Going "Green" with Your Lawn
In addition to using environmentally friendly techniques and practices within the home, it's also important to practice "green" living outdoors in your yard. There are plenty of ways that you can have a beautiful lawn and landscaping while helping to protect the environment. Use eco-friendly techniques when caring for your lawn to insure that your lawn stays beautiful while helping to conserve resources. If you have a small lawn, consider using a reel mower whenever possible. Not only do reel mowers do an excellent job cutting the grass, making a clean cut instead of the tearing the grass like a rotary mower does, but you will also save energy and reduce air pollution. As an added bonus, cutting the grass will be more relaxing without the loud sound of a power mower. You'll also get some healthy exercise at the same time.
An eco lawn is a small lawn!
 A large beautiful lawn takes a lot of work! Reduce the amount of lawn space you have in your yard as much as possible. Not only will this give you less grass to mow, but it will also reduce your consumption of water. Instead, try planting areas of your yard in a natural fashion, such as a wildflower field, areas of ground cover, ornamental grasses, or other types of planting beds. It generally takes much less water to keep these types of plantings healthy as opposed to watering large expanses of grass. These alternatives to grass can also be quite beautiful, providing variety and color to your yard. Watering your eco lawn and garden Always use watering methods that conserve resources, such as drip irrigation hoses or an automatic irrigation system that is programmed to be efficient, as opposed to wide overhead sprinklers. Be careful with pesticides, weed killers and fertilizersWhen caring for your lawn, trees, shrubs and planting beds, try to avoid chemicals as much as possible. Instead of using weed killers, try preventing weeds by using mulch or long-lasting landscape fabrics. Although you may still get a few weeds, they will be easier to pull when growing in mulch than when they are firmly rooted in soil. Instead of using chemical fertilizers, try composting your yard and kitchen scraps. Compost will provide nutrients for your plants, and you will have the added benefit of yard and kitchen waste out of the landfill. Try using natural companion planting methods, such as planting marigolds to discourage moles and whiteflies, or chrysanthemums to repel nematodes in your yard. You can also help attract beneficial insects such as bees by planting clover or lavender. (Please see Organic lawn care products and methods for a truly green lawn for more on using natural fertilisers on your lawn.)
Landscaping methods to conserve energyYou can also use your landscape design to help conserve energy. By selecting good locations for trees and other types of landscaping plants, you can actually help reduce your home's heating and cooling costs. For example, if you plant shrubs a few feet away from your foundation around your home, you will help to create an insulating space around the foundation which will help reduce heating costs. If you plant evergreens around the north and west perimeter of your home, you will be able to reduce your winter heating costs because the trees will help break the wind. In the summer, trees can be used to provide shade for your home, helping to reduce the cost of air conditioning.
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With signature design style, Jessica Ackerman, an online writer with WallDecorandHomeAccents.com, describes bold approaches to grapes and wine decor and metal outdoor wall art. Please note that all the opinions expressed in this article are those of the author only. | 
