It always starts in a simple way. First you have a bit of lawn and a shrub to go along with it. Then you move on to plants and flowers or even, if you’re feeling daring, a tree of medium height. Once you get to that point, it snowballs into the creation of the residential front yard jungle. Gardening can add a lot to the look of a house or business and there are many ways to get there without using a large amount of natural resources.
One of the main ways to green your garden is to avoid planting non-native plants. A non-native plant is any plant that does not indigenously live in the given area. If your front yard is full of plants that do not naturally grow in your area, it will force you to use more resources to keep the yard looking good. For example, a house in Arizona that has a huge patch of lawn will use more water to tend the lawn than a house that used things like cactus and local grasses as part of their landscaping plans.
Along with choosing the right flora for your yard, picking the right way to water goes a long way. Watering your yard first thing in the morning will help reduce evaporation from sunlight and wind and shrink the total amount of water used. Toss some mulch and compost into the ground and it will soak up more water and lessen evaporation. You can also help by targeting the supply of water with drip irrigation or soaker hoses for a noticeable reduction in your usage.
The proper use of tools can produce amazing results in your yard. One of the simplest things to do is aerate the ground. Due to the general state of the ground in your region or the time of year you’re planting, the ground could be compacted. Aeration stirs up the dirt, loosening it to make it easier for roots to penetrate and for needed oxygen to get into the soil.
A lawn mower can not only remove grass but add to it as well. While there are all kinds of mulch for sale at your local gardening store, a green way to get mulch is to use trimmings from the mowing process. By either bagging it and adding it to your compost pile or removing the bag and letting the cut grass land back on the lawn, you can use this to work as free mulch and not have to worry about spending extra funds or time.
You can even use the nearby fauna to help spread out your yard and give benefit to the entire space. By adding certain plants that butterflies or bees use as food or pollen, these plants will attract the insects that pick up this pollen and spread it out, fertilizing a larger area. Also, by giving these insects some plants and flowers they use for food, it can help native Insects survive when the human population moves into their areas.
What Can You Do?
- Plan ahead to use plants and flowers that are native to your area.
- Pay close attention to the way that you are watering your yard. Pick a manner of watering to ensure that you are getting the maximum benefit from the minimum amount of water.
- Use simple tools or mulch and compost to benefit your yard.
- Consult your local gardening shops or related websites to help you make good choices.
By Richard Davidson, Jr.
