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Sustainable Gardening Survey

A new survey by the American Society of Landscape Architects has found that most American households are taking action to adopt practices to promote energy efficiency within their homes -- but not outside in the garden.

The survey indicates that 90+ percent of Americans turn off light bulbs more often, 55 percent have decreased the use of air conditioning and heating, and 38 percent unplug appliances when not in use, but the percentages drop drastically when people move outdoors.

Only 29 percent of respondents plant shade trees to lower energy costs; 23 percent use tools like hand mowers or hand rakes instead of power mowers and leaf blowers; and only 15 percent recycle water or collect rainwater for watering plants.   Most people said they would institute sustainable techniques in the garden if they knew more about them, and most agreed that such methods would save them money.

ASLA Executive Vice President and CEO Nancy Somerville said the survey results "clearly show a desire and willingness to use techniques that reduce utility bills at home, but few know what can be accomplished outside their homes."  She added that the space between buildings is "just as important -- perhaps more so -- to not only reducing energy costs ,but addressing a broad range of environmental issues."

ASLA, along with the US Botanic Garden and the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center, are soon expected to release voluntary guidelines and a rating system for sustainable landcape design, covering back yard gardens as well as major urban developments.  A recent case study comparing a conventional and a sustainable garden found that the sustainable garden cost $4300 more to install, but it uses 77 percent less water, produces 66 percent less green waste, and costs 68 percent less annually to maintain.  Holly Shimizu, Executive Director of the US Botanic Garden, said once the new standards are in place, they can "change not only the landscape and gardening industry, but also raise public expectations about the health and quality of the built environment."

California's Largest Green Roof

California Academy of Sciences
The new California Academy of Sciences building in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park opened last weekend -- with the largest green roof in the state.  The roof itself spans 2.5 acres, featuring seven hills covered with more than one million native California plants.

The undulating roof was designed by architect Renzo Piano, with the aim of integrating the building into the landscape of the park.  The only difference between the plants on the ground and on the roof is that the roof plants are all California natives.  Academy botanist Frank Almeda explained that his goal was "to choose native plants that were well adapted to the climate in Golden Gate Park and would provide much-needed habitat for native birds, butterflies, and other beneficial insects." He added that another goal was to "select species that would look attractive throughout the year, since a visually appealing roof is a much more powerful educational tool." 

Thirty species were tested on the roof of the old Academy before a final nine were selected -- all plants that can survive on the roof's steep slopes without artificial irrigation or fertilization.  The nine winners are:

• Self heal. (Prunella vulgaris) - shown left. Attractive to hummingbirds and bumble bees.
• Beach strawberries (Fragaria chiloensis).  Berries attract native birds.
• Sea pink (Armeria maritima) Flower attract moths and butterflies.
• Stonecorp (Sedum spathulifolium) Produces nectar for Hairstreak butterfly and threatened San Bruno elfin butterfly.l

Practicing What You Preach

Watch your local listings of garden events, and the next time Ed Snodgrass is lecturing in your area, don't miss it.  We met Ed at a regional meeting of the Garden Writers Association  in Washington, DC -- where he led the tour of the new green roof installed last year atop the headquarters of the American Society of Landscape Architects ( ASLA).  As you can see, in just a year the green roof plants are thriving in DC's heat and humidity, and the experiment is well ... a huge success.

Ed told us that green roofs have a rainfall retention rate of up to 77 percent, dramatically reducing the flow of stormwater.  They also insulate in winter and cool down buildings in summer, reducing energy costs, and in cities, they reduce the "heat island" effect. Depending on the type of roof you install, they either survive wind and drought conditions or they require some irrigation plus plant maintenance.  Ed showed us a slide of the approach to Stuttgart airport in Germany -- and instead of a sea of asphalt roofs, there's a swath of green atop the buildings as far as your eye can see.

Ed also has a great personal story.  He's the 5th generation to farm his family's old homestead in Harford County, Maryland, sandwiched between Baltimore and the Pennsylvania border.  Only these days, Emory Knoll Farms is growing a new kind of crop.  Once flourishing with corn, soybeans, cattle and more, the 1980's were hard on farmers, and Ed, a committed conservationist, decided to switch gears.  The farm is now the only nursery in the United States devoted to growing plants for the green roof industry.

Emory Knoll uses no paper plant catalogues: the catalogue is online only.  The farm's water wells are powered by solar energy.  Plant inventory is over-wintered in unheated greenhouses. Used cooking oil and kitchen grease are collected from local restaurants and the oil is burned for heat.  And there's much, much more that's detailed on the farm's website.  Ed's now a top consultant for green roof projects all over the United States, and the next time he's in your area, go listen and learn and get on board the coming green revolution.

(click to enlarge images)

Green Roof Awards 2007

Green Roofs for Healthy Cities has announced its award-winning green roof designs for 2007, as the construction of these kinds of projects nationwide continues to grow at a very rapid pace.

The Feldman Residence in Carmel, California, pictured here, won the top residential award for an "extensive" green roof, i.e., a low-maintenance roof planted with drought-tolerant plants that survive on rainwater.  The residence is located in the 20,000-acre Santa Lucia Preserve. It was designed by Feldman Architecture of San Francisco as an example of sustainable Mediterranean Modernism.

Landscape architect Loretta Gargan, working with Blasen Landscape Architecture of Sausalito, CA, designed the outdoor areas, and the green roofs (there are three) were designed by Rana Creek, an ecological design firm in Carmel Valley, CA.

Three small buildings are built into a hillside, and the hill is integrated into the green roof of each one.  It's hard to tell where the hill stops and the green roofs begin. Gargan chose native plants for use throughout the landscape, including Iris douglasiana, Symphocarpus albus (Common Snowberry), Calamagrostis foliosa (Leafy Reed Grass), Mimulus (Monkey Flower) 'Jelly Bean White,' and Ceanothus (California Lilac).   Beyond the patio, a native meadow connects the new landscape to its existing surroundings.  Hillsides were planted with oaks to screen the road, seeded with wildflowers for seasonal interest, and clumps of Muhlenbergia rigens (Deer Grass) define the pathways.  In addition, Gargan surrounded the spa area with Festuca californica (California Fescue) to evoke cascading water, and just off the kitchen, she added a small potted garden with herbs, edible flowers, and citrus. 

If that were not enough, the insulation provided by the green roofs reduces the Feldmans' energy consumption by up to 30 percent in the summer, and sound is reduced by 43 decibels.

(photos: top: Green Roofs for Healthy Cities and Rana Creek; bottom: Loretta Gargan)

Green Space Awards 2007

Project Evergreen, which promotes the development of green spaces and their environmental, economic and lifestyle benefits, is calling for nominations for its 2007 "Because Green Matters" award.  The award recognizes the individual, company, or the organization that has either created or promoted a major project to provide more green space.  In 2006, Project Evergreen honored the Southern Land Company in Franklin, TN (above) for its efforts to include landscaping in real estate projects; in 2005, the University of Akron was cited for adding 30 acres of open green space to its campus and planting 30 thousand new trees.

The award is presented each year on Earth Day, April 22nd. "Green spaces have an impact on every aspect of our life," said Project Evergreen's executive director Dan Gardner.  "Our environment, economy and lifestyle are all improved by well-maintained green spaces." 

Anyone who knows of a great green space project may submit an application, which must be postmarked by March 1, 2007.  More details available on Project Evergreen's website -- www.projectevergreen.com

(image: Southern Land Company)

Green Survey

Hard to believe what people don't know, but here are some of the results from a recent survey of American consumers by Project Evergreen, an organization that promotes the economic and environmental benefits of landscapes and green spaces in communities around the country. 

• 40% of participants said they didn't know that trees, shrubs and lawns remove pollutants from the air.  Did they attend elementary school?
• 55% support tax increases (what??) to build public green spaces and parks.
• 100% agreed that public areas used by children for sports and other activities should have well maintained landscapes.
• 90% agreed that landscaping improves home value
• 45% agreed, 55% disagreed or had no opinion whether access to green space improves worker productivity & provides a sense of rest.
• 80% did not know that trees shading homes can reduce attic temperatures by as much as 40 degrees. 
• 30% agreed that landscaping can reduce energy costs.

Makes you wonder who these people were that took the survey ... and what's been going on in science classes.

Native Americans & Others Go Green

Green Roofs for Healthy Cities has announced its 2006 green roof award winners, and the roof pictured at left is certainly a winner!  It's atop a museum and research center at the Mashantucket Pequot Reservation in southeastern Connecticut. The architect was Polshek Partnership Architects of New York City.

The facility is located at the edge of the Great Cedar Swamp, and the tribe wanted a perfect transition between the museum roof and the adjacent swamp, a 500 acre wetland of historical significance and cultural importance to the community.  The roof is used for educational and cultural events and the roof garden will eventually supply the museum kitchen with seasonal foods traditionally used by Native Americans. Among the original plantings were low bush blueberry, daylily, strawberry, wormwood, spearmint, tansy, and sage.

A special recognition award went to Koch Landscape Architecture in Portland, Oregon, for the courtyard roof at the 10th at Hoyt Apartments. It was planned to comply with the City of Portland's guidelines for on-site stormwater runoff.  This inspiring design is reminiscent of Persian water features:  water channels, cascades, and fountains are activated for about 30 hours after a rainstorm.  The water is cycled into and through shallow detention basins, cisterns, and lighted boxes, and then it's slowly released into the city water system.  This enclosed courtyard roof garden is 8500 square feet and it's open to the street on one side.

(top photo: Green Roofs for Healthy Cities and Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center;
bottom photo:  Green Roofs for Healthy Cities and Koch Landscape Architecture) 

Up on the Roof

You could hold a big party up on the new roof of 636 I Street NW in Washington DC -- headquarters of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA).

The plants are still growing in, but you can see the greenery from street level, and tours will soon be underway by appointment. ASLA unveiled the 3300 square foot project this week and hopes it will inspire others to plant their roofs as well.

Nancy Somerville, ASLA's Executive Vice President/CEO, said green roofs in general have positive environmental benefits in cities "where green space is at a premium."  While she admitted that this one roof "is not going to make a dent" in DC's air quality, she said planted roofs can reduce roof temperatures by 90 degrees, reduce heating and air conditioning costs, improve storm water retention, and make roof replacement unnecessary for 40 years or more. And, if enough owners put green roofs atop their buildings, they together could have a significant impact.  DC currently ranks second in green roofs in the United States, just behind Chicago.

This roof was designed by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates Inc., of Cambridge, MA and New York City. Landscape architect Chris Counts said the designers wanted to use the roof as an educational tool and also take the concept a step further to "what the next generation of green roofs would be like."  He said it was "quite a challenge" to come with a design that had "a spatial quality" in the flat, 38 x 82 foot space. You have to acknowledge the solution is very ingenious.

(photo left: Courtesy Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, Inc)
(click on images for larger view)

More Green Space

The USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) has signed an agreement with the state of Maryland, the Patuxent Research Refuge the US Army's Fort Meade , and the NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center to preserve a 25,660 acre acre natural area near Washington, DC.  The spotted salamander pictured left is just one example of many diverse flora and fauna living in the vast ecological preserve.

The preservation area includes 3270 acres of forest and 3230 acres of wetlands sometimes called the 'green lungs' of Washington because the trees emit so much oxygen.  (And some people in this town need it to help clear their brains!).

The state of Maryland designated the forest area a historic research area some time ago, and researchers used it to develop national and international techniques for counting the bird population.

(photo: ARS)