July 15th, 2024

​We love working in the beautiful SF Bay area with such wonderful eco-conscious clients! And we are often asked for exterior advice so decided to put together some ideas you can implement now, no time like the present right? 

1. Start Small with BIG intentions! 
Often people doing their own projects bite off more than they can chew. It’s great to have a big master plan in mind and laid out, but start small. Try not to do it all at once. Because once you get started, you will see how physically draining it can be to do work in your yard. Come up with a step by step plan and a list of top priority things to get done before you start. 

2. Think about your lawn 
Do you need to have that much grass in your backyard? Traditional lawns require a lot of water and maintenance. You don’t have to get rid of all of it, but maybe turning a part of it into a succulent garden or adding garden beds for delicious home grown fruits, herbs, and veggies would be a great way to use the space and reduce the lawn space. Adding a garden also invites many different friendly creatures to also come enjoy your space. There are also many artificial turf options that look real too!


3. Consider your Climate
Before you start planting plants and your garden, consider the area you live in. A quick google search will tell you what type of planting zone you’re in and the type of plants that would thrive in your area. This helps with the plants overall health and shows you what is most eco-conscious to have in the area. That helps with creating a space your local fauna would enjoy and keep the amount of watering it will need to a reasonable level.  

4. Welcome the Wildlife! 
A beautiful sustainable garden is a great meeting place for your local birds, beads, butterflies, and other beneficial wildlife. May we suggest even setting up a beautiful bench or seating spot for you to watch and enjoy witnessing the miracles of life! 

5. Water Features
A small water feature is an incredible source of freshwater for local wildlife. The amount of water that is needed is minimal but the benefits to the local wildlife can be immeasurable especially during incredibly hot summers that California has. 

6. Optimized watering
Having an expert come in and create a well thought out plan for your sprinkler or watering system can save you a lot of water and make your plants very happy. Also going back to point number four, make attempts to pick drought resistant plants or plants that need less water to thrive. 

7. Choose environmentally friendly hardscape materials
Be conscious of what you are choosing when it comes to the patio bricks and fencing when you’re designing your backyard. When picking pavers, you want something that water can go through and seep back into the ground to help replenish our ground water sources. You can also use reclaimed woods or recycled deck material to create something sustainable and long lasting. 

8. Reuse Materials
As we mentioned in the point above, using reclaimed materials or reusing materials from your previous yard is not only ecologically responsible but can be financially beneficial as well. Old concrete can be broken up and used as stepping stones, wood chips can make great mulch. Old decking or planter wood can be used to create things like bird houses. Get creative! 

9. Compost waste
While designing your backyard, scope out a good spot for a compost site. Participating in compost will give you the most incredible soil for you to use for any of your plating endeavors and it is really incredible to watch happen. 

Would you consider doing any of these things in your backyard? Let us know in the comments below, And if you need help creating the backyard of your dreams contact us through our website to schedule an appointment today!