How do Landscapers Create Sustainable Designs?

As well as creating gardens that are beautiful and practical for living and entertaining in, it is often the landscaper's aim to create garden designs that are sustainable over an extended period of time. A sustainable garden is one that thrives in the particular climate it is set in, is easy to care for, uses environmentally conscious materials and does not heavily consume resources such as water, fertilisers or electricity. The creation of sustainable garden designs are often the factor that separates consummate landscapers from amateurs and those not committed to their job.

 

This is because a landscaper who designs sustainable gardens can not only improve the value of your home and beautify your surroundings but also aid the environment by eliminating old fashioned gardening techniques such as water-thirsty and labour intensive lawns. Designing a sustainable garden involves the consideration of various factors on the part of the landscaper. One of these factors is choosing materials that have been produced with little impact on the environment, such as reclaimed railway sleepers, recycled rubble for pathways, sustainable farmed or sourced plants or recycled plastic garden furniture. 

Sustainability focused landscapers can even take their designs one step further by creating garden designs that harmonise with and nourish the surrounding environment. Landscapers can do this by turning away from the traditional notion of a formal garden that is highly disjunctive with the disorder and wild beauty of nature. Landscapers aiming for sustainability often choose local plants that are used as food or habitat by native wildlife to create a living garden that is beautiful and environmentally friendly. 

One of the best methods landscapers can use to create sustainable garden designs is to imitate natural landscapes such as bushland, forest floors of all kinds, grasslands, wetlands and even deserts. This can be done easily by planting ground covering plants or native grasses instead of a traditional grass lawn, and using the existing environment as a guide. A good landscaper should have an intimate knowledge of the climate and wildlife of their location, making sustainable planting decisions simple and straightforward. 

Some landscapers also include aspects in their garden designs that can improve the sustainability of the whole household. These can include composting bins, rainwater tanks, grey water irrigation systems and solar lighting. Garden designs such as these can encourage further dedication to a sustainable lifestyle. These additions to a garden, combined with the use of recycled and sustainable materials, can transform the space from simply pretty to practical and harmonious with nature.