We know what you’re thinking. Isn’t planting flowers, trees, and bushes already an eco-friendly thing to do? I’m adding to the plant life on my property and creating shade with the trees. Come on.
We see where you’re coming from, trust us. But believe it or not, just because you’re adding greenery and life to your landscaping doesn’t mean that it’s eco-friendly. It all depends on what you grow and how you grow it. Planting non-native plants and growing things in the wrong spots can make your landscaping less environmentally friendly. Your hardscaping may also take away from the natural environment around your home if you don’t have it built properly. It’s important to be conscious of the wildlife around your property and to figure out what’s going to help it thrive rather than fail.
Tips for Your Eco-Friendly Landscape
- Go with low-maintenance plants – You want to make sure that your plants aren’t going to be using a ton of water. It’ll push your water bill sky high and cause you to waste precious fresh water. You should also find plants that are resistant to weeds to avoid using pesticides and weed killers on your landscaping.
- Use native plants – Native plants are one of those great “low maintenance” solutions because they’re already well adapted to Maryland’s climate. They grow well here and don’t require a lot of human intervention to keep them alive and thriving. Native plants are resistant to most pests in the area and can easily survive just about anything thrown at them.
- Implement an irrigation system – For some reason, this sounds counterintuitive, but irrigation systems use less water than alternative watering methods. They’re set up to only water what needs to be watered and you can easily shut them down if you’re getting enough rain to keep your plants and grasses alive.
- Design your landscape for water use – Designing your landscape so that water runs towards your plants and landscaping is the best way to get the most out of your water and keep your plants healthy. Sometimes this takes the work of hardscape features like retaining walls or irrigation systems, such as French drains. Getting the most out of your water will benefit your pocket and your garden.
Creating an eco-friendly landscape takes a lot of work and forethought. Let the experts take the difficulty out of it! We know eco-friendly design at Lehnhoff’s and we’re excited to help you get started saving money. To talk to someone about Eco-Friendly Landscaping in Baltimore, give Lehnhoff’s Landscaping a call at 443.921.5789 or visit LehnoffsLandscaping.com today.
Sources: SheKnows.com, Jetson Green