March 16, 2011
Time 7PM
Location: Central Rappahannock Regional Library1201 Caroline St. Fredericksburg, VA
Speaker; Virginia Rockwell, LEED Green Associate, VSLD, VCH, APLD AssociateTopic: Is Grass always the “greenest” choice? Beautiful alternatives to turf grass that will help clean up out waterways, too.
via www.mgacra.com
Open to the public, landscape design alternatives to turfgrass on the eve of St. Paddy's Day.
Go Green!
and of course the big revolution is digging up front lawn entirely to create community food gardens. best trend yet!
Posted by: virginia rockwell | 30 January 2011 at 10:23 AM
#Turfgrass is the least expensive land cover in suburban/urban areas to INSTALL. But it carries a fairly high economic, social and environmental burden/cost.
If you have athletes, families children and pets who need it to play, SOME turfgrass is essential.
If you have to control a tick population,SOME turfgrass is essential. Chickens and guineas work well too.
If you need to see GREEN in winter to avoid Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), AND WHO DOESN'T? some turfgrass is helpful.
But from a design perspective, it may be helpful to reduce the 'market share' of dollars, time, nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers, equipment capital/operating costs, and emissions &carbon that EXTENSIVE turfgrass lawns create.
Alternatives to #turfgrass: meadow, native plant beds & borders, groundcovers, hedges, fruit trees & shrubs, vines, and most especially, TREES, especially near streams.
Posted by: virginia rockwell | 30 January 2011 at 10:07 AM