Sustainable Landscape Design

What do you imagine when you think of a sustainable landscape? Most homeowners will imagine a small lawn, no ornamentals, and a yard consisting of mostly natural areas with large areas of hard scape. Contrary to popular belief, a sustainable landscape does not mean that your yard has to be desert-like and unmanicured. In fact, sustainable landscapes can be lush, well kept and very undemanding.

The main thing to keep in mind while planning your sustainable landscape is to select the correct planting and hardscape materials and place them in the correct locations for the correct function. Sticking to these principles will create a sustainable landscape that will be functional, low maintenance, cost effective, and visually appealing. While visual appeal will most likely be the major concern of most homeowners, it is extremely important to include all these concepts into the landscape design.

Before installing your landscape, consult your local nursery to check for Florida friendly plants. Also contrary to popular belief, there are quite a few Florida friendly plantings that are also aesthetically pleasing. Many landscape plants with a high tolerance to drought have the capability to have a neat and well manicured appearance. If your plant selection does include plants that are known for a "native" appearance, one possible solution is to use hardscape structures such as decks and arbors to help control the shape and growth of the plant. Selective maintenance techniques can also aid in controlling the appearance of native plants.

These are only a few of the many steps you can take to help make your landscape more sustainable. Be sure to pick steps that are within your capabilities and are relevant to the conditions of your landscape. If you are a busy person or have little experience in landscaping, try only one small step at a time to get a feel for the work at hand. If you do one step at a time, over time, you will start to see a green landscape!

Plant Selection

• Review your current landscape and remove any plants that are evasive.
• Be sure to move any large plants that have been planted in the wrong locations.
• Consider the layout of your landscape and group plants together by water, soil, and sun need.
• Consider planting more trees. Once established, trees require less care overall and will provide natural shade.
• Consider plants that will provide food for local wildlife.
• Note the layout of your property and use any structures that you have to build micro-environments for different plants.

Maintenance, Maintenance, Maintenance

• To encourage proper, healthy growth, be sure to setup your landscape on a maintenance program. If landscape maintenance is not your favorite thing to do, hire a qualified professional and have them describe the proposed maintenance program. (If you're in the Tallahassee area, we would love to help!)
• Be sure to use plants that are appropriate for the location, in order to avoid constant pruning and care.
• A good maintenance program can also discourage home intruders.

Efficient Irrigation

• When installing an irrigation system, be sure to separate the turf areas from the shrub areas.
• Before installing do your research! It's critical to know your plants' water requirements before setting up your irrigation system. An ounce of planning will go a long way and will save you a great deal of money and frustration.
• Micro-irrigation or "Drip" irrigation can greatly reduce the amount of water used and is a very cost-effective, efficient solution to watering your plants. Micro-irrigation works by applying water directly to the base of the plant to avoid water loss via evaporation.