Question: I’m building a new home and want to incorporate sustainable landscaping in my yard. What factors should I consider and how do I begin? It’s very confusing to me.
You are wise to think about sustainable landscaping for your new home right from the start. A sustainable landscape is in balance with the surrounding natural environment, requires only minimal resource inputs (e.g., water, fertilizer, maintenance) and is self-sustaining over long periods of time. Sustainable landscaping employs practices to promote good soil health, protect clean air and water, provide wildlife habitat, and conserve energy, water, and other resources. Since 90.7% of the land in Virginia is privately owned, homeowners can have a substantial impact on local ecosystems by moving to sustainable landscaping on their properties.
Make a design plan
Begin by understanding the natural elements of your landscape. Visualize the functional elements that you wish to include and how best to combine them with the natural elements in your landscape. Your design should be visually pleasing, environmentally friendly, maintainable and within your budget. The plan will take time to implement and for plantings to mature. Think of both short-term (rain barrel, compost bin) and long-term (new sustainable garden bed) goals for your garden and yard. Take the time to do an analysis of your site and needs along with a map of the design plan. After that, you are ready to proceed!
Start with the soil
Be sure to get a soil test, so you can find out what amendments are needed for your garden and lawn areas to achieve your goals. The Piedmont area is known for its thick clay soil and its dense compaction that will stunt root growth and allow less water infiltration. Following soil test recommendations for fertilizer, organic materials and nutrients can build healthy soil by increasing permeability, aeration and drainage, improve plant health and decrease water runoff. Using compost in your landscape can reduce the need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides, improve soil structure, prevent water runoff, and promote healthy plants.
Use the mantra ‘Right Plant, Right Place’
Plant native trees, plants, and shrubs that are appropriate for your plant hardiness zone. Native plants are adapted to your area and use less inputs than non-native plants. Thus, requiring less maintenance, they are least likely to disturb the local environment. In addition, native plants provide food and shelter for pollinators and other wildlife that have evolved alongside them. Good resources abound to pick appropriate native plants in the Piedmont area, for all of Virginia or by a variety of characteristics. Find a list of nurseries that have native plants to purchase in Virginia.
Limit the lawn
There are many reasons to reduce the size of lawns, which cover the majority of suburban and rural home landscapes in the U.S. Lawns require more inputs like fertilizer and water requirements, and often result in runoff that can pollute local land and waterways. They are largely a sterile environment that provides little to support our pollinators and other native wildlife or add to the diversity of plants that are essential for our natural ecosystems to thrive.
Manage water usage
Sustainable landscaping means using water wisely. Conserving water can range from watering only as much as needed by hand to installing a slow irrigation system, adding rain barrels, building a rain garden, applying mulch, or using other methods to reduce runoff into streets or manage stormwater.
Avoid use of chemicals
Stressed or weakened plants are more susceptible to disease and other pest problems. Consider prevention as the first line of defense. Buy healthy, disease-resistant plant varieties then plant and care for them according to directions. Plant a diverse selection of plants, rather than multiple plantings of a single species. If treatment is necessary, look first at nonchemical options, like physical barriers, pruning, sanitation, mulching or better plant choices. Turn to chemical options as a last result. Consult the 2021 Pest Management Guide from Virginia Cooperative Extension and follow the recommendations for the specific disease or insect pest involved.
Conserve energy
Placement of trees and shrubs can be an important component of energy conservation in your sustainable landscape, yielding significant savings in home heating and cooling costs. Evergreens planted on the north and west of the home block winter winds and create summer shade. Deciduous trees can be planted on the south side of the house, so that the leaves will block the hot summer sun and warm the home in winter after the leaves fall.
Conserve resources
Explore options for using recycled building materials in your landscape. For example, used bricks, broken concrete or reclaimed permeable paving stones can be used for retaining walls, raised bed framing, or garden pathways. Recycled plastic might be appropriate for a deck or fencing.
Now you know the basic elements of sustainable landscaping and how to adopt sustainable alternatives to conventional landscaping practices. View this video to learn even more ways to plan and implement your sustainable landscape design.
References:
“Piedmont Natives – Plant Database,” Albemarle County, 2021.
“Piedmont Native Plants: a guide for landscapes and gardens,” Plant Northern Piedmont Natives, 2021.
“Plant Virginia Natives,” Marketing Partnership, Plant Virginia Natives, 2021.
“Rain Gardens Technical Guide,” Virginia Department of Forestry, Charlottesville, Virginia, 2021.
Sustainable Landscaping, J. E. Klett & A. Cummings, Colorado State University Extension, Fact Sheet No 7.243, Gardening Series, Yard, 2011.
Sustainable Landscaping Basics (video), Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia, Virginia Cooperative Extension, 19 Jan. 2021.
“Sustainable Landscaping, Planning and Plant Selection,” Andrea Ludwig, Associate Professor and Extension Stormwater Management Specialist, Department of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science, UT Extension, Institute of Agriculture, W868.
“Using Compost in Your Landscape,” A. Niemiera & M. Goatley, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Publication No. 426-704 (SPES-304P), 13 Mar. 2021.
“2021 Pest Management Guide – Home Grounds and Animals,” S. Eskew et al., Virginia Cooperative Extension, Publication No. 456-018 (ENTO-397P), 16 Feb. 2021.
