National Lawn and Garden Month

It's fitting that the month during which we celebrate Earth Day is also National Lawn & Garden Month. Spring in North Carolina is finally in full force, and this is the ideal time to nurture and beautify your own small patch of earth-your yard or garden. Here are some earth-friendly ways to turn your outdoor living space into a paradise. If you live in an apartment and don't have your own patch of land, consider implementing these ideas in a community garden that you can share with neighbors!

• Kiss Your Lawn Goodbye - Just because it's "lawn & garden" month doesn't mean your obligated to maintain a weed-free expanse of neatly-trimmed, bright green grass. Lawns are notorious water suckers, and they are a big reason for the use of herbicides and fertilizers that can be harmful to our planet. Maybe this is the month you'll consider losing your lawn and replacing it with an abundance of native plants, which can thrive in your region without requiring an excess of attention, chemicals, or water.
• Start Composting - Set up a compost bin in your yard, and make it the receptacle for all of your compost-friendly household leftovers: vegetable and fruit peelings, egg shells, etc. Let your garbage become nutrient-rich additive to your yard and garden's soil.
• Create a Bird-, Bee- and Butterfly-Friendly Garden - Plant flowers that attract a variety of winged creatures with their colors and scents. Make your garden a haven for animals and insects that work to promote the health of our ecosystem. Bees, which are so crucial to the overall health of our planet, are becoming increasingly scarce, so planting bee-loved plants like hollyhock, bluebell, and geranium in your garden will help keep these insects in action.
• Install Eco-Friendly Paving - Eco-friendly paving is permeable; it allows water to move through it to the ground underneath, which limits water runoff, filters out pollutants, prevents erosion, and improves the health of soil and plants. Consider creating your garden paths and driveway with earth-friendly, alternative paving options, including: small stones, grass, permeable concrete, or porous asphalt.
• Make a Rooftop Garden If your dwelling sports a flat roof, consider making great use of that space through the creation of a garden. In lieu of laying down soil, create a container garden using a variety of repurposed containers (barrels, bins, boxes) filled with plants, herbs, trees, and flowers. Add a few chairs and a grill and you'll be set for a spectacular spring.

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