Sustainable Landscape Award
Nominate your or someone else's property for the Sustainable Landscape Award! This award is a part of the Kettering Neighborhood Pride Program for a selected home or business that demonstrates sustainable gardening methods and/or landscape. Fill out the Neighborhood Pride Nomination Form, and select Sustainable Landscape as the type of property that you are nominating.
Traditional vs. Sustainable Lawns
Traditional grass lawns are unsustainable in many ways. The pesticides and fertilizers used on traditional lawns can create polluted runoff, and this runoff can flow directly into natural waterways. Additionally, wild lawns and native plants require much less water than lawns. Traditional lawns deprive land available for natural areas, which contributes to the loss of native habitats and decline in pollinators.
The lawns themselves aren’t just the problem, but so is the maintenance. Lawn mowers contribute significantly to carbon dioxide emissions, as just one hour of mowing is comparable to the emissions from a car driving over 200 miles. Lawn mowers can also contribute to other air pollutants, harming our health and environment.
There are lots of options and alternatives to traditional lawns, and a multitude of benefits to converting your lawn into a natural, native area. So, let’s stop fighting nature and start embracing it!
Native Plants
Native plants and species are adapted to the local climate and soil conditions, making them essential for maintaining and building sustainable ecosystems. Native plants do not require fertilizer and require fewer pesticides than lawns. Native plants also require less water than lawns, help prevent erosion, help reduce air pollution, provide shelter and food for wildlife, and promote biodiversity.
Short lists of locally available native plant species include the following:
- Shade trees: Red Maple, Sugar Maple, Red Oak, Swamp White Oak, Burr Oak, White Pine, Sweet Gum, American Beech, American Linden, Tulip Poplar.
- Smaller trees and Tall Shrubs: Ohio Buckeye, Allegheny Serviceberry, PawPaw Tree, River Birch, Redbud, Flowering Dogwood, Pagoda Dogwood, Washington Hawthorn, Sweet Bay Magnolia, Crabapple, Black Haw Viburnum, American Hornbeam, Sassafras.
- Shrubs: Red and Black Chokeberry, Red Osier Dogwood, Winterberry Holly, Eastern Red Cedar, Fragrant Sumac, Arrowwood Viburnum, Sweet Pepperbush.
- Perennials and Grasses: Butterfly Weed, Purple Coneflower, Coreopsis, New England Aster, Cranesbill Geranium, Virginia Bluebells, Canadian Wild Ginger, Lady Fern, Blazing Star, Wild Bergamot, Black-eyed Susan, Switch Grass, Prairie Dropseed Grass, Sideoats Grama Grass, Big and Little Bluestem Grass.
Check out Dayton Area Wild Ones for information on local native plant sales and native plant businesses in the greater Dayton area.
Rainwater Capture & Reducing Runoff
Rain Barrels
Rain barrels or cisterns can be used to harvest rain water for irrigation and other outdoor water uses. Collecting water in a rain barrel can save you money on your water bill but also reduces the amount of water entering the storm drain during a storm. In addition to efficient watering practices, watering your home’s landscape with rainwater or reused water can help relieve the strain on the local municipal water supply, especially during drought conditions. Be mindful that the first steps to water-efficiency outdoors should be a drought tolerant, low water use landscape and wise watering.
Montgomery County Rain Barrel Program: Rain Barrel Sale
Montgomery County Soil and Water Conservation District: Rain Barrels Store
Rain Gardens
A rain garden is a depressed area in the landscape that collects rainwater and allows it to soak into the ground. Planting grasses and flowering perennials in rain gardens can reduce runoff and filter pollutants from your property.
Reducing Runoff & Chemical Pollution
Ways to reduce runoff:
- Consider replacing part of your lawn with native, drought-tolerant perennials or shrubs that need less water once planted.
- Plant flower beds with proper spacing and add a 2-2.5” layer of organic mulch to shade soil and reduce moisture loss. Some organic mulching materials include well-composted shredded leaves, wheat straw, and shredded bark. These materials help enrich the soil as they decompose over time and help new plants establish strong root systems.
- Use groundcovers to reduce and filter runoff from hardscapes like steps, sidewalks, patios, and driveways. Commonly used non-invasive herbaceous spreading groundcovers include Native Sedum, Creeping Phlox, and Creeping Thyme.
- Use mulch to improve moisture retention while preventing water runoff.
Ways to reduce chemical pollution:
- Fertilize in the fall instead of the springtime. Fall fertilizations promote vigorous root growth and prevent fertilizer from leaching into our streams.
- Choose fertilizers with “slow release” forms of nitrogen which are less likely to leach untreated from your yard into our streams and creeks.
- Do a soil test and consider phosphorus-free fertilizers.
Additional Tips
Some additional sustainable landscaping tips include:
- Keep your sewer drains clear of yard waste and debris to protect stormwater systems.
- Maintain tree growth and branches near power lines for safety purposes.
- Consult the utility provider's recommendations regarding plant selections near both above ground and underground utilities. Call before you dig: Ohio Utilities Protection Service
- Plant shade trees to provide canopy cover, reduce stormwater runoff and soil erosion, and enhance habitats for native wildlife.
- Plant edible fruits, herbs, and vegetables in your landscape or outdoor living areas. This reduces the carbon emissions associated with transportation, fertilizer and pesticide use, and packaging products while also providing fresh, nutritious produce at an affordable price.
- Always research before planting anything to avoid possible invasive species and ensure that your selections are well-suited to the regional climate.
- Group plants with similar water, soil, and light requirements together.
Make sure your yard plans abide by the City of Kettering’s Exterior Property Maintenance Standards.