to act as a living mulch, thus protecting your garden bed from excessive moisture loss, and blocking the growth of weeds. That’s two labor-intensive maintenance problems solved, watering and weeding. This also saves you the expense of replacing organic mulches that you buy at the nursery every year. There vigorous growth and thatching style leave little room for weeds. You can also use ground-cover to replace your existing lawn, eliminating the need to mow. One note of caution, some ground-covers can grow rapidly, to the point of being invasive. Pay attention to any new ground-cover when planted, and note the rate of growth. Doing proper research on each plant will eliminate all surprises.

Dense Foliage For Sustainable Landscapes

Dense Foliage in your sustainable landscape is a place that weeds will likely grow. Use hardy small shrubs, ferns, and tall grasses to create a maintenance-free zone. You can still create an interesting look with different textures and colors that will serve as a back drop to your more colorful flowers. Place stone statues or ornaments among your dense foliage to create focal points and conversation pieces for your sustainable landscape.

Self-seeders For Sustainable Landscapes

Self-seeders in your sustainable landscape can save you planting time and money. Each area of self-seeding plants grows each year, filling in holes, and eliminating room for weeds to grow. You can create drifts of color with just one species, making brilliant focal points in your sustainable landscape. Some self-seeders spread too quickly, so do your research before planting. Some type of edging or cement barrier can be strategically placed to prevent excessive spreading.

If you want to make your sustainable landscape memorable you must add focal points and accents. Not all of your yard can be spectacular at one time, so it’s important to concentrate on certain areas that the viewer can’t miss.

Focal points for your sustainable garden can include built structures, containers, furniture, ornaments, and plants. Sometimes there used to as a welcoming gesture to entice your guests to a special spot in the garden. The motivation must be visual, drawing their attention to a particular area. Sometimes framing the focal point with gates, arbors, pergolas, or hedges commits their attention.

The use of topiary in your sustainable landscape can create a formal focal point or accent. Shrubs and trees that are trimmed into living shapes or geometric patterns create a strong image that is always noticeable. Sometimes topiary shrubs and trees can be grouped together to make a visual impact. The best shrubs for topiary in your sustainable landscape include yew, boxwood, and bay.

Sustainable landscapes can be amazing with the use of distinctive shrubs and trees. They could have these eye catching features: distinctive bark, striking foliage, interesting fruits, weeping structure, or just an interesting natural shape.

To make the focal points in your sustainable landscape effective, don’t over do it. Less is more in this case. Don’t forget to keep balance and symmetry in all your focal point displays. Also, make sure that the viewing angle is maximized so that your efforts aren’t wasted.

There’s nothing sweeter in your sustainable landscape than plants that have a great fragrance. Create an elixir of smells that attract beneficial insects and  make your garden a topic of conversation. Choose between trees, shrubs, herbs, and amazing flowers to make your sustainable landscape a thing of aromatic beauty, and a legend in your neighborhood. 

Scented Trees & Shrubs

Scented trees and shrubs contain fragrant flowers that will permeate the air for great distances. Create an atmosphere for your sustainable landscape with spring, summer and winter varieties. Spring-flowering Rhododendrons like Carolina, Catawba, and Hybrid also create a spectacular  show. You could also use Lilac varieties like Mahonia, Leather leaf or Oregon-grape, or a shrub called Mock orange. In the summer choose lindens like American, Little leaf, and Silver. For winter fragrance in your sustainable landscape try Chimonanthus.

Fragrant Border Plants

Fragrant border plants for your sustainable landscape can add a aromatic punch to your space. This can include small shrubs, perennials, and bulbs. Try plants like Dianthus, Madonna lilies, Matthiola, and Erysimum. To make these fragrant border plants explode in your sustainable landscape plant them in masses.

Aromatic Herbs

Aromatic herbs are not just for window sills anymore. Give your sustainable landscape a unique look by incorporating aromatic herbs throughout your planting scheme. Most herbs release their fragrance when bruised, or brushed by passing traffic. Strategically located herbs should be placed near walkways, paving, or in containers where they can be engaged.

Your sustainable landscape needs an image, and by adding color and texture you are giving your planting design coherence. In a previous blog post I talked about creating a continuous flow with seasonal effects. Well, a well chosen color theme or using textures is just as important for continuity.

Themed Color

Themed color for your sustainable landscape can be design with just a single color, with harmonies, or by using contrasting colors. A single color theme can be tricky, as finding the right balance of similar colors can be time consuming. Creating themed color plantings with harmonies (closely related colors) can bring a tranquil or vibrant display. When you use a contrasting color theme, you use colors that are opposite on the color wheel. Like purple and yellow. This can lead to an eye catching show or a beautiful focal point.

Foliage Color

Foliage color is a sophisticated color theme for your sustainable landscape. Never as showy as a flower display, different shades of leaves on a variety of trees and shrubs can add interesting views. Many have lively colors that evolve as the season progresses. Do a little research and you’ll see the artistic possibilities available.

Foliage Texture

Foliage texture is a subtle, but interesting look for your sustainable landscape. Use foliage that has a woolly, matte, shiny, or waxy surface to create an interesting contrast. Foliage edging can come in a variety of looks, including serrated, puckered, wavy, and crinkled. Leaf shape and size can be used to make an artistic statement and create your own unique display.

Your sustainable landscape can have an unique look that has never been done by anyone else. Planning is essential, but experimentation is the only viable solution. Leave a special spot with lots of room in your sustainable landscape. Start by selecting plants you think will work together to create the look you want. Keep all plants in containers and place in a group together in that space. Note how they look together, and remove any that don’t match the look you want. Then add new plants to the group to you get it right. Then you can plant the entire batch, and use the others in another part of your sustainable landscape.

Okay, you’ve done all the hard work on your sustainable landscape by planning and incorporating all the hard surfaces. (Check previous post on hard surfaces) Now it’s time to have a little fun with designing your plant layout for your sustainable landscape. Will you be trying to create a seasonal effect, add focal points and accents, create it for easy maintenance, establish it for fragrance, or build for color and texture. You should really draft a plan for each area of your garden that incorporates a theme, so that you don’t create inconsistencies that can become an eye sore later.

Seasonal Effect ( Spring )

Spring is the season of anticipation, and why not begin by letting your sustainable landscape explode with vibrant displays of instant color. While most of the garden is slowly mounting a show, bring immediate impact to your sustainable landscape with bulbs. * Note: Bulbs must be planted in the fall for spring color. You can also add perennial ground cover on the edges with plants that flower early. Fill in the holes with annuals that are already flowering, and you have created a beautiful picture. Let the green foliage that lays behind to act as a back drop, creating a more intense visual for your sustainable landscape.

Seasonal Effect (Summer)

Summer can be the most challenging month for your sustainable landscape. Plants are displaying a tremendous amount of leaves, while growing in proportions (width and height) that might throw the balance of your sustainable landscape off. Your undivided attention, continuous trimming, and a vigorous watering schedule will make or break your gardens seasonal plants beauty.

Seasonal Effect (Autumn)

Autumn is your last chance for your sustainable landscape to put on a show. Perhaps you can designate one area of your garden to display seasonal plants  and use autumn colors. Mix browns, reds, yellows, and rust, to create an autumn portrait people will talk about. Try to stay on top of the constant clean-up from decaying plants and falling leaves, so the focus will be on your sustainable landscape display.

Seasonal Effects (Winter)

Winter can be an interesting time for your sustainable landscape. You can create interest from tall grasses that retain their flower heads and wave about in the breeze. Also, many bushes and small trees have colorful bark that will finally show after the leaves fall off. Winter can be a time of contemplation for your sustainable landscape. Dwell on your successes and failures, and start putting a plan together for next years garden.

Creating boundaries and divisions should be one of your first priorities when developing your sustainable landscape plan. I covered hard surfaces in a previous blog post, and these two should be your first 2 steps.

Boundaries and divisions for your sustainable landscape have many important uses. They are an important security feature, keeping children and pets in, while keeping intruders out. They also provide shelter, will cast  shade, keep in heat, creating dry areas, and channel wind. Boundaries in your sustainable landscape also deter traffic noise and pollution. Let’s have a look at some different types of boundaries.

Brick Walls

Brick walls can be a very attractive feature for your sustainable landscape. They come in many different forms and costs. You can choose from traditional brick, stacked flagstone, country stone, or render an existing wall. Here’s your chance to be artistic and make your sustainable landscape unique with the many choices of brick colors and textures that are available. Brick walls are durable, require little maintenance, are good for security and privacy. As an added bonus, they retain heat on the sunny side of the wall, creating a micro-climate for your plants.

Fences

Fences for your sustainable landscape offer many choices. There’s wood picket, post and rail, bamboo, wood panel, wattle hurdle, and ironwork fences available. Each one of these fences has a different purpose, cost, and appearance, letting you create a look, mood, or fashion statement.

Hedges

Hedges can add beauty and organization to your sustainable landscape. Not only can hedges be used for boundary definition, but can be used inside your sustainable landscape space to create divisions or focal points. Choose from formal hedges,tapestry, topiary, informal, formal deciduous, or pleached. Although this can be a cost-effective solution at the beginning, most hedges require constant maintenance.

Arches & Pergolas

Arches & pergolas add an artistic touch to your sustainable landscape. They can be used to divide certain areas of your space, as a focal point, or as a device to support your plants. Arches & pergolas usually come in wood or metal form. They can be painted to coordinate existing colors.

Boundaries and divisions are a very important ingredient in your sustainable landscape plan. It is easier to plan your boundaries in the first two steps of your sustainable landscape plan. First of all there is the cost. The cost could dictate what kind of style you can afford. You’ll also want your hard surfaces to reflect the same theme you are creating with your boundaries. These first two decisions will set the tone for the rest of your sustainable landscape plan.

I know, your dying to get started on your sustainable landscaping and put those beautiful native plants in the ground. But wait, is there something you forgot? Your sustainable landscaping plan has 2 key elements you must design and implement before the native plants go in the ground. Your ( hard surfaces ) and your ( boundaries, divisions, and structures ).

Your hard surfaces in your sustainable landscape plan will provide pathways, courtyards, and entertainment areas for cooking and relaxation. Your hard surfaces make your navigation throughout your space easier than just plain lawn, because they are made to be durable for heavy traffic. Here are some of the materials you can use for your hard surfaces.

Top 5 Materials For Hard Surfaces In Your Sustainable Landscape 

1. Wood Decking
2. Gravel
3. Poured Concrete
4. Concrete Slabs
5. Pavers 

Wood Decking

Wood decking is probably the most popular choice for hard surfaces in sustainable landscaping plans. It’s just so versatile because of the different textures, patterns, and hues you can incorporate. Depending on what type of finish you give this type of hard surface, there could be some maintenance down the road.

Gravel

Gravel is a great way to add color and texture to your sustainable landscape. It can bring out the creative side of you and is easy to install. Proper edging is  required to prevent the gravel from scattering.

Poured Concrete

Poured concrete is classic. Your sustainable landscape will have a time honored clean look to it. You also have the ability to form any shape you wish with this flexible hard surface. Just remember, once installed it is hard to remove.

Concrete Slabs

Concrete slabs are a do-it-yourself dream. You can design a beautiful hard surface for your sustainable landscape with out having to bring in a contractor. You have tons of choices when it comes to color, texture, shape, and size, giving you more flexibility. This could be a time consuming step.

Pavers

Pavers are the most versatile choice for your sustainable landscape plan. There’s no limit to the number of different patterns you can create for your hard surfaces. This can also give your back a break, because their lightweight and easy to work with. This can be an expensive choice, depending how big the area is, and whether your going to be doing the work yourself.

As you can see you have a lot of choices to make before you can implement your sustainable landscaping plan. But these choices will be the backbone of your design. Your hard surfaces will dictate what style or mood you are trying to set for your sustainable landscaping space. Is it formal, informal, modern, rustic, or country? Take some time and get this step right the first time. It going to take a lot more time and money to change things later.

Like any landscaping project, sustainable landscape design can only be successful if you prepare a highly proficient design first. One of the biggest mistakes is just placing your plants wherever you can find room, then rearranging things as you go. You’ll create a space that will have some plants flourish, and others that just won’t survive. Your sustainable landscape needs to everything in it’s proper place to make it sustainable.

Sustainable Landscape Design Road Map 

1. Plant Selection
2. Appearance & Aesthetics
3. Security
4. Drainage & Erosion Controls
5. Future Maintenance Costs & Requirements

Plant Selection

This can be the most important step in your sustainable landscape design. Every plant has different light needs. From full sun, partial sun, shade, and partial shade, you’ll need to map out the light conditions of the space you are converting to sustainable landscaping. Draw a diagram of your space and colour code each area that has different sun qualities. Even though the type of light will change during the day, you must define the type of light that is the most prominent. Then make a list of possible plants for each different section.

Appearance & Aesthetics

This is where the fun begins. Use your artistic touch to make your sustainable landscape beautiful. Now that you have a list of which plants that will grow properly in each section of different light, you can begin to select plants by there maximum height qualities. You see, you’ll want to create layers in your sustainable landscape, with small plants at the front, medium height plants next, and your tallest plants as a backdrop. This is a standard example, and you can improvise with your own version. You’ll want to create maximum visibility at all times. Make a list of each plants maximum height and then divide them in to different height categories. Now you can arrange each area in your sustainable landscape in to light and height requirements. You can elaborate on this idea and include the different times of the year each plant flowers. Don’t forget to leave a little room for growth.

Security

This is a step you want to get right the first time. Sustainable landscaping can be beautiful, but is it also functional? The main rule concerning security is to not block windows and doors with tall flowers, grass, bushes, or trees. Intruders are looking for landscapes that will conceal their activities. Remember to factor in the growth ( width and height ) of  each plant in your sustainable landscape design.

Drainage & Erosion Control

Don’t let all your hard work go to waste. Make your sustainable landscape water and wind friendly. Use hedges and ground cover in strategic places to control erosion from strong winds. Use proper sloping techniques to make sure water from rainfalls is routed to safe areas away from building foundations.

Future Maintenance Costs & Requirements

Make sure you make a list of what possible costs and requirements might be needed for your sustainable landscape. How much will compost cost each year? Will I have time to do clean-up, trimming, and watering? If not, how much will it cost to hire someone to do it? Will I have to add additional plants? This list will prepare you so that your expectations for your sustainable landscape are met, giving you a quality experience and better enjoyment.

Have you ever been just fed up about hearing environmental warnings and are ready to actually do something about it. Then consider converting your yard or property to sustainable landscape. Sustainable is best described in the dictionary as ” using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged ” or ” capable of being sustained “. That means no additives. That explanation refers to the use of toxic herbicides, pesticides, and man made fertilizers that you place on your lawn. This does not sustain your lawn, it actually depletes the soils natural nutrients and composition. It also includes using lawn mowers that use fossil fuels, a resource that is depleting and harmful to the atmosphere. 

Sustainable landscape is something that requires low maintenance, is all natural, and returns the ecological balance between animals, insects, native plants, and the atmosphere. It sounds good, doesn’t it? Then why has society strayed so far away from this simple concept? Is it too late to reclaim our natural heritage?

Top 5 Steps To Making Sustainable Landscaping

1. Decide If The Work Is Going To Be Done By You Or A Contractor?
2. Decide If Your Going To Remove Existing Lawn Or Just Cover It
3. Research Native Plants Including Trees, Shrubs, Flowers & Ground Cover
4. Make A Design On Paper Of Where Everything Will Go
5. Measure Area To Be Converted & Get Quotes For Materials Needed

There are two main reasons why you should grow your own organic potatoes. Taste and variety. Doesn’t sound like a good enough reason does it? Considering you can go down to the local supermarket and get regular potatoes ( not organic ) dirt cheap. ( just kidding ) Just remember, they don’t have the same taste, and they don’t have many varieties.

You just can’t beat fresh, and growing organic potatoes is very fresh. You can still smell the fresh earth they have just vacated as you carry them to the kitchen. It’s organic, that means you don’t have to worry about any pesticides or other toxic chemicals saturating your potatoes. Have you ever eaten a potato that was picked just a few minutes ago?

Does variety matter to you? When you grow your own organic potatoes you can sample varieties you’ll never see in your local supermarket. Here are just a few varieties you can try: Yukon Gem, Chiefton, and Cortland. Here’s your chance to experience a new taste in an organic potato.

If your a potato lover you deserve to reward yourself with the best, organic potatoes. No matter how you like to eat your potatoes, whether it be mashed, fried, baked, or boiled, you can experience a new world of taste. Do a little research and find out the best way to grow organic potatoes, and enjoy.