It had become popular to “Go Green” recently.  I’m definitely not considered an environmentalist but I do enjoy saving money, especially with the rising gas prices. Here are several tips from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that you can use this summer to keep your garden looking picturesque without breaking your wallet.

• Mow regularly and leave the clippings on the lawn – the clippings will recycle into “free fertilizer.“
• Water deeply, but infrequently, to prevent lawn disease and save water.
• Mulch flower and vegetable beds with compost or grass clippings to conserve water and control weeds.
• Identify bugs before you spray, squash or stomp – most bugs are good bugs, not pests.
• Consider planting native trees and plants, especially ones with berries, fruits and flowers to invite birds, butterflies, and other wildlife into your yard.

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden also has some “green” components.  Our Children’s Garden uses environmentally friendly materials that are long lasting and do not carry preservatives that would be harmful to children who come in contact with them.  For example, the rampway to the Tree House is constructed of a WeatherBest, a recycled plastic product.  The shingles on the Tree House are made of recycled rubber.

Children’s Garden follows an integrated pest management practice, an environmentally friendly practice which aims to reduce the need for pesticides by choosing alternatives to chemicals and using them only when all other means of prevention or control have been exhausted.  When pesticides are necessary, we opt for organic pesticides and products that have the lowest possible level of toxicity.

Lewis Ginter also provides fresh veggies to the Central Virginia Foodbank, which are raised by Children’s Garden visitors and staff, where they’re distributed to local families in need.

We can make this world a more environmentally friendly place, one garden at a time.

Lindsay Silva is a PR/Marketing intern at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden this summer.

 

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