Before You Get Started
Note such site conditions as the amount of sun or shade each area gets and when, your soil type(s)and drainage. It is also advisable to get your soil tested, especially if you plan to create a vegetable garden or if young children will be playing in the dirt, possibly exposing them to lead. Check the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency lead site or call the National Lead Information Center at 1-800-424-LEAD. The test can also tell you how acidic or alkaline your soil is. Take some measurements and make a rough map or plot plan.

Learn more at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Benefits of Mulch
Mulching can be one of the most beneficial things you can do for your soil and your plants. While there are many types of mulch, organic mulches such as wood chips, grass clippings, or other locally available materials help improve the soil by adding organic matter as they decompose. They also may encourage the growth of worms and other beneficial soil organisms that can help improve soil structure and the availability of nutrients for plants. Mulches are a labor saving device for the gardener. A layer of mulch will help prevent the germination of many weed seeds, reducing the need for cultivation or the use of herbicides. They also help moderate the soil temperature and retain moisture during dry weather, reducing the need for watering.

In addition, mulches can be used to enhance the look of your garden- many bark mulches provide uniformly rich brown color that contrasts with the plants.

Learn more at the U.S. Department of Agriculture


 

Plant Choices
All plants require different amounts of water, sun and shade to survive, so it's easy to find plants that are attractive, low maintenance, and enhance your property and local environment.

• You may want to consider native plants, which provide habitat for local wildlife and enhance the native character of your community. Once established, native and adapted plants are very low maintenance, require little to no pesticides or fertilizers, and survive well on available water.
• Perennials are plants that come back year after year without replanting. Once established, these plants require little supplemental water and maintenance. 
• Ornamental grasses are also lovely in the garden, and add texture to any landscape. Most are drought-toler­ant and ideal for water-efficient landscapes. You can group them with trees, shrubs and other perennials to recreate or imitate a natural grassland. They also make good groundcover or background plants. They can soften hardscapes such as sidewalks and retaining walls, and provide privacy and wind protection. Grasses can grow in wet soils or dry soils, in full sun or part shade.

Learn more at the Regional Water Providers Consortium

Reducing the Size of Your Lawn
Lawns make for an attractive landscape, but they require a lot of water. In fact, lawns use about 2–3 times as much water as other plants in the landscape and watering your lawn can result in as much as 50% water waste through evaporation, runoff, over spray and over watering. With a little planning and care, you can create a beautiful lawn area that incorporates form and function. Here are a few tips to get you started:

• Evaluate how much lawn you need.  Then design your lawn to serve several purposes such as play areas, picnics, and pets.
• Convert unused lawn areas into garden space for other plantings.
• Utilize hardscapes, mulch, ground covers and low water use plants in areas that are hard to water and maintain.

A smaller turf area helps to reduce the need for water and lawn maintenance while still meeting your needs for aesthetics, recreation and resource use.

Learn more at the Regional Water Providers Consortium

 

How Green is Your Grill?
Consider that on the July 4^th holiday alone, Americans fire up 60 million barbecues, burning enough emission-producing fuel to power 20,000 homes for a year.  So let's address some infrequently asked BBQ questions.

• What's the better choice from a greenhouse gas perspective - gas or charcoal? When a barbecue is operating, a charcoal grill gives off twice the amount of carbon dioxide as a gas barbecue.   
• Which one is better in terms of air pollution and health? Gas is the hands-down winner as it burns much cleaner than charcoal.  When you burn charcoal, a nasty mixture of nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) - the key ingredients in smog - is released.  
• Are there things we can do to green our grilling? If you're a charcoal purist, get rid of the lighter fluid.  A better option is a chimney starter to heat your coals without liquid.  Finally, look for charcoal made from sustainable sources certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.

For those using gas, be efficient.  You don't need to excessively preheat your grill.  When the food is cooked, turn the gas off right away.  When taking the aluminum foil off your potato, give it a wipe and re-use it. 
 
Learn more at Climate Change Central

Problems with Traditional Landscaping
What we do in our yards often affects our neighbors and the environment. Here are a few impacts to consider when maintaining your garden or lawn:

• Water Pollution: From excess application and improper use and disposal of pesticides and fertilizer. The average homeowner over-applies pesticides and fertilizers, often at rates many times that of farmers.
• Air Pollution: Emissions from landscape equipment (mowers, blowers, trimmers, etc.) are often much greater than that of a car per hour of operation. Small gasoline-powered engines are the most polluting
• Declining Biodiversity (number and variety of plants and animals): When non-native plants "escape" from our gardens and take over natural areas they choke out the wide variety of native plants on which wildlife depend. The use of pesticides can also affect biodiversity - while less than 10% of all insects are harmful to plants, most pesticides are harmful or lethal to all insects. 
• Flooding: A lawn absorbs less stormwater than a woods or a diverse planting of trees, shrubs, and ground covers.

Learn more at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Integrated Pest Management
When a plant looks unhealthy or unsightly due to some discoloration or damage, our first impulse is often to apply a pesticide without really knowing what's wrong. This not only wastes time and money but can destroy a pest's natural enemies, which sometimes take care of the problem without any intervention. There's also the potential for greater harm to the environment, including other wildlife and even people and their pets. With Integrated Pest Management or IPM, pesticides are only applied as a last resort. The principles of IPM:

• Look at the total picture
• Identify the insect, disease, or growing condition that appears to be causing a problem
• Monitor the situation
• If any action needs to be taken, use least toxic alternatives first
• Note that only 3% to 5% of insects are harmful and that most species have natural predators such as other insects, birds, bats and toads that keep them in check

By using a great diversity of primarily native plants and providing other habitat requirements for wildlife you will start to create a balanced community with less need for drastic treatment or control measures. If and when you determine that action is really necessary, physical and biological controls are recommended first, with conventional pesticides, used judiciously, only as a last resort.  Check in with your local farmers market or garden club for advice on pesticide use.

Learn more at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)