
In today’s day and age, we don’t have to be environmental activists or climate scientists to take one quick glance and realise nature is changing and the main culprit is human activity. Since most of us don’t run big companies and can’t change things globally, all we can do is focus on our immediate surroundings and try to be more eco-conscious about our choices and how they affect things around us.
Sustainability is both practical and economical, and it benefits us as well. Being responsible adults means we also have to extend that duty to the environment around us. This is why we’ve gathered a list of features for you to give you some ideas on how to create a sustainable landscape in your very own yard.
Let’s check them out below!
Drought-Tolerant Plants
Some plants thrive in dry conditions. Use that to your advantage to make your landscape more sustainable while creating charm and beauty at the same time. We can’t forego mentioning the Mediterranean-type garden here, as it’s becoming increasingly popular. Especially so with today’s climate changes.
Mediterranean gardens are a classy, yet eco-friendly way to improve your exterior. The wide array of drought-resistant plants around the region of “mediterraneus”, as the Latins originally called it, can create a specific, luxurious look, evoking feelings of far-away places and . All within your very own yard. Pair it with some container boxes and gravel paths, and some seating areas, and you have yourself an exceptional place to sit around with your entire family and friends.
A clever way to avoid remembering watering requirements for each single plant is to group greens with similar needs together. That way, you create zones, and you will only need to remember when to water each single one. Your plants will thank you, because not a single one will be forgotten that way.
Additionally, use mulch and compost to retain soil moisture and suppress weeds. Needless to say, that’s how you will avoid wasting water and effort in maintenance or combating the invasive greens.
Rainwater Harvesting System
Do you know the thing about rainwater? It’s completely free because it comes directly from Mother Nature! And you know what else? People have invented ways to conserve it for thousands of years and use it to irrigate their farms and gardens, and if you want to live more sustainably, you shouldn’t be any different.
You don’t even have to install a fancy, state-of-the-art rainwater harvesting system, which has filtration and all kinds of other perks. All you need to do is simply use some barrels or a cistern to collect the precious liquid. That’s especially useful in drier seasons, when your plants will be thirsty, or you want to maintain the fresh look of your lawn, for example.
Besides, you’d be saving money from municipal water and also help conserve some of it, and that’s a pretty eco-conscious thing to do.
Moreover, rainwater is free from all the chemicals found in tap water, such as chlorine for example. This makes it a much more sustainable and healthier watering option for your garden. Conversely, consider connecting your rainwater harvesting system either to a drip irrigation system or soaker hoses to target specific areas better and further conserve the precious liquid.
Permeable Paving
Urbanisation of the landscape is something you likely haven’t thought about in terms of how it affects the environment.
You see, impervious surfaces (think parkings and streets) prevent the water-retaining function of soils and trees. In turn, all that stormwater causes floods, severe erosion damage, diminished recharge of groundwater, and that is if we only name a few.
Additionally, impervious surfaces help transport all that sediment, bacteria, chemicals, and other pollutants straight into our local waters. Not very sustainable, is it?
Now, efforts have been made on a governmental level, but we can also help reduce those negative impacts and the way to do so is through using permeable paving. This way, rain and stormwater will infiltrate the soil and reduce all the negative effects mentioned above.
You can choose among permeable concrete, porous asphalt or interlocking permeable pavers for driveways, walkways, and patios. Conversely, go for gravel or decomposed granite for paving pathways or under seating areas to further reduce runoff and also improve soil health.
Native Habitat Features
Nature is changing due to human activity. Because we’ve cut down forests and turned the lands into farms or industrial areas, we’ve disrupted ecosystems and caused disbalance. That’s why it will be of great help to local wildlife if we incorporate native habitat features such as pollinator gardens, butterfly habitats or/and bird-friendly landscapes.
This is as easily done as planting native flowers, trees, and shrubs. Because everything is connected within an ecosystem, once in place, these greens will provide food and shelter to local wildlife and effectively help safeguard biodiversity in your area.
Besides, welcoming in local pollinators and wildlife can make your home’s exterior even more beautiful, as you’ll be able to sit down, relax, and enjoy nature in its full splendour.
Smart Irrigation System
Technology can be wonderful when it comes to safeguarding the planet. This feature employs both weather-based controllers and soil moisture sensors to use your water in the most efficient manner possible. Installing such a contraption in your home’s exterior will minimise water waste and adjust watering schedules so
This is all possible due to the smart irrigation system’s use of real weather data and all the data collected from your garden. Thus, you can forget about overwatering or whether you remembered to water your tomatoes last Friday before your favourite Netflix show returned with a new season.
The last thing you need to consider using drip irrigation or micro-sprinklers. What they do is they both deliver water directly to the root zones of plants. That way you can boost their growth and also conserve water at the same time.
Renewable Energy Features
Now, let’s talk about the elephant in the room – renewable energy. We all know that creating electricity requires processing energy resources. Even supposed clean energy from nuclear plants requires tons of water to prevent overheating the reactor, and there’s also the issue of storing the waste afterwards.
Here’s where the power of the sun comes to our aid. By harnessing the energy our star provides, we can effectively gain free energy and use it to provide sustainable electricity for our home’s appliances.
Renewable sources offer us ways to reduce our carbon footprint and the load on the power plants (and, thus, the environment). That’s why things like solar panels, solar lights or solar-powered water features can be really effective household improvements. Contact landscape services or licensed electricians to help you with the planning and installation.
Put solar panels on rooftops or ground mount them in sunny areas in your yard to help the environment and reduce your electricity bills. Have them power your outdoor lighting, irrigation system and any other landscape amenities. The result will benefit the planet, and you get to keep some money for yourself due to the lower electricity bill.
Conclusion
Making a positive impact on the environment isn’t that hard. All it takes is a resolute mind and some prior planning and research. However, the result will be that the whole world will be a little better for your efforts.
We hope we’ve given you some good ideas in that direction. But don’t stop searching until you find the things that can have the best impact on your individual situation. Once you make up your mind, we wish you a happy and successful landscape remodelling, which will benefit not only the planet but also you and your family too.