Tips for Eco-Friendly Landscaping
The first area that you can make changes in has to do with what you are landscaping. For instance, while you are planning your flower beds, choose eco-friendly plants. There are several types of eco-friendly plants, and many different categories that each have a specific purpose and benefit to the environment. Start by planting perennials, or plants that grow back every year. These plants often tend to spread, which is good for the environment because more plants help to keep the air cleaner and provide sustenance to a wide variety of wildlife.
There are certain types of eco-friendly plants that specifically attract wildlife, particularly butterflies and hummingbirds. These animals help with pollination, which is nature’s way of keeping plants vibrant and healthy without the assistance of potentially harmful agents such as fertilizer. Conversely, there are also plants that specifically repel insects, or deer. Planting these throughout your garden will keep you from having to use insecticides, and can be especially helpful if planted near an area you frequent often, or a vegetable garden. Vegetable gardens are good because they help you to eat healthier, organic food, and can slowly work to decrease the general dependence on supermarkets-whose operation is frequently less than helpful for the environment.
When you are deciding how to landscape, consider the fact that gardens tend to use less water than grass. Installing a pond, or placing a rock garden in your yard is a good long-term way to conserve water. Many eco-friendly plants are drought resistant, and by choosing these, you will conserve water because they will require substantially less than most other plants. If you want to cut down on your total grass area but still desire a large amount of greenery, you can opt for an eco-friendly, drought resistant groundcover plant.
The second area you can make changes in to contribute to the environment revolves around how you do the actual landscaping. There are simple changes that you can make, such as using compost in lieu of fertilizer. You can start a compost pile in an inconspicuous corner of your yard, or even a large, empty trashcan. Apple cores, banana peels, grass clippings, and leaves, among other things, are great ingredients for your compost pile. As these decompose, use the resulting soil for planting your garden and adding to the dirt around your plants on an occasional basis. You will start to see fuller, healthier blooms and vegetables in a very short time.
Similarly, eliminate the need for weed killer by weeding with your hands. This works excellently in flower beds, and even yards that only need spot treatment. If your yard is overrun with weeds, you may have no alternative to using the chemicals. However, remember that a weed is really just a plant without a designated purpose; if left alone, it will still be green, and may not be as out of place in your yard as you initially thought.
Automatic irrigation systems can actually save water if you use them appropriately. Watering your lawn around sunset is effective because the heat of the day is gone, and you won’t have to worry about water evaporating and going to waste, especially during the hot summer months.
A final change that you can make is the switch from an electric lawn mower to a reel lawn mower, which is powered by your own muscles. This yields a variety of benefits; not only is it not using gas and polluting the environment, but it is physiologically healthy both to exercise, and to be able to mentally relax and listen to the sweet sounds of nature, instead of a loud engine.
These are all small things that you can personally do to contribute to a better, safer, and healthier world. Remember that it starts with you!
