How to Save Energy with Energy-Wise Landscape Design

How to Save Energy in Your Landscape

Welcome to Part 2 of my interview with Sue Reed, author of Energy-Wise Landscape Design.

Make sure not to miss Part 1, Energy-Wise Landscaping where we learn how to arrange our landscapes to keep our homes warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

Sue will teach us how to save energy in the landscape itself, which results in creating landscapes so they’re hardy, resilient, low-maintenance, self-sustaining, long lasting, and undemanding of outside resources.

Energy-Wise Landscape Design shows us how:

Using native plants can save energy
Putting plants in the right place saves labor and energy
To use water efficiently and also to save water
Designing with energy savings in mind so that there is less earth moving and disturbance in the landscape
Every element fits together and functions well
Think before you act

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Download Energy-Wise Landscape Design, Part 2 (MP3)

Remember that just because a garden center carries a particular plant does not mean that it’s appropriate for your garden. Beware of purchasing invasive plants, because many nurseries continue to sell them, despite the billions of dollars we spend every year trying to remove them.

Sue Reed has given us so many simple steps that each of us can take to reduce the amount of energy we use in our landscapes.

Every little step that each of us takes can add up to big energy savings. Make sure you pick up your copy of this ground-breaking book today so that you can start saving energy in your landscape now.

To learn more about Sue Reed and Energy-Wise Landscape Design, visit theEnergy-Wise Landscape Design website, or the Energy-Wise Landscape Design Facebook page.

What steps are you taking to reduce your use of energy in your landscape?

[Music from the amazing Kara Barnard. "Blackberry Blossom" from the album, Fret Hopping in Brown County. Thanks, Kara!]

Ask Carole–Have a burning question about Ecosystem Gardening? Or habitat gardening for wildlife? Sustainable landscaping? Or attracting more wildlife to your garden? Ask your question here, and I’ll post the answer at Ecosystem Gardening.