Go Green: 4 Ways To Design An Environmentally-Friendly Yard
If you're in the process of landscaping your home, and you want to keep things environmentally-friendly, don't panic. It's not as difficult as it might seem. In fact, with a little bit of planning, you can have a beautiful yard that doesn't take a bite out of the environment. Here are four ideas to get you started on your environmentally-friendly landscape design.
Go Green with Synthetic
If you love the look of a well-manicured lawn, but hate the idea of wasting water to keep it green, switch to a synthetic lawn. Today's synthetic lawns look just like real grass. Plus, they cost a lot less to maintain – in time and materials. You can lay synthetic lawn anywhere you'd want to grow a real lawn. Once it's installed, you'll have a beautiful lawn all year long. If you have a pet that likes to relieve itself on your synthetic lawn, you should wash away the urine at least once a week.
Reuse Your Materials
If you're landscaping your existing yard, try reusing some of the materials you already have on hand. Reusing your stepping stones, lumber, or other decorative items can reduce the number of new products you need to bring in. It's also a good idea to ask friends and family members if they have landscaping materials they'd like to donate. This is particularly useful if they've recently landscaped their own homes.
Use Region-Specific Plants
If you're in the process of choosing plants for your yard, stick with those that are specific to your region. There may be plants that you'd like to include, but if they're not conducive to your climate, you might spend more money in water and supplements to keep them healthy. To ensure long-life for your plants – and a reduced water bill – talk to your landscape designer about region-specific plants. For instance, if you live in the deserts of California, you should choose drought-resistant plants such as Salvia, Agave, or Aloe.
Bring on the Trees
If you want to keep your home cool in the summer, and improve the air quality around your home, be sure to plant trees in your yard, especially shade trees. Shade trees will help keep the hot sun off your home, and will help clean the air that you breathe. In fact, a mature tree will absorb carbon and replace it with fresh oxygen.
A beautiful yard doesn't have to harm the environment. Now that you're landscaping your home, use the tips provided here to create an environmentally-friendly yard. For more information or assistance, contact companies like Joshua Tree & Landscape Co.
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