Tomorrow is election day. There has never been more on the line.

I was torn about how to introduce today’s topic. So, I came up with this: How long can you hold your breath? We’ve all tried this, mostly when we were younger and in a pool trying to impress our friends. Beginning now, or perhaps even earlier, our entire nation will be holding its breath as we choose a new leader. Every election brings with it these words. “There has never been a more important time in our history.” You can doom-scroll all you want on your phone but I’ll leave it at this: You are not only voting for a new leader but the path for the rest of our lives when you consider the implications to the Supreme Court. If you have kids or grandchildren, your vote will affect their very quality of life for decades. Please vote with this in mind!

OK. Now that I’ve gotten that off my chest, let’s get on with gardening. So, what exactly is a sustainable garden?

Well, here’s the catch – there’s no standard definition, but you’ll recognize one when you see one. The easiest way to put it is that a sustainable garden is built and sculpted in an eco-friendly way and doesn’t “compromise the ability of future generations to meet their needs ”. Ultimately, a sustainable garden gets its name how it was created, and how it functions.

Principles of a Sustainable Garden

• Use only 100% organic materials, NO chemicals
• Harvest water passively
• Choose native plants
• Reuse and recycle resources
• Little if any waste
• Build healthy soil

Benefits of a Sustainable Landscape

• Cost-Effective / reduces utility costs
• Conserves water usage / reduces wasting of water
• Reduces individual carbon footprint
• May collectively reduce air/water/soil pollution
• A small step to mitigating climate change

Not only are these gardens more picturesque in a natural way but they’re also beneficial to the environment and the critters who share your space. You might want to create such a garden but not know where to start. Here are some principles or ideas to help you out.

A sustainable garden needs to be built strategically. Where you place certain plants or how you install certain watering systems can affect the longevity and health of your garden. A master plan that lays out where you’ll place key amenities, plants for climate control and consumption, walkways, and other features.

A key to creating a truly sustainable garden is adding elements that don’t need too much attention. Plants that don’t need massive amounts of water, fertilizer, and other coddling save time, effort, and resources.

That makes your garden less of a burden on you and the environment since you don’t need to use too many resources at once. Think edible plants and flowers when choosing these for your special oasis. If they aren’t edible for humans, consider their role in the larger food web.

Native Plants

Closely related to the previous point is the use of trees and native plant species. Trees are must-haves because they cool down your house in the summer and sequester carbon. Good “legacy” shade trees (legacy = trees with longevity as opposed to just decoration) can keep those AC costs down and make you a little less dependent on the electrical grid.  Native plants are also beneficial in a sustainable landscape because they naturally grow in your area and they provide food and habitat for our native fauna. (I wrote about native plants recently. Here is that link:

https://ahomeforyourgnome.com/native-plants/

Rain Barrels & Rain Gardens

If you’re smart with water conversation, you’ll save both the environment and your wallet from being overtaxed. A simple way to conserve water in your garden is to harvest all you can. We experience some serious drought conditions in our area and this isn’t likely to change. Consider rain barrels, rain gardens, cisterns, and water pillows (large flexible vessels that can store water under a deck).

That extra water can save you from relying on poorly designed irrigation systems that lead to water wastage and the over-watering of plants. Of course, you need to take some precautions with barrel water. This includes keeping it covered to prevent mosquitoes and other water-breeding insects from using it as a breeding ground. Mosquito “dunks” work pretty well but even better is to have no openings for these pests to enter in the first place. (I’ll be writing later this month about rain water harvesting).

Use Permeable Surfaces Wherever You Can

Don’t overlook the ground you walk on. The right surface is something to think about when coming up with landscaping ideas because it can contribute to your garden’s Eco-friendliness. A permeable surface is one such option because it decreases rainwater runoff, which can overtax our municipalities’ storm-water infrastructure. Gravel, for example, is a great permeable surface because it allows water to seep into the ground and reduces runoff.

Mulch

I’ve written about much before so I won’t go too far but having a layer of mulch (not Johnny’s Black Mulch!) around your plants when the garden is young is essential for moisture retainment and weed suppression. I prefer natural leaf mulch or pine straw as both are porous and light and allow air and water to move freely. For whatever reason, too many folks out there think of mulch as purely aesthetic. “Changing the shade of brown” does not a successful garden make (Whoops! Sounding like Yoda there.) The truth is with proper plant selection, your need for mulch as the garden matures should decrease as plants are allowed to fill in those big empty spaces.

So, there you have it. It’s a lot to tackle in one writing but maybe just one small part of the above will get you thinking differently. Our time on this revolving blue and green marble we ALL call home is limited. Let’s do all we can to tread a little lighter.

Till next time,

Please Vote for Democracy!!!