Getting Greener Gardens
Sustainability is becoming the buzzword for the 2000's, the Brave New World of the new milennia. We hear it applied to everything from transportation systems and energy production to the economy. So it shouldn't be surprising that it applies to gardening as well. And it's a lot more than just planting native plants. A sustainable garden contributes to reducing greenhouse gases, helps cut down on energy use, saves water and other resources, and contributes to the health and well being of those who frequent it. Plus they are less work than many more traditional gardens. The New York Times crack garden writer Ann Raver has a piece about sustainable gardens, and directs readers to the Sustainable Sites Initiative, sustainablesites.org, where you can learn about the advantages of garden sustainbablitly, get all kinds of ideas to make your own garden more sustainable, and read several case studies of gardens gone sustainable. They are also developing a set of guidelines and performance measures for developiong more sustainable gardens.