Harmony with Nature
Every region has its unique challenges where humans and the natural world collide. We see these challenges as presenting opportunities to be creative and find innovative ways to achieve greater harmony with the native ecology.
Here are just a few of the Appropriate Technologies Sacred Gardens incorporates to make a positive difference:
Xeriscape is a landscaping concept which incorporates proper planning and design, appropriate turf areas, efficient irrigation, soil improvement and mulching, low water use plants and appropriate maintenance. If done well, a Xeriscape garden will conserve resources while providing year-round color, habitat for wildlife and improved property value.
Subirrigation A state-of-the-art lawn watering system that dramatically decreases a lawns water consumption while creating a lush, beautiful lawn. When a lawn is irrigated from underground, problems associated with standing water such as mosquito infestation are eliminated.
Low-Voltage Landscape Lighting Beautiful night lighting of a landscape is one of the most important aspects to a successful landscape. Low-voltage landscape night lighting uses very little electricity, while providing the functionality of lighting pathways and the drama of highlighting landscape focal points.
Greywater Catchment This is an exciting technology recently approved by many municipalities to reclaim the “clean” household water to use for watering in the landscape. This technology promises to significantly reduce water bills and water waste.
Designing to fit the space. It would seem rather intuitive to use plants that, at their mature size, will fit in the allotted space, however thousands of new landscapes are designed and planted everyday without employing this simple concept. Designing to fit the space reduces landfill waste and as well as the need for constant pruning of plants that simply don’t fit — a savings of landscape labor time and expenses.
Designing with well-adapted plants. When a plant is under stress because it is unsuited for a particular bioregion, the plant will require extra care and will likely never look as healthy as a well-suited plant. In the desert southwest, Sacred Gardens draws upon thousands of beautiful plants from desert regions around the world in the Mediterranean, Africa, South America, India and Australia.
Integrated Plant & Pest Management The fact is that people, pets, wildlife and the land are all negatively impacted by heavy use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides. Sacred Gardens employs soil amendments that are organic and rich in soil enhancing microorganisms to provide nutrients for the plants, rebuild poor and polluted soil and increase water-retaining capacity. We encourage the use “earth friendly” pest management solutions.