So why should you spend your time reading this blog? From a landscape design guy sitting in the burbs west of Chicago who uses the word ‘ecoscapes’ in his company name? (Wondering what an ecoscape is? More on that later.)
What you will find here are my thoughts on a range of sustainable landscape topics. Being a practical guy, they will be practical. One month I might write about how to track down sustainable hardscape materials. Another month the topic could be what to plant in challenging areas of your yard (like dry shade). And then another a review of a book with a particularly interesting point of view on sustainable landscaping.
If you couldn’t already tell, my tone will be ‘light’ (I like to think humorous). You’ll also see that this blog is not about getting things perfect; rather, doing the right thing more often than not. Sustainability (in landscaping and all things) is, as many have said, an ongoing journey. Not a destination where we stop, wipe the dirt off our hands and give high fives all around. (Feel free to do that many times along the journey—you're on Nature’s Team!)
I am committed to providing you with a new post at least once a month. Perhaps more during the ‘off season’ when the only gardening going on around here is watering house plants.
Okay, you’ve read this far, so you may still be curious what an ecoscape is. I couldn’t find a definition in the ol’ standby Merriam-Webster. But I did find one for ‘ecoscaping’ as part of a lengthier explanation on Wikipedia that I think captures it pretty well:
“Ecoscaping aims to design in harmony with the land and create an environmentally healthy and sustainable landscape.” To that I’ll add, one that meets the needs of nature and people like you and me. Like providing a comfortable respite from our increasingly harried world.
I’m hoping that if you ‘go along for the ride’ with me via this blog, you will learn a few things from me. And I turn, I will learn from you. So I welcome your thoughts on my posts, blog topic ideas, and (gentle) correction or clarification if I don’t get something quite right. After all, sustainable landscaping is a big, ever-changing field. No one can be an expert in all things; we’re all life-long learners.
Thanks for stopping by.