250-315-3060
Landscaping Techniques for Resiliency
Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and severe. Rather than constantly re-landscaping, why not redesign your garden once with resiliency in mind. There are many techniques you can incorporate in any small to large backyard to mitigate droughts and heavy rainfall events as well as create and enhance habitat for wildlife and native pollinators. This not only protects you and your home from severe weather, but it can save money, reduce your maintenance time, and help improve the environment we live in. Come visit us for advice.
Photo by Rain Dog Designs, Gig Harbor, WA
Rain Garden
Mission
Heavy rains used to be reserved for the springtime in Merritt but as we all experienced in November 2021, they are becoming a less predictable event. A rain garden is an effective yet aesthetically pleasing feature that can prevent damp basements, busy sump pumps or muddy yards after heavy rainfalls. A rain garden is basically a plant pond, where rain can drain away from your house and then be rapidly taken up by deep rooted perennial plants. A rain garden works to channel water away from your foundation, prolonging its life and reduces the amount of chemicals and lawn fertilizers that run off into the local river system.
Xeriscaping
Vision
Xeriscaping is becoming a popular concept that makes excellent sense in Merritt where watering restrictions become the norm by July. Instead of getting frustrated with your dead lawn and garden, apply the Greek principles of “xeros”, meaning dry and “scape”, meaning view to use less water, less fertilizer, less pruning and less mowing. Xeriscaping does not mean gravel and cactus. There are a variety of colorful native plants, shrubs and grasses that are adapted to our dry climate and can be placed to take advantage of sun and slopes. You also don’t have to commit to replacing your entire lawn, but reducing it in areas that are impractical or difficult to main can go a long way to reduce water consumption. Talk to an expert today to see how xeriscaping can keep your yard looking good through to September.
Biodiversity Islands
Is your yard just for you? Or do you want it to support our native flora and fauna? As Merritt grows and expands into once wild territory it is more important than ever to create biodiversity hot spots in our backyards to help increase habitat for the birds and the bugs. Backyard and neighbourhood habitats are crucial pieces holding together an increasingly fragmented natural landscape. Simply replacing your ornamental plants with a diverse variety of native species can provide an abundance of food for birds and insects, promote pollinator activity, and create habitat for shelter and breeding. There is significant evidence of global insect decline and gardening for biodiversity counteracts this by making space for nature. These native plants are also adapted to our climate so you get the added benefit of reduced water, reduced maintenance and a sense of connection to nature.