EnergyScapes, Inc. will be exhibiting at the Sustainable Homes Workshop on March 20th.  The workshop is put on by the Longfellow Community Council and we are exited to contribute to continuing community education and involvement with sustainable landscapes  Please come by to see us and learn about our work and services and our new program for this year, Edible Landscapes!   Information about the workshop is provided below.  We look forward to seeing you there.

Longfellow Sustainable Yards Workshops
Saturday, March 20, 10:00am - 3:00pm
Sanford Middle School, 3524 42nd Ave S
No charge

Spring flowers will be in bloom soon. Time for making plans for your yard! Join us for expert information on installing a beautiful and functional rain garden, growing your own delicious fruit and vegetables, composting at home, growing with native plants and more. You’ll find something for every yard with six workshops and a variety of exhibitors.

Light refreshments provided. ALL are welcome! Longfellow residents are eligible to save energy, water and time with an array of door prizes!

The Longfellow Sustainable Yards Workshops are presented by the Longfellow Community Council with funding from the Neighborhood Revitalization Program. For more information visit www.longfellow.org or contact Kim Jakus at kim@longfellow.org or 612.722.4529 x5.

Looking out at the deep snow covering our landscape here in the Twin Cities Metro region, it may be a stretch to say that spring is coming.  Friends of mine in the Pacific Northwest are sending me photos of spring bulbs blooming in their yards, while here we have over two feet of  snow.  We can curse it, or we can recognize that it is a protective blanket that keeps the coldest nighttime air from freezing the ground much deeper.  This is especially helpful for tender plants that were transplanted last season, which do not yet have the extensive root systems of more mature plants.
Each morning I enjoy how much further north the sun is rising.  At the vernal equinox, only one month away, the sun will rise due east.  At summer solstice, the sun will rise almost 25 degrees north of due east.  This time of year, we notice not only longer days, but significantly more warmth from our sun sweeping higher across the midday sky.
We may have to be content with merely dreaming of the smell of spring, yet as the snow disappears and the soil warms, we can also use this time for planning what we’d love to add to our gardens this season.  Perhaps you have considered growing some of your own vegetables or reducing your lawn to allow more space for perennials and native grasses.  Now is the best time to contact landscape designers who are eager to assist you with making the best decisions.  Maybe your goal is to provide natural food for the birds and butterflies you enjoy watching.  EnergyScapes is poised to help you develop a landscape plan that will address your goals, while achieving the best results from conditions on your site.  This thick blanket of snow does not prevent us from studying the land to create a new master plan that is both beautiful and sustainable.
Go out there and enjoy the snow while it’s here, and give us a call to begin planning your landscape changes.

The Garden Media Group has presented its list of garden trends for 2010, and EnergyScapes is happy to find that we already do these things (and have been for years!)

1)  Slow gardening is in

GMC states that, “people young and old are returning to a simpler life of cooking, gardening, and even raising chickens”.  More people are signing up for CSA shares and growing their own food.  These changes are transforming urban wastelands into urban farms.  People are beginning to garden for the greater good. According to LOHAS (Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability), seed sales are up 30-50% and canning saw an impressive 45% increase least year alone.

2) Mindful is in

We are in the midst of a cultural transition.  A new culture of giving, creating and collaborating has taken the forefront in our society and passion and recognition are becoming status symbols.  Green has become a new way of life, and according to National Marketing Institute, four out of five people say they’re still buying green products and services today–which sometimes cost more–even in the midst of a US recession.

3) Multi-tasking is in

Roofs are doubling as gardens!  Green roofs are transforming barren space into lush gardens that help cool buildings, absorb rainwater, filter air
pollutants, and create wildlife habitats.  Rain barrels and rain gardens continue to remain popular as ways to conserve water and decrease stormwater runoff.  No longer are gardens just for looks — they’re being put to work.

4) Perennials and shrubs are in

Sustainable landscapes, water conservation, perennials and small edible shrubs are hot!  Gardening with natives attracts needed pollinators and birds, critical for the balance of nature in our backyards and beyond.  Native perennials offer high impact looks with low maintenance requirements, all while supporting the local fauna.

5) Edible gardens are in

EnergyScapes’ newest service is yet another trend for 2010.  GMG says that “growing your own groceries is hotter than ever and is transforming homes and communities”.  A recent survey by the National Gardening Association shows a 19 percent burst of new hobby farms and urban edible gardens over the last year.  “It’s time to reclaim our land for our greater good,” says Margie Grace, the 2009 International Landscape Designer of the Year, awarded by the Association of Professional Landscape Designers. “Take that food-producing garden from the back 40 and put it wherever we want.  Reunite the ornamental with the edible—roses beside tomatoes, beds edged with herbs, and veggies used as annuals.”  We side with Grace in her mission to “de-lawn” America.  We would love to see more front lawns transformed into vegetable gardens, rain gardens, and native plantings.  And if you really want the look of a lawn, opt for no-mow instead of traditional bluegrass.

We challenge you to adopt one of these trends in your home garden.  Thanks to the Garden Media Group for their statistics and information, and for creating this great list of eco garden trends for this year.

A new service offered by EnergyScapes this spring will be edible landscapes. In the past we have included fruiting shrubs and small trees that benefit wildlife and offer some food value for people (serviceberry and American plum to name two favorites), but this year we will expand our design services to evaluate each site for potential vegetable gardens. If the site is appropriate, our staff will build a raised bed or two, fill it with the best mix of soil, plant it with the right veggies, tend them over the growing season and even harvest them at their peak of flavor. This produce is then delivered to our client’s kitchen for their evening meal preparation. Let us know if you are interested in joining this expanding army of families saving money as they grow their own produce.

For more ideas and resources take a look at the following excellent websites (opens in a new window):

Yards to Gardens

Homegrown Evolution

Hello and happy November to everyone.  We wanted to let you know some important facts about tree care as winter comes.

Anything with leaves or needles needs to have moisture available during the winter months.  These plants can only access this much needed moisture if their roots are below the frost line of the soil.   The best way to make sure your trees still have moisture is to get lots of water on the surface percolating through just before the ground freezes.  It also helps to keep direct sunlight from reaching the soil.  Mulch works well to reduce temperature fluctuations at the soil surface, so if your soil is shaded with mulch it may reduce the amount of freeze and thaw cycling and protect tender roots of new transplants from being damaged.

So water your trees before winter comes and help them stay healthy for next year!

The recent article ‘Rake-free Zone’ by Mary Hockenberry Meyer in the Star Tribune emphasizes the importance of leaving your leaves where they are. Meyer, the Interim Director at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, explains that new research from Michigan State University shows that chopped fallen leaves reduce dandelion weeds and add nutrients and organic matter to lawns. The research was done on maple and oak leaves left on Kentucky bluegrass lawns which were chopped with a regular rotary mower. The resulting leaf mulch can be left on the lawn as long as the grass is still visible. So, unless your lawn is covered with a really thick layer of leaves, mow over your leaves this fall instead of raking them.

It’s a pretty scary world out there for bees. An article in the last newsletter from the Land Stewardship Project (pp 22-25) raised some disturbing facts about the plight of our pollinators. Honey bees in particular are suffering from a variety of problems, specifically Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD)  and pesticide use. The advancements in pesticides are both advantageous and harmful. A new class of pesticides called neonicotinyls are widely used today because they work specifically on insects, causing little threat to mammals, birds, and humans. These pesticides are systemic, meaning they are applied to plant seeds or injected into the plant tissue. From there, the chemical works its way into the  plant, killing insects that feed on the plant. This poses a great risk to some beneficial insects, and research is being conducted to determine their impacts on bees. Because bees are born to collect, they often inadvertently bring non-pollen contaminants back to their hives. Pesticides reacting in the hive can be much more toxic than any single pesticide itself.

Wild pollinators like bumblebees are also in decline. Why? Their habitat is being destroyed by growing agricultural development, limiting the area in which bees can live and feed. In Minnesota and the rest of the Corn Belt, this is a lot of land. Thus, creating habitat corridors for pollinators is ever more important, and can be achieved by interspersing crops with native wildflowers, creating “bee pastures,” or  linear habitat corridors. One study in Kansas, showed that pollinator numbers were twice as high along roadsides planted with native prairie species versus roadsides comprised of weeds. What does this mean for us? That native landscapes are necessary for sustaining the dwindling habitat of pollinators, and that the work we do at EnergyScapes helps to make that happen.

Hello Friends of EnergyScapes,

As the fall weather gets cooler and cooler, considering a new
landscape design for your yard might be the last thing on your mind.
However, this is the perfect time to call us about your property!  We
can install plants until the ground freezes and can do site consults
anytime.  Let us spend the winter working on something special for
your yard and then welcome spring with a new landscape!

Don’t forget that we also do fall cleanup.  Need help with leaf
removal?  Give us a call.  We’d be more than happy to come out and do
the hard work for you.

Whether it’s a big project or just a simple design for the corner of
your yard, now is the time to think about your next landscape
transformation.  Give us a call about your landscape ideas and
questions!  (612) 821-9797.

Happy Autumn!
The EnergyScapes Crew

The September issue of Landscape and Irrigation Magazine had a great article
on green roofs in major cities to improve the health of the environment.  Green roofs have been very popular in Europe for decades and the US is quickly following their example by create new innovative ways to create new and reto-fit green roofs.

Green roofs can benefit the environment as well as the budget. Green roofs absorb 10-90% of rainwater, depending on their design, providing important stormwater management. Business owners can mitigate the impervious surfaces they may be adding when expanding their structures by installing green roofs instead of raingardens. The transpiration of the plants helps to cool rooftops reducing air conditioning costs. On a large scale, the urban heat-island effect can be reduced several degrees which reduce smog formation over a city. Green roofs can double or triple the lifetime of a roof, eliminating the repeat cost of re-roofing a structure.

EnergyScapes has been maintaining existing green roofs in the metro area; now we are certified to install green roofs. Our recent training with Live Roof will allow us to install green roofs on proven existing and new structures. The Live Roof system provides instant greenery,requires minimal maintenance, and awards LEED points. Green roof certification adds one more important service to EnergyScape’s toolbox in our efforts to transform and nurture landscapes for health and beauty.

A recent article in Fine Gardening magazine was dedicated to native grasses for use in home landscaping. The article cited a number of benefits native grasses bring to landscapes including wildlife habitat, low maintenance, and their ability to handle tough site conditions. The author mentioned a number of beautiful grasses that can be used in the landscape including a variety of native and cultivated species.

EnergyScapes has always planted native grasses as part of sustainable landscapes. Grasses and sedges are an essential part of the functioning cosystems we create at our clients’ homes. Grasses provide food, cover, and shelter for wildlife; some grasses are the host plant to specific butterflies or other insects. For example, bottle brush grass (hystrix patula), a shady woodland grass, is the host plant for the Northern Pearly Eye butterfly.

These intricate wildlife-plant relationships are the reason
EnergyScapes chooses native grasses over cultivated varieties which have been selectively bred. When selecting plants for human desire (color, petal shape, bloom time) other characteristics preferred by wildlife may be altered. Some cultivars are chosen specifically for their ability to deter  wildlife- making it a pest-free variety. Other cultivars have simply lost valuable traits in this process: some have sterile seeds, others produce no nectar, some produce no berries. On the other hand, if a cultivar is so closely related to it’s native brethren, it may hybridize and become an ecological problem in natural areas. Cultivars often have generic traits so they can be sold throughout the US. Local native plants from local native nurseries provide the hardiest stock available. EnergyScapes promotes native grasses specifically from our
local region of Minnesota to provide the most well-adapted plants with the highest ecological value.