Over the past few years, like engineers and energy producers, professional landscapers and gardeners have grown increasingly interested in sustainability. They have found that several measures – including planting local species, conserving water, and mulching – can improve your landscape’s eco-friendliness. To incorporate these strategies, you should refer to a local residential landscaping service.
Reach out to Northern Virginia Landscaping for all such needs. We provide premier residential and commercial landscaping services in Nokesville, VA, and the surrounding region. From mowing and leaf removal to rock installations and garden planting, our professional team handles everything. We aim to distinguish ourselves from other landscaping companies through comprehensive training and individualized project design. Contact us and find out why our previous clients rave about our services.
Below, we describe several practices to create sustainable softscapes and an eco-friendly landscape:
Sustainable Softscape Design Tips
Use local plants
One of the most common pieces of advice for a sustainable landscape is to incorporate local plants in your garden. Northern Virginia organizations actively promote planting native species to improve the ecosystem at large. Numerous benefits come from doing so, such as the confidence that your garden plants have proper growing conditions. Local wildlife – such as birds – may also frequent your garden since it supports plant species that they are adapted for.
Also, keep in mind that environmental conditions can differ from place to place. Plant species that grow well near a river or bay may not do so in your backyard. The factors that affect such things – climate, soil type, local competition – may be fickle.
Consider your water usage
Another common tip for sustainable landscape design: carefully manage your water use. This piece of advice can govern several decisions. For instance, choose flowers and/or trees that require little water, or catch (and store) rainwater in barrels and swales. Also, avoid overwatering your yard with the irrigation system.
Finally, consider “smarter” options, including a sustainable drainage system or one with an irrigation clock.
Choose tough plants
Another qualifying factor of plant selection, “toughness” boils down to how well the plant survives in a given environment. Both native and low-water plants, then, qualify since they require less management than exotic ones.
Beyond that, you should also look for plants that grow strong roots to resist the wind. “Tough” plants create a vibrant and hardy ecosystem in your backyard.
Add mulch to gardens and around plants
Gardeners and landscapers love to sing praises for mulch – rightly so for its sustainability benefits. While different substances can constitute mulch, all should provide some crucial advantages.
Mulch retains moisture, keeping your softscape areas moist and preventing water loss. It also provides a buffer to the soil around plant roots, helping them to retain nutrients and protecting them from temperature extremes. Finally, mulch reduces weed population and land erosion. It’s a barrier to both heavy rains and the weeds that tend to be smaller than your primary garden plants.
Use sustainable hardscape materials
Although our focus has rested on softscapes, we should also examine sustainable hardscapes, as they affect their counterparts. Eco-friendly materials include composite wood, recycled concrete products, porous pavements, and open grid pavements.
Suitable for patios, walkways, or driveways, these materials allow water to seep through to the ground beneath. They should also last long and – if cared for – require little maintenance.
Commercial and Residential Landscaping Services Available in Nokesville, VA
As materials and technology for sustainability improve, your landscape can support the local ecosystem. Reach out to Northern Virginia Landscaping for residential landscaping services in or around Nokesville, VA. We support the eco-friendly movements within our field and want to help you incorporate the practices mentioned above. To learn more, call us at (703) 982-0100 or visit our website and fill out our online form.
