Eco friendly gardens cost less money AND they help save the environment. Creating an outdoor living space you love and making it better for the planet and your wallet.
But wait…there’s more.
A sustainable garden doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive either.
The $189 billion landscaping market has evolved with an eco-friendly bent. Ecoconscious people are waking up to the resource depletion and pollution inherent in traditional gardening. Sustainable gardening is the antidote. It allows you to have the garden you love while protecting the earth at the same time.
That’s a win-win.
Here’s what we’ll cover:
- Defining the Basics of Sustainable Gardening
- Eco-Friendly Water Conservation Tips
- Building Healthy Soil Naturally
- Plant Choices Matter
- Reducing Garden Waste
What Is a Sustainable Garden?
Sustainable gardening is all about working WITH nature, not against it.
Think about it…
A traditional landscape is dependent on vast amounts of water, chemical fertilizers, and hours of human labor to maintain. It’s an ongoing battle against the natural environment, trying to bend nature to your will.
A sustainable garden is just the opposite. When you create an eco friendly garden, you’re setting up a system that:
- conserves water
- minimizes chemical use
- nurtures local wildlife
- builds soil health over time
If you’re in the process of landscaping in Raleigh, then partnering with experts to ensure that you use sustainable methods will save you time and money down the road.
Eighty percent of all American households participate in gardening and landscaping to some degree. Whether you’re an expert gardener or just getting started, you’re not alone in wanting to build an eco friendly garden.
Water Conservation: Eco-Friendly Gardening Basics
Did you know…
The average household garden uses way more water than is necessary? Traditional overhead sprinklers evaporate precious H2O into the air and make runoff. That’s not a smart use of resources.
Instead, here are some eco-friendly tips for making the most of every drop:
- Drip irrigation systems
- Rain barrels to catch free rainwater from your roof
- Mulching to keep moisture in the soil
- Watering at cooler times of day (early morning is best)
Native and drought-tolerant plants are also a huge part of creating an eco friendly garden. Instead of trying to fight your local climate, choose to embrace it. Native plants have adapted to your region over thousands of years and evolved to require far less water.
Build Healthy Soil Without Chemicals
The secret to a successful garden? It’s all in the dirt.
Healthy soil=healthy plants. It’s really that simple.
Chemical fertilizers give you fast results but kill the natural microorganisms that build soil health over the long term. They create a cycle of dependency where you need more and more chemical inputs year after year.
A better way:
Start composting your kitchen scraps and lawn clippings. This “black gold” improves soil texture and fertility and also reduces the volume of waste that ends up in landfills. Add organic matter such as leaves, grass clippings, and finished compost regularly to feed the soil microorganisms that in turn help plants grow.
The no-dig method is also gaining popularity. Rather than tilling and disrupting the soil, you add layers of organic material on top and let natural processes do their work below the surface.
These methods take a little more work upfront but pay off by creating a self-sustaining system that becomes easier to maintain every year.
Choose Plants That Are Right for Your Climate
Here’s where many people go wrong…
They buy exotic plants that look gorgeous in glossy brochures but are completely unsuited to their climate. Then they puzzle over why they must constantly water, fertilize, and battle pests.
Smart plant choices instead are:
Native species that evolved right there where you live and have adapted to the local environment. This makes them the best performers for your climate with the lowest inputs of water and fertilizer and natural resistance to local pests. Native plants also provide food and shelter for local wildlife such as butterflies, bees, and birds.
Perennials over annuals. Perennials come back each year, so you have less replanting to do and less waste from garden cleanup. Group plants by water needs so you can avoid overwatering some while underwatering others.
Edible landscaping also is a huge trend that looks amazing and provides you with fresh fruits, herbs, and vegetables.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Garden Waste
Every fallen leaf, twig, and grass clipping is a valuable source of organic matter that can be used to build soil fertility and structure. But most people bag it up and send it to the landfill.
Try these ideas instead:
Allow grass clippings to stay on your lawn (called grasscycling) so they can return their nutrients to the soil. Create a compost pile for plant trimmings, kitchen scraps, and even cardboard. Spread fallen leaves as a mulch around plants or add them to your compost pile.
Don’t neglect hardscaping materials when it comes to reusing and recycling. Reclaimed wood, recycled pavers, and natural stone all reduce the environmental impact of your garden design.
Use natural predators to keep chemical pesticides to a minimum. Birds eat insects. Ladybugs devour aphids. If you allow for wildlife habitat, these helpers will appear to patrol your garden and keep pest populations in check naturally.
Create a Wildlife Habitat
The really cool thing…
Your sustainable garden can become a mini-ecosystem that benefits local wildlife. And those animals are in turn an ally that helps your garden thrive.
Bees and butterflies pollinate flowers. Birds devour pest insects. Even small mammals aerate soil and help with seed dispersal. You can attract them all by:
- Planting a variety of flowers that bloom at different times to provide nectar and pollen
- Leaving some areas a little “wild” with native grasses and plants
- Providing water for birds and insects (birdbaths work well)
- Avoiding pesticides that kill good bugs along with bad
- Adding nesting boxes or insect hotels to draw them in
The more diverse the ecosystem in your garden, the healthier and more resilient it will be. Nature is self-regulating–predators keep pest populations in balance so you don’t have to.
Maintenance of Sustainable Gardens
Sustainable gardens are low-maintenance gardens.
Once they are established, they require minimal input from you. But it does take smart planning and effort upfront to get to that point. Use mulch to suppress weeds and retain soil moisture. This will save you hours of weeding and watering. Prune properly to promote healthy plant growth and remove dead or diseased plant material promptly.
Let your garden be a little “messy.” Leaving seed heads for birds, allowing some leaves to decompose, and not over-pruning create a healthier ecosystem than a manicured landscape.
Eco-Friendly Gardening Wrap Up
Building an eco friendly garden is a smart investment that will pay off in many ways for both your property and the environment.
You’ll save money on your water bills. You’ll spend less time mowing, weeding, and fertilizing. You’ll create habitat for wildlife. You’ll have an outdoor space that only gets more beautiful with time.
Start with a plan.
Get to know your local climate and soil conditions. Select plants that are proven performers for your area. Use organic techniques to build soil health. Conserve water through smart irrigation and plant choice.
Don’t try to change everything at once. Choose one area or one technique and build from there. Sustainable gardening is a process, not an end result.
Remember…
Each small step you take has a positive impact. Native plants support local ecosystems. Composting reduces landfill waste. Water conservation helps preserve this precious resource. By creating a sustainable garden, you are not just landscaping you are becoming a steward of the earth.
The planet will thank you for it.