Sustainable Backyards - Things You Can Do

oakleaf hydrangeas, hosta by a drystream

 

The first rule of sustainability is to align with natural forces, or at least not try to defy them. ~ Paul Hawken

 

Last night I attended a talk by Cornelia Hahn Oberlander. She is the grande dame of ecological landscape design.  She told us how, in designing for a school up near the Arctic Circle, they collected seeds from the native plants and propagated them and then planted these babies after the construction was completed.  Now that is sustainable!

Dicranella heteromalia

Sustainable landscapes promote a healthy environment and biosphere:

• frogs don't die
• plants thrive
• rainwater seeps back into the earth
• lawns are kept to a minimum
• No pesticides - integrated pest management (IPM) is favored
• Bees and butterflies have the native host plants around to keep them well fed and breeding

So how to create beautiful outdoor settings that meet these criteria?

photo by Jan Johnsen all rights reserved

Here are my suggestions for a sustainable backyard approach you can use:

1- LOOK TO THE PAST.  Consider the historic ways people did things in your region, this is the best guide for anyone.

2- LOOK TO THE PRESENT.  Keep in mind the energy and water systems that exist where live, the habitats that surround you and know the materials and construction methods that do not adversely impact the environment.

3 - LOOK AT EXAMPLES. Review examples of sustainability in gardens and landscape design that are being used around the world - on a large scale and a small scale.

4 - USE SPECIFIC TECHNIQUES.  Learn the specific things you can do to strengthen the ecosystem in your garden and your neighborhood..

stone path  grace design associates

We need to be aware of our power to affect the interlocking processes of the natural world and consider everything we do from that perspective. The choices you make in your property, even on a small scale, influence the larger natural world around your space : the air and water quality, the water retention, the plants that attract birds and pollinators, the volume of leaves and grass and more.

 

by Johnsen Landscapes & Pools

 

 

Choose materials that foster a environmentally friendly garden - no rubber mulch under the playset and no tropical hardwoods ( unless from approved sources).

 

I give a 2 hour class that offers ideas for creating sustainable outdoor spaces.  I show how native plants can be used to enhance damp, shady sites, how combinations of flowering plants can create an exuberant display and I explain how to deal with steep slopes that create excessive runoff problems.  

I offer inspiration and practical ideas you can use.

For example, the Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) that I wrote about recently - see this post (click here) - this lovely plant has deep roots that hold loose soil together. It looks great with butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa).  Beauty and Function.

The native Blue Flag Iris thrives in wet sites. They can be planted 'en masse' for a spectacular effect. 

Molding the earth can help stop erosion. Vegetated buffers look great, provide habitats and absorb runoff. There are so many great ways to use sustainable design ideas.

Landscape by Johnsen Landscapes & Pools