Green Landscaping Tips for a Lush and Eco-Friendly Landscape

 

Green Landscaping Tips for a Lush and Eco-Friendly Landscape

Is it possible to have a lush landscape, a beautiful lawn, a pest-free garden, and be environmentally friendly? Yes! It is not only possible, but it is relatively easy when you follow these simple “green landscaping” methods.

Green landscaping is just another term for sustainable or eco-friendly landscaping. It involves creating landscapes and gardens that nurture nature, reduce air soil & water pollution, and help protect the surrounding ecosystem. 

Use Mulch

Mulch not only adds to your outdoor living space it also provides numerous benefits to the landscape. Mulch acts as a natural weed barrier, reduces moisture loss, reduces the spread of soil-borne pathogens, and encourages the growth of beneficial microorganisms in the soil around your plants- all of which serve to enhance the health of your landscape and require less maintenance. 

Amend the Soil

Healthy plants, including trees, shrubs, flowers, and your lawn, all need well-nourished soil that drains properly. Native plants may be well suited to their local environment, but this does not mean the condition of the soil is always optimal. For a thriving, healthy landscape, your soil needs to provide essential nutrients like nitrogen to help leaf and stem growth or even potassium which enhances the overall plant health. Not sure what your soil needs or how to go about amending your soil? That is ok, we can help! 

Be Water-Wise

One of the easiest things you can do to create a more environmentally-friendly landscape is to utilize an efficient irrigation system that will minimize water waste. Install a sprinkler system with gauges that can assess moisture and adjust as needed. Inspect your system regularly to ensure you don’t have leaks, that plants have not overgrown sprinkler heads, and that you are essentially not watering any areas that do not need water like sidewalks or driveways. Installing a drip system is another efficient way to deliver water directly to your plants without wasting it. 

Utilize Hardscapes

Hardscapes, like boulders, retaining walls, pavers, even gravel pathways, not only enhance your landscape with visual interest and functionality, but they offer eco-friendly solutions to landscape challenges. Hardscapes like walkways and patios also serve to reduce the size of your lawn. Boulders and retaining walls help with soil erosion and stabilization of slopes can create flat areas or terraces within a hillside or slope. 

Go Native

Native plants do not require fertilizers and require fewer pesticides than lawns. They even require less water and help prevent erosion. The deep root system of many native Midwestern plants increases the soil’s capacity to store water. Native plants help reduce air pollution and do not require mowing. Not only do they provide shelter and food for wildlife, but native plants are also beautiful and increase scenic value! 

 

Spring is just around the corner, so now is the perfect time to assess your own yard and think about how we can help you create a lush and thriving, eco-friendly landscape. 

At Apex Landscaping we are passionate about beautiful yards, gardens, and landscapes and we are passionate about the environment. We are here to help you with all of your landscaping needs.