More and more people are realizing the fact that Mother Nature is a finite resource. And when we don’t take care of her, soon enough, she will have nothing left to give us. There are many ways to help protect our environment. A great place to start is in our own backyards.
An eco-friendly backyard has many benefits. First of all – it’s easier and cheaper to maintain. Second, it helps protect the health of your family. Third, it promotes energy and water efficiency. An eco-friendly backyard also helps clean the air, gives you nutritious produce, and creates a habitat for local wildlife.
If you’re thinking of creating an eco-friendly backyard, here are some important steps and tips:
Think natural
Planning is crucial in a successful eco-friendly landscaping project. Have a detailed plan of how your backyard will look like. When doing so, always consider the natural features in your yard and how they can be enhanced to uplift its beauty. Check if any existing structures can be recycled or reused. Simply enhancing the natural features of your yard is not only sustainable and eco-friendly, but it is also cost-effective.
Choose native plants
The next step in creating an eco-friendly backyard is choosing plants that are native to your area. They are easy to maintain and don’t require fertilizers, pesticides, or even supplemental watering as they are perfectly suitable to your location’s climate. Native trees and plants also provide a habitat for birds, butterflies, and local wildlife. Check with your local nursery to see which plants are most appropriate for your garden.
Choose eco-friendly furniture
Sprucing up your backyard doesn’t have to involve costly furniture. An important factor in creating an eco-friendly outdoor space is incorporating the use of recycled or reusable materials. Before heading to the nearest home depot or ordering online, check if you have some old decorative home accessories that you can use to furnish your backyard.
If you’re buying furniture, consider bamboo furniture which is not just stylish but more importantly durable and easy to maintain. Then you can choose decorative cushions and complete the whole decoration with carpets and rugs. When shopping for wood benches or tables, don’t forget to check if they are certified ‘sustainable’ products.
Make your own compost
Composting is one of the best things you can do to help protect the environment for two reasons: 1) It greatly reduces the amount of garbage produced in your household while and 2) It gives you free natural fertilizer. First, you will need to install a compost bin where you can throw biodegradable household and garden waste, such as fruit and vegetable scraps, eggshells, wood shavings, weeds, newspapers, etc.
Use rain barrels
Rainwater is a perfect addition to your eco-friendly backyard. You can use it to water plants, wash your car, and clean your outdoor space. It reduces your demand for water, which has great benefits to the local ecology. It will reduce your utility bills, especially during the summer months. Rainwater catchments are relatively expensive. Instead, you can use rain barrels to collect rainwater from your roof or downspouts.
Employ proper shading
Planting large shade trees or vines will promote fresh air in your home and protect your family against the scourging heat of the sun in summer. They are not only beneficial for your home; they also make beautiful additions to your backyard. If you live in an area where it always rains, consider planting a rain garden. It’s comprised of native, flood-resistant plants that absorb large amounts of rainwater and filter out pollutants.
Use natural pest control
An eco-friendly backyard does not involve the use of harmful pesticides and chemicals. Not only are they detrimental to your plants, but they can also compromise your family’s health and safety. Natural ways to keep pests from invading your backyard include hand-removal of weeds and insects, using native plants that are naturally resilient to pests and insects, and utilizing natural insecticides like oil sprays. Natural pest control might be an effortful process but it’s totally worth it considering how much money you can save and how much you can contribute to protecting Mother Nature.
Plant ground cover instead of grass
A ground cover makes an excellent eco-friendly alternative for grass because it requires little to no mowing, no additional watering, and no pesticides. Clover, for instance, is a great groundcover choice for the summer season. Meanwhile, perennials smell wonderful, feel soft, and require little maintenance.
Creating an eco-friendly backyard has many benefits to you and the environment. There are many ways to achieve this. Start by assessing the current situation of your yard and planning a design that highlights its natural beauty and the use of recycled materials. Choose native plants, use eco-friendly furniture, make your own compost, harvest rainwater, employ proper shading, utilize pest control, and use ground cover instead of grass. Setting up your eco-friendly backyard might require more effort at first but once fully established, you will be surprised by how sustainable and cost-effective it is!
