How sustainable is your landscape?

"Sustainability, Green Living, growing your own produce", we hear these phrases more and more as prices soar and the economy plummets. But how many people really practice it?

Do the city dwellers have little patio or balcony gardens?. Are the suburbanites transforming their carefully manicured exotic turf grass lawns into viable, environmentally friendly landscapes that support fruit trees and edible plants?

We want to know what you are doing in your own personal landscapes and yards to support sustainability and Green Living? Shout out for or against using your landscapes to grow food instead of just ornamental plants and grass. Are you part of the sustainable movement.

Satsuma & other photos by Y.L. Bordelon, All Rights Reserved.

1. You have free fresh, healthy fruits, vegetables and herbs for your family.

2. There are no transportation costs and air pollution is reduced because transportation is not needed.

3. By growing food plants and native trees and shrubs, you are helping the environment by providing habitat for pollinators and other animals.

4. It is a learning opportunity for children. The old saying about teaching a man how to fish comes into play here, too.

What other reasons can you think of? Why not comment below.

"It is not only possible, but highly desirable from a human perspective to create living spaces that are themselves functioning, sustainable ecosystems with high species diversity."

Douglas W. Tallamy, Bringing Nature Home

Permaculture and sustainable gardening go hand in hand. Keeping animals like chickens that provide eggs and fertilizer adds another aspect to the natural growing cycle. The eggs provide an additional valuable food source and the natural free fertilizer will help a garden produce many healthy and delicious vegetables.

It's amazing what the right growing conditions can do. This video shows an amazing transformation of a permaculture garden in the desert.

By getting away from the antiquated monoculture lawn thinking, you can add to the biodiversity of your property. Add more food plants in place of the grass. Landscape with fruit or nut bearing trees that are both ornamental and productive. Plant an herb garden by the kitchen door. All these things will attract pollinators. If you use organic methods, your soil will be enriched and full of beneficial organisms, too.

There are many excellent books available that will guide you into creating your own sustainable, edible landscape. Everything from using organic methods to grow edible plants to keeping chickens in the suburbs.