Going Green With Sustainable
Landscape Design
Sustainable landscape design has become the latest fashion in garden trends, it allows eco-conscious homeowners to minimize their environmental impact without sacrificing luxurious outdoor living.
A sustainable garden style eliminates chemicals and toxins in the landscape, while reducing the need for nonrenewable resources. From
country gardens
to
modern landscapes,
sustainability can be a part of any
garden design style
by incorporating a few common elements.
Sustainable Vegetation
The plants and trees you choose should reflect the overall theme of your landscape design while also promoting sustainability. Select plants that are native to your location and require little maintenance to flourish.
Whenever possible, keep the vegetation that is already there and transplant it if necessary. Common plant life within a sustainable landscape includes:
• Natural meadows of grass and wildflowers.
• Bamboo gardens for privacy and shade.
• Evergreen hedges, positioned to increase your home's efficiency.
• Organic vegetable or herb gardens.
• Trees, including fruit and nut-bearing trees.
Create your planting plan to minimize water needs by keeping vegetation with similar requirements close to one another. Remember to provide natural areas that invite birds and insects to thrive in your outdoor space as well. For an example of this view our page on
Italian Landscape Design
that saves time, money, and the environment.
Eco-Friendly Outdoor Materials
A sustainable landscape design often integrates more vegetation and fewer hardscape features to reduce the need for materials.
Walkways and drives are still necessities in most outdoor spaces, so opt for untreated materials that do not depend on natural resources for manufacturing. Porous materials, like crushed brick, mulch, or gravel, encourage drainage while shrubbery and hedges often replace fencing or walls. Furnishings and accessories made of local, sustainable hardwood are also popular.
Sustainable Outdoor Features
An assortment of eco-friendly gardening techniques can be integrated into your sustainable landscape. Some of the most common include: •
Xeriscaping
- A unique garden style utilizing native plants, particularly popular in drought-stricken locales.
•
Green roofs
- take advantage of unused space and wasted rainfall by supporting flowers, vegetables, and even trees on level rooftops. Green roofs are especially popular in small outdoor spaces.
• Bioswales - Specially designed drainage ditches that make the most of rainwater by nourishing wildflowers and ornamental grasses while filtering the fallen water.
• Rain gardens - A manmade depression created to promote proper drainage. Like bioswales, this technique also features an array of plant life and provides suitable habitats for wildlife.
•
Green walls
- a wall, either free-standing or part of a building, that is partially or completely covered with vegetation and, in some cases, soil or an inorganic growing medium. They are also referred to as living walls, bio walls, or vertical gardens.
A sustainable outdoor space creates a natural haven that can be enjoyed by you and your local wildlife. Recycled materials, locally grown vegetation, and eco-friendly gardening techniques can greatly lower the impact your home has on the planet without sacrificing the luxury you desire.
Creating an environmentally-friendly landscape design requires detailed planning and an effective layout. Pay close attention to drainage throughout your yard and make the most out of each rainfall to minimize the need for irrigation.
Many of our members are proficient in sustainable landscape design and can help you choose the best plants and materials for your sustainable landscape design and can also assist with design and construction. To choose from members in your area go to our
Member Directory
for national and
international
projects. Get started with a sustainable landscape design that complements your home or your place of business and reduces your carbon footprint.
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International Landscape Association Consisting of Landscape Architects, Contractors and Related Professionals
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