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Because land doesn’t come with a manual. . . ISSN 1554-656X
The Newsletter of the Ecological Landscaping Association Vol. 15, No. 2 Summer 2008
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needs in different areas. such as trees, shrubs, flowers, or low-
Consult your local nurs- growing ground covers. For the rest
ery to find plants that can of the lawn, spread drought-resistant
thrive in each of these areas varieties of grass seed and allow the
with as little supplemental grass to grow higher in the summer
watering (i.e., what you need (so the grass blades provide shade for
to provide in addition to the soil).
rainfall) as possible. In most
cases, native,
non-invasive
plants are best
because they
Microbiota decussata and Liriope spicata are natu-
rally adapted to regional
Lush Yards with Less Water temperature and rain-
Reprinted from Greentips: Environ- fall patterns. Grouping
mental Ideas in Action, an e-newsletter plants that have similar
from Union of Concerned Scientists. water needs can also help
minimize the need for
A Rain Garden is simply a shal- half-day of sunlight. Inc. For more informa-
low depression in your yard that During heavy rains, your rain tion, visit www.applie-
is planted with native wetland or wet garden may fill up and overflow. Make deco.com.
prairie wildflowers and grasses. It is sure this overflow drainage follows the
designed to naturally collect water that drainage pattern originally designed
runs off from your roof or is dis- for your lot. Test this by filling your Moss steps
charged from your sump pump. Rain depression with a garden hose and —Photo courtesy Tom Smarr
Gardens are gaining popularity for watching the overflow. If needed, dig a
three reasons: shallow swale to direct overflow water Rain Garden Design Guide
toward the street, road or other down- Available
hill areas away from buildings. A new University of Connecticut
1. Rain Gardens make good use of publication about rain gardens is
stormwater runoff, conserving pre-
cious water supplies and helping Digging In available free upon request. The 12-
protect water quality in downstream A depression of two to six inches will page, full color brochure addresses the
lakes and streams. suffice. Slope the sides gradually from following topics:
the edge to the level bottom. Deeper what is a rain garden
2. Rain Gardens are planted with common concerns
beautiful, hardy, low-maintenance rain gardens in heavy clay soils will hold
placement of the rain garden
native perennial plants. water longer. Test this with a garden soil suitability
hose. French drains can be installed to sizing your garden
3. Rain Gardens provide food and aid infiltration. installation
shelter for birds, butterflies and
planting
beneficial insects, such as mosquito-
devouring dragonflies. More Tips Rain Gardens in Connecticut: A Design
• Hand weed biweekly until native Guide for Homeowners is available by
plants are established. contacting the Resource Center Store
Simple, Straightforward • Avoid using lawn fertilizers near at (860) 486-3336 or store@uconn.
Construction the Rain Garden. Fertilizers will edu. You can also download a PDF ver-
It’s not complicated. Just follow these stimulate weed competition without sion at http://sustainability.uconn.edu/
easy steps: benefiting your native plants.
M ost people either over water their lawns or under water the grass can dry off before the next dew occurs that night.
them. Over watering floods the soil and depletes soil
oxygen, which contributes to root death. It also encourages
As for seed types, I have found that the fine fescues are
more drought tolerant than bluegrass. People should always
fungal diseases. Watering in late morning or late afternoon seek out new and improved turf grass cultivars, especially
extends the wetness period of the overnight dew period, any that require less watering or have good drought resis-
which increases disease susceptibility. I see this every year tance. For more information, visit the National Turfgrass
with clients that have automatic watering systems. Evaluation Program at www.ntep.org
Light and frequent watering only wets the top inch of
soil. You get the best result from any lawn when you water Follow these cultural methods to promote turfgrass
at least one inch per week if there is no rain. I try to get growth and establishment, reduce insect and disease
clients to water their lawns only one inch per week, de- problems, and conserve water:
Mow High: adjust Promotes deeper roots with larger car- Mowing too short (<2"), draws on carbohydrate reserves
cutting height of bohydrate reserves. Taller grass blades (food) stored in the roots. Roots become limited in carbo-
mower to be 2.5 to capture more of the sun’s energy to make hydrate storage capacity. This action causes roots to grow
3 inches. food for the roots in the form of carbohy- slower. It also reduces the turfgrass blade’s ability to make
Mow grass when it drates and other cell building compounds. food by the process of photosynthesis. Short grass thins
is dry. The taller the grass, the deeper the roots. out and allows better weed growth and establishment.
Taller grass helps shade out weeds.
Leave grass clip- Grass clippings are more than 90% water; Removing or bagging clippings reduces natural organic
pings on lawn. acting as a mulch conserving soil mois- matter that could feed the soil / turfgrass roots.
ture and decompose rapidly serving as Reduces soil enrichment.
a substrate for microbial activity releas-
ing nutrients back to the soil. Improves /
maintains soil structure.
Water deeply and Promotes deeper roots. Deep roots have Frequent or light watering causes roots to grow close to
infrequently. Water better establishment and more carbo- the soil surface. Shallow or small roots have less resis-
1 inch every 5 to hydrate storage capacity contributing to tance to root feeding insects (e.g. white grubs). Smaller
8 days depending better drought resistance. Better resistance roots have less carbohydrate reserves and less drought
upon rainfall. to root feeding and blade feeding insects resistance in hot weather. Too much water promotes root
and disease organisms. and crown diseases and depletes soil oxygen in soil pore
spaces for proper plant growth.
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PARADISE continued from pg. 7
par·a·dise (păr’ e
-dīs, -d īz’) n.
Have you found
A place of ideal beauty or loveliness.
paradise?
use to attract butterflies include bottle- within your garden. Learn to toler-
brush buckeye (Aesculus parviflora) ate some insect damage or caterpillars ī
Let us know!
for nectar for many butterflies; little chewing on your leaves. Cluster plants
bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) as a so the butterflies will notice them with Your garden
(or a client’s)
host plant for skip- their compound
per species and eyes, which do not
shelter for over-
wintering stages
have clear focus
from a distance. could be ELA’s
of other species; Create a sheltered,
goldenrod (Sol- Hummingbird clearwing larvae sunny basking next featured
idago spp.) attracts spot away from the wind (a warm rock
lots of butterflies including American or plant) to allow the butterflies’ body garden. Send
Lady, Monarch, Fritillaries, and Sul- temp to reach 82-100 degrees. This is
furs; ironweed (Vernonia spp.) nectar what enables them to fly well. pictures and
attracts Monarch, Great Spangled A carefully planned butterfly gar-
Fritillary, American Lady, Spicebush den will reward you with a garden full information to
and Eastern Tiger Swallowtails. of caterpillars and butterflies, plus other
Butterflies prefer shallow water wildlife to enjoy throughout the season. ela.info@
and are used to playing in mud puddles
where they can also get the minerals comcast.net
they need as they drink. To provide wa-
ter for butterflies, leave an open space
with a shallow dip or indentation in
the soil so that a puddle forms when it
rains. I have also made shallow butter-
fly feeders with school kids where we
poured cement into a small trash can
lid and then set the can itself into the
middle. You may press colorful stones,
Liatris and Rudbeckia
sea glass, and any other interesting
finds into the cement for decoration Nanette Masi is a landscape designer and
(for the kids, of course, I don’t think educator living in Amesbury, Massachusetts.
the butterflies really notice). When it She founded “Back to Nature” in 2003 as an
educational source for healthy, ecologically
has dried and you pull out the can, you
sound landscaping principles, and to provide
have what looks like a flattened bird a healing alternative to traditional land-
bath with a wide rim and very shallow scapes. Nanette’s designs focus on native and
basin. sustainable plant communities to attract birds
Consider a few other elements and butterflies. For more information, visit
to attract and keep butterflies in your her website: www.bringnaturehome.com
garden. It is important to protect but-
—All photos courtesy Nanette Masi
terflies from pesticides. Pesticides only
serve to kill the caterpillars that would
have become butterflies. Let the natural
predators have some of them for dinner
and create an even greater wildlife web
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Rain Sensors Conserve “Among these treasures of our land is water fast becoming our most valuable,
Water and Money most prized, most critical resource.”
– Dwight D. Eisenhower
• Penny Lewis and Kat Good-Schiff
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Rain Barrels and gardens. Just look outside your
• Penny Lewis and Kat Good-Schiff window the next time it rains and
imagine all the water that’s run-
C ollecting rainwater in rain barrels or other depositories
for use during dry months is an ancient, traditional
practice. Historical records show that people in Thailand
ning off your driveway being put to
beneficial use later.
The amount of water that can be
collected rainwater in simple clay containers as far back as
collected with a rain barrel depends
2,000 years ago. With much of the United States facing
on the amount of collection area
the rising price of municipal water and drought restrictions
emptying into the rain barrel. For
during the summer months, more and more homeowners
example, one inch of rain falling on
in our own modern society are turning to the harvesting of
1,000 square feet of collection area adds up to 623 gallons.
rainwater to save money and protect this precious natural
When rain water is collected from the roofs of houses, it
resource.
usually carries very little contamination. Roofs should be
It is a common belief in many parts of the world that
kept clean of debris and potential contaminants to maxi-
water is an infinite resource to exploit as needed, but as
mize purity. Roof material is also important in how much
the saying goes, “you don’t know the value of water until
contamination the water will carry.
the well is running dry.” This is especially true in arid parts
of the US where most of the municipal water comes from
Rain barrels should include the following components:
overstressed underground aquifers. Whereas rainwater is
considered a renewable natural resource, many aquifers are • Durable, UV-stable polyethylene, food-grade plastic.
being “mined,” that is, communities are drawing out more
• An overflow port and hose to divert water away from the
water than the aquifer receives naturally to recharge it. house.
As drought and aquifer mining begin to call atten-
tion to an increasing water crisis, people are seeking ways • A screen to remove sediment and particles as water enters
minimize impact on their municipal water supplies. Rain the barrel (this will also prevent mosquitoes and other
insects from getting to the water).
barrels can be part of the solution. Using a barrel to catch
the water from your gutters is one of the simplest and most • A high-quality, durable spigot for con-
inexpensive ways to collect water for later use. Rain bar- nection to a garden hose, located low on
rels help conserve water by storing it for when you need it the barrel to drain the majority of the
most: during periods of little or no rainfall. This provides a water.
good supply of free, non-chlorinated water, ideal for lawns • Aesthetic features compatible with the
landscaping plan.
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Green Roofs— ready meet the standards necessary to in hospital wards.
A Growing Trend support the load of a green roof. Also, For the construction project that
current components of a green roof incorporates green roofs, additional
• Penny Lewis and Kat Good-Schiff
are much lighter and last longer than benefits can be realized by replacing
unclassifieds
Well Water Connection, Inc. provides
practical, cost-effective and environ-
mentally conscious solutions to water-
related problems experienced by green
industry professionals and their clients.
Our unique approach combines profes-
sional project management with water
well, pump, filtration and stain removal
services. For immediate service or more
information, contact John Larsen at
978-640-6900 or jlarsen@wellwatercon-
nection.com.
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