Your Eco-friendly Yard: Sustainable Ideas to Save You Time, Money and the Earth

Shows home-owners how to plan and create a personalised ecosystem in their own yards, saving the Earth and saving them time and money. This title includes more than 20 projects for the yard with simple instructions and step-by-step photos.

"Your Eco-Friendly Yard" shows home-owners how to plan and create a personalised ecosystem in their own yards, saving the Earth and saving them time and money. From simple practices, such as selecting appropriate native plants from their region and practicing water efficiency and conservation to proper placement of trees and vegetation and raising animals, there are ideas for everyone. More than 20 projects for the yard are accompanied by simple instructions and step-by-step photos.

Introduction		11	(2)
An Eco-Friendly Yard to the Rescue		13	(4)
There's No Time to Lose		13	(2)
A Different Approach		15	(1)
It's All About You		15	(2)
Top 10 Things to Avoid in an Eco-Friendly Yard		17	(8)
One Rain Barrel or Rain Garden		17	(1)
Retaining Walls		18	(1)
Compost Piles or Bins		19	(1)
Removal of Organic Materials		19	(1)
Rototilling		20	(1)
Gardening		20	(1)
Organic Fertilizers		21	(2)
Advice From the Local Garden Shop		23	(1)
What Someone Else Wants for You		23	(1)
Native Plants		23	(2)
B.E.L.S.		25	(8)
Benefits		25	(1)
Efficiency		26	(3)
Lifestyle		29	(1)
Systems		30	(3)
Integrating Home and Landscape		33	(8)
Integrating Energy		33	(4)
Integrating Structures		37	(4)
Planning and Design		41	(8)
The Property Owner Questionnaire		41	(1)
Key to the Questionnaire		42	(5)
Property Information		42	(1)
Decision Makers		43	(1)
Budgeting		43	(2)
Design Analysis		45	(2)
Choosing a Plan That's Right for You		47	(1)
Design --- The Continual Process		47	(2)
Tools that work so you don't have to (or at least not as hard)		49	(6)
Junk		49	(1)
Using the Right Tools		49	(1)
Better and Faster		50	(1)
High Tech Really Matters		51	(2)
Less is More		53	(2)
Personality Approach to a Lifestyle Landscape		55	(8)
What's Your Lifestyle?		55	(4)
Using the Sustainable Lifestyle Pyramid		59	(2)
The Basic Four		61	(2)
The Bold Persnality		63	(36)
Projects for Bold Persnalities		65	(34)
Solar Electric Fence		65	(4)
Solar Panel for Lighting and Pumps		69	(4)
Large Solar Panel		73	(6)
Micro-Irrigation		79	(6)
Advanced Entertainment Areas		85	(2)
Brick Oven		87	(4)
Thin-Crust Pizza in the Brick Oven		91	(4)
Benefits of Projects for Bold Personalities		95	(1)
Plants for the Bold Personality		96	(3)
The Fun Personality		99	(52)
Projects for Fun Persnalities		101	(26)
Outdoor Shower		101	(6)
Wire Spool Bistro Table		107	(6)
Bistro Chairs		113	(4)
Cork End Table		117	(6)
Benefits of Projects for Fun Personalities		123	(1)
Plants for the Fun Personality		124	(3)
The Perfectionist Personality		127	(24)
Projects for Perfectionist Personalities		129	(1)
Drip Irrigation		129	(4)
Drip Irrigation for Planters		133	(1)
Determining Ample Water Supply for Drip Irrigation System		134	(1)
How Long and How Often Should I Run My Irrigation System		135	(1)
Maintenance for Drip and Micro-Irrigation Systems		136	(2)
``Blowing Out'' Irrigation Lines		138	(3)
Well-Organized Tool Storage		141	(2)
Master Tool Storage		143	(4)
Benefits of Projects for Perfectionist Personalities		147	(1)
Plants for the Perfectionist Personality		148	(3)
The Easy-Going Personality		151	(32)
Projects for Easy-Going Personalities		152	(31)
Types of Mulch		152	(1)
Composting or Decomposition		153	(2)
Weed Control Prior to Mulching		155	(1)
The Black Plastic Myth for Reducing Weeds		156	(1)
Avoid Synthetic Weed Barriers		156	(1)
Easy Mulching and Composting		157	(2)
Fast and Easy Mulched Path		159	(4)
Sticks and Branches Mulch		163	(4)
Easy Weed Smothering		167	(3)
Plants That Make Mulch		170	(1)
Adding Plants to Self-Mulch Areas		171	(2)
Grow Ground Cover Plants		173	(2)
Chop-and-Drop Mulching Method		175	(3)
Benefits of Projects for Easy-Going Personalities		178	(2)
Plants for the Easy-Going Personality		180	(3)
Put Water to Work for You		183	(36)
Our Water Dilemma		185	(7)
Reducing Lawn Areas to Reduce Water Use		187	(1)
Water Use in the Home		188	(1)
Water and Your Lifestyle		189	(1)
Water with Benefits		190	(2)
Catch the Wave		192	(3)
Roof Materials		192	(1)
Gutters, Valleys and Eaves		193	(1)
Driveways, Patios and Other Impervious Surfaces		193	(2)
Swales		195	(2)
Ponds		197	(7)
Ponds Without Synthetic Liners		197	(4)
Ponds With Synthetic Liners		201	(3)
Water Tanks		204	(1)
Putting It All Together		204	(3)
Top 10 Must-Have Items For Creating Your Eco-Friendly yard
The Masonry Heater		207	(2)
Large Water Storage		209	(1)
Grow Perennial Food Crops		210	(1)
Share Your Sustainable Lifestyle		210	(1)
Grow Weeds		211	(1)
Raise Pet Chickens		212	(1)
Create Nature		213	(1)
Give Naysayers the Cold shoulder		214	(1)
Make It Fit Your Personality and Your Lifestyle		215	(2)
Accept Change in Your Landscape		217	(2)
Where in the World are You?		219	(16)
Learn From Your Environment - Past and Present		220	(7)
The Simple Life from Years Past		220	(1)
The Advent of Central Heat and Air Conditioning		221	(1)
Home, Business and Animal Shelters Constructed for Climate		221	(1)
Your Ancestors' Diet		222	(1)
Decay-Resistant Trees		222	(2)
Changes in Your Soil		224	(1)
Reuse, Reduce, Recycle		225	(2)
Health Benefits from Your Yard		227	(8)
Play in Your Yard		227	(5)
How Does Your Garden Grow?		232	(3)
Safety		235	(11)
Your Unique Situation		235	(4)
You Will Be Doing Things		235	(1)
Your Climate and Geographic Area		235	(1)
Your Culture or the Cultures of Those Around You		236	(1)
Sensitive Environments		237	(2)
Tool and Equipment Safety		239	(2)
Call Before You Dig		241	(1)
Plant Safety		242	(1)
Laws, Regulations and Permits		243	(2)
Surveys		245	(1)
Zone Map		246	(1)
Metric Table		247	(1)
Glossary		248	(3)
Resources and Supplies		251	(1)
Index		252	(3)
About the Author		255

Tom Girolamo has been practicing sustainable living for more than 15 years and is a highly sought-after speaker for many conservation groups, gardening societies and universities. He holds a B.S. in Forestry, as well as a Permaculture Design Certificate from the Permaculture Research Institute.