Sustainability has recently become a key concept within modern housing and landscaping trends. Its principles include using environmentally-friendly materials and taking advantage of natural elements found around your home’s environment. There are several ways to do this and there are some that are easier than others.
However, with professionals from Northern VA Landscaping, creating any design or individual feature is possible. Our team is highly experienced in expansive front yard landscaping, backyard hardscaping, and much more.
Here are some ways for you to create a sustainable landscape:
Include Native Plants
One of the most basic ways to help make your landscape more sustainable is by including plants that are native to its overall environment. Native plants that are better suited to grow within the climate and soil around your home will grow faster and stronger, nor will they require extra water and supplementary fertilizer to keep them that way.
Here are some attractive plants native to Virginia that you may want to plant when revitalizing your back or front yard landscaping:
- Serviceberry (Amelanchier x grandiflora)
- Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana)
- Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica)
- Mexican Feather Grass (Nassella tenuissima)
- Thread-leaf Blue Star (Amsonia hubrichtii)
- Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida var. fulgida)
Set Up a Rain Barrel
Another excellent sustainable feature you can add is a rain barrel, which is used to collect excess water.
With some simple modifications, you can connect these to your home’s downspouts, collecting gallons of free rainwater flowing down from your roof.
Maybe enhance your landscape further with a rain garden and you’ll have an even more efficient and sustainable water system for your home’s landscape.
Install Permeable Surfaces
Hardscapes are found in most homes throughout the country, whether it be your driveway, walkway, or backyard patio.
However, permeable hardscapes are a more sustainable alternative that are being used more and more, as they allow water to flow back into the soil by decreasing the amount of surface water run off that goes down into storm water drains, and into the Chesapeake bay while picking up nitrates and chemicals from lawn applications, and particulate matter from driveways and rooftops.
Potential materials include gravel, pervious concrete, or porous asphalt, and many more. There are numerous designs and materials available, especially if you have an expert hardscape contractor on hand.
Build a Permaculture Garden
Finally, permaculture gardening is among the best sustainable trends out there and also utilizes most, if not all other ideas on this list.
Permaculture gardening focuses on growing native plants that are best suited to their environment, which includes those we listed above, as well as fruits and vegetables such as apples, various herbs, cucumbers, peppers, and many more.
It also involves utilizing nature and avoiding waste, such as using the stored water from your potential garden’s rain barrel. In addition to that, it involves using leftover scraps of food being used as compost, most of which should come from your garden.
Permaculture gardening is all about closely following the many cycles of nature in order to live and become more in balance with it.
Northern VA Landscaping: Professional Front Yard Landscaping in Gainesville, VA
Achieving a sustainable landscape within your home may take a great amount of time, effort, and planning. While it does take plenty of each, what’s more important is that it requires consistency. By simply adding each one of the simpler ideas to your landscape, such as a rain barrel, you are taking steps that will bring you closer and closer to a more sustainable landscape and home.
However, with help from Northern Virginia Landscaping, you can get the assistance you need to design and construct a lasting set of sustainable elements. Our expertise in high-quality front yard landscaping, as well as backyard softscape and hardscape constructions, will ensure your home becomes both appealing and more efficient.
Contact us to schedule an appointment with one of our sustainable back and front yard landscaping professionals today!
