A Down To Earth Testimonial For A Sustainable Lawn Or A Low Carbon Footprint Efficient Management Plantscape System
For you, Edward Kayler, the “Garden Guru”.
Low Growing Juniper Shrub As A Ground Cover, With Very Low Maintenance That Does Not Need Mowing !
Our previous experience in Sherwood Park, out side of Edmonton Alberta, was a typical one for a rural acreage owner. Loving the country, open spaces and a different, non urban lifestyle attracted us to this type of living. The positives were not living in a mundane bland suburban subdivision, not living beside land with manicured lawns that incorporated industrial landscaping including the use of pesticides, herbicides, chemical fertilizers, freedom to live more freely without close scrutiny by neighbours & municipal authorities plus a safe and nurturing environment to raise children. The negatives were that regular automobile use was required, the land developed for the acreage was farmland, many gasoline driven equipment, tools and vehicles were required to mow & trim the lawn. One of the biggest polluters was the use of a tractor to mow 2 acres of lawn around the house.
Clematis Tree Vine & Lilac With White & Mauve Flowers Respectively, Adjacent To The Patio. The Flowers Of The Old Cultivar/Variety Of Lilac Have A Lovely Spring Fragrance.
Although the lawn consisted of seeded & native grasses plus wild plants, it required 4 to 5 hours of mowing with a tractor every week to have a manicured lawn. We found that the more the lawn was mowed, the more it needed to be mowed and the more it was mowed, the drier and browner the lawn became. Eventually we stopped bagging the lawn clippings, allowing the grass clippings of natural mulch to stay on the lawn, reduce the mowing area and reduce the number of times of mowing the lawn to once every two weeks. The use of noisy and expensive machinery was still required resulting in a major cause of polluting. We resolved to avoid or drastically reduce all the expense, senseless repetitive work & pollution with our next house & surrounding lawn.
We were very fortunate to be able to move to Vancouver Island, BC and enjoy the warmer temperate climate. The culture in other parts of Canada that promotes industrial landscaping with manicured lawns in residential areas is not as prevalent here because the climate is so mild. There are homes with grass lawns but many more that use alternative materials like gravel, beach stones, river rock along with species of low growing plants that are local to the area and do not require watering, fertilizers or mowing.
Blackberries Ripening On The Vine In Warm Sunny Weather.
The land- & plantscaping around our home utilizes many local plants like heather, junipers, cedars, lilacs, flowering plants, trees & shrubs incorporated adjacent to pathways, front and rear patio areas. Local flowering, ever green plants, shrubs & trees are strategically located in specific areas of the garden for aesthetic value, wind break protection, shade & shelter.
We consider the surroundings around our home to be much more interesting, vibrant and colourful than a house with a grass only monoculture lawn. It requires minimum maintenance, doesn’t turn brown if it doesn’t rain for a couple of days and saves a lot of money. The best part in this transformation is not owning a lawn mower ! We owe a debt of gratitude to Mr. Ed Kayler for his expert advice and the supply of human powered tools required to seasonally prune, shape or repair some of the plants, trees & shrubs.
Marilyn Grice, Real Estate Agent, A Liason With Edmonton Police & The Public.
Tony Grice Electrical Engineer For The Environment.
Parents of 3 boys & 1 girl plus Cub Leaders.
Vancouver Island, BC.
The Sustainable Lawn 