Is it possible to landscape property in a green-friendly way? How about creating a more natural and wildlife-friendly backyard inexpensively?

Are there any tax incentives for completing such projects?

One common misperception about adopting green practices around the home is that doing so will cost more money. But this may be true only in the short run. There are certainly some up-front outlays to converting a conventional backyard into a more environmentally friendly space (like any landscaping job), but homeowners should be able to make their money back within a few years through savings on their water and yard service bills alone.

Landscapes designed with the principles of nature and wildlife habitat in mind are often referred to as “naturescapes” (or “xeriscapes” when they also require little water to maintain). They usually replace most lawn grass and instead populate space with native plants that are attractive to wildlife for food or shelter.

Maintaining a green backyard can cost up to 90 percent less than keeping up a traditional lawn-based landscape. “Since naturescapes effectively take care of themselves, there is little or no maintenance and hence little or no maintenance cost,” says the group. The average American lawn costs about $700 yearly to maintain and the average household lawnmower is used upwards of 40 hours a year, the equivalent of a full work week.

Landowners with room to spare should plant one or more rows of native trees and shrubs as so-called “shelterbelts” that provide wildlife habitat and also provide shade in summer (to reduce air conditioning costs) and wind resistance in winter (they have been shown to reduce heating costs by as much as 30 percent).

Tax breaks for greening up your residential landscape are rare, but do exist. The state of Indiana offers tax breaks to landowners who convert a minimum of 15 acres over to habitat suitable for native wildlife. Many other state governments offer landowners similar assistance for maintaining habitat for threatened wildlife. And municipalities across the arid southwestern U.S. offer various incentives for homeowners who cut water use, whether through xeriscaping or any other means.

To get started converting your yard over, contact a local nursery well-versed in native landscaping to lend some informal or professional expertise. To find a nursery in your area that fits the bill, consult PlantNative’s free online directory of native plant nurseries. Or, if you want to do your own homework, check out the National Wildlife Federation’s free online Native Plant Guide (which covers the 50 U.S. states) or the Canadian Wildlife Federation’s guidebook Backyard Habitat for Canada’s Wildlife (available in print for $19.95 plus shipping).

Related Links

• PlantNative, www.plantnative.org
• National Wildlife Federation, www.nwf.org
• Canadian Wildlife Federation, www.cwf-fcf.org

When planning your next landscape project, consider using native species. Native plants tend to grow better than introduced species because they have evolved under local growing conditions. Native plants are less prone to disease and, once established, require less watering and fertilizer than non-native species. Also, they can reduce the amount of lawn you need to mow.

Design choices are as diverse with native plants as with introduced species. There are trees, shrubs, grasses, and wildflowers to choose from. Native plants come in a vast array of colors–blooming and adding interest to your landscape throughout the year. Many native plants have colorful, decorative leaves in a variety of shapes.

If you want a formal looking yard, group similar plants and colors together, with spacing wide enough to allow plant distinction. If you prefer a more natural look, scatter a variety of plants at random. Then, allow the plants to grow into each other, providing a free flowing form. Whatever your design, the soft pastels of delicate wildflowers are a welcome sign of spring. In winter, tall grasses and silhouettes of leafless shrubs add a texture to the landscape that a mowed lawn will never offer.

If you are enhancing an established yard, inventory your yard and work with the features you have. With the aid of field guides, you may locate hidden treasures in the form of wildflowers you were unaware of. Perhaps a stump, fallen log, or large rock could be a focal point for your garden. And, it can be exciting to build your new landscape design around a mature native tree.

Since the settlement of this country, there has been a rapid decline of both native plant and animal species. Some introduced plants have become invasive, taking over where wild plants once thrived. Planting native plants in your backyard is a step towards preserving your own natural heritage.

Be aware that many localities have laws or ordinances against digging up native plants for transplanting. Native species should be obtained from reputable nurseries and garden centers that offer a selection of plants indigenous to the area. Most states have a native plant society and contacts can be found on the Internet. Local bookstores have books dedicated to plants and animals of the region.

A well-planned design, a little leg work, and these tips, landscaping can make a typical lawn into something stunning from the street.

Easy

• Use local plants as they will require less maintenance after planting because they already thrive in your climate.
• Mulch beds provide texture above the grass while creating less weeding over time.
• Planters are easy to maintain and plant, not to mention the fact that they come in a variety of sizes to fit nearly any space.

Medium

• Frame your home. Install solid roots-bushes, shrubs, tall grasses-at the corners of your home to provide a visual frame for the street view.
• Cover the ground. Make sure to invest in ground covers of any stripe as they will provide added texture to the ground-giving a solid feeling to the yard and keeping weeds away.
• Flowers create vibrant color. Flowers or flowering plants are the showpieces of any landscaping. They grab the eye and add a pleasing aroma to the visual experience.

Comprehensive

• Trees. A great deal of work up front, trees provide an anchor to your landscaping, not to mention shade and above-ground color. Small species, like Japanese maples, add color and spindly texture without having to wait years for maturity.
• Contact a landscape architect. If you’re going to go big, you should go smart, too. She’ll know your soil type, your budget limits, and how best to work in your space.
• Get closer to the street. Build the landscaping toward the eyes in the street, not just toward the property lines. Making your landscaping deeper rather than wider gives guests something to walk through, not past, while visually drawing them closer.

Almost everyone wants to improve their home so it shows to its best.  Well, maybe not everyone, but most normal people do.  I was in a Los Angeles neighborhood and drove down a street that looked like no one took any pride in ownership of their homes.  It looked like a slum but a slum with homes worth $700,000 to $800,000 if they were in good shape.  What goes through someone’s head when they just stop taking care of their property?  The front landscaping turns to weeds, trees and shrubs die and the place looks like a less pleasant word for manure.

So what are five easy ROI tips for landscaping your home?

1. Lawn.  That’s the first and easiest ROI in landscaping your house.  If it’s dead, pull it out, and either seed or roll out a carpet of sod (instant gratification, believe me).  The investment on this can be as little as a weekend of labor in rototilling the dead lawn, adding top soil, leveling it smooth and spreading seed.  Then water daily and watch it sprout.  Or, if you want to spend a little more money, rototilling, adding top soil, leveling it smooth and rolling out the sod
2. Trees and Shrubs.  Having too many on a lot is as bad as not having any.  We all like to see a couple of trees, especially the shade variety if one has a western exposure.  If you have a lot with too many trees planted too close together, get one or more of them out.  That is easier said than done, believe me, since I have had a yard like that in my lifetime.  I often wonder what the people were thinking planting 3 trees within four feet of each other.  They weren’t and knew they weren’t going to be living there when the trees matured and were entangled into each other!  Here’s how to remove the dead trees and shrubs on your own and save money.
3. Flowers.  We all like to see color in a garden and flowers marching along side a entry walkway are welcoming.  Take an afternoon and plant some.  Don’t plant them too close to each other, and allow for space to grow.
4. Bark.  When you see a home that has been staged go on the market, inevitability the yard has fresh bark spread in the garden.  It inhibits wees, covers blank spots by filling in the earth between plants, and just finishes off the look.
5. Fencing.  If your fence is falling down by all means fix it.  If you are going to ask a lot of money for your home, the least you can do is fix the fence.  If you have neighbors surrounding your property you can ask them to split the cost as it’s a benefit to them as much as one to you.

Enhance your home and see an ROI on the investment of money and time.  Imagine your house after doing the above.  It’ll have curb appeal and make someone want to go inside to see the rest of the house.  No one wants to see a dump, unless it is a fire sale.  Keep that in mind when you’re doing your yardwork.  There really is profit when you have a nice looking yard.