Organic Gardening: Ecological Landscape Design and Organic Lawn Care
by Chip Phelan
There is a growing recognition that the expanding suburban landscape is
having a negative environmental impact. Suburban development often
includes vast energy dependant monocultures (perfect, grass lawns). They
consume a significant amount of natural resources, (water to keep them
green and gasoline to keep them trimmed), and they reduce the amount of
habitat available for native wildlife. Over use of fertilizers,
herbicides and pesticides can leach into water supplies and be harmful
to children and pets. Trends toward ecological landscaping and organic
lawn care are lessening the detrimental effects of these designs. Many
landscape designers are recommending native plant species, and even golf
course managers are moving toward organic methods.
In practical terms our goal should be to move away from designs that
depend on an extensive use of energy, without asking people to give up
their lawns entirely. There are a number of options:
* Buffer zones and open space requirements in subdivisions allow for
wildlife corridors and bird habitats.
* Leaving a portion of each lot in a natural state will invite birds and
beneficial insects into the yard, while reducing the amount of grass to
water and mow.
* The use of native plants in the design will greatly reduce the amount
of care needed for the plants to thrive.
We should stop worrying about whether our lawns looks like the
eighteenth fairway of the local country club. Many of the “weeds” that
appear in our lawns are considered to be medicinal, by herbalists, and
others attract beneficial insects.
We should stop over watering our lawns. Don’t worry about your grass
dying. Grass will turn green when it rains. Trust me.
If you must have an all grass lawn, there are organic methods that claim
to do as well as chemicals will. It’s probably a good idea to test any
remedy before applying it to your entire yard. Spot treating problem
areas will often be all that is needed.
Ecological Landscaping Considerations
The first and most important thing to consider in an ecological
landscape design is an environmental assessment of the site. Is it more
like a sunny meadow or shady woodland? Is it wet and marshy or dry and
well drained?
Secondly, find out which native plants thrive in your particular
environment. This can be easily done by taking a closer look at what is
growing in undeveloped areas around you. Look at areas that most closely
resemble your site. Species that are flourishing in the wild in similar
ecosystems nearby are more likely to do well, with little or no care,
than species growing in different ecosystems, not to mention different
regions of the country or world.
Some purists would argue that only native species be considered, but I
personally feel that non-invasive species from other parts of the world
are acceptable if used in the proper environmental setting. Whenever
possible choose species that are propagated locally and select varieties
that are disease, pest and drought resistant. This will preclude the
need for intensive care and excessive watering.
Many native plants are often found growing as part of a larger community
of plants. For reasons we don’t thoroughly understand, plants appear to
form symbiotic relationships with each other. This may be for shade,
nutrient contribution or protection from pests to name a few. When
studying the local landscape, pay attention to plant relationships. In
the wild, vegetation occurs in layers from groundcovers to taller plants
and shrubs and often to a tree canopy above. These layers provide a
diverse habitat for a variety of wildlife. Recreating these conditions
in even a small part of your site will help to enhance the overall
health of the environment around you.
In many instances homeowners will wish to deter certain wildlife
species, while attracting others. While it may be possible to discern
which plants attract different species in the wild, it may not be as
easy to determine which plants will deter them. Local landscapers and
plant nurseries will often be able to advise you about this.
Wherever you live and whatever your landscape consists of, a little
thought about working with the natural environment and a commitment to
organic lawn care practices, will save on maintenance cost and benefit
the larger community landscape.
About the author:
Chip Phelan, a contributing editor for Organic Gardening Review, is an
organic gardener living in Rhode Island. He has been gardening
organically for 30 years while working as a sculptor and photo imager.
He has recently created a research garden to experiment with organic and
small scale sustainable gardening techniques. Organic Gardening Review
is a resource center for organic gardening enthusiasts and features his
efforts and interests in all aspects of organic gardening. Find us on
the web:
http://www.organicgardening-review.com Looking for a place
to share organic gardening info? Visit our Organic Gardening Discussion
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