Sustainable landscaping
[1] A sustainable garden is designed to be both attractive and in balance with the local climate and environment and it should require minimal resource inputs.
[2] As part of sustainable development, it pays close attention to preserving limited resources, reducing waste, and preventing air, water and soil pollution.
Compost, fertilization, integrated pest management, using the right plant in the right place, appropriate use of turf and xeriscaping (water-wise gardening) are all components of sustainable landscaping.
However, using appropriately selected and properly sited plants may help to ensure that maintenance costs are lower because of reduced inputs.
The steps to design include a base plan, site inventory and analysis, construction documents, implementation and maintenance.
These include orientation to the sun, soil type, wind flow, slopes, shade and climate, the goal of reducing irrigation and use of toxic substances, and requires proper plant selection for the specific site.
Altering the ecosystem is a major problem and meeting with an expert with experience with the wildlife and agriculture in the area will help avoid this.
[29] Irrigation is an excellent end-use option in greywater recycling and rainwater harvesting systems, and a composting toilet can cover (at least) some of the nutrient requirements.
Energy conservation may be achieved by placing broadleaf deciduous trees near the east, west and optionally north-facing walls of the house.
Such selection provides shading in the summer while permitting large amounts of heat-carrying solar radiation to strike the house in the winter.
As the efficiency of photovoltaic panels and passive solar heating is sensitive to shading, experts suggest the complete absence of trees near the south side.
Such a choice creates a winter windbreak that prevents low temperatures outside the house and reduces air infiltration towards the inside.
Firstly, they minimize air circulation in summer although in many climates heating is more important and costly than cooling, and, secondly, they may affect the efficiency of photovoltaic panels.
For example, in southern California having a grass lawn of tall fescue will typically need upwards of 1,365 cubic metres (360,500 US gal) of water.
A lawn in the same place made up of mixed beds with various trees, shrubs, and ground cover will normally need 202 cubic metres (53,300 US gal) of water.
