Creating a more sustainable landscape or garden just makes sense in these challenging economic times

Adding some "sustainable" landscaping and gardening techniques can add beauty and functionality to your outdoor living space, and can save you a considerable amount of money - something we are all interested in doing, particularly during a recession. Additionally, sustainable landscaping can be functional and beautiful too. If you plan to sell your home in the near future, adding sustainable landscaping could, potentially, increase the value of your property and set it apart from the competition as buyers may be looking for a home with a yard that isn't going to be costly to maintain.

Here are some simple strategies that you can employ to help make your landscape or garden more sustainable:
Observe your land before you decide on a final design for your property- really think about what you are going to plant and where you are going to plant it. A great way I have found to help me work out design challenges is to simply take my folding chair to a back corner of a property, just sit... and observe. I once heard that, in years past, designers of those world famous Japanese gardens were required to observe the land for a minimum of one year before being permitted to plant anything. I'm not suggesting you do the same, but you can often get a better overall picture of your property, get to really "know" it, by just observing subtleties existing in your planting space that you may not have otherwise notice (I have found that this can also be a great way to decompress after a particularly stressful day!) 
Reduce the size of your lawn - traditional lawns require many excess inputs of water, fertilizer and herbicides to keep them looking lush and green. (Lawns are remnants of another era - a time when people were interested in demonstrating their wealth by showing others they had agricultural land to waste. You can read more about the history of lawns at American-lawns.com).
Choose native plants in your landscape - since native plants have had to evolved to survive in our region, they tend to be more drought tolerant, disease resistant and very rarely become invasive. This means that natives will require less work and fewer resources to do well in landscapes in the Delaware Valley. See the links below for links to local native plant societies and nurseries.
Harvest rainwater that falls on your property - Rain barrels, attached to downspouts on your house, can collect water that may otherwise have run-off your lawn and into storm sewers. You can use this water to irrigate your vegetable garden, and water trees and shrubs. Not only will you save on your water bill, but you will be helping to reduce pollution (rainwater running off your property causes erosion and can collect toxins from lawns and paved areas, as it finds its way back into streams and creeks). Rain barrels can be anything from 55 gallon barrels that were once used to hold cola syrup, to those fancy models found in the eco-living catalogues. I have listed some rain barrel sources (include do-it-yourself instructions and a website for The Chester County Conservation District - they sell rain barrels to area residents at a discounted fee) below.
Use mulch, and lots of it. Mulching under trees and around bedding plants conserves water, keeps plant roots cool when the weather gets hot, and makes it more difficult for weeds (who are engaged in a constant competition with your "desirable" plants for resources like water) to become established.

You can mulch with:
free materials like wood chips (often enthusiastically provided by local tree services, just call them and ask!), just be sure the chips are from trees have not come from wood pallets or other refuse; leaves that have fallen from your trees in previous years, or lawn clippings
inexpensive materials like chopped straw, or shredded newspaper (non-glossy pages are printed with soy based inks, but glossy ads may contain undesirable chemicals)
the pricier stuff - often found at home improvement stores.

Using a light colored mulch will help reflect the sun and keeps plants happier, and I would caution against using any of the mulches sold that contain dyes- particularly if you plan on using it on edible plants (because, eventually, you may be eating that dye).

Sustainable landscapes and gardens come in all shapes and sizes.They can be formal or informal, and can be designed to compliment the existing elements on your property. By designing a landscape or garden that is more sustainable you can feel good knowing that you are helping to reduce your environmental impact; but even if you don't really care too much about being "eco friendly", you can take comfort in knowing that by landscaping and gardening more sustainably you are saving yourself some money and a whole lot of extra work!