by Margot Taylor Sustainability implies that the two-acre subdivision with the charming home and expansive lawn is a paradigm that must change. The whole American landscape ideology needs to change….
Sustainability
sus-tain-a-bil-i-ty – Discovering the True Definition, Defining the New Paradigm
by Trevor L. Smith, MCH, AOLCP, LEED GA sus tain’ a-bil‘-i-ty (noun) Avoidance of depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance. The Problem The most dangerous…
Drought-Tolerant? Think Native!
by Carol E. Becker In the upper Midwest, we don’t often think of strictly drought-tolerant gardens, because we have adequate seasonal rain. But that rain comes in the spring and…
Eco-Answers from the Pros: Mulched Leaves and Drought
How are you using chopped or composted leaves to mitigate the effects of drought? How effective have your strategies been?
Quest for Resilience: Adaptive Strategies for Sustainable Planting Design
Conference Session Review by Cayte McDonough In the face of climate change, many of us want to know how we can adapt. Those of us working with plants and designing…
Water and Big Brains
by Mike Nadeau So, water: two molecules of Hydrogen, one molecule of Oxygen. It’s a huge topic. I cannot think of anything that is living or has lived that is…
The Science of Soil Biology during Drought: ELA Conference Takeaways
Session review by K. Miho Connolly The year 2016 was characterized by precipitation amounts well below average, coupled with record high temperatures. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, 54% of…
Our Lawns Are Killing Us. It’s Time to Kick the Habit
by Mark Richardson This article was reprinted with permission from Native Plant News (Spr-Sum 2017), the member magazine of New England Wild Flower Society. Pristine turf grass lawns are as synonymous…
Biophilic Design Is Coming to a Building Near You
by Rebecca Lindenmeyr The realization that nature can heal us is hardly new, but recent research has shown just how much we benefit from its close proximity. A 2016 review…
Solutions Abound
by Courtney White This excerpt is adapted from Courtney White’s book Two Percent Solutions for the Planet (Chelsea Green Publishing, 2015) and is printed with permission from the publisher. We…
Conifers: The New Foundation Planting
by Christie Dustman I couldn’t help but notice what plants did well this summer during and after the horrendous drought. You named it – conifers! If you looked around while…
Designing with the Ecosystem: Don’t Reinvent the Wheel, Catch a Ride on It
by Emily Davis I recently presented to permaculture practitioners about complex ecological characteristics, their implications for design work, and why they’re important to study. What was interesting to me was…