Ecological Landscape Design And Organic Lawn Care
|
There is a growing recognition, that the expanding suburban landscape is having a negative environmental impact. Suburban development often includes vast energy dependant monocultures (perfect, grass lawns). They consume a significant amount of natural resources, (water to keep them green and gasoline to keep them trimmed), and they reduce the amount of habitat available for native wildlife. Over use of fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides can leach into water supplies and be harmful to children and pets. Trends toward ecological landscaping and organic lawn care are lessening the detrimental effects of these designs. Many landscape designers are recommending native plant species, and even golf course managers are moving toward organic methods.
In practical terms our goal should be to move away from designs that depend on an extensive use of energy, without asking people to give up their lawns entirely. There are a number of options:
* Buffer zones and open space requirements in subdivisions allow for wildlife corridors and bird habitats.
* Leaving a portion of each lot in a natural state will invite birds and beneficial insects into the yard, while reducing the amount of grass to water and mow.
* The use of native plants in the design will greatly reduce the amount of care needed for the plants to thrive.
We should stop worrying about whether our lawns looks like the eighteenth fairway of the local country club. Many of the "weeds" that appear in our lawns are considered to be medicinal, by herbalists, and others attract beneficial insects.
We should stop over watering our lawns. Don't worry about your grass dying. Grass will turn green when it rains. Trust me.
If you must have an all grass lawn, there are organic methods that claim to do as well as chemicals will. It's probably a good idea to test any remedy before applying it to your entire yard. Spot treating problem areas will often be all that is needed.
Ecological Landscaping Considerations
The first and most important thing to consider in an ecological landscape design is an environmental assessment of the site. Is it more like a sunny meadow or shady woodland? Is it wet and marshy or dry and well drained?
Secondly, find out which native plants thrive in your particular environment. This can be easily done by taking a closer look at what is growing in undeveloped areas around you. Look at areas that most closely resemble your site. Species that are flourishing in the wild in similar ecosystems nearby are more likely to do well, with little or no care, than species growing in different ecosystems, not to mention different regions of the country or world.
Some purists would argue that only native species be considered, but I personally feel that non-invasive species from other parts of the world are acceptable if used in the proper environmental setting. Whenever possible choose species that are propagated locally and select varieties that are disease, pest and drought resistant. This will preclude the need for intensive care and excessive watering.
Many native plants are often found growing as part of a larger community of plants. For reasons we don't thoroughly understand, plants appear to form symbiotic relationships with each other. This may be for shade, nutrient contribution or protection from pests to name a few. When studying the local landscape, pay attention to plant relationships. In the wild, vegetation occurs in layers from groundcovers to taller plants and shrubs and often to a tree canopy above. These layers provide a diverse habitat for a variety of wildlife. Recreating these conditions in even a small part of your site will help to enhance the overall health of the environment around you.
In many instances homeowners will wish to deter certain wildlife species, while attracting others. While it may be possible to discern which plants attract different species in the wild, it may not be as easy to determine which plants will deter them. Local landscapers and plant nurseries will often be able to advise you about this.
Wherever you live and whatever your landscape consists of, a little thought about working with the natural environment and a commitment to organic lawn care practices, will save on maintenance cost and benefit the larger community landscape.
Chip Phelan, a contributing editor for Organic Gardening Review, is an organic gardener living in Rhode Island. He has been gardening organically for 30 years while working as a sculptor and photo imager. He has recently created a research garden to experiment with organic and small scale sustainable gardening techniques.
Organic Gardening Review is a resource center for organic gardening enthusiasts and features his efforts and interests in all aspects of organic gardening. Find us on the web: http://www.organicgardening-review.com
Looking for a place to share organic gardening info? Visit our Organic Gardening Discussion Forum at: Organic Gardening Forum
|
|
|
Fun, Funky Garden Plants
I have a love for funky, fun and unique garden plants. Here's one to try. It's called Sea Holly, and it's actually in the thistle family. Sea Holly is a perennial garden plant, which means you plant it once and it comes up year after year, somewhat depending on your climate.This plant never did fail to bring attention And comments from people seeing my garden. It grows About 3-4 feet high, very branchy and the b...(related: Landscaping)
Xeriscaping Is Waterwise Gardening
What is xeriscaping? You may have heard of xeriscaping as a way of landscaping in the Southwestern United States. You may picture xeriscaping as a lot of gray gravel and cactus in a hot desert yard. People call that "zero-scaping," and that is not what xeriscaping is. Xeriscaping is a method of gardening and landscaping that will reduce your water use and maintenance requirements by as much as 60 percent. Xeriscaping can be done anywhere by any gardener, and in any yard, with the result being a beautiful, even lush, landscape.The word "xeriscape" was coined in the early 1980's by the Denver Water Board when creating their water conservation program. Denver Water trademarked the word in 1983. It comes from combining xeros (Greek for "dry") with landscaping. Thus, it is a water-conservative app...(related: Landscaping)
Growing Orchids As House Plants
One of the long standing myths that I still hear is that orchid house plants are difficult and finicky to grow. Well, plain and simple, the answer is No. In fact, orchids as house plants are easy to grow and will continue to bloom for years. Some orchid plants have been around for centuries.WateringOrchid house plants and orchid plants in general will need watering periodically, usually you can water once a week. Remember, most orchids are air plants and this means you will see their roots. Their root system is very efficie...(related: Landscaping)
Growing Tomatoes Organically
Tomato Seeds Vs. Tomato Seedlings?Whether you start your own tomato seeds or buy tomato seedlings, growing them organically will produce healthier plants and better tasting tomatoes.Tomatoes are one of the most popular summer crops grown in the U.S. High in vitamins and minerals, tomatoes are a healthy and delicious addition to any back yard garden.Tomatoes are native to the tropical areas of Central and South America,...(related: Landscaping)
Patio Swings Spruce Up Your Outdoor Space With Comfort And Style
Are you looking for a way to spruce up your patio while providing additional seating at the same time? Are you tired and bored of the same old stationary patio seating that can be purchased in most stores? If so, maybe you should consider furnishing your patio with a unique patio swing.In addition to c...(related: Landscaping)
Why Are Adirondack Chairs & Adirondack Furniture A Cottage Favorite?
With summer right around the corner, it's time to sit back and enjoy a cool beverage in an Adirondack chair.Adirondack chair you say? What's that? The Adirondack chair is an outdoor armchair having an angled back and seat made of wide, usually wooden slats. It's been around since the early 1900's and was originally known as the Westport Chair named after a small ...(related: Landscaping)
How To Grow Sweet Corn
Purchased corn, whether on the cob or in a can can't compare for taste! Sweet corn is easy to grow in the flower and fruit gardening guides home garden with just a little know how and a few corn facts.Corn needs warm soil temperatures (50° - 65° Fahrenheit) to germinate.Warm temperatures cause sugars in corn to turn into starches and results in loss of sweetnes...(related: Landscaping)
Y, Fun Garden Plants
I have a love for funky, fun and unique garden plants. Here's one to try. It's called Sea Holly, and it's actually in the thistle family.Sea Holly is a perennial garden plant, which means you plant it once and it comes up year after year, somewhat depending on your climate.This plant never did fail to bring attention and comments from people seeing my garden. It grows about 3-4 feet high, very branchy and the branches are a brilliant electric blue color. It's stunning!The only drawback to this lovely plant, in the fall you must cut it to the ground and burn or compost the plant. Do not let it go longer than that, casting it seeds or you'll soon discover it's family trait of being in the thistle family, if you know what I mean. The following spring, it'll come back again to it's beauty.It ...(related: Landscaping)
Mulch Your Spring Bulbs In The Fall For A Beautiful Spring Display
Flower bulbs need a good, long, winters sleep. Like some people we know, if they wake up before they are fully rested, they get kind of cranky, and then they don't bloom well at all.Actually what happens is during a mild winter, the soil stays too warm, and the bulbs begin to come out of dormancy early. They start to grow, and once the tips emerge above the soil line, they are subject to freezing if the temperatures dip back down below freezing. And that's usually what happens. After the bulbs have emerged, they freeze and then don't bloom at all, or if they do it's a very sad display.Anoth...(related: Landscaping)
Potting Benches: Beautiful And Practical
Do you love spending time outdoors in your garden creating beautiful floral arrangements that can be enjoyed by all? Do you spend more time gathering up your supplies than you actually do planting flowers? If so, you should consider enhancing your garden with a potting bench.Potting benches do more than just add another gorgeous piece of furniture to your outdoor space; they are also very practical and can be extremely convenient when creating floral masterpieces in the garden.Just imag...(related: Landscaping)
Create A Hummingbird Garden Habitat
It's not difficult to create a garden that will attract hummingbirds, but if you'd like to build a habitat in which they will happily nest and live throughout the northern summer, you need to provide them with more than a sugar-water feeder and a plant or two. An active hummingbird garden doesn't need to be large, but it will have all of the following key ingredients to attract and keep the attention of "nature's fairies".Choose plants that attract...(related: Landscaping)
What Type Of Gazebo Is Right For You? Top Questions You Need To Ask
Having a gazebo in the backyard is an excellent way to enhancethe appearance while providing ...(related: Landscaping)
How To Grow Sweet Corn
Purchased corn, whether on the cob or in a can can't compare for taste! Sweet corn is easy to grow in the flower and fruit gardening guides home garden with just a little know how and a few corn facts.Corn needs warm soil temperatures (50° - 65° Fahrenheit) to germinate.Warm temperatures cause sugars in corn to turn into starches and results in loss of sweetnes...(related: Landscaping)
links - site-map - Copyright © 2006 datorsam.com | Contact Webmaster | All Rights Reserved. | Landscaping