Skillfully landscaped grounds look exquisite! In particular, sustainable lawns and gardens tend to be lush and healthy. Plus, maintaining them is safer for people, pets, and wildlife than chemical horticultural methods. Currently, sustainable landscaping is a new concept for many homeowners and businesses. Here’s what it entails and the many ways you’ll benefit.
Components of Sustainable Landscape Design
Sustainable or “green” landscaping is environmentally friendly and visually pleasing. It prioritizes the following practices:
- conserving water,
- featuring native plants adapted to your soil type and climate,
- using recycled landscape materials,
- avoiding synthetic pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers,
- supporting your area wildlife,
Landscaping with native vegetation has several advantages. Since indigenous plants have adjusted to your soil and climate, they can flourish with minimal maintenance.
Often, resident species have inborn resistance to diseases and harmful insects. Thus, you can avoid controlling bugs with chemicals. In turn, fewer toxins will pollute your soil, water table, and groundwater. Additionally, native plants provide food for wildlife, helping to sustain your local ecology.
How Eco-Friendly Landscaping Benefits You
Chemical-free horticulture is healthier for people and pets. Insecticides and herbicides can spawn neurological problems, such as loss of coordination and memory.
Moreover, caustic chemicals destroy beneficial soil organisms, such as earthworms. Hence, these toxins impair soil structure, drainage, and nutrient availability. Conversely, organic treatments promote vibrant plants and resilient grass.
Additionally, you’ll save money with sustainable lawn maintenance and gardening. That’s because your grounds will need less water, fertilizer, and pest control products. By supporting wildlife, you can anticipate sweet birdsong and enthralling butterflies.
Ways to Practice Sustainable Landscaping
You can incorporate the five principles of eco-friendly design in your landscape. It’s immensely rewarding! Here are several methods you can employ.
1. Add Homemade Compost to Your Soil
Making compost is simple and fun. Then, use the material as mulch, fertilizer, and a weed barrier. It can be quite easy to maintain a compost bin and pile.
2. Install “Green” Hardscape Elements
Choose permeable pavers for walkways, driveways, and patio flooring. Since they’re porous, water drains into the ground rather than pooling. Thus, permeable pavers can channel stormwater runoff, replenish groundwater, and reduce flooding risk. Moreover, they can separate pollutants from stormwater.
Permeable pavers come in many appealing patterns, textures, and hues. If you need fencing or decking, consider recycled plastic for the structure. Do you prefer the look of wood, with its unique grain patterns? If so, choose sustainable timbers, such as Douglas fir and pine. Or create a living fence with hedges, giving birds a cozy refuge.
When building raised beds or retaining walls, opt for recycled materials, such as used bricks or concrete. However, avoid installing chemically-treated railroad ties. Their toxins can leach into your soil. Also, illuminate your grounds with solar-powered fixtures.
Green Techniques Our Landscapers Use
Our company provides superb Naperville landscaping services and sustainable lawn and garden design. Here’s how we’ll transform your grounds into a gorgeous, ecological setting.
Choosing Native Vegetation for Your Property
First, we’ll help you select indigenous plants that complement your soil. Then, our landscapers will group vegetation with the same light and water needs. If you want sheltering trees, we’ll plant majestic species, locating them strategically.
Would you like to replace patchy grass with a lush lawn? If so, our landscape designer will choose the optimal turf. For instance, they can recommend low-growing grass that needs little grooming.
If gusty winds often buffet your home, our staff will plant sturdy trees and shrubs as windbreaks. Evergreens are a great choice for year-round protection.
Fostering Healthy Soil
On some Illinois properties, the soil can be too sandy, chalky, or clayey to support native vegetation. If this applies to your grounds, we’ll amend the soil with organic matter.
We’ll also apply mulch at the proper depth, curbing weeds and water evaporation.
Correcting Drainage Problems
If your property has puddled areas, suspect poor drainage. Still, avoid guessing the source and attempting a fix. Doing so can worsen the situation.
Instead, hire our company. We’ll determine the cause of pooling and render effective solutions.
Don’t delay an assessment! Standing water invites female mosquitoes to lay their eggs, hatching into larvae. Hence, puddling can lead to a mosquito infestation.
Landscape professionals have specialized tools and equipment to correct drainage problems. Here are possible remedies:
- regarding the property
- installing an underground French drain
- lawn aeration
- amending compacted soil
- digging a dry well
Sustainable Landscaping Experts
Search for trusted professionals to do a good job for your landscaping project. For example, there are a few Naperville landscaping professionals who are known throughout the country for the great work they are capable of. They take great pride in the investment they put in their skills and equipment to make your grounds eco-friendly. Their experience in the industry is invaluable.
