Are you on the hunt for “eco-conscious landscaping ideas near me” to beautify your property in the Middleton and Verona, WI, areas? With less water usage and no loss of vibrant and attractive plants, eco-conscious landscapes can help the earth and fill your yard with visual delights.
Make Use of Hardscape Features
You might not have thought about it, but hardscape features such as patios and retaining walls can be made with sustainable materials. Natural stone, real wood, and, in some cases, recycled materials can be part of the overall hardscape design. Moreover, the resources used can last for many years with no waste.
The features you choose could also encourage you to spend more time outside and perhaps use resources more wisely. For an outdoor kitchen, you may find that when you cook outdoors, there is less energy consumption—plus the food just somehow always seems to taste better when it is consumed alfresco.
If eco-friendly landscape plans have intrigued you, beginning with a sustainable hardscape can be an excellent first step.
Reduce the Grassy Space
Another way to plan a more earth-conscious landscape can be to reduce the amount of grassy space by opting for more intentional but smaller lawns. Your landscaper can reduce the amount of grass into an equal number of geometric spaces with stepping stone and gravel walkways in between. If you choose this approach, each grass “lawn” can be designated for an activity such as badminton in one, Adirondack chairs for relaxing outside in another, and so on.
With less mowing required and fewer treatments needed to maintain the lawn properly, these specific grass spaces can have less of an impact on the earth.
Practice Prudent Maintenance
When your landscape service approaches plant and lawn care with expert attention, solutions for strong growth are intentional and not wasteful. A staff horticulturist, for example, can attend to the plant care and pruning of trees and shrubs to help them stay in great health, minimizing unnecessary pest control treatments. Proactively assessing and removing broken branches and tending to any gaps left from missing branches can leave fewer ways for insects and disease to take hold in the trees.
Utilize Native Plants
Exotic plants can require special hand watering for optimal health and extra attention. Because native plants thrive and dazzle in our climate, the care required can be less intensive but the outcome is spectacular.
Gorgeous, colored blooms and wispy ornamental grasses can grace a hillside while evergreen trees keep their foliage all year and can form a natural screen for more privacy. In addition, you could choose native plants that produce berries and other food for wildlife, and can help to support the food cycle for nearby animals.
Install Irrigation Systems
With today’s technology, irrigation has become part of the smart process whereby you can control so much of your outdoor lighting, irrigation system, and music that makes your outdoor spaces so much more enjoyable. Your landscape specialists can likewise program an irrigation system to water the grass in the wee hours of the morning for optimal absorption as well as change the amounts of water needed for each zone, all through smart technology. Because this makes adjusting the sprinkler system so easy, there can be less water waste and more focused application of the moisture that grass needs to thrive.
