What is Green Landscaping?
“Green landscaping, to me, involves using sustainable practices to create outdoor spaces.” -Nino Torres
“Going Green” has become a cultural phenomenon that is at the forefront of many discussions. Doing our part to protect the environment around us is extremely important. You see recycle bins at parks, solar panels on buildings, and energy efficient lights at the store…
But what does this mean for a landscape architect?
“Designing for a sustainable “green” landscape helps to eliminate or greatly reduce the wasteful and excessive use of fossil fuels or water in the landscape.” -Clayton Turley
When planning a project it can seem overwhelming to add the element of “green landscaping” to the process, along with adding a financial burden. However, there are simple things that require a minimal amount of additional design time, will save money, and provide a unique element to the landscape design.
The mindset of the design team for a project has to be adjusted for this forward thinking practice, which is something Meeks Design Group, Inc. prides itself on. “We focus on creating a sustainable landscape design in every area of the project.”-Amanda Lim
Tips for designing a sustainable landscape:
1. Native Plants – Incorporate native plants into your project to help reduce the amount of water needed to maintain the design.
2. Hardscaping- Use rocks, decorative paving and colored crushed gravel to create a design with a minimum of plant material. This will greatly reduce the amount of water required, along with minimizing the required maintenance.
3. Rain Garden- Create rain gardens and bioswales to capture rain water for reuse.
4. Solar Lighting- Select solar lighting to take advantage of solar power where available.
5. Green Wall- Create a green wall that will provide shade, color and texture variations, fragrances, to a blank wall or as a space separator, without significantly increasing water usage.
6. Drip Irrigation- Design the irrigation system with drop lines or emitters in place of traditional shrub heads, utilize drip systems for lawns where applicable, and provide programmable controllers to take advantage of new data technologies. Also provide clear, in-depth instruction to the physical plant manager to eliminate overwatering.
Taking the steps to create a sustainable green landscape are simple and easy, but make a huge impact on your project. Meeks Design Group, Inc. designs with these conservation concepts in mind on every project, regardless of size or location, to provide a final product with the ultimate level of environmental and sustainable sensitivities.