Among modern landscaping and gardening practices, “sustainability” is all the buzz. Open up any home design website or landscaping publication, and you will likely see a feature on sustainable gardening. But what does sustainability mean, and why should it matter for your Northern Nevada property?
Whether you’re a green thumb gardener or want to save money on your lawn maintenance, sustainability practices can re-terraform your lawn. Let’s explore what sustainable gardening means in Reno, NV!
What is Sustainable Gardening?
Sustainable gardening describes any practice that makes your lawn more environmentally resilient, self-maintaining, and ecologically friendly. Simply put, a sustainable garden seeks to benefit the environment more than rely on it. Poor gardening practices can harm the environment by over-relying on water, disturbing the soil, or disrupting the ecosystem; a sustainable garden gives back.
Sustainable gardening involves both horticultural and landscaping practices. Certain plants might actually harm the environment, especially if it isn’t native to the Reno area. Similarly, your yard’s landscape design can maximize water usage and keep the soil intact, or it can make your garden wasteful.
The push for a sustainable garden has been around since the 1980s, as environmental advocates argue that humans are using Earth’s resources faster than they can be replenished. A sustainable garden gives back to the environment – and benefits Reno homeowners in the process.
Ideas for Sustainable Gardening
How can Reno residents garden sustainably? With a mix of smart horticultural practices and indigenous plant life, your yard can stay sustainable for years to come. Consider the following ideas as places to start for your summer garden.
Plant Perennials
Unlike gardens that need to be replanted every year, perennials are much friendlier for the soil, require much less maintenance, and germinate quickly – giving you opportunities to quickly expand your garden.
Shrink Your Lawn
Grass lawns require lots of resources with little payout. It takes a lot of water to grow a grass lot, and many lawns require pesticides and regular trimming. Cut down on the lawn, and use that space to grow shrubs, perennial grasses, and indigenous plant life.
Grow Your Own Food
From fruits and vegetables to simple herbs, your garden can give back to your pantry – and, by extension, your wallet.
Organic Gardening
Growing your yard without the use of chemicals or pesticides can save you both money and hassle. Your garden will become much healthier, and your soil will be much more habitable for future years.
Composting
Did you know you can use dead plant material as fertilizer? Composting helps you keep your lawn green, your soil healthy, and your garden chemical-free.
Additionally, it’s essential to cultivate a garden of indigenous plants. Nonnative plants carry the risk of draining the soil or harming local animals, whereas native plant life enriches the environment.
Common flora in Reno, NV includes most cacti, bermudagrasses, and flowers like lilacs and asters. For seasonal planting tips and local recommendations, reach out to us at DRC Landscaping.
Ideas for Sustainable Landscape Designs
While the best way to stay sustainable is with green gardening practices, Reno residents will undoubtedly benefit from sustainable landscaping. Your garden’s landscape design can help save water, preserve the soil, and encourage sustainable plant life, making your yard pay itself off over time. Consider these landscaping ideas to renovate your yard.
Hanging Gardens
The more green space, the better, so why not use all three dimensions? Using a trellis or pergola can accomplish this, as well as the use of hanging planters.
Permeable Surfaces
Introducing a permeable surface, such as gravel or permeable tiling, can help reduce erosion and water runoff. Hard surface wastewater and increase soil erosion, but permeable surfaces treat water as a resource and help sustain your garden overall.
Xeriscaping
Xeriscaping is a type of landscaping that uses as little water as possible. It considers plants that require little water, the use of landscaping that retains moisture, and the placement of rocks and hard structures to create a vibrant, diverse garden.
Ribbon Driveways
A ribbon driveway consists of two strips of brick or concrete where the wheels of your vehicle go. This driveway takes up less greenspace, keeps your car out of the dirt, and adds a unique design element to your lawn.
Solar Orientation
A sustainable garden takes into account how the sun hits your yard. You can landscape your yard to take advantage of the sun’s direction; additionally, you can plant trees in the sun’s path so that their shade falls on your house, reducing your heating costs.
What Are the Benefits of Sustainable Gardening?
You might be wondering if sustainable gardening is worth the hassle. Helping the environment is excellent, but how much can one property in Reno contribute, and why should I bother?
For starters, a sustainable garden is self-maintaining. It requires much less manual watering, as well as less trimming and cutting. You still have to tend to your garden, but consider yourself more of a “garden monitor” than anything else.
Additionally, a sustainable garden saves money. You can reduce your water bill by letting the garden retain water naturally, and you can use this garden to grow fruits, herbs, and vegetables that you stock in your pantry.
Finally, a sustainable garden has an outsized impact on the environment. It can reduce erosion, energy costs, chemical runoff, and noise pollution while absorbing excess CO2 and cleaning groundwater. This impact is magnified over the years, especially as your house guests admire your garden and implement their own sustainability projects as well!
For more sustainable landscape and gardening ideas, let DRC Landscaping empower your Reno property. We take sustainability seriously, and with our knowledge of Northern Nevada’s climate and plant life, we’re ready to help you grow your green thumb. Reach out today for a free quote, and let’s get landscaping.
