If you want to have a beautiful yard but worry about what your yard work might be doing to the environment, you’re not alone. Lawns can require a lot of water and the chemicals used to maintain a yard aren’t good for the environment. But you have options for eco-friendly options that let you green up your green spaces, helping the planet and your wallet.
Synthetic Grass
This isn’t the astroturf like football stadiums use, but it’s not real grass either. Eliminate mowing, watering and dead patches of grass with synthetic grass. It’s designed to look like your lawn. You won’t need to use chemicals like fertilizer or pesticides to keep it beautiful. You’ll be able to enjoy the look of a manicured lawn without the hassle, maintenance, or watering.
Reduce the Size of Your Lawn
You can’t magically decrease the size of your property — and you wouldn’t want to. But do you need all of that grass in your lawn? If synthetic grass isn’t an option you want to try, let parts of your lawn be used for different purposes instead. You can install a patio with natural stone or create pathways with mulch and gravel. Install plant beds with plants that require little care, maintenance, or water. By reducing the size of your lawn, you use fewer chemicals and less water and help the planet.
Living Walls
A living wall, sometimes called a garden wall, is a section of fencing or wall where plants are encouraged to grow. You can grow herbs and flowers or anything that may grow and reach up and over the fence or wall. It serves as an area where plants can thrive which is good for the environment. It also adds privacy to your backyard and beauty for everyone to enjoy.
Mulch
Mulching might sound like a semi-annual chore, but it’s good for the environment, too. Mulch around trees and plants helps retain moisture so you need to water less often. It also reduces the spread of weeds so you use less herbicide. And it will decompose naturally over time so you don’t have to deal with clean up or worry about what’s going into the ground.
Recycled Materials
When you re-do parts of your lawn and landscaping, reuse materials whenever possible. You can use old natural stone for your patio. Old pots and containers are great for adding plants to your living wall or your patio. You can also use found wood for walkways or adding space for your living wall to grow and spread. Using these old materials reduces what gets sent to a landfill and saves you money.
We all want our homes and yards to be beautiful, but most landscaping requires lots of water and chemicals to maintain. Great landscaping doesn’t have to hurt our planet or waste resources. In fact, with a little creativity, your yard can help conserve water, reduce your use of chemicals, and make the world a better, more beautiful place.