This may sound like a strange concept. You are probably thinking to yourself, “Isn’t all landscaping green?” Actually not all landscaping is green, there are some things you need to watch out for when planning your evergreen landscaping and the plants that you want to put in.

Evergreen Landscaping Ideas

1. How much rain does your area get each summer? Will you need to water often or do you need to try and find drought tolerant plants?

2. Try to find species that are native to the area you live in. If the species are native to the area that means they will need less maintenance than plants that are not native.

3. If the plants you want to use are not native, are they invasive? Invasive means will they spread if not contained.

4. Do you want annuals or perennials? Do you want to have to replant each spring, or do you want a garden that comes back each year?

5. Is the area you are landscaping sunny or shady most of the day?

6. Do you want to add hardscaping to the yard? Hardscaping means patios, walls, or pathways.

7. Do you want a water feature in the landscape landscaping ideas

Evergreen landscaping takes all these things into consideration. Landscaping that uses mainly native materials, whether plants or types of stone, is usually considered to be “greener”. This is because landscaping with materials that are native to the area makes less of an impact on the surrounding land. For instance if you live in a hot dry climate, planting species that take a lot of water to survive is going to be harder on the surrounding land, and will take more resources, not to mention work on your part.

Evergreen Landscaping

This does not mean that you cannot have a beautiful landscape. You just need to plan ahead. Consulting a landscape specialist in the area is usually a good idea. Most landscapers will be happy to talk to you about your plans even if you are going to do the work yourself. They can help you find plants and materials that do well in your area and provide a beautiful outdoor setting.

Let’s go back to that hot, dry climate for a minute; this would be a good area for hardscaping. Adding an outdoor patio with a pergola would be perfect in this area. It would not only add usable outdoor space that is shaded, it would also help to keep the interior of your home cooler. Spaces like this that reduce the inside temperature of your home are considered green because they help reduce the amount of energy it takes to cool your home. They usually increase the value of your home as well. This can be an excellent idea even if you do not live in a hot, dry area.

When you are planning your evergreen landscaping, think about your lifestyle and how much time you will have to maintain it. Many people just do not have the time to replant each spring, and some just do not want to have to mess with replanting. Not all of us are avid gardeners. I usually suggest a combination of annuals and perennials, just because it is nice to be able to change the look of your outdoor space from time to time.
For those that want a beautiful space with almost no work involved though, perennials are the best solution. These are plants that will grow again each spring with very little effort on your part. If you still want to add some different colors you can always use planters for a few annuals.

Beautiful outdoor spaces are in demand all over the world. Ensuring that your space is also green is just an added bonus.