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Planting
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Plans: Design with Maintenance in Mind
Saving the Bees
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Designing for Year Round Interest
Hydro Zoning
Hardscape Dimensions
Dormant Oil as a Natural Pesticide
Hardscape Materials
Touring the Huntington Library Botanical Garden
The Yard Fairy's Guide to Buying Outdoor Furniture
NJ Gardener Asks for Garden-Starting Tips
What Types of Fruit Can You Plant in Spring in San Diego?
Spring Vegetables: What, When and How to Plant
Lifelong Gardener: My Yard Fairy Story
Recycling in the Garden
Recycling Rain
Worms: Nature's Recyclers
Sustainability in
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Holiday Planter Ideas
Garden Styles: Creating a Little
Bit of Heaven in Your Own Backyard
Water Features
for Your Garden
Contemporary
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Lessons
in Sustainable Gardening
Landscaping with
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Landscaping Advice: San
Diego Tree Choices from The Yard Fairy
Top Drought-Tolerant Plant
Choices from The Yard Fairy
Environmentally
Friendly Landscape Tips: Go Green With The Yard Fairy
Attracting Birds and Butterflies
Top 10 Bird
and Butterfly Plants
Beautify Your
Yard, Save Water
Is it time you created your
own Victory Garden?
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The Yard Fairy: How We Work
A Waterwise Garden in Escondido,
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Smart Irrigation
Comes to San Diego County - June Rebate 2008
The Low Water Diet: Less is More
When It's Time to Go Green
Digging
the Dirt on Mulch
5 Steps to a
Low Maintenance Yard
5 Step Plan for a
Low Water Yard
Plants to Use With
Caution
Xeriscaping in Lieu of Lawns
Winter is for Landscape
Planning
Summer Gardening Tips
The Yard Fairy Landscaping FAQ
Size Matters When Choosing
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Summer Gardening Tips
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Environmentally Friendly Landscaping Tips
Go Green With The Yard Fairy
Interested
in learning about environmentally friendly landscape techniques?
Whether you are a resident of San Diego where we've been government-ordered
to restrict water use, or simply a person who cares about conserving natural
resources... we hope you find these tips helpful in creating a backyard
oasis that is truly "green" in every sense of the word.
Take the Conservative Approach
Most of our landscaping clients contact us wanting to transform their
yards into a picturesque and peaceful outdoor retreat where they can relax
with family and friends. Many request colorful, drought-resistant plants
that will require minimal upkeep as well as attract beneficial wildlife
such as birds, butterflies and "good" insects. And nearly all
would like to reduce their water use outside, lower their maintenance
costs over the long term, and reduce or eliminate the use of herbicides
or pesticides.
The Yard Fairy incorporates a basic philosophy into the work we do: blend
a client's needs and wants with sensitivity to the environment. Some suggestions
on how to do this in your own yard:
Add plants, reduce your carbon footprint.
"Carbon footprint" is a trendy expression for the amount of
greenhouse emissions caused by any one person, product or organization.
Little lifestyle changes can add up to a big reduction in the amount of
pollution or waste you contribute to. Did you know that plants absorb
carbon dioxide and emit oxygen? Placing them in and around your home can
improve the quality of the air and water consumed by you and your family.
Choose the right plant for the right place.
Have you ever planted what you thought was a small plant, only to have
it triple in size in a short amount of time, crowding out your other plants
and disrupting the continuity of your landscape? What about planting certain
flowers in a sunny spot, only to watch them wither and die later because
it turned out they were shade-loving specimens?
There are many factors to consider when planning your landscape design.
By taking into account such things as mature size, water, soil, light,
foliage, color, form and fragrance, we reduce the need to replace and/or
relocate those plants later. Proper planning cuts down on longer term
maintenance needs. (Think gas powered blowers, hedge trimmers, and pickup
trucks; plus trips to the landfill, and especially the cost of paying
the 'mow, blow and go' guys.)
Select permeable materials for your walkways, patios and paths.
Permeable walkways and patios allow rain water to be captured by the
soil and returned to our aquifers. There, it will be purified, rather
than shipped out to our ocean full of pollutants where it would create
problems for the marine life.
Strategically locate your plants, trees and shrubbery to encourage solar
cooling.
In areas like San Diego where the sun bakes us in our own homes, it's
a smart idea to locate shade-producing plants on the south and west sides.
Blocking out the sun's rays can be highly effective in reducing the buildup
of heat indoors. Less heat means less use of air conditioners and fans,
and lower energy bills.
Locally source your landscaping materials.
Do you know how far your ornamental rock or stone has had to travel to
get to your yard? What environmental impact is the harvesting of that
rock having? As transportation costs rise, it makes much more sense to
source materials locally, and recycle where possible.
Planning makes all the difference.
By designing the landscape correctly on paper, The Yard Fairy is able
to provide cost savings and lower maintenance to our clients. We take
the time to chose the right plants for the right spots, and to obtain
the correct size of non-living hardscape areas. We then employ a range
of techniques to improve soil quality and increase irrigation efficiency.
The resulting landscapes are a pleasure to be in, and form an oasis for
our clients in their busy lives.
Augment the existing soil with organic matter.
Yes, you can cultivate beautiful plants in arid climates such as San
Diego. The key is in the soil preparation. At The Yard Fairy, we teach
our clients that the basis for a fertile planting ground is already present
in their yards. The trick is to prep the soil for planting, using a mix
of existing topsoil and locally sourced compost and mulch. This gives
the plants a head start on growth and helps them thrive while fighting
off disease and pest infestation.
Add mulch.
The benefits of mulch are numerous. Mulch is more absorbent than the
soil itself, so water can be applied quicker and for longer without the
risk of runoff or evaporation. Mulch also suppresses weeds. Most weed
seedlings are simply not strong enough to push their way through 2-3"
of mulch before they get to sunlight. Finally, over time your organic
mulch will break down and become part of the soil, thereby improving it
even more. Mulch all planters and planting areas, preferably with an organic,
wood chip mulch.
Incorporate smart irrigation techniques.
Convert your irrigation to a modern drip system that delivers water directly
to the soil at a much lower application rate. Replace older spray nozzles
with rotating nozzles to save water. You can also install a 'smart' irrigation
controller that automatically adjusts the watering schedule based on local
weather conditions. These smart controllers may deliver as much as 59%
savings (based on a trial conducted by the Santa Barbara County ET Controller
Distribution and Installation Program, June 30, 2003).
At The Yard Fairy, not only do we design and implement original landscapes,
but we equip our clients with the knowledge needed to sustain their greening
effort while retaining their yard's inviting appearance.
For more information, contact info@yardfairy.com
today.
About The Yard Fairy:
Diane E Downey is the owner of The Yard Fairy Inc, a North San Diego
County based award winning landscape design and installation company creating
low water, low maintenance landscapes that are as functional as they are
pleasing to the eye. To arrange your consultation with The Yard Fairy,
please call 760 804 1661 or email info at yardfairy.com today.
Read more landscaping articles | Learn about our services | Learn about do-it-yourself landscaping bed design | Discover garden coaching | Sign up for the Yard Fairy Newsletter
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