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Richard (URI Master
Gardener) & Madeline Perreault, Saunderstown, RI
What you will see!
Area 1: Front
lawn and beds - this page
Area
2: Back yard - see
the back yard for more on sustainable landscaping -
rock and water garden, and composting.
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to demonstration sites
Beds
of sustainable plants: Tip
1 - choose the right plant
- Beds
of native and sustainable trees,
shrubs and plants that require minimal inputs of
fertilizers, pesticides and water
- Naturalized
areas--landscaping
around native trees and woodlands.
Also provides privacy, shelter from sun and wind, reduces
runoff and enhances wildlife habitat.
May
2005, woodland edge gardening with wild flowers,
ferns, groundcovers, bulbs and shrubs
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Herman's Pride Dead Nettle, Lamiastrum Galeobdolon
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to top
Crushed
stone placed around difficult to maintain home
entrance: settles and reduces runoff and protects
the soil while providing
aesthetic enhancement.
Tip 5 - reduce runoff
Tip 6 - reduce soil
erosion
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Water
wise lawn management:
Tip
4 - water wisely
Healthy lawn care
Control
panel for inground, automatic sprinkler system |
Current lawn area is about 15,000 square feet |
Lawn
will gradually be over-seeded using a slice sleeder (or
over seeder) with an Endophyte--Enhanced grass mix. This
predominantly fescue mix is also more drought tolerant.
Watering with an inground, automatic sprinkler system is conducted using a rain
guage to measure weekly rainfall. The system can be manually controlled to turn
off the sprinklers when irrigation is not needed. Understanding how to properly
operate an automatic sprinkler system is crucial in preventing over-watering.
Lawn
is fertilized with an organic fertilizer blend. Organic
fertilizers provide a slow, steady release of nutrients,
greatly reducing the risk of nutrients leaching below the
root zone into groundwater and/or running off to the nearest
water body or storm drain.
Grass
clippings are composted to provide a valuable soil amendment
for future beds that are being planned at the site.
See our healthy lawn care link
for more information. Area
2: Back yard - see
the back yard for more on sustainable landscaping
- rock and water garden,
and composting.
Back
to demonstration sites
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