Tips for an Eco-Friendly Landscape
Natural light, recyclable materials, solar power—all these features make for an eco-friendly house, but don’t forget about outside. You can’t consider your home completely “green” until your yard is, too! That’s right, certain landscape designs can definitely be more environmentally friendly than others. At HomeStyling Design, our personalized design process incorporates quality, eco-friendly home features. While not being landscape architects, we can design a home based on your individual needs and lifestyle using the latest in green technology.
Extend your environmentally friendly home features into your landscaping with these tips:
Eliminate watering
Lucky for Washingtonians, our yards can be naturally watered most days of the year. In the dry season, keep your watering to a minimum. Using sprinklers and hoses to keep the grass green really doesn’t serve a purpose unless you’re maintaining a golf course. Shiny, perfect lawns are greedy. Consider moss in lieu of high-maintenance grass for an eco-friendly alternative that will save you money on your water bill.
Plant native
Use plants that grow naturally in the Pacific Northwest region. A palm tree or cactus serves no ecological purpose in Washington, and requires a high amount of maintenance to keep alive. Some plants can even be invasive, wreaking havoc on your other plants and the surrounding ecosystem. Native plants are also beneficial to bugs, birds, and small animals to keep our nature in tune.
Keep it chemical-free
If you have pests, consider the use of bird nets or fencing rather than pesticides. Most chemicals harm the environment and spread easily through drainage systems into our bodies of water. Read labels carefully if you do choose products on the market.
Avoid soil erosion
Work towards a landscape design that will avoid soil erosion. Terracing with well- designed drainage can be attractive and avoid water runoff. However, complicated raised land or gardens above rockery designs without thought for drainage can add to erosion because of disturbed soil. Erosion will require the use of heavy equipment to fix, causing pollution and a frustrating repair process that will be expensive.
Contact us at HomeStyling Design to begin your journey to your eco-friendly dream home!
Featured photo found here.
