You can use many words to describe your landscape, lovely if you're happy with the grass and plants, a pain if you have to do all the work by yourself, but what about the word sustainable? The purpose of a sustainable landscape is to reduce negative environmental impact while incorporating features that are both beneficial to the natural world and beautiful at the same time. Not only is sustainable landscaping easy to maintain, but it can also use less water. This blog goes over the basics and benefits of keeping a sustainable landscape at your home or business.

A big part of this type of landscape is native plants. These are species that are indigenous to Central Florida and thrive in our area. One advantage is that they're more drought tolerant. Once a native plant establishes itself, it requires less water, which means a smaller water bill!

There are many native trees to consider, like the Oak, Magnolia, and Sable Palm. Native shrubs include the Wax Myrtle, Hollies like the Yaupon Holly, Saw Palmetto, and hearty grasses like Muhly grass. These plants have a more natural plant color palate, with fewer flowers and more green, earthy tones. In this paragraph, you don't see many colorful flowers, but remember, we're keeping it native.

There are also plants to avoid. Anything with large leaves retains water and needs more of it to survive. Also, shy away from species that heavily flower; those buds require a lot of water.

Water conservation is an essential aspect of a sustainable landscape. The best way to save water is with a drip-based irrigation system. Spray heads and rotors blast water across an area of the landscape. A drip system drops water at the roots. Think of it as a coffee maker; the water goes directly where it's needed. This system is better for plants and trees; this way, only your green friends get water, and you're not paying to water the mulch, sidewalk, and side of the house.

We could go on about the benefits of a sustainable landscape, but you get the idea. ELT Landscape is here to help. Our crews will design you a new yard, work with you to pick native plants, install everything, update your irrigation system, and then take care of it for you. Contact us today to begin your path to sustainability.