Maybe you’re trying to earn LEED points for your home or you just want to follow a “greener” lifestyle. Whatever your motivation, sustainable landscaping practices can help. Choosing to make your surroundings more eco-friendly is easy and you can still enjoy a beautiful yard.
Seiler’s certified LEED landscape designers suggest taking these steps to sustainable landscaping:
Watch the Water
Watering plants and trees is important in our area, since we often have periods of drought. A rain gauge in your yard will let you know if Mother Nature is taking care of watering for you. If you do use a sprinkler system, make sure it doesn’t run when rain has been adequate. Take note of the spray patterns--adjust the sprinkler heads if they are watering walkways or driveways instead of plantings. Watering in the early morning is best: Later in the day, heat can cause water to evaporate more quickly.
Another way to save water is to choose drought-tolerant plants. We follow sustainable landscaping practices by selecting plants we know will thrive in the Cincinnati area without a lot of extra watering or fertilizing.
Limit the Lawn
Grass requires continuous maintenance, which in turn requires energy and resources. As you plan for a more environmentally friendly yard, consider cutting back on large expanses of lawn. We’re happy to show you other ideas for beautiful, low-maintenance plantings. You’ll never miss the extra grass.
Bee a Friend
Attracting pollinators like bees, birds, beetles and butterflies is a great way to help the environment. The National Audubon Society offers a database of native plants that’s easy to search by zip code. These native plants help birds and other pollinators thrive.
Some of Seiler’s favorite plants and trees to attract pollinators are:
Flowering Dogwood trees
Black-Eyed Susan
Redbud trees
Butterfly bush
Your Family’s Sustainable Landscaping
Studies show that time spent outdoors can improve mood. Your landscape can encourage your family to get out of the house. As you consider a backyard refresh, think about ways to spend time outside. An outdoor dining area, firepit for watching the stars, hammock for al fresco napping, zone for yard games or a soothing water fountain can all lure family and friends outside. These amenities can be incorporated with sustainability. One example is a deck built with a composite material made from wood byproducts and recycled plastics.
Providing space in your yard for compost bins is another way to cut down on waste and use landscape trimmings to create nourishment for your plants.Composting can even help kids understand nature’s life cycles.
Professional Help
It’s important for all of us to do our part for the planet. Take simple steps on your own to “green” your yard, and if you’re ready to make a bigger impact, contact us. We’d be happy to point you in a new, eco-conscious direction.