Heavenly Greens Blog

 

The next time you hear the phrase “drought tolerant plants” and think of a dusty desert landscape, remember this spring’s superbloom.

Wildflowers are native plants, so they are perfectly adapted to their habitat. They can get by just fine, and reproduce as often as necessary to keep their particular flower species going, even when normal conditions are “adverse.” That’s just the way it is. But that doesn’t mean wildflowers don’t appreciate a little help now and then. So when Mother Nature delivers an unexpected rainfall, all those seeds just waiting beneath the surface zip into action.

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You just bought the home of your dreams. But the yard? Not so dreamy. In fact, it’s a mess – so overgrown it’s hard to know what to tackle first. Take heart, you’ve got this! It’ll be a lot of work, but the results will be well worth the effort. Just take things one step at a time.

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When we were in school, we all learned the three R’s of sustainability – reduce, reuse, recycle. With a little creativity, you can apply all three to living outdoor environments. “Sustainable landscaping” is a comprehensive approach to designing and maintaining residential front and back yards, commercial properties, and public spaces. 

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Containers are a hot commodity when it comes to creative gardening. No doubt that’s because they’re so versatile. Containers can hold a single accent plant, armloads of colorful flowers, edible fruits and veggies – whatever you want. They can augment your landscape design, or they can be your landscape design if all you have to work with is a balcony or deck.  

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If your garden is small – or you’re confined to a balcony – you may think there’s no room for grass. Perish the thought! Without grass, where will you wiggle your toes? Where will your dog or cat be able to snooze in the shade? Let’s be honest – nothing says “outdoor living” like grass. Artificial grass, that is.

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You want a low maintenance yard? Pave that thing over. You’ll never have to mow, trim, spray, or pull a weed ever again. Of course you’ll have the ugliest, hottest, most unpleasant property in town. The surface will be ideal for playing hopscotch, but not much else, so you’ll never see your kids again. Even your dear (formerly loyal) dog will depart for greener pastures.

So don’t do that.

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It’s never too late to get your hands dirty beautifying your yard. And few things are more rewarding than watching your creation come alive and evolve through the seasons. So if you’re just getting started with gardening, we say, “Good for you!” 

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After years of severe drought, California residents are now used to dealing with water restrictions. Recently-enacted new state laws make those restrictions permanent and call for even stricter limits in the future. Wasting water is not only out of fashion, it’s beyond our budgets. So we’ve been forced to rethink our relationship with water, including how we sustain our landscaping.  

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Vegetable gardening is hugely popular these days. It is not only practical, it’s fun, for kids as well as adults. Those of us who now have to focus on water conservation can still enjoy growing the foods we love. The key is choosing varieties that are able to thrive with minimal water. 

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Drought tolerant landscaping is not the art of creating your own personal desert. It’s a design process that focuses on plants that can thrive with little water and hardscapes that help capture/retain moisture rather than allowing it to simply run off and be wasted. By following the same best practices professionals use, you can surround your home with landscaping that is both lovely and practical.

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