{"id":103,"date":"2019-03-12T23:10:32","date_gmt":"2019-03-12T23:10:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.forsea.org\/landscpe-2\/"},"modified":"2023-04-02T03:06:13","modified_gmt":"2023-04-02T03:06:13","slug":"landscpe-2","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/www.forsea.org\/landscpe-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Landscaping for a Healthy Sound"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n
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\n

Landscaping
\nfor a Healthy Sound<\/font><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

From the
\ncrest of the Cascades to the crest of the Olympics, from north
\nof Bellingham to south of Olympia, most of rain that falls on
\nour homes, lawns, and driveways eventually finds its way into
\nPuget Sound. What we do with and on our land directly affects
\nthe quality of our waters. <\/font><\/p>\n

Thoughtful
\nlandscaping can change the volume, velocity, and timing of surface
\nrunoff that flows from) our property. Decreased volume decreases
\nthe danger of flooding, soil erosion, stream scouring, and the
\ndelivery of excessive sediment to the Sound.<\/font><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

  Getting
\nStarted<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

Planting<\/font>
\n  Trees, shrubs, and groundcover help reduce runoff,
\nminimize erosion, and enhance the appearance and value of your
\nproperty. Think about reducing your lawn and bare areas by increasing
\nthe number and variety of shrubs and trees. <\/font><\/p>\n

If you
\nbuild a new home, leave as much of the original vegetation as
\npossible. Leaving the vegetation not only reduces runoff and
\npollution but gives you a head-start on your final landscaping
\nand may increase the value of your home. It is particularly
\nimportant to leave a vegetation buffer along streambanks and
\nshorelines to avoid excessive runoff and erosion. Before you
\nstart construction grading, get a copy of the Associated General
\nContractors booklet, Waste Disposal and Erosion, and Sediment
\nControl Methods, by calling (206) 284-0061. Read the booklet
\nand share it with your builder. <\/font><\/p>\n

Well planned
\nlandscaping has other benefits too. Planting choices and locations
\ncan reduce heating and cooling costs for your house by as much
\nas 30%. Trees, shrubs, and groundcover require less maintenance
\nthan grass. They also require less fertilizer and fewer pesticides
\nthan grass, reducing the chances of your yard adding polluting
\nrunoff to the Sound. New shrubs and trees may also attract birds
\nand wildlife. <\/font><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

Appropriate
\nPlants for Puget Sound Landscapes Before you head for the nursery
\nor garden shop, consider the growing conditions around your
\nland. Fond of roses? Many varieties are susceptible to mildew
\nand fungus. To keep these roses growing, Northwest gardeners
\noften resort to heavy do<\/font>ses of pesticides.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

<\/p>\n

   How
\nTo Choose…<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

Fortunately,
\nnature has given us a hint. Over time, plants native to a particular
\nlocale have adapted to local growing conditions. Plants that
\ngrow naturally in the forests and open lands of the Puget Sound
\nbasin are well suited to our patterns of rainfall and are bothered
\nless by common disease and insect problems than most plants
\nintroduced from other areas. So, as a first step in plant selection,
\nlook for native species. <\/font><\/p>\n

Next, call
\nthe Washington Toxics Coalition at (206) 632-1545 and request
\nAppropriate Plants for Northwest Landscapes. This fact sheet
\nlists and describes appropriate groundcovers, shrubs, and trees.
\nAs a bonus, over three dozen disease resistant rhododendron
\ntypes are listed, along with a list of inappropriate plants
\nfor Puget Sound landscapes. WSU Cooperative Extension has additional,
\nhelpful publications. Finally, ask a competent, professional
\nnursery to help you select groundcovers, shrubs, and trees appropriate
\nfor your yard and soil type. <\/font><\/p>\n

Other garden
\nmaterials can influence runoff too. Avoid landscaping plastic
\nbeneath decorative rock or bark. The plastic prevents water
\nfrom entering the soil. New, woven materials accomplish the
\ntask of weed control while permitting water penetration. Similarly,
\nthe chapter on erosion control discusses alternative, permeable
\npaving surfaces for paths, walks, patios, and driveways. <\/font><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

\nGardening<\/a><\/font>
\n<\/font><\/a><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Landscaping for a Healthy Sound From the crest of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9063,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"template_6.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.forsea.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/103"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.forsea.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.forsea.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.forsea.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.forsea.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=103"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"http:\/\/www.forsea.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/103\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9222,"href":"http:\/\/www.forsea.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/103\/revisions\/9222"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.forsea.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9063"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.forsea.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=103"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}