It is increasingly recognized that the sprawling suburban landscape is having a negative environmental impact. Suburban development often includes vast energy-dependent monocultures (perfects, lawns). They consume a significant amount of natural resources (water to keep them green and gasoline to keep them trim) and reduce the amount of available habitat for native wildlife. Excessive use of fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides can leach into water supplies and be harmful to children and pets. Trends toward green landscaping and organic lawn care are lessening the detrimental effects of these designs. Many landscape designers recommend native plant species, and even golf course managers are moving toward organic methods.
In practical terms, our goal should be to move away from designs that rely on extensive use of energy, without asking people to give up their gardens altogether. There are many options:
* Buffer zones and open space requirements in subdivisions allow for wildlife corridors and bird habitats.
* Leaving a portion of each lot in a natural state will invite beneficial birds and insects into the yard, while reducing the amount of grass to water and mow.
* Using native plants in the design will greatly reduce the amount of care needed for the plants to thrive.
We should stop worrying about whether our lawn looks like 18th fairway at the local country club. Many of the “grasses” that appear in our lawn are considered medicinal by herbalists, and others attract beneficial insects.
We should stop watering our lawn. Don’t worry about your lawn dying. The grass will turn green when it rains. Trust me.
If you must have an all-grass lawn, there are organic methods that claim to work just as well as chemical ones. It’s probably a good idea to test any remedy before applying it to your entire garden. Spot treatment of problem areas will often be all that is needed.
Green Landscaping Considerations
The first and most important thing to consider in an ecological landscape design is an environmental assessment of the site. Is it more like a sunny meadow or a shady forest? Is it wet and boggy or dry and well drained?
Second, find out which native plants thrive in your particular environment. This can easily be done by taking a closer look at what is growing in undeveloped areas around you. Look at the areas that most closely resemble your site. Species that thrive in the wild in nearby similar ecosystems are more likely to thrive, with little or no care, than species that grow in different ecosystems, not to mention different regions of the country or world.
Some purists would argue that only native species should be considered, but I personally believe that non-invasive species from other parts of the world are acceptable if used in the right environmental setting. Whenever possible, choose species that will spread locally, and select varieties that are resistant to disease, pests, and drought. This will avoid the need for intensive care and excessive watering.
Many native plants are often found growing as part of a larger community of plants. For reasons we don’t fully understand, plants seem to form symbiotic relationships with each other. This can be for shade, nutrient input, or pest protection, to name a few. As you study the local landscape, pay attention to plant relationships. In nature, vegetation occurs in layers, from groundcovers to taller plants and shrubs, and often to the canopy of trees above. These layers provide a diverse habitat for a variety of wildlife. Recreating these conditions in even a small part of your site will help improve the overall health of the surrounding environment.
In many cases, owners will want to identify certain species of wildlife, while attracting others. While it is possible to discern which plants attract different species in the wild, it may not be as easy to determine which plants will deter them. Local landscapers and plant nurseries will often be able to advise you on this.
Wherever you live and whatever your landscape, a little thought about working with the natural environment and a commitment to organic lawn care practices will save on maintenance costs and benefit the landscape of the community as a whole.