Going green with your landscaping has numerous benefits, not always obvious at first thought.

It keeps set-up and maintenance costs down, it looks beautiful and remains this way for a very long time without the need for regular maintenance.

So how can you go “green” with your garden? Simply re-think your design.

1. Include natural stones

The “golf course” look, which is a whole area covered with uniform grass, which requires a lot of water, is no longer trendy nor ideal.

Less grass and more water-wise landscaping can not only save money on the utility bills, but time on mowing too. We are not suggesting that you completely get rid of the grass, but rather to spread it smartly.

“Sustainable design is the hottest trend for residential landscapes”, according to a recent survey by the American Society of Landscape Architects. And we are seeing this phenomenon world-wide.

In fact, stone gardens with a balanced mix of rocks and plants, are getting trendy for their modern look and finish, but also because they are the best way to create a cool, low maintenance and low cost garden since rocks don’t need any moisture.

Permeable paving is the best option for patios, front yards and walkways as it is solid and let’s water drain through, allowing the soil to be naturally watered.

2. Think strategic

Observing your outdoor area, you’ll find spots here and there where it gets the most water runoff, like in a low corner for example. This is where plants and flowers that require the most water should be planted together, surrounded by a bed of gravel, so they can make the most of the natural rainfall happening there.

Another idea can be the addition of a patio and some hardscaping instead of only traditional landscaping full of water-thirsty trees and plants.

For example, you could place a fireplace or a barbecue in the corner of a circular area where you lay flay stones, then edge those stones with bricks or rock low walls. The effect is warm and inviting, and it doesn’t require any watering or fertilising at all.

3. Organise your yard traffic

Wherever people will be walking through your yard, it is a good idea to create water-conserving landscaping solutions around them in order to avoid damaged or messy pathways. Pavers or gravel are the most commonly used to counteract this, along with planting resistant drought tolerant plants on the side. Japanese gardens are a good example of this combination.