Al Gore's 'An Inconvenient Truth' has heightened awareness about the impact our lifestyles are having on our planet and the need to make some thoughtful changes. Faced with the burgeoning population in California and a reduced snowpack from the effects of global warming, landscape industry professionals are recognizing that we need to be designing and installing water-efficient landscapes in order for our clients to have successful and responsible gardens in the future. This involves:
- careful plant selection to match our Mediterranean climate
- reduction of turf areas when possible
- efficient irrigation design & management
- continued mulching of our gardens
We also have a conscious choice to make about the types of products we use in our gardens to help provide the nutrients for our plants to grow and to manage pests and diseases. The choice of organic products versus inorganic chemicals produces a healthier garden and directly impacts the environment by minimizing pesticide pollution that leaches through the soil to pollute our groundwater, creeks and bay waters.
In creating your landscape design wish list, here are some questions you may want to consider:
- Do we need a lawn?
- What will we use it for?
- How big does it need to be?
- Are there other design choices to consider that might use less water and chemicals, cost less in the long-run to maintain, and still yield a useful and beautiful garden for creatures and people alike? What about a creeping thyme lawn that is fragrant and blooms, a meadow that creates habitat for birds and other creatures or a courtyard that can be used for outdoor entertaining?
- If we determine that we need a lawn, are there ways we can care for it that will reduce the use of chemicals and increase its drought tolerance?
Articles & Links
How to break your lawn's addiction to synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides
By Keith Pandolfi
THISOLDHOUSE.COM
May 2007
By Fran Adams, APLD
www.senseofplace.us
The Almanac & Palo Alto Weekly
Home & Garden Design
May 2007
Sustainable Landscaping Information
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