One thing is true about virtually every Canadian we meet; they have a natural respect and love for the great outdoors. And the philosophy behind how we design outdoor spaces for residential homes has changed dramatically in the past ten years.
Rather than forcing Mother Nature to comply with the landscape design, owners now want an outdoor space that works in harmony with natural environment. They don’t want to necessarily keep wildlife and nature on the other side of the fence but aim instead to build a balanced ecosystem in their own backyard.
In this article we will discuss how to develop a landscape design that embraces the natural environment around your home. From natural insect control to supporting pollination for the health of your decorative and edible gardens, there are many ecologically friendly ideas that you could incorporate into your landscape design.
Bats Are Beneficial to Your Backyard: Encourage and Protect Them
There are actually nine known species of bats in Alberta, Canada, but the average person may only see two commonly found types; the Big Brown Bat (Entesicus fuscus) and the Little Brown Bat (Myotis lucifugus).
Bats have a high metabolic rate, which means that these nocturnal creatures have to keep eating constantly to feed the energy they burn while flying for hours each evening. Did you know that a typical colony of Little Brown Bats can consume up to 50 kg. of insects during one Canadian summer?
That’s pretty impressive when you consider that bats are the only predator for flying (and human biting) outdoor insects (deer flies, black flies and mosquitoes). They will also eat certain types of larva, caterpillars, moths and beetles that can be harmful to edible gardens and flowers.
Bats do need to drink water, so an ecologically friendly landscape design will incorporate a pool of fresh water that allows bats to safely swoop in for a drink. Rainwater collection containers should be covered, to avoid accidental drowning in narrow water sources, where bats do not have enough time to swoop and fly out.
Bat boxes can be installed in the further most areas of the property to encourage small nests and offer protection. And if you are still a little hesitant to plan for bats in your garden, consider that even two bats can provide natural insect control, without the need for repellent or pesticides. Bat dung (guano) is miniscule, has virtually no odor and it is beneficial to fertilize soil and plants.
Hummingbirds
Another beautiful and voracious eater of insects is the humble Canadian hummingbird. Did you know that there are seven types of hummingbird species in Alberta? They are the Anna’s, the Black-Chinned, the Calliope, Costa’s, Green Violet-Ear, the common Ruby-Throated and the Rufous hummingbirds.
Hummingbirds do not only eat insects, but they feed on flower nectar. That makes them inadvertently a tour de force helper when it comes to cross pollination. Every spring, your perennials produce pollen to propagate, and both hummingbirds and bees are essential to transferring pollen from one plant to another. This results in a thriving garden, and of course, the excitement and beauty of seeing the little hummingbird’s flit from one flower to another, as you relax.
A water feature at the back of the property (which is not too narrow or small), will also provide support for hummingbirds. A professional Landscape Architect can advise you on hardy decorative and even edible floral plants that provide pollen, and which ones are best for attracting hummingbirds (and beneficial honey bees) to your property.
Eco-Friendly Outdoor Lighting
In urban spaces, high rise commercial buildings are responsible for the collision deaths of thousands of migratory and regional birds annually. Bright lights at night can create confusion for small birds that can result in injury and death.
Low-voltage path lights are not only energy saving, but they are also safe for small birds, providing enough light to ensure safety without attracting or confusing nocturnal wildlife. And remember that low-voltage lighting is also cool to the touch and does not generate as much heat as traditional incandescent bulbs. That helps prevent plant and soil damage.
Natural Water Filtration
Did you know that a well-designed water feature that is built with natural charcoal, rock and aeration can save you thousands of dollars of expense with environmentally harmful chlorine treatments?
Using sand and other natural elements, our team can help you design a decorative water element that is self-filtering, and one that will sustain fish (during warm months) and encourage wildlife such as frogs, birds, bats and other beneficial animals that add interest and balance to your backyard biome.
Utilize Ground Cover Plants to Fight Soil Erosion
A professional Landscape Architect will create a gradient map for your outdoor space. Multiple levels of grading and layering of plants and natural grasses are used, to create a natural effect. But another benefit of this design method has nothing to do with the visual appeal; it’s all about protecting the soil.
Ground cover plants are invasive and have very active root systems. These plants propagate easily and can cover a defined bed or rocky area quickly. They are a hardy category of plants, and many require less water than other types of foliage. But the ground coverage helps protect the quality of the top soil, and since this type of plant dies rejuvenates quickly, the nutrients are also repurposed into the soil as fertilizer.
Any hill or elevated section of land that does not have sufficient root systems, can result in water erosion and soil displacement. Mud can move from raised flower beds to stone or concrete pathways as an unsightly mess. Any plan should have a border and intelligent root plan to prevent soil and aggregate erosion.
We hope you enjoyed some of our insights and tips. Contact us to learn more about our expert Landscape Architectural services in Alberta, Canada. We design creative and ecologically friendly outdoor spaces for commercial and residential clients.
