What is Sustainable Landscaping?

Sustainable landscaping begins with an appropriate design that includes visually pleasing, environmentally friendly and easily maintainable areas. Sustainable landscaping should include an attractive environment that is in balance with our local northwest Oregon climate.

There are short-term as well as long-term goals for a sustainable landscape. For example, a short-term goal may include saving water or implementing a compost bin.

A long-term goal may be to create a more self-sustaining garden. This includes all aspects of total plant health care, proper plant selection, reduced maintenance.

As part of the landscape process, consider the following questions:

• How will the space be used?
• What are the plant and landscape needs?
• What are the site conditions? Is there a need for renovation?
• What is the timeline and what is the budget?
• How much time will be needed to maintain the landscape? Is it maintainable?
• Visually, what look is trying to be achieved?

A sustainable landscape is a healthy and resilient landscape that will endure over the long term without the need for high maintenance. The natural functions and processes of the landscape are able to maintain themselves into the future.

Design principals of a sustainable landscape & garden:

• Well-designed to suit local environmental conditions
• Contains carefully selected water-wise plants
• Contains plants that will not become environmental weeds
• Conserves water by using mulch, efficient irrigation, watering only when necessary and grouping plants with similar water needs together
• Provides a habitat for local native fauna such as small birds, butterflies, and beneficial insects
• Avoids the use of pesticide or other chemicals that can harm the natural insect populations and other beneficial organisms
• Consumes minimal non-renewable energy in construction and maintenance
• Uses sustainable and locally sourced materials and products
• We can all contribute to a healthy and sustainable future by using these principles to guide our public and private parks and gardens.
  

Gardenworks, Inc. donates a portion of our profits to 'The Greenbelt Movement'

Founded by 2004 Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai, their mission is to create awareness that trees and forest have a significant role to play in the global climate when the right trees are planted in the right places and their survival is ensured.