In February, the landscape stirs to life. Well, not in Minnesota or Tahoe — but around here, the plums, tulip magnolias, manzanita, forsythia, flowering currants and quince are in full bloom. Other deciduous trees and plants that still look bare are starting to grow roots deep underground.
That means it’s time to plan this year’s garden. Think about how you can blend artistry with ecology.
A landscape developed with sustainable practices will improve the environment by conserving resources. It will require less maintenance and fertilizing, be balanced with our climate in mind and use less pesticides and water. Most of all it will be visually pleasing, with lots of flowers, bees and butterflies.
Your goal may be a more drought-tolerant garden, but what’s right for your site? What plants can you use that are more likely to withstand disease and pest damage? How do you keep the soil healthy, and what irrigation system should be installed to provide for the needs of the landscape in the most efficient way? Where do you put the compost bin, so you can return garden and kitchen waste back to the garden, while recycling nutrients within the landscape?
There are many components in designing and installing a sustainable landscape that’s right for you and your spot.
Get started
– Start with a smart design. Use permeable paving material, such as gravel or set-apart paving stones, to manage runoff, giving the soil more time to absorb rainfall and recharge the groundwater table. Maybe you need a rain garden or small planted basin to catch and filter rainwater and keep it in your yard.
– Group plants in your garden according to their water needs. Some might be able to survive on rainfall alone after their second or third season, while perennial beds and vegetable gardens will require a different schedule. Water slowly, deeply and infrequently, so there is no runoff. Water in early morning or evening to maximize absorption.
– Plant deciduous trees to provide cooling shade in the summer and allow sunlight to warm the house in winter. Trees and shrubs clean the air of nitrogen, sulfur dioxide, ozone and carbon monoxide and breathe in carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas, using the carbon to build mass. Then, the plants exhale oxygen. They retain more carbon than they lose, so every tree you plant helps reduce your carbon footprint on the planet.
– Feed and shelter birds, butterflies and other wildlife in your landscape. Plant perennials, such as echinacea, lavender, penstemon or salvia, and other natives to attract pollinators, including bees and hummingbirds. Plant flowers that attract beneficial insects to help control harmful insects, and use only organic pesticides.
– Make your soil a priority by adding compost each year. Add mulch to keep down weeds and conserve water, and use natural fertilizers, such as manures or fish emulsion, to feed the soil. Compost the green and brown waste your garden produces, including fallen leaves, weeds without seeds, grass clippings, spent flowers and vegetables.
– Stay ahead of weeds by pulling them before they set seed and spread.
Take some or all of the steps I’ve listed to develop a beautiful landscape that is right for you and your home, and make your corner of the world contribute to the larger landscape around you.
Jan Nelson, a landscape designer and California certified nursery professional at Plant Works in Ben Lomond, will answer questions about gardening in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Contact her at ja******@ao*.com or JanNelsonLandscapeDesign.com.
