think plants
Plants are very versatile and are the easiest inclusion to make your home or project more eco-friendly. They can thrive indoors, outdoors, in various climates, produce fresh food or just serve as an ornament.
Lawn is a popular choice in backyards, however, it’s often costly to maintain and isn’t the most sustainable option. By reducing or removing your lawn and replacing it with other plants, you can make the space easier to maintain.
If you don’t have a large expanse of available space, or want to optimise the backyard to suit kids or pets, then look to the roof for an alternative. Applying a green roof is a unique way to get the garden off the ground.
A green roof, as its name suggests, is a roof covered in vegetation planted over a waterproofing membrane. The roof can be further protected with additional layers such as a root barrier and drainage systems. For a green roof option that’s a bit simpler to install you can consider things such as container gardens where the plants are grown in pots.
Green roofs are beneficial in that they also absorb rainwater – saving time allocated to watering plants – and provide another habitat for wildlife.
When looking for possible plants to include try searching for natives that can attract beneficial insects. Some popular choices include Banksias, Wattles, Waratahs, Bottlebrushes, Kangaroo Paws, Teatrees and Ferns for cool climates. The purpose of attracting these insects is to provide your garden with a natural barrier against pests, limiting the need for harmful pesticides.
Moving indoors, there are a range of options to choose from. There are the traditional household plants, such as the Swiss cheese plant, fiddle leaf fig and peace lily, or you can go for something that makes a louder statement such as a green wall. These soil-less vertical gar-dens are applied to internal walls and feature panels of plants which are attached to structures that can either be free-standing or inbuilt. Some green walls can even be installed with an automatic watering system.
Besides being aesthetically pleasing, green walls also provide an extra level of insulation and reduce noise levels. Introduce one into your kitchen for easy access to a variety of herbs.