Published 25. May 2010 at 11:12 pm - No Comments
Taking Sustainable Landscaping to New Heights
The latest trends in sustainable landscape design have the ability to be elegantly luxurious and vibrant, without placing a strain on natural resources and the environment. From urban townhomes to country estates, green roofs and living walls are a lively...
Published 17. May 2010 at 6:45 pm - No Comments
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Published 12. May 2010 at 5:05 am - One Comment
With 2010 fast approaching, there is no better way to celebrate the New Year than the Green Connoisseur way! Wherever your plans may take you, here is a countdown of 5 ways to usher in a green 2010.
5) Keep it Close to Home
While many cities become major destinations for New Year’s Eve, a wonderful...
Published 1. January 2010 at 2:43 pm - No Comments
The Green Connoisseur would like to wish you a very happy, healthy and prosperous 2010. We have officially moved our daily entries to The Green Connoisseur homepage. You will no longer see new content at this URL. We hope you will bookmark The Green Connoisseur and visit us frequently. In closing,...
Published 28. December 2009 at 2:22 pm - No Comments
One of the most common New Year’s Resolutions is to embrace a healthier lifestyle, which usually includes an increase in exercise. Oftentimes, eco-minded exercisers overlook the many ways one can incorporate eco-friendly values into getting fit, staying trim, and building muscle. Go beyond taking...
Published 27. December 2009 at 4:09 pm - No Comments
You’ve opened all of your gifts, enjoyed the company of your friends and loved ones, and you’re pretty sure that full feeling will last a few weeks – what now? Formally thanking the friends and family that gave you holiday gifts is a good idea. It shows gratitude and appreciation...
Published 26. December 2009 at 3:00 pm - No Comments
Reusable shopping bags are a must have for every eco-savvy consumer, but a normal family grocery trip isn’t always easy with typical reusable totes. Kristen Brown, founder of Green Waste Solutions, has created the answer – a convenient, easy to store system of 4 versatile shopping bags.
My...
Published 24. December 2009 at 11:25 am - No Comments
While Christmas is only a day away, there are still many things that likely need to be put in order. For those of you who have caught the Christmas spirit, you might be thinking of things in terms of Santa’s elves, who are still working at wrapping, stuffing stockings, and decorating the North...
Published 23. December 2009 at 2:33 pm - No Comments
Looking for an eco-friendly or organic baby shower gift that leaves an everlasting imprint in the minds of expecting mothers? A unique trend sweeping the celebrity scene and expanding creative baby shower gift giving involves stylish, eye-catching arrangements known as diaper cakes. Comprised of rolled...
Published 22. December 2009 at 3:28 pm - No Comments
It’s the holiday season, and nothing reflects the spirit more than delicious desserts – especially desserts that contain no animal products at all!
There are a host of great shops that feature vegan, organic and fair trade desserts that are both mouth-watering and guilt-free. While it may...
Taking Sustainable Landscaping to New Heights
The latest trends in sustainable landscape design have the ability to be elegantly luxurious and vibrant, without placing a strain on natural resources and the environment. From urban townhomes to country estates, green roofs and living walls are a lively and eco-friendly accent to your landscaping.
Green Roofs and Walls Explained
Green walls and living roofs both utilize the same basic landscaping concept – turning existing, otherwise unused space into a flourishing and thriving planting area. Both sustainable landscaping techniques require a supporting structure, along with an irrigation and drainage system.
Curved and slightly pitched roofs are ideal for green roof design, but any type of roof can support a variety of vegetation. If your roof wasn’t designed with a green roof in mind, it should be checked to determine if additional reinforcement is required before installing the system. Extensive roofs are most common and typically feature a variety of low-growing shrubs called sedums. An intensive green roof works best on flat roofs and may include vegetable, flower, or herb gardens, small trees, and other species generally found in ground-level landscape designs.
Living roofs can be installed on practically any vertical surface, inside or out. These gardens may feature greenery, vegetables, colorful flowers, or creeping vines and are generally installed in a series of pre-vegetated panels. Green walls can be functional as well as artistic – a number of companies are adopting the technique to display logos on their city office buildings, while urban residential structures may support create butterfly gardens, community vegetable gardens, or creative accents with green wall landscaping.
Benefits of Green Roofs and Walls
These sustainable landscaping techniques are more than creative ways to beautify your home; they hold an assortment of environmental benefits. From protecting structures to encouraging native wildlife, the eco-friendly aspects of green roofs and living walls are unsurpassed.
Green roofs block the harmful effects of UV rays and acid rain to prolong the life of your roof. Both green walls and roofs work to cool your home naturally, reducing electrical needs for cooling, and also minimize storm water runoff. Especially in the city, these eco-friendly landscape designs naturally sequester carbon and clean the air of toxins to improve community health. Green roofs and walls can also provide safe breeding areas for birds, insects, and reptiles that may otherwise become extinct with modern development.
Green Roof and Living Wall Design and Installation
Because of the intensive planning that goes into green roof and wall design, it is best to hire a landscaper that specializes in these techniques. The number of contractors available for this type of landscaping is continuously growing. A few options to consider include:
Roofscapes, Inc. – Based in Pennsylvania, Roofscapes offers customized green roof designs and works with a national network of professionals to design and install the best system for your home or business structure.
ELT Easy Green – Providing homeowners and businesses with a sustainable landscaping option since 2003, ELT designs complete green wall and roof systems for clients around the world. Contact ELT to find a qualified installer or designer in your area.
