More Eco-Yard Ideas
Edible Landscaping A kitchen garden repre- sented by any kind of edible landscaping replaces some turf grass with produce. Carefully designed and maintained, it can be as attractive as any other garden space. “According to
GardenResearch.com, 30 million U.S. households, about 25 percent, partici- pated in vegetable gardening in 2015,” reports Dave Whitinger, executive director of the National Gardening Association, owned by Dash Works, in Jacksonville, Texas. “To integrate edibles
into a landscape, first assess the locations of sunny and shady spots,” says garden consultant Charlie Nardozzi. “Then, identify plants suited to the growing conditions that will fit in those areas. Mix in edibles with flowers, shrubs and groundcovers to keep the yard beautiful.” For urban areas, he rec- ommends raised beds and containers as a good way to integrate edibles, bringing in clean soil and moving containers to the sunniest spots in the yard. “We have 3,000 raised
beds in Milwaukee,” says Gretchen Mead, executive director of the Victory Garden Initiative, which helps install edible land- scapes. “We went from about 35 new kitchen gardens eight years ago to more than 500 each year now.” The easy-to-build raised
beds go on top of or in place of turf lawns. For Midwestern residents, Mead recommends beginning with six crops that can be started
as transplants, like toma- toes or broccoli, and then growing a couple of plants from seed, like zucchini or green beans.
Water-Saving
Gardens “Water-saving gardens use less of this precious resource through appropri- ate plant choices, rain-con- serving features, berming and terracing to slow runoff, water-permeable hardscap- ing and smart irrigation practices,” says Pam Penick, author of The Water-Saving Garden. “Regardless of where you live, saving water is a priority for everyone. Drought is a growing problem in the Southwest and West, but also affects the Midwest, Southeast and even New England.” “Rain gardens help
absorb, retain and use rainfall, preventing it from draining into the sewer,” agrees Jennifer Riley-Chetwynd, with Colorado’s Denver Botanic
Gardens. “Rain barrels collect water from gutters and downspouts so there’s more control in time and method of distribu- tion, including per- haps drip irrigation.” According to the
Groundwater Foundation, in Lincoln, Nebraska, rain gardens can remove up to 90 percent of problematic nutri- ents and chemicals and up to 80 percent of sediments from
rainwater runoff. Compared to a conventional lawn, they allow 30 percent more water to soak into the ground.
Hardscaping Hardscaped areas are used far more frequently than the turf lawn they replace as we move through spaces like walkways, patios, fountains, decks and grilling areas to enjoy the outdoors. “Plant people can get excited about planting but forget to leave ample space for patios and paths, often resulting in an overgrown, pinched look for seating areas and other places meant to be inviting,” cautions Penick. “It can also be easy to underestimate how large plants can grow in a few years. Plan ahead for these ‘people spaces’ and install them before establishing garden beds.” Landscapers recom-
mend being generous with this technique without paving over paradise. “Plants will spill and lean over hardscaping, so it won’t feel too large once your garden is filling in,” says Penick. “To address runoff and allow rainwater to soak into the soil, use water-permeable paving wherever possible: gravel, dry-laid flagstone or pavers; even mulch for casual paths.”
natural awakenings April 2017 39
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56
